Fan competitions are funny aren't they? The guy/girl crowned as a celebrity or athlete or team's number one fan is typically the one most willing to be humiliated or make the largest posterior of themselves in a public forum, even on television.
I find this amusing. Having maintained a personal standard for what makes a good or bad fan for many years I feel as though nothing could be more irrelevant in determining one's level of fanhood. Loyalty, passion, consistency; All important variables. Insanity, not so much. So allow me to lay out my blueprint for the true Number One Fan.
A family member of mine wanted to find a new NFL team a couple years back (this is allowed on a case by case basis depending on the surrounding circumstances). He had come to realize that when he became a fan of his current team as a child, he was more a fan of a particular player and once this player had retired years ago his level of interest in the team had dwindled.
This is a legit concern. A huge part of being a number one fan is passion. If you don't live and die by what your squad accomplishes each week, it just isn't as fun. Die hard fans have to bleed the colors of their team. Knowing that he didn't care as much as he once did about his team told me that he was with the wrong team.
For a number one fan, each game is an emotional rollercoaster. I have been on my knees either cheering or shouting obscenities on more occasions than I care to admit. If you are just lukewarm about your team, it's like being lukewarm about your spouse: a sign that change is needed. However, there are other issues to address when building a number one fan.
Of everything I told him during his search, the single most important piece of advice I gave him I also give to everyone looking for a team: Make sure this team will be your team after the current roster, coaching staff, even ownership is completely different than it is right now. People leave. Whether it be via trades or free agency or retirement, nothing stays the same for long. The last thing you want to be is that guy who's favorite teams changes every year or two.
You must identify with the franchise. Their look, logo, mascot, stadium, city/state, must be as appealing as the 53 guys who played this season. In addition, you must be willing to sit through the hard times even if they last a really, long, time. I respect Browns fans, Lions fans, Rams fans who still wear the gear to Walmart. That's a number one fan. Being loyal to a team for better of for worse, through good times and bad, as players come and go, says something about you as a person and certainly as a fan.
The next variable on the list is the one many people will disagree with, but I feel very strongly is vital to being a number one fan. Consistency. Meaning you're a fan of any player or coach who becomes a member of your team. If my least favorite person in the league became a Dallas Cowboy tomorrow, that's my guy.
It's not two-faced. It's not waffling. It's being a consistent fan. You support your team no matter what decisions they make and do not down talk them in public under any circumstances (exception being after a loss, there is a 24 hour complaint window, then you must move on). Nothing aggravates me more than people calling themselves fans and then trashing players on internet forums and radio talk shows. Fan maybe, but certainly not a number one fan.
Casual fans are cool though. We die hard's need you. Seeing you in the mall with your gear on let's us know it's all worth it. You are the support system. Without you we would all look the like obsessive maniacs that, well, we are. Still, the role of the number one fan cannot be understated. Ask teams who travel to places like Seattle or Kansas City, where the crowd noise is so deafening it affects their play on the field, how important truly passionate fans are.
Truth is, crowning a singular "Number One Fan" is silly. Being willing to eat a bucket of jalapeno's or dance a naked macarena does not prove loyalty to a team. It only proves that you are likely suffering from an emotional or psychological disorder and should probably focus on treatment. Those of us who fit the profile I laid out, as a group, share the title together. We are the twelfth man. You. Me. We, are the number one fan.
I find this amusing. Having maintained a personal standard for what makes a good or bad fan for many years I feel as though nothing could be more irrelevant in determining one's level of fanhood. Loyalty, passion, consistency; All important variables. Insanity, not so much. So allow me to lay out my blueprint for the true Number One Fan.
A family member of mine wanted to find a new NFL team a couple years back (this is allowed on a case by case basis depending on the surrounding circumstances). He had come to realize that when he became a fan of his current team as a child, he was more a fan of a particular player and once this player had retired years ago his level of interest in the team had dwindled.
This is a legit concern. A huge part of being a number one fan is passion. If you don't live and die by what your squad accomplishes each week, it just isn't as fun. Die hard fans have to bleed the colors of their team. Knowing that he didn't care as much as he once did about his team told me that he was with the wrong team.
For a number one fan, each game is an emotional rollercoaster. I have been on my knees either cheering or shouting obscenities on more occasions than I care to admit. If you are just lukewarm about your team, it's like being lukewarm about your spouse: a sign that change is needed. However, there are other issues to address when building a number one fan.
Of everything I told him during his search, the single most important piece of advice I gave him I also give to everyone looking for a team: Make sure this team will be your team after the current roster, coaching staff, even ownership is completely different than it is right now. People leave. Whether it be via trades or free agency or retirement, nothing stays the same for long. The last thing you want to be is that guy who's favorite teams changes every year or two.
You must identify with the franchise. Their look, logo, mascot, stadium, city/state, must be as appealing as the 53 guys who played this season. In addition, you must be willing to sit through the hard times even if they last a really, long, time. I respect Browns fans, Lions fans, Rams fans who still wear the gear to Walmart. That's a number one fan. Being loyal to a team for better of for worse, through good times and bad, as players come and go, says something about you as a person and certainly as a fan.
The next variable on the list is the one many people will disagree with, but I feel very strongly is vital to being a number one fan. Consistency. Meaning you're a fan of any player or coach who becomes a member of your team. If my least favorite person in the league became a Dallas Cowboy tomorrow, that's my guy.
It's not two-faced. It's not waffling. It's being a consistent fan. You support your team no matter what decisions they make and do not down talk them in public under any circumstances (exception being after a loss, there is a 24 hour complaint window, then you must move on). Nothing aggravates me more than people calling themselves fans and then trashing players on internet forums and radio talk shows. Fan maybe, but certainly not a number one fan.
Casual fans are cool though. We die hard's need you. Seeing you in the mall with your gear on let's us know it's all worth it. You are the support system. Without you we would all look the like obsessive maniacs that, well, we are. Still, the role of the number one fan cannot be understated. Ask teams who travel to places like Seattle or Kansas City, where the crowd noise is so deafening it affects their play on the field, how important truly passionate fans are.
Truth is, crowning a singular "Number One Fan" is silly. Being willing to eat a bucket of jalapeno's or dance a naked macarena does not prove loyalty to a team. It only proves that you are likely suffering from an emotional or psychological disorder and should probably focus on treatment. Those of us who fit the profile I laid out, as a group, share the title together. We are the twelfth man. You. Me. We, are the number one fan.
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