Fans, fans, and more fans

I bet you guys did not know there are different types of sports fans out there. You probably just thought there were fans and that is all there was to them. Just fans. Well, let me tell you, there are two different types of sports fans, not to mention three different classifications of those sports fans. A fan is more than just someone who is at a game to observe, commonly known as a spectator, rather a fan is a more devoted spectator who feels some sort of emotional tie towards the sport itself and the teams that are playing. A fair-weather sports fan is someone who usually only displays interest in their sport of choice if the team is winning, versus a die-hard fan who is devoted no matter the score, win or lose.

I would categorize myself as a fair-weather sports fan, I usually peak interest if a team I like is doing well, or wins something big. I would also classify myself as a social and focused fan. I’m there at the game because a team from the University my husband attends is playing and it is fun. My friends are there and the atmosphere is enjoyable. I could care less about the outcome of the game, I am just there to have fun and hang out with friends. My husband falls under the classification of a vested fan. He generally gets upset if the team he supports loses. During March Madness, I would rather be dead than mock any predictions he makes and I am smart to leave him alone if the prediction he makes for the championship game goes haywire.

This brings me to an article I read on Fox Sports News that was posted today, January 19^th,  about the Tennessee Titans NFL Mock Draft for 2017. A lot of football websites create their own mock drafts. Because a lot of these websites are pretty in tune with the players on each team, this makes the mock drafts they create something people take seriously. One die-hard fan made a comment about his man crush Jamal Adams and that man crush of his was reason enough for him to be his pick number 5. He also commented about being in a bromance with his top 18 pick. When a fan is making comments where he feels this strongly for the players, you know there will be some definite heartbreak if his picks do not get chosen the way he predicts.

After reading through each of the commentary on who the Titansized fans pick for their mock drafts, I can see how these people really believe that their picks are 100% accurate and are the best choices for the Titans to make. My argument to this is that these fans may believe they know a player and all his statistics, but just because a person is an excellent collegiate player does not mean they will be successful in the NFL. Professional football is an entirely different league and game than college. A player who one fan might think is the greatest of all time might get drafted and then fail immediately as a professional athlete. There are just so many unpredictable variables that could affect a player’s ability to succeed in the NFL. Having good statistics is not enough. I understand and respect the fans of the Titans but I think that their opinions are just opinions. I think people are wasting their time reading through their mock draft picks when there are so many things that should be considered that are just unpredictable.