Everybody has something in life that makes them happy. Some people enjoy puppies, others enjoy ice cream and some people love the rough, hard-hitting sport of football. Do use fans all a favor and refrain from saying these five things to use during the season…it’ll make life a lot more simple for you.
1. “It’s just football, calm down.”
First things first, telling people to calm down is already a bad way to approach a situation especially if they weren’t that upset to begin with. Telling a football fan to calm down when their team does something that gets them excited, well that’s dangerous. What may just be football to you is someone else’s happiness so let them enjoy it.
2. “The referees are human; they just made one bad call.”
We understand that referees are humans and humans make mistakes. We also understand that one bad call can cost our team the game, which means they might not clinch their division at the end of the season. One back call could be the reason we lose a bet at work and now we’re bringing the whole floor lunch on Wednesday. Ultimately how a game is refed could be a deciding factor to the outcome, so one bad call could lead into a spiral of mishaps. As fans we can’t help but get upset sometimes at those in the black and white stripes but eventually we’ll get over it. So just let us spaz out and by next week when our team is back on the field, we’ll be okay.
3. “Is it really that serious?”
Look this isn’t just some game, it’s a lifestyle. So yes, it really is that serious. If I have to sit in the same spot, wearing the same shirt, eating the same food because I’m superstitious and I think it’s the only way my team is going to win, then I’ll do it. Football fans don’t care how weird people think we are over some pigskin and freshly cut grass, it makes sense to us and that’s all that matters.
4. “Stop yelling at the t.v.”
What did you say? I couldn’t hear you over all the screaming I was doing as my team was scoring a touchdown. It sounded important, but I am going to assume it was irrelevant.
5. “Why do you even like football so much? It’s just a bunch of guys running up and down a field”
This one takes the cake on the list of things football fans absolutely can’t stand to hear. For most fans football holds a special place for them. Football could be the way they connected to a loved one or it brings back memories of good times. Some fans may have even been former athletes themselves and now they’re reliving their glory days. Fans could be cheering on their alma mater or representing for their state. People forget that sports can truly bring people together and football is no different. Excited fans from across the world find themselves in restaurants, bars and even the stadiums sitting next to people they’ve never met but creating a friendship simply because they like the same team. The sport isn’t for everybody but for the fans who love it so deeply let them have their moment.
Being around a football enthusiast can truly be the most annoying experience ever, but there could be worse things. Fans can be loud and obnoxious, even over zealous but that’s half the excitement of the season. If you can’t take the enthusiasm just find some where quiet to relax your mind and countdown the days until basketball season…but to be honest you might find us there too.