Is rooting for sports teams worth it?

Heelsandeers said:
But passionate fandom for a single team? It doesn't make sense. Also, I'm not sure it's an entirely conscious decision
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It is not an entirely conscious decision. That's what makes it hard. It's something we learn when we're younger and that emotional attachment gets ingrained.

I really try not to care about UNC football. In part that's because I try not to care about football at all, because I don't want to be complicit in the brain injuries. That UNC football is UNC football only makes it easier. And yet, I can't not care at all. I don't watch the games. I don't follow recruiting. But I do open ESPN to check the score; I get a little smile when we score on the opening drive; I do a WTF double take when I see the score become 41-7. And while it doesn't ruin my day, it's a bit of a letdown. Well, that fucking sucks.
 
Always enjoyed watching and playing sports. The big 3 plus soccer later on in life. I’ve always been a “fan” and I think it’s ok to root for your chosen teams - be they pro or college/high school. But it’s probably not healthy to invest too much time, energy, money and your sanity to the detriment of what really matters in life.

I’ve got a friend who is so fanatical about Green Bay Packers football I’d swear it has affected his life in ways he may not even recognize. A rather unhealthy affinity. Definitely puts the fanatical in the word fan.

I suspect like with anything moderation is key. But I think it’s ok to be upset and disappointed for a day or so after a big loss, and on top of the world happy for a couple of weeks when your team wins the Natty.

But at 66, I’m losing interest in a lot of sports and the transfer portal in college games isn’t helping. That said, I still plan on going to a local high school football game this Friday. Go team!
 
Of course it's worth it. It's a meaningless pastime that connects us in meaningful ways to our friends, families and strangers. There is no better unanimity of feeling in a metropolitan area when one of your teams makes the finals of something. It's awesome. And championships somehow are forever.

Where it gets off-kilter is when the focus moves beyond the game at hand to the state of the program. The best players and teams focus on the next game only. The best and happiest fans do the same. TCU is done and dusted - on to Charlotte.

A poor memory is a fan's best friend.
 
One of the beautiful things the Chiefs did last year was make it so that only the last half of the 4th quarter was worth watching. They were even nice enough to let me know I didn’t need to watch the 2nd half of the Super Bowl.
 
Centerpiece said:
I’ve got a friend who is so fanatical about Green Bay Packers football I’d swear it has affected his life in ways he may not even recognize.
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I lived in NE Wisconsin My next door neighbors mom fell in love with her preacher and so my buddy's parents got a Deevorce
She got 100% of the House. His dad, big Lou-got the damn Packers Ticket rights
This is a true story
Lou was happy
 
superrific said:
I really try not to care about UNC football. In part that's because I try not to care about football at all, because I don't want to be complicit in the brain injuries. That UNC football is UNC football only makes it easier. And yet, I can't not care at all. I don't watch the games. I don't follow recruiting. But I do open ESPN to check the score; I get a little smile when we score on the opening drive; I do a WTF double take when I see the score become 41-7. And while it doesn't ruin my day, it's a bit of a letdown. Well, that fucking sucks.
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See, this is where I can pretty easily compartmentalize between basketball and other sports. For the simple fact I don't watch or follow other sports (today)

I may occasionally watch a UNC football or baseball game and know a few players but that's the extent of it. I want them to win but a loss barely registers

Basketball has always been my sport of choice but certainly there is a level of entertainment value that comes from having success and playing in meaningful games on a regular basis
 
I don't think you can objectively conclude that it's "worth it" or "stupid." That's a personal, subjective feeling that differs from person to person.

For me it's worth it. Like a lot of middle-aged folks on this thread, my emotional attachment to certain sports teams is not at the level it was when I was younger. I think that's just something that happens to a lot of people as they age. Although I know plenty of people for whom that's not true.

Even though Monday's game was not good at all, I still had a great time being there with my son, enjoying the spectacle of it all.
 
superrific said:
Apparently someone has never been to a football match in Liverpool . . .

I kid, but there's an element of truth, n'est pas?
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touché.

the hillsborough stadium disaster that killed 97 liverpool fans was in sheffield, south yorkshire. but they certainly remember it in liverpool.
 
As with anything, there are some people who will take it too far and take what should be a positive and turn it into a negative. There is a reason why I give myself a 24 hour ban from IC after every loss, and a 48 hour ban after any bad loss. The board is completely taken over by the people who have over indexed on the taking it too far end of the spectrum.

But that said, there is a lot of joy in sports. I have a ton on great memories from childhood tied to moments spent with my dad watching sports live/ on TV, or driving around in his convertible listening to them on the radio. When you think about it, almost anything we do for entertainment becomes a problem when you take it to extremes.

Heck, almost everything the OP said about watching sports can be said about having relationships... every relationship ends eventually, whether it be break-ups when you're young, divorce when you're older... or if you're lucky, death gets us all eventually. There is no happy ending... somebody always ends up alone with a sad heart.

IMO, a life well lived is not one where you weigh the value of each thing before deciding to do it. It's one where you throw yourself into the highs and lows of uncertainty, and let chance play a role. Obviously it needs balance, but a life with no lows can have no highs.
 
For now I'm still devoted to Carolina basketball. Others not so much. I watch less and less football and baseball.

I have increased my watching of the NBA and WNBA.
 
UNCatTech said:
For now I'm still devoted to Carolina basketball. Others not so much. I watch less and less football and baseball.

I have increased my watching of the NBA and WNBA.
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Similar for me. I'm also watching a lot less baseball and football. I'm watching a lot more women's soccer... ACC, NWSL, US National Team.
 
As I have aged i have found that my passion for watching/rooting/caring about sports has faded considerably.

I will still watch some games and go to a few, but sports no longer have a major role in my day to day life (used to plan days around what games I wanted to watch or go to).

Figure this is partially due to maturation, and part due to having enough actual shit that matters (kids, marriage, job, dog) as opposed to the diversion that sports is supposed to provide.

Have to agree with others that the state of sport now (endless hype, constant pushing of gambling, lack of continuity in college sports) has played a role as well. Just not sure i understand fully grown adults losing their shit over what college kids do or don't do in a competition.

Frankly, I realized this like 15 yrs ago when I ditched premium on IC bc it was absurd that I cared so much about whether some 17 yr old kid was "leaning" to Carolina or whatever... all that said though, I still fucking hate duke
 
For me, probably not. But it’s too late for me not to care.
But, I have found myself caring less.
I will say I am much more emotionally involved when my son plays sports than I am watching UNC or my favorite sports teams.
 
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