Band Wagon Fans

The world of sports is a crazy place. I truly believe that sports can unite people and divide them in the same breath. People will stand around the water cooler and discuss 9th inning heroics, championships won and lost, the greatest upsets, the underdogs, overrated and underrated athletes and teams alike. Then the heated debates set in, Redsox vs Yankees, Cubs vs Sox, Yankees vs Mets etc...you get the drift.

There is one thing that does really bother me about sports teams and sports fans. I can't stand Fair weather fans and Band Wagon Fans. I can't grasp the concept. Maybe I don't understand it because I don't fit into either category. I love sports, I'm a huge sports fan and I'm rather knowledgable about certain teams. I loved the Braves when they sucked and everyone made fun of me for liking them. They were at one point bottom feeders, losers if you will. They couldn't hit anything, their pitching was horrible, and their roster didn't possess any one "superstar." Enter Glavine, Smoltz, Maddux, Murphy, Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, and all of a sudden they become contenders. They are winning and everyone is suddenly a fan of the Atlanta Braves. Funny how people flock to winning teams. The Braves are okay today, nothing too spectacular but I am still a fan.

Take the Boston Red Sox. My Dad's family is from Western Massachusetts, we are Red Sox Fans. I can remember as a kid watching ESPN televise Red Sox games, living in Florida we rarely got to see them on TV so when we did we made a night of it. Sometimes my mom would make us hot dogs and we would have a "ball park dinner" featuring hot dogs, beer (for my dad), peanuts, and sometimes soft pretzels. We loved that we could see the Sox play...Mike Greenwell, Tony Pena, Tim Wakefield, and Wade Boggs. They didn't possess near the talent that the modern day Red Sox have but they were fun to watch. They were usually in last place and the laughing stock of the league with the "Curse of the Bambino" and all. They always posed the question, "When would the curse be lifted?" When would the Red Sox finally win the World Series. Fast forward a few years, the Sox now have 2 World Series Rings and all of a sudden we have a "Red Sox Nation." Where were these fans when they were losing? Was Fenway sold out during those years? Funny how everyone now loves the Red Sox!

Last but certainly not least. You all know that I have verbalized my eternal love of the Chicago Cubs. It's no secret that I have been a fan for years. Remember I loved them when they were in last place year after year, no mention of post season, let alone a contention for the world series. So after a long week of work, I decided to go to TGIF Friday's have some lunch, grab a beer and watch the Cubs game. It's funny as I watched on TV, Wrigley Field was full to capacity with standing room only to watch the Cubs. They still wear the same uniforms, the positions are the same, and the games are still held at Wrigley. I can remember watching the Cubs of old, you know the Cubs that couldn't buy a win, the stadium wasn't sold out and the fans weren't as numerous. The biggest difference between the Cubs of Old and this year's Cubs is that the Cubs this year are WINNING! Yep, they have won 7 of their last 8 games, they are 10 games above 500 and they are in FIRST PLACE. Isn't it funny when the Cubs are winning the whole state of Illinois turn into Cubs Fans. Maybe Barack Obama should start sporting a Cubs tee shirt on the campaign trail. He is after all, the Senator of Illinois. Wonder if he likes the Cubs or the Sox?

So I hope I get to see a game or two in my travels to Chicago. I am trying to get tickets for my next visit. It appears that many of the games are sold out. Not to pass judgement but I wonder just how many of those tickets were purchased by bandwagon fans?

GO CUBS!!! THIS COULD BE OUR YEAR!!!!