Point/Counterpoint
In this edition of Point/Counterpoint, Tracy and I discuss whether I was a jerk or just being a good sports fan:
Spring is in the air. By spring I primarily mean pollen, as evidenced by all the sneezing. And while your nose may be stuffed up, hopefully your sense of hearing has survived. If you listen closely you'll hear the reassuring chords of an organ, someone pestering you to buy peanuts, and the crack of a bat on a ball. That's right baseball season is upon us; either that or you're just hearing things.
My perennial favorites, a certain Cardinals of St. Louis began the journey towards October tonight in Houston against a group of men who have coined themselves the Astros. Now, I'm pretty sure that the term Astro is closely associated with the term Astronaut, as though this Houston franchise is wanting people to know that it will soar to great heights and journey to undiscovered lands of baseball greatness. Thing is, the Astros have hardly gotten off the ground over the course of their storied history. In fact, up until last year these "Astros" hadn't won a single playoff series.
The Astros, with the help of some hired guns, found their way to the NLCS last fall, and found themselves staring a certain group of redbirds in the face. In what was great, thrilling baseball, the Cardinals knocked off the Astros, needing all 7 games (and some extra innings here and there) to claim victory.
At points in the series it looked as though the Cards had secured victory, only to have the Astros strike back. Other times, the Astros looked like they were unbeatable (a certain Roger Clemens on the mound comes to mind), only to have the Cardinals come through against all odds. Baseball is often an emotional roller coaster; filled with ups, downs, and quiet lulls that almost make you feel at ease right up until the bottom drops out from under you as you hold on for dear life.
Baseball, like all (real) sports, involves competition. Rivalries, sometimes heated, are a natural result of wanting to succeed. Of wanting to be the best. Some say that it's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. This could not be further from the truth. It's definitely whether you win or lose. I guarantee you the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were not sitting at home this winter thinking, "well we may have come in last, but at least we went about it right."
As a person, I care about other people. I try to consider others interests as I consider my own, and even try to value others as more important than myself. I'm not always successful at this, but you can be assured that when I do things that are at the expense of others that I feel sorrow and remorse.
This is because life is not ultimately a competition. Sports, on the other hand, are. In light of this, I find that being a good fan requires both loving your team and hating your team's opponents. It's not that you have to hate these opponents as individuals, it's just that you have to want nothing more than for them to lose - every single time they play your team.
It's okay for your opponent's fans to feel the same way about your team, in fact it's to be expected.
It was with a 7-3 Cards victory in hand and this in mind that I phoned Tracy earlier this evening, leaving her this message:
Tracy may think that I'm being a jerk now, but I think she'll come to appreciate the stoking of the competitive fire as the season progresses. It's a long season- 161 games- and as Tracy finds herself in July with her team seemingly out of the hunt, I think she'll remember back to this fateful conversation and cheer the Astros on with a renewed vigor. I do it for the love of the game really. What about that makes me a jerk?
[Read Tracy's take here, and comment your vote. Is Brett a jerk, or just being a good fan?]
Spring is in the air. By spring I primarily mean pollen, as evidenced by all the sneezing. And while your nose may be stuffed up, hopefully your sense of hearing has survived. If you listen closely you'll hear the reassuring chords of an organ, someone pestering you to buy peanuts, and the crack of a bat on a ball. That's right baseball season is upon us; either that or you're just hearing things.
My perennial favorites, a certain Cardinals of St. Louis began the journey towards October tonight in Houston against a group of men who have coined themselves the Astros. Now, I'm pretty sure that the term Astro is closely associated with the term Astronaut, as though this Houston franchise is wanting people to know that it will soar to great heights and journey to undiscovered lands of baseball greatness. Thing is, the Astros have hardly gotten off the ground over the course of their storied history. In fact, up until last year these "Astros" hadn't won a single playoff series.
The Astros, with the help of some hired guns, found their way to the NLCS last fall, and found themselves staring a certain group of redbirds in the face. In what was great, thrilling baseball, the Cardinals knocked off the Astros, needing all 7 games (and some extra innings here and there) to claim victory.
At points in the series it looked as though the Cards had secured victory, only to have the Astros strike back. Other times, the Astros looked like they were unbeatable (a certain Roger Clemens on the mound comes to mind), only to have the Cardinals come through against all odds. Baseball is often an emotional roller coaster; filled with ups, downs, and quiet lulls that almost make you feel at ease right up until the bottom drops out from under you as you hold on for dear life.
Baseball, like all (real) sports, involves competition. Rivalries, sometimes heated, are a natural result of wanting to succeed. Of wanting to be the best. Some say that it's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. This could not be further from the truth. It's definitely whether you win or lose. I guarantee you the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were not sitting at home this winter thinking, "well we may have come in last, but at least we went about it right."
As a person, I care about other people. I try to consider others interests as I consider my own, and even try to value others as more important than myself. I'm not always successful at this, but you can be assured that when I do things that are at the expense of others that I feel sorrow and remorse.
This is because life is not ultimately a competition. Sports, on the other hand, are. In light of this, I find that being a good fan requires both loving your team and hating your team's opponents. It's not that you have to hate these opponents as individuals, it's just that you have to want nothing more than for them to lose - every single time they play your team.
It's okay for your opponent's fans to feel the same way about your team, in fact it's to be expected.
It was with a 7-3 Cards victory in hand and this in mind that I phoned Tracy earlier this evening, leaving her this message:
"Hey Tracy. Man, I hope that tonight isn't...well actually I hope that tonight is a sign of things to come, in that the Cardinals beat the Astros pretty solidly. I'm sure you feel the opposite because you never want to start things off with a loss, Tracy. I guess you need to get stuff together. I hope that the Astros can beat some of the other teams in the division, except the Cardinals, and maybe make something of themselves. Ok, bye!"One loyal fan to another. Me basking in victory, Tracy loathing in defeat. You could look at this phone call as mean spirited or jerk-like, or you can see it as it is: me supporting my team while supplying Tracy just a bit more hatred for the Cardinals, and as a result actually causing her to be a better fan.
Tracy may think that I'm being a jerk now, but I think she'll come to appreciate the stoking of the competitive fire as the season progresses. It's a long season- 161 games- and as Tracy finds herself in July with her team seemingly out of the hunt, I think she'll remember back to this fateful conversation and cheer the Astros on with a renewed vigor. I do it for the love of the game really. What about that makes me a jerk?
[Read Tracy's take here, and comment your vote. Is Brett a jerk, or just being a good fan?]
posted by Brett at 11:59 PM
10 Comments:
i think brett is not a jerk, sometimes.
Brett, I assure you that I don't need any help from your side in order to become a "better fan." I can't believe you're trying to pass this off as some kind of public service. Nice try though.
Brett, at first I was going to congratulate you on what I saw as a brilliant argument... and then I realized that it was not unlike that guy who kicks people when they're down, saying, "But really, I'm just helping them appreciate NOT being kicked...In fact, this is going to help them walk better..." Um, we send those people to jail.
thoughts...
Melody, thanks for the language correction (as always). It's painful that you would even begin to associate me with a Sooner... that seems like a cheap shot with no real basis of truth. Your bonds with Tracy are probably closer than your bonds with me, so I understand that you have to side with Tracy over me. I don't fault you for that.
Tracy, making you into a better fan wasn't the crux of my counterpoint. I also wouldn't expect you to accept a Cardinal's help... this repulsion at even the suggestion of help just further proves my point about hating your opponent and their fans. Also, Houston won today 4-1... touche.
Kristine, thanks for commenting. I appreciate your initial respect for my argument. I would never endorse kicking someone who is down, except in the world of sports... which is by its nature competition centric. You kick your opponent when they're down, b/c they can always get back in it. This is really my whole point.
Brett,
Being a good fan is important and wanting your opponents to lose is also very important. However, rubbing it in with your friends is mean. Have I ever called you after a OU/TX game to gloat? That would just be cruel. This doesn't mean that I am not basking in victory at the same time. Brett I really want to get behind your team hating but you must have limits.
Melody - you crossed a line and I am outraged! the above statements to Brett also apply to you. Do not use Sooners as your frame of reference for jerks. Yes, we win a lot, we can't help it. We are not jerks.
Go Rangers...
I’m an IT guy… that means that I fix computers. Had things gone differently I may have been a professional athlete. In that case, it’d be my job to win games. My salary would be paid by fans - fans who paid me to establish bragging rights for them. We can’t all be winners all the time. Somebody has to loose for winning to mean anything, and someone has to remind us how bad it sucks to loose for winning to have any flavor. Enter Brett… Tracy, I’d be disappointed if you didn’t give Brett a certain amount of flak had his team lost. I mean… this is what makes the game interesting right? Besides, it’s not like he’s making personal attacks or calling names right?
I must say that Brett and Doug have made good points. Interestingly, this argument seems to be divided on gender lines. Guys: understanding sports and playful ribbing. Girls: well, who knows what girls think?
I side with Brent. As long as we're not going into personal attacks (Melody, that was cold-blooded) I think that people who strongly back a team should expect jabs when their team loses. That's identification, and that's a part of fandom.
All I have to say is that if the season ended right now, my MILWAUKEE BREWERS would win the division and have home field in the playoffs! Brew Crew and Cards go at it tonight. May the best team win. Actually, I hope the Brewers win. They are not the best team. But, we're building...and all that.
That to say, everything is fair game in sports. 'Cept talkin' 'bout somebody momma. That's never cool.
Brett: Definitely not a jerk. This is sportsmanship at its finest. As a personal application, I have made a point of calling both Will and Eric Tran every year that the Sooners beat the Longhorns in football (which is 4, going on 5 now, for those of you who still think Mack Brown is a good coach). What fun is it to be a fan if you're not going to chide your opponents? Brett wins this debate hands down.
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