It's hard being a sports fan. It isn't like being an art buff or a wine connoisseur, where the only time you hear your medium discussed is amongst knowledgeable counterparts. I imagine this as a place where everyone is blessed with tact and class that keeps discussions, and even disagreements, civil. Unfortunately, my "art" uses a field or court rather than a canvas, and many of those who claim to be "well versed" seem to mistake expletives for adjectives. And many others who wish to study this art, don't know where to begin. First, let's address the uglier issue.
It seems that everywhere I go, I'm engaged with or around somebody who simultaneously knows everything and absolutely nothing.
Recently, I had a man call me a slang term for a homosexual when I told him that I (as a Yankee fan) felt that David Ortiz was the MVP of the American League, and when I asked him about Travis Hafner ... he replied "Who?"
That wasn't even the worst encounter, in the previous evening during a discussion about basketball, a friend of the boy I was talking to became so frustrated that he pretended he wanted to fight me (I say pretended because shortly after the challenge was issued, he fled the scene). This, in essence, is a regular occurrence for a true sports fan. At every turn there is either some pseudo-oracle trying to tell you "you're wrong," or somebody who doesn't follow current (sporting) events enough to hold a conversation. The latter you can help, the former must help themselves.
This is not an elitist column. In fact, this is quite the opposite. This is to remind people that a real sports fan isn't somebody who is absolute with their opinions; the dictionary would define that as ignorant. The most brilliant minds in sports are still learning something every day.
To be a true fan is to understand and harness this very idea. For those of you who are so stubborn and narrow-minded, that you would rather hurl epithets at me than exchange ideas, best of luck at the water coolers. You live and die with your teams, but do you learn?
For those fans I mentioned earlier (the ones that don't "refresh" ESPN.com every five minutes) and the ones who know that something is always taking place that they either don't understand, or haven't heard about, allow me to fill you in with some of the details that I've come across.
Like I said, I know being a sports fan is hard, so here are a few things to have in your back pocket, just in case you get accosted at the office.
*There are some great college quarterbacks out there, not named Leinart: Google Brodie Croyle, Drew Stanton, and D.J. Shockley ... oh and the most athletic QB might not be named Vick ... check for Michael Robinson.
*Remixing the classics - Alabama, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Nebraska are all relevant again.
*Also, LenDale White is one of the best six running backs in college football and is a backup at the University of Southern California.
*By the time this is printed, none of this will be new news - L.T. is the best and most complete running back we've seen in a long time. T.O. is having another absurd season. Plaxico Burress is finally having the season everyone expected from him in Pittsburg. Eli's having a better season than Peyton. All that noise about McNabb's chest was overblown, ditto for Daunte's resurgence.
*Speaking of classics, Larry Brown is back in his hometown, and Phil Jackson is back in his Tinseltown.
*Roger Federer is as dominant now as Pete Sampras ever was. And I've always been a Pete guy. (He's won 24 straight ATP finals)
*Hockey is back ... seriously.
*Dan Dickau was just signed by the Celtics. He's the reason you know who Gonzaga is. Keep this in mind three months from now when somebody is wondering aloud, "Who's that white kid running the show?"
*St. Louis and Atlanta look unstoppable right now. Oh and take a look at Andruw Jones' stats when you talk about MVP's. Then later, when you bring it up to friends, remember: It's pronounced ON-drew Jones.
*Also, if the Red Sox got the Wild Card and play Chicago, and the Yanks have to go to California and play the Angels, who have home-field advantage. Who really won the AL East?
*David Ortiz should be the AL MVP.
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