I went to the NBA Finals in Orlando this past weekend, and a fistfight almost erupted in my section after a group of rowdy, young Magic fans bombarded the Lakers fans in front of me with an endless chant of "LA sucks!" First of all, Orlando fans, people who live in prefab, cookie-cutter houses, should not throw stones. But more importantly, where on earth do you get the idea that your basketball team being up 10 points has anything to do with your city being any better than anyone else's?
Now I realize that these guys were just having some fun at the expense of the visiting fans, but the attitude here points to a much bigger social deficiency that a lot of people have. And that is thinking that your sports team's success has anything to do with you. That's right, Gator Nation. When Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer raised that trophy back in January, it meant that they had accomplished a great feat. You, however, had accomplished absolutely nothing. "We" did not win anything. A bunch of extremely talented people who don't know you from the homeless guy asking for change in front of the Kangaroo won. And don't you forget it.
I'm not saying that one should not take some small amount of joy in his or her school or city's team winning a game. Any time you can find happiness, take it. But don't come after me if your school's team beat my school's team as if you are somehow now better than me. Or, worse, your school is somehow better than my school. All you need to do is look north to Tallahassee to see that athletic success has absolutely nothing to do with scholastic quality.
Similarly, if you are the type of person who is depressed and refuses to go out after "your" team loses, you are just flat out pathetic. You still have a job, right? Your car didn't get repossessed because Tim Tebow got stuffed on a 4th and 1 against Ole Miss. Your girlfriend didn't dump you because the Dolphins blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. But she probably will if you let your disappointment over their loss last any longer than it takes you to turn off the television.
If your life is so empty and meaningless that you need to live vicariously through a bunch of people you don't know to feel good, then you need to do some serious self-examination.
Treat sports as what they are: Reality TV with uglier people. The result of a game shouldn't really affect your mood any more than the results of "Survivor." You didn't do anything, good or bad, so get over it and move on.
Turn off the TV, go out and live your own life and leave the emotion of the games to those who actually played them.
