On Fandom

So earlier this evening I was watching Game Six of the Celtics vs. The Cavs with Koshy and Andy, while I was texting Jake, and reading articles on Wikipedia on my Droid, multi-tasking much to Andy's chagrin, Jake made a comment about not being a "real fan." That got me thinking, am I a real fan?

I mean, I guess first you have to define what being a real fan is. Is a real fan someone who knows all the stats, to all the players for the last 20 years? Or is a real fan someone who through thick or thin will root for their team, never wavering for the temptations of any other team. In my opinion, it's more towards the latter.

The first kind of fan is what I like to call a die hard. They'll do research, spend hours crafting the perfect fantasy team, and pick teams or players here and there that exemplify, in their opinion, the "best" attribute. The Best Team; The Best Player. To the die hard, it is this group of teams or players that make the sport worthwhile. Without these pillars of athleticism, the sport becomes hollow, and isn't worth watching or dedicating that much effort to pay attention to.

Personally I'm all for my New England Teams. Sox, Celts, B's, Pats. (Who cares about the Revolution? I haven't heard any U.S. Soccer news on SportsCenter in... 2 years not counting David Beckham.) I've got a few outside loyalties from my Parents home states. Cubs, Bulls, Bears, Dodgers, 49ers. No love for the Lakers. I know some of the stats, most of the big names, and I'm always glad to hear one of my teams dominated.

While I might not watch every game all season, I'm always happy to see one of my teams win. Throughout the season, I'll catch a game here a game there, and always cheer for my team. If I don't catch a game, for the most part I'm not phased. Then it gets to playoff time, and I know it's important, so I'll put a little more effort into watching and rooting. In the eyes of the die hard, that's being a fair weather fan. In my eyes, it's helping my team when I know they need it most. But rain or shine, even if I know my teams aren't the best, I'm never going to say, "Well, the Sox are having an off season, the Yankees are my team now," and I feel that is why I'm a better fan than a die hard.

A die hard will follow players around, and as soon as they start doing bad, they drop'em and pick up that new rookie phenom that's going to be a star a few years down the line. Take Big Papi for example. He used to hit home runs left and right. Now? Not so much. But unlike a die hard, I'm still rooting for him every at bat. Sure I can talk crap about him if he does bad, but it's those couple times he comes in clutch hitting what would normally be a double, while he hobbles to make it a single, but still gets 2 RBI, enough to take the lead, that I really get fired up. It's the little things that make me happy, not the highlight reel, but that still never hurts.

However then you have to differentiate. You can't just hop in at the playoffs, learn a few names and be a real fan. If you can tell me that you watched a game, alone, mid-season, with nothing riding on the outcome, you're a real fan. If you started watching at the end of the season, where they needed to win to get into the playoffs, you're a fake.

What I'm really saying here is to me, a fan doesn't just care about all-stars, or statistics. A fan cares about characters, and history. I'm not saying you can't be a die hard fan for all your favorite teams, but on the scale of things I don't think a real fan should have to care about a player's OBP, IBB, GDP, ABC, FBI or whatever the rest of those weird statistics are. Just whether or not they're gonna play ball.

If I check NESN mid-summer, and the Sox are playing the Tigers, I'll watch for fun. Mid-winter? Bruin's and Sabres? Celtics and Warriors? Why not. So, later, if I'm making a night out of hanging out and watching (most of) the game with the guys during the playoffs, pulling for the Celts all the way, and flipping out when Tony Allen had a nasty one-handed dunk, I think I'm entitled to call myself a real fan. What do you think?

The Life and Times of Jacob Paul

A while back, I wrote a blog post and in the aftermath of it I received a request. This is that request.

Jacob Paul, lovingly called Kril by his friends, graduated the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the year 2012, shortly before the supposed "end of the world," with Magna Cum Laude honors, majoring in Political Science, and minoring in Education. The summer after his senior year in college was an eventful one, with numerous parties and trips with graduated friends. However, his habits of drinking and smoking entered into a downward spiral and when all his friends moved on to jobs, or returned to school, Kril was left to find solace in drugs. After almost a year of living in and out of homeless shelters, with no material possessions besides that of his trusty guitar, and the occasional bottle of alcohol, Kril cleaned himself up with the help and guidance of his friend, Jim Redding.

Seizing this new lease on life, Kril traveled to Canada, where he had spent some time during his year in filth, and tried out for Calgary Junior Hockey C League, where he was signed to a one year contract for the McKnight Mustangs, but this was only the beginning off his rise. Following a stellar season, filled with numerous apple and ginos, Kril was passed up from team to team, eventually coming to the pinnacle of the CHL, leading the Calgary Hitmen to one of their franchise best seasons, before getting picked up by the Boston Bruins. Kril lead the B's to 3 consecutive victories for the Stanley Cup over former teammates on the Canadiens, the team rival the Flyers, and the dominating prowess of the Penguins. Tragically in his fourth season, he received a career ending injury in the form of a skate to his right leg, cutting numerous muscles, and breaking his tibia, and fibula.

A shining star on the rise, Kril was left with money from contracts which would sustain him until he found a new line of work. Eventually moving down to Charlottesville, Virginia, seeking answers of what to do with his life in a place which gave a start to his long time idol, Dave Matthews. After finding a small apartment, and settling in, Kril began playing open mic night at a bar called Miller's. Months later, an aged and wisened Matthews, visiting the bar where he bartended in his youth, stumbled upon Kril and his musical abilities. Meeting his idol, a lifetime dream, would have satiated the now mature Kril, but when Matthews decided to jam with Kril, he thought it could get no better. He thought wrong.

Kril was subsequently invited to Matthew's personal studio, where he not only played on tracks for Matthews latest solo album, but was also aided by Matthews' guiding hand, and ear, in producing his first solo album. This album hit the top of the charts and stayed there for almost three months, putting Kril in the spotlight and attracting to him, his long time love interest, Miley Cyrus. They met in the studio, Cyrus being pulled in by Matthews to duet with Kril on one of the songs for his new album. They hit it off, and after a long period of courting, they became engaged in 2025, marrying shortly after.

Kril had finally made it. His idol, Dave Matthews; his long time crush, Miley Cyrus; And boatloads of cash from his years as an NHL and Musical superstar. He settled down with Miley and together they had three children, named after three of the most inspirational, and important people in Kril's life. Kril, Miley, and their children James, Megan, and David now live in L.A. where they attend private schools.