What defines a true sports fan?
Is it someone who just watches different sports on TV?
or
Is it someone who goes to a sports game?
or
Is it someone who plays a lot of sports?
Maybe all of these are characteristic, but I believe that all true sports fans experience common feelings, and those feelings go like this:
Anxiousness. Excitement. Nervousness. Adrenalin. Disbelief. Euphoria.
The order of these feelings differ with the progress of the fans favourite team/player, but all of these emotions describe the true sports fan.
My fellow sports fans have all felt this way and the process is explained like this:
Anxiousness: The moments before kick-off or match time.
The heart is racing. The brain is chatting; Will we win? Please let us win. Oh, I hope we win.
Excitement: Kick-off time or “Play”
Our team is on fire, leading the game and playing to the best of their ability;
Go team! How good is this crowd! Wow that’s a great play! What a goal! Great serve!
Please win!
Nervousness: Game Time
The heart races again. The team/player is under-performing or over-performing. The crowd is going crazy.
Please win! We must win! Oh pleeeease let us win!
Adrenalin: Moments of greatness
Our team/player is on fire…
What an Ace! Great Goal! What A Try! We are going to Win! Pleeeeease let us win!
Disbelief: The team/player falters. The opposition rallies.
Oh no! Don’t double fault! Don’t score! Will we win? Oh pleeeease let us win!
Euphoria: The moment of truth
The team/player performs or under-performs.
Yes we won! Oh what a game! Sensational match! Ooooooh Yes. We won!
These are the emotions of a winning sports fan.
Or are they?
They are actually the emotions of a true sports fan. Win or lose, the emotions are the same. Why? We just love sport. The passion is there, win or lose. Yes, we shout when our team/player wins. Yes, we grumble when our team/player loses.
Bummer, we lost. Wow we played well. There’s always next week.
BUT
Win or lose, we will be back again next match to enjoy the crucial ingredients of a sports fan…
Anxiousness. Excitement. Nervousness. Adrenalin. Disbelief. Euphoria.
We all like to win, but a true sports fan knows how to enjoy the competition.
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