This isn't a direct basketball post, more about being a fan of sports in general. It's also not meant to be negative to any other posters on here. It was written completely in jest. Also I used the word guy not gal so I apologize in advance for not being gender neutral.
There are 3 basic fans followed by sub divisions. Pick which fan you are and attach appropriate sub division. You can apply as many sub divisions as are applicable to you.
BASIC FANS
1) Overly optimistic guy. Regardless of how poorly your team does in a game or season you are always finding a silver lining. Your team just got shelled 88-58. Your team lead 8-2 5 minutes into the game. You feel if they could have just kept that intensity and execution up for another 35 minutes they could have won that game.
2) Overly negative guy. Regardless of how well your team plays you absolutely feel this undeniable need to critique and point out the obvious flaws that your team still has. Your team just destroyed another team 88-58 but you point out those same five minutes of that game where they were losing 8-2. You worry about a lack of effort and when they play a real team they will get exposed. Or your team just finished the regular season 12-4 and during the course of the season you uttered the phrase 'We suck' 489 times.
3) Middle of the road guy. You try and see things with some perspective. Your team won 88-58. There were some good things that happened in the game like your team played great defense and they didn't turn the ball over. You did notice that your team did give up some offensive rebounds and that this could be a problem down the road against better opponents. Overall you are happy with the performance.
SUB DIVISIONS.
A) Cliche guy- You throw out gems like 'next man up' despite the fact if the next man up was as good as the guy he was replacing he would be first man up.( But I digress) 'he is a high motor guy', 'he plays with a lot of heart' 'on any given Sunday' 'puncher's chance' etc.
B) Generalization guy- You say or post things like "We got out coached" with absolutely no specifics to back that up. Or 'We can't beat zone defense' without expressing how you think said defense should be broke down. Or "Our coaches didn't make adjustments" despite the fact they probably did, or they just weren't enough.
C) Captain Obvious guy-The Wide receiver on your team just dropped a pass. You yell at the TV or from the stands "Catch the ball" which doesn't help and I am sure he is aware of, you just felt the need to remind him..When watching games with my friends at the bar yelling Catch the Ball will cost you a round of beers. So will yelling 'tackle him' 'run' 'pass the ball' and 'shoot it'. This does not apply to crowds chanting "Defense" in basketball or football.
D) The Ref's guy- It is always the ref's fault that your team lost a game. Your team of course has never gotten away with a penalty or had a questionable call go in their favor.
E) It's all about YOUR team guy.- Your team loses/wins a game. Nothing the other team did really matters. When your team makes shots, its great shooting. When the other team makes shots its poor defense by your team. When your team misses shots, it was horrible or poor shot selection. When the other team misses shots it was great defense by your team. You tend to comment or post or in conversation say things like 'We should have never let them stay in the game like that' or 'We should have beat that team by 30" as if the other team had nothing to say in the matter. Things like talent and heart only apply to your team.
F) Agenda guy...(You can typically pair agenda guy with overly positive or negative guy, but rarely with middle of the road guy) You hate the head coach of your team. You have been telling anybody that will listen he sucks, he is the worst etc. You almost seem as if you don't mind seeing the team you are a 'fan' of lose, just so that you can say 'See I told you he sucks'. On the positive side, you really like the QB of your team. Despite your team boasting a losing record, and your QB posting a 5TD to 15INT stat line, you think he is the guy and just needs more time or weapons. When your team finishes the season 3-13 you point out those three wins as evidence you are right. Despite the fact, that dude was a big part of the 13 losses.
G) Watch the game from other teams perspective guy- (This fan is diametrically opposed to 'Its all about your team guy') Say the other team just pulled off a fake punt. Your first reaction might be "How can we be so stupid to fall for that". Now go to the other side, those fans AREN'T saying "Look how dumb UNLV is they fell for that" They are actually saying how great their execution was on the fake punt or what a great call that was.OR The other team just executed a sweet back door cut that resulted in a dunk. You think "How the hell did we not see that coming" The fans on the other side aren't saying "stupid UNLV can't defend that play" they are saying what a great play or how well it was executed. On the flip side, the other teams QB throws an interception, and you think "What a great play by our defensive back, or look how our pressure forced him into a bad pass." The fans on the other side are saying what an idiot their QB is, not what a great play our defensive back just made. So which side was/is right? Was the QB an idiot or did the defensive back make a great play? (Its a rhetorical question not meant to be answered)
H) It's all about the players/coach guy.- When we win its the players, when we lose its the coach. It can also go the other way. We win because of our great coach, when we lose its because we don't have the players/talent.
I) Myopic Guy- You tell tales of how you used to dominate the glass when you were on the Junior Clippers 9 year old basketball team even though you were the shortest kid on the court. It was about heart and desire and fundamentals. Or how in high school you played with a broken thumb and you weren't even getting paid, you did it for the love of the sport. You can't understand how today's players are so soft.
J) Overreaction guy- Your team is 5 games into a 30 game season and lost their 1st game. You think your teams season is over and this is a sure sign they are terrible. Your team scored a mild upset and you think this is an obvious sign your team is tournament/playoff bound. Your team is losing 5 minutes into a 40 minute basketball game and you are already yelling at the TV 'How are we losing to these guys'
K) Clueless guy- You rock a teams gear, go to bars and cheer for that team but if asked to name more than three players you are stumped. You also typically have no idea what your team does in the off season, including things like the draft or free agency.
L) Bandwagon Guy- Very few will admit to this but here are some examples....If you are a Seahawks 'fan' but don't know who Steve Largent or S. Alexander are, you probably have a seat on the wagon. If you say things like 'I have two favorite teams' you may have a seat on the wagon. If you recently purchased your first ever KC Royals hat you may have a seat on the wagon.
I try to be 3G guy and watch and enjoy my teams with some perspective. I cannot deny that I have on occasion been guilty of C-Captain obvious guy. Many a Steeler's Wide Receiver has benefited from my words of wisdom like Catch the Ball. Antonio Brown wouldn't be one of the top three receivers in the game if not for my urging him to Catch the ball..
There are 3 basic fans followed by sub divisions. Pick which fan you are and attach appropriate sub division. You can apply as many sub divisions as are applicable to you.
BASIC FANS
1) Overly optimistic guy. Regardless of how poorly your team does in a game or season you are always finding a silver lining. Your team just got shelled 88-58. Your team lead 8-2 5 minutes into the game. You feel if they could have just kept that intensity and execution up for another 35 minutes they could have won that game.
2) Overly negative guy. Regardless of how well your team plays you absolutely feel this undeniable need to critique and point out the obvious flaws that your team still has. Your team just destroyed another team 88-58 but you point out those same five minutes of that game where they were losing 8-2. You worry about a lack of effort and when they play a real team they will get exposed. Or your team just finished the regular season 12-4 and during the course of the season you uttered the phrase 'We suck' 489 times.
3) Middle of the road guy. You try and see things with some perspective. Your team won 88-58. There were some good things that happened in the game like your team played great defense and they didn't turn the ball over. You did notice that your team did give up some offensive rebounds and that this could be a problem down the road against better opponents. Overall you are happy with the performance.
SUB DIVISIONS.
A) Cliche guy- You throw out gems like 'next man up' despite the fact if the next man up was as good as the guy he was replacing he would be first man up.( But I digress) 'he is a high motor guy', 'he plays with a lot of heart' 'on any given Sunday' 'puncher's chance' etc.
B) Generalization guy- You say or post things like "We got out coached" with absolutely no specifics to back that up. Or 'We can't beat zone defense' without expressing how you think said defense should be broke down. Or "Our coaches didn't make adjustments" despite the fact they probably did, or they just weren't enough.
C) Captain Obvious guy-The Wide receiver on your team just dropped a pass. You yell at the TV or from the stands "Catch the ball" which doesn't help and I am sure he is aware of, you just felt the need to remind him..When watching games with my friends at the bar yelling Catch the Ball will cost you a round of beers. So will yelling 'tackle him' 'run' 'pass the ball' and 'shoot it'. This does not apply to crowds chanting "Defense" in basketball or football.
D) The Ref's guy- It is always the ref's fault that your team lost a game. Your team of course has never gotten away with a penalty or had a questionable call go in their favor.
E) It's all about YOUR team guy.- Your team loses/wins a game. Nothing the other team did really matters. When your team makes shots, its great shooting. When the other team makes shots its poor defense by your team. When your team misses shots, it was horrible or poor shot selection. When the other team misses shots it was great defense by your team. You tend to comment or post or in conversation say things like 'We should have never let them stay in the game like that' or 'We should have beat that team by 30" as if the other team had nothing to say in the matter. Things like talent and heart only apply to your team.
F) Agenda guy...(You can typically pair agenda guy with overly positive or negative guy, but rarely with middle of the road guy) You hate the head coach of your team. You have been telling anybody that will listen he sucks, he is the worst etc. You almost seem as if you don't mind seeing the team you are a 'fan' of lose, just so that you can say 'See I told you he sucks'. On the positive side, you really like the QB of your team. Despite your team boasting a losing record, and your QB posting a 5TD to 15INT stat line, you think he is the guy and just needs more time or weapons. When your team finishes the season 3-13 you point out those three wins as evidence you are right. Despite the fact, that dude was a big part of the 13 losses.
G) Watch the game from other teams perspective guy- (This fan is diametrically opposed to 'Its all about your team guy') Say the other team just pulled off a fake punt. Your first reaction might be "How can we be so stupid to fall for that". Now go to the other side, those fans AREN'T saying "Look how dumb UNLV is they fell for that" They are actually saying how great their execution was on the fake punt or what a great call that was.OR The other team just executed a sweet back door cut that resulted in a dunk. You think "How the hell did we not see that coming" The fans on the other side aren't saying "stupid UNLV can't defend that play" they are saying what a great play or how well it was executed. On the flip side, the other teams QB throws an interception, and you think "What a great play by our defensive back, or look how our pressure forced him into a bad pass." The fans on the other side are saying what an idiot their QB is, not what a great play our defensive back just made. So which side was/is right? Was the QB an idiot or did the defensive back make a great play? (Its a rhetorical question not meant to be answered)
H) It's all about the players/coach guy.- When we win its the players, when we lose its the coach. It can also go the other way. We win because of our great coach, when we lose its because we don't have the players/talent.
I) Myopic Guy- You tell tales of how you used to dominate the glass when you were on the Junior Clippers 9 year old basketball team even though you were the shortest kid on the court. It was about heart and desire and fundamentals. Or how in high school you played with a broken thumb and you weren't even getting paid, you did it for the love of the sport. You can't understand how today's players are so soft.
J) Overreaction guy- Your team is 5 games into a 30 game season and lost their 1st game. You think your teams season is over and this is a sure sign they are terrible. Your team scored a mild upset and you think this is an obvious sign your team is tournament/playoff bound. Your team is losing 5 minutes into a 40 minute basketball game and you are already yelling at the TV 'How are we losing to these guys'
K) Clueless guy- You rock a teams gear, go to bars and cheer for that team but if asked to name more than three players you are stumped. You also typically have no idea what your team does in the off season, including things like the draft or free agency.
L) Bandwagon Guy- Very few will admit to this but here are some examples....If you are a Seahawks 'fan' but don't know who Steve Largent or S. Alexander are, you probably have a seat on the wagon. If you say things like 'I have two favorite teams' you may have a seat on the wagon. If you recently purchased your first ever KC Royals hat you may have a seat on the wagon.
I try to be 3G guy and watch and enjoy my teams with some perspective. I cannot deny that I have on occasion been guilty of C-Captain obvious guy. Many a Steeler's Wide Receiver has benefited from my words of wisdom like Catch the Ball. Antonio Brown wouldn't be one of the top three receivers in the game if not for my urging him to Catch the ball..
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