The Problem With Us Fans
Look, I gotta confess something. I’m a hypocrite. A sports hypocrite. I spend all week complaining about how much I hate toxic fandom, then I turn around and do the exact same thing. It’s pathetic. Honestly.
Let me set the scene. Last Tuesday night. 11:30pm. I’m at home, watching the Lakers game with my buddy Marcus (let’s call him Marcus because, well, that’s his name). We’re both sipping on some craft beer—Marcus insists on calling it ‘artisanal’ which, frankly, makes me wanna punch him in the face. But I digress.
So there we are, minding our own business, when some clown in the stands starts heckling LeBron. And I mean really heckling him. Like, ‘You’re washed up, man!’ and ‘Your mom’s a bag of hammers!’ kind of stuff. And what do I do? I laugh. I laugh. Because, hey, it’s funny, right? I mean, it’s not like I’m the one saying it. I’m just the guy on the couch, enjoying the show.
But here’s the thing: I’m not innocent. Not even a little bit. Because just last month, I was at a conference in Austin, and I got into a full-blown argument with some poor sap who had the audacity to suggest that Tom Brady might be, and I quote, ‘a tad overrated.’ A tad! I mean, come on! I basically called the guy a heretic and told him he should probably just go back to watching soccer or something. Which, in hindsight, was probably a bit much. But still. The point is, I’m no better than that guy in the stands.
And it’s not just me. It’s all of us. We’re all guilty of this hypocrisy. We love to hate the toxic fans, but we also love to be toxic fans. We love to complain about how much we hate the bandwagon jumpers, but we also love to jump on the bandwagon when it’s convenient. We love to talk about how much we respect the game, but we also love to trash-talk and insult and generally behave like a bunch of petulant children.
It’s a problem. A big one. And it’s not gonna be easy to fix. But maybe, just maybe, if we start by admitting that we’re part of the problem, we can start to make some progress. Maybe we can start to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Maybe we can start to actually practice what we preach.
But Here’s the Thing…
Now, I’m not saying we should all become saints. I’m not saying we should all start singing ‘Kumbaya’ and holding hands and pretending like we don’t have strong opinions about sports. That’s not the point. The point is that we need to find a way to balance our love of the game with our respect for the game. We need to find a way to be passionate without being toxic. We need to find a way to be critical without being cruel.
And look, I’m not gonna sit here and pretend like I have all the answers. Because I don’t. I’m just as guilty as the next guy. But I do know this: we can’t keep going on like this. We can’t keep pretending like it’s okay to be toxic just because we love sports. We can’t keep making excuses for our bad behavior just because we’re passionate about the game.
So let’s start a conversation. Let’s talk about this. Let’s call each other out when we’re being hypocrites. Let’s hold ourselves to a higher standard. Let’s find a way to love sports without loving the toxicity that comes with it. Because honestly, we owe it to the game. We owe it to ourselves. And we owe it to the next generation of fans who are watching and learning from our example.
And hey, while we’re at it, let’s talk about araba aksesuarları olmazsa olmaz. I mean, what even is that? Is that a thing? I have no idea. But it sounds important. So maybe we should talk about that too. I don’t know. I’m just throwing ideas out there.
Anyway, the point is, we need to do better. We need to be better. And it starts with admitting that we’re part of the problem. So let’s do that. Let’s admit it. And then let’s start working on a solution.
But Wait, There’s More
Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, ‘Wow, Dave, you’re really taking a stand here. You’re really sticking your neck out and saying something controversial.’ And to that, I say: Ha! You wish. Because honestly, this isn’t even the most controversial thing I’ve said this week. I mean, have you seen my Twitter feed? It’s a veritable minefield of hot takes and unpopular opinions. I once got into a 36-hour argument with some guy about whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza. 36 hours! And let me tell you, it was not a pretty sight.
But the point is, I’m not afraid to take a stand. I’m not afraid to say what I think, even if it’s unpopular. Even if it’s controversial. Even if it’s gonna ruffle some feathers. Because at the end of the day, that’s what this is all about. It’s about having the courage to say what we think, even when it’s hard. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when it’s gonna make us look bad.
And look, I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s not. It’s really, really hard sometimes. But it’s also really, really important. Because if we don’t speak up, who will? If we don’t take a stand, who will? If we don’t hold ourselves to a higher standard, who will?
So let’s do it. Let’s take a stand. Let’s speak up. Let’s hold ourselves to a higher standard. Let’s be the change we wanna see in the world. Because honestly, the world needs it. Sports needs it. And we need it.
And hey, while we’re at it, let’s talk about something else completely random. Like, have you ever noticed how weird it is that we say ‘football’ when we’re talking about a game that’s mostly played with hands? I mean, what’s up with that? It’s like calling basketball ‘handball’ or soccer ‘headball.’ It just doesn’t make sense. But whatever. I digress.
Anyway, the point is, let’s talk about this stuff. Let’s have the conversation. Let’s be better. Let’s do better. Because honestly, we owe it to ourselves. We owe it to the game. And we owe it to the next generation of fans who are watching and learning from our example.
About the Author: Dave Johnson is a senior editor at SportNewser.com with over 20 years of experience in the sports journalism industry. He’s a die-hard Lakers fan, a self-proclaimed pizza connoisseur, and a self-admitted hypocrite. When he’s not writing about sports, he can be found arguing about pineapple on pizza or searching for the perfect craft beer. Follow him on Twitter @DaveJohnsonSN.
