With the San Francisco Giants' decisive World Series victory and the new NBA and college basketball seasons just beginning, it's time for bandwagon fans to come out of hiding. Each year, with each sport, a new team earns America's interest. I imagine San Francisco merchandise is selling very well right now. If I were a gambling man, I would put some money on Lakers stock as well.
Most bandwagoning, or at least in the Lakers' case, results from the "Avengers effect." Throw a bunch of superheroes (or the American equivalent: an all-star line-up of famous talented basketball players) together into a team and watch them wreak havoc. How can you dislike such a noble and powerful pursuit for triumph?
The Indiana University men's basketball team serves as a perfect example of my point. One buzzer beater to beat a No. 1-ranked team, and the country goes berserk. Suddenly, there are tons of new Hoosiers fans. I have actually heard stories from students here who wanted to attend IU because Christian Watford hit that three to upset University of Kentucky. To each his own, I suppose. The IU bandwagon is about to surpass University of Notre Dame's bandwagon because IU has received the nation's top preseason ranking. Hailing from the glorious state of Indiana myself, I cannot feign contentment for Indiana sports' success, but I dare not call myself a true fan of every Indiana team.
My point is that sports fans are fickle. I know there are some die-hard Lakers fans out there, but many are fans due to the high expectations for this year's Lakers team. The same thing happened with the Miami Heat. It happens every year with the New York Yankees. The teams with the most superstars sell the most tickets and jerseys.
No one is even thinking about the Chicago Bulls this year, who, after suffering the injury of star point guard Derrick Rose, fell under the media's radar. Even the Indiana Pacers, a team with recent success in the playoffs, cannot compete with the media coverage of New York, Los Angeles and Miami teams. Such is the nature of sports in America: if you don't have the stars or the drama, you will be forgotten.
If you can remember, the Olympics were only a couple of months ago. We were all rooting for the women's gymnastics "dream team," volleyball's dynamic duo Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor, and swimmers Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps. Now what? Do we even care about them? I would be lying if I said I did not jump on this bandwagon, but I think it is safe to say that we are not loyal to the hard-working athletes. We need to be more supportive of our Olympians outside of the Olympics.
Our sports society only cares about the latest highlights and top controversies. The true sports fans are dying out, or at least fading away, overshadowed by the superficial hype surrounding the biggest trades and biggest plays. It is easy to watch sports and enjoy them, even if you do not have a favorite team. But you are a not a true fan until you support your team for at least several years.
Die-hard sports fans are not created in a day, a play, a season or a year. They are forged carefully and steadily upon the anvils of dedication and passion. We can all enjoy the fantastic spectacle of that which is sports, but I ask that we take careful consideration when we brand ourselves in the sports world.
Success is easy to cheer for, but loyalty is hard to maintain. Are you willing to endure the peaks and valleys of a particular team, despite the negative press, losses and trades? Or would you rather hop from team to team, totally content to clinging to the coattails of fleeting victory? Your loyalty is worth some thought.
- Weilhammer is a freshman from Indianapolis, Ind., majoring in English writing.