Hitch up the Bandwagon, we're goin' for a ride!

I hate bandwagon riders. They really drive me nuts. i don't understand the concept of shifting loyalties... I would rather ride out bad times with my team then constantly shifting to a new team.

This year, when Texas beat OU in the Red River Shootout (I refuse to call it the Red River Rivalry, because that's just post-9/11 stupidness) there were millions of new Texas fans. Then Texas lost to Texas Tech and all the new Tech fans came out of the woodwork. Then OU hopped back on top (unfairly I might add) and now the Boomer Sooner bullshit is back. It makes me sick.

I can deal with a person who has no loyalties, and just watches sports for the games. They at least are fans of the game, and that never wavers. What I can't stand is those people who jump on whomever is on top of the heap.

Part of being a true fan is enjoying the high times, riding out low times, and knowing everything there is to know about your favorite team. When you can have a heated arguement about who's team is better and dredge up decades worth of stats, records, and players without stopping... that is being a true fan.

Wearing the same outfit every time your team plays because you believe it to be the key to your teams successes is true fanhood. Never wearing it again because they lose is true fanhood.

There is however a limit. Putting your team's logo on everything you own is lunacy. So is crying your eyes out when they lose, or claim various forms of cheating (refs, dirty play, dirty tricks, etc.) leading to their downfall. That is also bad sportsmanship.

For example, I know many OU fans (most of them actually) who always scream they were cheated when they lose. It is always the refs fault for making a bad call, or whatnot. It's never that the other team was just better. Bad sportsmanship ruins the experience. Be a gracious loser and offer the other team (and fans) their due and move on. Your shot at redemption will come around sometime.

So in closing this little rant, I just want to reiterate my main point... Don't ride the bandwagon. Pick your team and stick with it, or don't pick one at all. And for goodness sake... be a good sport!

Enjoy the Bowl season and be sure to watch the Longhorns stomp Ohio State and OU get spanked by Florida!

~Ian

EDIT:
I ran across this article, and despite showing some signs of being a lunatic (crying when his teams lose, having a teams logo over everything, claiming losses are due to refs), Big Lo shows what it means to be a true fan. Here's to you Big Lo! Hope you keep getting better and healthier!

True Fanhood right here