Sport Snobs
Growing up playing and watching sports, I have always known that there were people who thought their knowledge or love of their sport was purer or greater than that of the masses. They had been fans longer, or remember the glory days of the "real stars," before technology or something else ruined the game.
For example, Michigan football fans are especially arrogant. A trip to the Rose Bowl is their birthright, and National Championships are to be regular occurrences. Lloyd Carr was railed against for failing to deliver these, unlike the near divinity granted to Bo Schembechler, who usually lost when his teams made it to the Rose Bowl (or any bowl) and while Carr brought 1 National title to Ann Arbor when Bo never came close.
But they have nothing on Notre Dame fans who truly believe God is on their side, they need to only find the prophet to lead them. Having lived in Pennsylvania for 2 years, I think the Penn State football fans merit recognition.
Then there are hockey fans. Especially obnoxious are the fans of the two teams who have played for the Stanley Cup the past two years, the Red Wings and the Penguins. As a Wings fan, I can admit an arrogance over their continued excellence over the past 12 years. I will confess to feeling slighted in the marketing of hockey because the Wings don't have a single superstar on which the franchise hangs. But the degree of whining and entitlement that the Pens fans feel they deserve because they have had two hockey saviors (both of whom I feel are vastly overrated because they never played defense) borders on having a disorder.
And yet, they do not claim the gold medal. That is reserved for soccer snobs. It does not matter the result, they will argue why their team is more righteous. They may have a longer, more prestigious heritage or the goals may have been flukes. The results may have been against less than impressive opposition. What is worse are those who feel their team is not doing what they should, or playing up to an expected level. Take many US Soccer fans. These "experts" call for the coach, Bob Bradley, to be fired daily because 1) he only plays his favorites, 2) experiments too much, 3) doesn't change tactics, 4)makes unreasonable changes, 5)doesn't win big games (big games are defined by games that the USA loses) and 6) is fortunate whenever the team wins (which is usually in spite of his efforts). As my dad used to say, "They wouldn't be happy if they were hung with a new rope."
What I find most grating is that most of the snobs never played the game they know SO well, and did not go to the school they root for. As someone who has worked to learn a couple of sports so that I could coach them, even though I had played them, I realize how much work goes into coaching. I wish some fanatics might actually think before they speak or type, and realize they may not know all they think they do.
For example, Michigan football fans are especially arrogant. A trip to the Rose Bowl is their birthright, and National Championships are to be regular occurrences. Lloyd Carr was railed against for failing to deliver these, unlike the near divinity granted to Bo Schembechler, who usually lost when his teams made it to the Rose Bowl (or any bowl) and while Carr brought 1 National title to Ann Arbor when Bo never came close.
But they have nothing on Notre Dame fans who truly believe God is on their side, they need to only find the prophet to lead them. Having lived in Pennsylvania for 2 years, I think the Penn State football fans merit recognition.
Then there are hockey fans. Especially obnoxious are the fans of the two teams who have played for the Stanley Cup the past two years, the Red Wings and the Penguins. As a Wings fan, I can admit an arrogance over their continued excellence over the past 12 years. I will confess to feeling slighted in the marketing of hockey because the Wings don't have a single superstar on which the franchise hangs. But the degree of whining and entitlement that the Pens fans feel they deserve because they have had two hockey saviors (both of whom I feel are vastly overrated because they never played defense) borders on having a disorder.
And yet, they do not claim the gold medal. That is reserved for soccer snobs. It does not matter the result, they will argue why their team is more righteous. They may have a longer, more prestigious heritage or the goals may have been flukes. The results may have been against less than impressive opposition. What is worse are those who feel their team is not doing what they should, or playing up to an expected level. Take many US Soccer fans. These "experts" call for the coach, Bob Bradley, to be fired daily because 1) he only plays his favorites, 2) experiments too much, 3) doesn't change tactics, 4)makes unreasonable changes, 5)doesn't win big games (big games are defined by games that the USA loses) and 6) is fortunate whenever the team wins (which is usually in spite of his efforts). As my dad used to say, "They wouldn't be happy if they were hung with a new rope."
What I find most grating is that most of the snobs never played the game they know SO well, and did not go to the school they root for. As someone who has worked to learn a couple of sports so that I could coach them, even though I had played them, I realize how much work goes into coaching. I wish some fanatics might actually think before they speak or type, and realize they may not know all they think they do.
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