"Sharks are as tough as those football fans who take their shirts off during games in Chicago in January, only more intelligent." Dave Barry
If you're not a fan, you don't understand...Dave Barry obviously doesn't get it. High browed individuals who see nothing redeemable about sitting in near freezing temperatures to watch a game sure don't get it. A fan is hard to define, hard for some to understand, but extremely easy to point out.
Fandom is not limited to sports obviously...T.V. shows, movies, books, stars, bands, religions, quilting, baking, canning, video games, board games, comic books, anime, talk show hosts, sharks, cars, motorcycles, wine, cigars, chess, beer, FOOD...shall I go on? Surely everyone who will read this will find something on this list they can identify their fandom with; if not they will surely mentally add their obsession to the end.
Most human beings, by nature, are fans. Our obsessions are wide and varied, but there is something that gets us going. Fanatics make life interesting, intriguing and sometimes a bit irritating. Case in point: There was one certain college football game on Saturday that I was attending. I also happen to be a fan of one of the teams competing. At one point towards the end of the game, I lost my cool...those who know me know this is not who I am. Although I did not lay down a line of cuss words or defame the character of any certain individual; I still lost it a bit. So much so that I felt compelled to apologize to a guy I knew who happened to be sitting close to me and a fan of "the other" team. His response to me: "Dude, don't worry about it! You're a fan and I totally understood..." Fortunately for me he's a nice guy and a college football nut like me.
Gabe and Graham: Fandom is a great part of life! It helps us learn loyalty, passion, teamwork, and sometimes humility. Fan what makes you passionate! Learn about it. Study it. Follow it. Make it a part of your life. But remember this. Fandom should never define who we are as men. Instead let integrity, honor, faith, hope & love be what you are known for.
