Why do we love sports?

Current mood:  apathetic

Here’s something I have been thinking about a lot lately: my allegiance to sports. Specifically, my allegiance to all things Buffalo and sports, primarily the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres. Since I moved to Buffalo when I was 7, I have watched and listened to these two teams. So, we’re talking about 30 years of loyalty here. And that’s nothing to sneeze at. I haven’t been married that long, in school that long, or at the same job that long (yet). So, one could argue that my love affair with Buffalo sports is the most long-lasting relationship of my life.

And here’s the most interesting part: it pretty much sucks. That’s right. In any sane relationship, the two parties each benefit from the arrangement. In science, we called this a symbiotic relationship; each person gets a little something and both come out ahead. In that 7th grade science class, we also learned about the parasitic relationship, you know, the one where one side gets all the benefit? And so it goes.

So, let’s look a little deeper. 30 years. THIRTY. Years. Example #1: What have the Bills done for me? Well, we can start with the obvious: zero World Championships. Sure, the 4 AFC titles are great, but the Bills have never won it all. Which means, some point during the NFL season, I was dealt a painful hand of misery. So, as much elation as was felt, it was eventually replaced by pain. And this happened for four years straight. It’s happened several other times as well. “Homerun Throwback” (aka the Music City Miracle) is another fine example. The Bills rally to go ahead with seconds left against the Titans. And what happens? Well, you probably know.

Ok, onto Example #2: The Buffalo Sabres. This team has warmed the cockles of my heart since I was a wee lad. I spent countless evenings falling asleep listening to the graceful charm of announcer Rick Jeanneret on the radio. I love this guy and I love this team. And again, what have I received for my undying affection: a nice helping of pain and suffering. Again, zero titles. Two failed Stanley Cup Finals appearances, a dozen or so stalled Stanley Cup runs, and several controversies which nearly caused me to have aneurysms (The “No Goal” incident being the most famous).

So, why do I bother? Maybe because I am a sadist. But more likely because it’s not just titles. There are moments of greatness folded in. Victories, comebacks, amazing plays, these things all keep me coming back for more. I’ve never felt so much joy then when I drove 5 hours to Raleigh, NC in 2006 and watched the Sabres take down the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Conference Finals. It was incredible. And, even though it was erased by the heart-breaking Game 7 loss in the same series, I have to admit it felt pretty good for a few days.

But this can’t be enough, can it? We spend thousands of dollars on television packages to watch these teams, hundreds of dollars on merchandise, clothing and whatever else can be imprinted with logos, and hundreds if not thousands of dollars on tickets (if you’re lucky enough to be able to go once in a while). Add to this the thousands of hours we invest reading, watching, talking, living vicariously, etc. And yet, the end result is a negative, at least for me.

I love talking to Boston fans. The Red Sox have two titles in the last decade, the Patriots have three, and even the Celtics have one (well 17 all-time, but who’s counting). Do these people really know anything about what it means to be a fan? How hard can it be to be a fan of Boston sports teams? Oh yes, the Patriots went 16-0, then won 2 playoff games, and came one play short of winning the Super Bowl, which would have made them the only 19-0 team in NFL history. Ok, so they lost. Big deal. The Bills have NEVER won a Super Bowl. I don’t know what it feels like. I don’t know what it will feel like if it happens. I can only imagine.

I’m not saying I’m renouncing my fan-ship, but I am wondering why we do what we do? If it’s better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all, I have loved and lost. But when you lose, it’s so much more painful than the love. At least until we win a Super Bowl.

Rob FU, out.

Currently listening :  Operation: Mindcrime  By Queensrÿche  Release date: 2003-05-06

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~ by robfu on November 9, 2008.