Sometimes, Ya Gots to Chill...
Charley Rosen wrote a very good piece on being a sports fan and being a sports critic:
Go read the whole thing. Personally, I think it can be applied to more things than just sports.
There's nothing intrinsically wrong with being a spirited sports fan. Loyalty, passion, the appreciation of details and trends, of grace under pressure, and just plain fun are some of the wonderful rewards resulting from a total immersion in a ball game. Even the "agony of defeat" can be instructive.
However, when a fan (which is shorthand for "fanatic") invests too much emotion in what is after all a vicarious pastime, it becomes easy to cross the line that separates enthusiasm from madness. One symptom of the overly rabid sports fan (or zealots of any persuasion) is a tendency to demonize anyone who has a different view.
Go read the whole thing. Personally, I think it can be applied to more things than just sports.
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