Legit question, especially in the south where sports play such an important part of culture. Competition is inherent to sports. Competition brings out emotions - good and bad. Competing is a way of life for most. Win or lose. Kill or be killed, so to speak. It is not that simple though. Much more goes into rooting for our beloved sports teams. Did you hear the Braves are World Series Champs? 😎
Most kids grew up playing sports of some kind. Being part of a team meant belonging to a group. Wearing the team ball cap or jersey in public showed others which team you belonged to. For many, it also gave a sense of identity and pride. Boosted self-esteem and confidence. Memories are made during the formative years. Good or bad, these memories stick with us for a lifetime.
Often we began fandom based on the teams our parents or older siblings rooted for. Maybe the team colors or a cool mascot got our attention. Proximity to our home might have been a factor. Also, watching on television or listening on the radio played a big part of locking in our early sports allegiances. Whatever the influence, these teams or players became ours during childhood and likely remained for life.
My first sports team I played on was the Yankees when I was six years old. Dad was born in the Bronx so he rooted for the New York Yankees. My early allegiance was split between the Yankees (American League) and the Atlanta Braves (National League). I rooted for Thurman Munson and Ron Guidry on the Yankees and Hammerin’ Hank with the Braves. I also remember watching wide receiver John Stallworth play for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was from Huntsville, AL and played in college at Alabama A&M. More importantly, I thought he was smoothest player and his team wore the best colors. I rooted for the Steelers because of him. Of course I also rooted for the Alabama Crimson Tide. My parents graduated from there, my uncle played for The Bear and my aunt was Miss Alabama. Also, a local high school quarterback, Steadman Shealy, was the Tide's starting qb when I was 10-11 years old.
(Front row. 4th from left with hat perched on top of my blonde hair. Doug Tew Park. Confederate League, City of Dothan. Yankees. Age 6. 1974.)
When I was 10-11 years old, I played for Solomon Motors in the Dixie Youth League. We wore blue and orange (ugh), and my buddies played on my team. We competed against our other friends in Ward Four of the Dothan (AL) City Youth League. I had success those years, making the All-Star teams. I wore my Solomon cap everywhere! Those years still hold many fond memories for me.
(Both photos. Front row, second from left. Thankfully I found contact lens by age 11. Westgate Park. Dixie Youth League, City of Dothan. Solomon Motors. Ages 10-11. 1978-1979.)
However, eventually we all grow up and some lose interest in sports. Not for others. Their fandom intensifies as they grow older. Some become fanatics. (Watch the movie The Fan with Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes?) So why do we continue to root for sports teams beyond childhood?
Much like during our childhood, I suspect that fandom connects us to other like-minded people, which fulfills our need for belonging. This is why are tickets so hard to come by for the best games. Prices for the World Series were through the roof! Tailgating is the place to be at many games. House parties are a tradition for others. We want to be there in person to witness the action with our closest friends, family and thousands of others. Creating memories is so important from these experiences. Nobody wants to suffer the fear of missing out.
Look at the crazed fan bases in the Southeastern Conference. Many fans of the bigger programs are often called sidewalk alums - they root for the team but never attended to the school. Why is that? It’s not just for the entertainment. Why root for a college football team even though they never attended a single class inside the huge buildings on the quad where pre-game tailgating and game watching goes on every Saturday in the fall? It is because they are fans and have a sense of ownership. They somehow believe they help the team the harder they root for the program. They will fight you if you criticize their team, players or coach. They will also scream to get rid of the coach if the team stinks. Why do you think sports radio call-in shows have been so popular or so long? Just ask Paul Finebaum.
Why is rooting for the team so important? Because it is fun. Because it impacts us emotionally - good and bad. If your team wins all the time there are psychological advantages - emotions run high. Fans get a sense of winning when the team wins. Many celebrate “our win” even though they never step foot on the field of play. Look at the yard and house decorations that stay in place all year. I would imagine the inverse is true as well. When the team stinks morale and emotions run afoul, but they are doing it with others who root for the same team. Sometimes, however, there are extreme situations.
One such real world example happened many years ago when the Crimson Tide lost to a rival SEC team and things did not go so well for one of my former clients. His son made the mistake of asking to borrow the family vehicle around the same time ran out on the Tide. Let’s just say that other influences were at play here and the father was charged with attempted murder after he discharged his firearm as part of his response to the son’s request. Sheesh. True story. Sports Illustrated ran a blurb on it. Like I said, extreme example.
Regardless of your team, we all experience the emotions of winning and losing. We commiserate the losses and celebrate the wins. So long as you root for my teams, I will be right there with you!
Bernard
