I am very much a non-entity on the interwebs--and I believe I like it like that. It keeps me out of trouble and saves me from so many fights that I see going on. Already in this very early part of the season, I have seen at least two nasty fights going on--and I don't 'follow' hardly anyone on Twitter or read very many blogs! I can't even begin to imagine how many there have been that I know nothing about. And these are between fans of the SAME team, NOT opposing fans. I don't get it. And that is why I usually don't give my opinion, unless it is pretty much the same as the majority opinion. Yes, I'm spineless.
The majority of fights are usually one of two: 1) Someone rags on a particular player and another person comes to his defense or 2) someone criticizes the entire team a bit strenuously and a total homer (who wouldn't say a bad word about the team if s/he was paid) comes to the team's defense--and accuses the criticizer of being less than a loyal fan. And then the fighting begins. And, usually, a lot of other people are dragged into the fight and then all hell breaks out.
Many times I can see all sides of every fight--as a mother, I learned this lesson early on--and find it hard to come down on one side or the other. It is very easy and justifiable to find fault when a player is doing less than what he should be doing--yet, I can understand where there may be extenuating circumstances. I really wonder how each of us would be evaluated at our jobs if we were under the microscope of fans. I know that I don't do my best after The Husband and I have had an argument, or when I'm not feeling 'quite right.' I find myself being distracted if there are 'issues' in the lives of my kids or close friends. But, we don't want to give the players any consideration when they fall short of their best--we don't want to accept that they are mere humans like the rest of us. Of course, I also can see the side that feels that these guys are being paid big money to do their jobs and the hell with what else is going on in their lives. Both sides are valid, to an extent.
The other big argument that seems to crop up periodically is the one between the 'homer' and the fan without blinders. (I know that is being simplistic, but it gets my point across.) There does seem to be a group of people who feel if a person is a fan of a team, then there should be no criticism of the team whatsoever. While I don't agree with this way of thinking, I DO agree that some 'fans' take the criticizing a bit too far--and can't seem to find anything good to say, ever. And each type of fan seems to think the other isn't a 'true' fan. Ridiculous. I wish some people would find a happy medium and stay there.
When these fights start and go on, no one 'wins.' Hard feelings usually last for a long time after the fight cools down, and that is just sad. I realize that people are passionate, but sometimes things just go too far. Sometimes the two who began the fight agree to disagree and move on--but that is a rarity. Fighting about something that is JUST opinion is crazy. It is just as crazy as fighting about religion or politics--everyone has an opinion, every opinion is just as valid as the next, and fighting about it just causes hard feelings, without any resolution. In all my years, I can't really remember a time when someone has actually gotten me to change my mind about an opinion of mine, no matter how well their case was presented. And so, I will continue to be spineless and try to ignore the in-fighting that will continue throughout the year. And that makes me sad.
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