Sports in Seconds: Major life decision made by sports fan
Sometimes in life it is better to move on and leave certain things behind.
As I struggled off and on for approximately three or four weeks with my commitment of fandom to my favourite National Hockey League (NHL) franchise, the Toronto Maple Leafs, I began having doubts.
According to the Labor Law Talk online dictionary, the term fan refers to someone who has an intense, occasionally overwhelming liking of a person, group of persons, work of art, idea, or trend. The word is an Americanism of around 1889, a shortened version of the word fanatic in reference to an enthusiastic follower of a baseball team.
Two aspects of this definition stood out for myself; intense liking, and enthusiastic follower.
Let's say for instance, if I were near Peyton Manning of the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts for some reason, and he needed a bottle of water or his even shoes shined, I'd be all over it.
Or if Kenny Rogers needed some fresh pine tar fetched from the Detroit Tigers clubhouse, I would not hesitate.
With these unrealistic examples aside, the point is that I am a dedicated and committed fan to both the Colts and the Tigers. No matter what happens with these franchises and how successful or futile they have ever been, I have always proudly displayed my affection and desire for those teams.
This brings me back to the Leafs.
When speaking of intense liking. I can't say I agree with many of the moves made by the club, including the Andrew Raycroft gamble, the continuous signing of aging stars at the tail end of their careers, and the basic fact that the ownership doesn't really care if the team succeeds as long as the “suits” of Toronto keep filling the seats on a nightly basis.
In terms of being an enthusiastic follower, nothing about the Leafs excited me this season and when I think about it, nothing has for years.
It is one thing to be upset that a team has not won any significant game in years, yet when a team doesn't seem to be very enthusiastic themselves in the moves they make as a franchise, one has to question their motivation.
For these reasons, I have decided to turn my back on the Toronto Maple Leafs, and shift my attention and dedication to a new club. I am officially ending the relationship I have had with the Leafs, and starting a new one with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
You heard it here first; I'm pitching my old blue and white sweater of the Leafs, and embracing the black and gold of the Pens.
Pittsburgh is a young, up-and-coming franchise with potential, talent, and promise. More importantly the team has a sense of excitement flying around it.
Led by a the young group of first overall, and second overall picks of the past few years, including; forward Sidney Crosby (19 years-of-age), forward Evgeni Malkin (20 years-of-age), goal-tender Marc-Andre Fleury (21 years-of-age), and forward Jordan Staal (18 years-of-age), the Pens have an extraordinarily bright future.
Everything that embodies the definition of a fan, that I mentioned previously, is something I am going to dedicate myself to as I delve into my new role as a Pittsburg Penguins follower.
So Sidney, if you ever need your skates sharpened or stick taped, don't hesitate to call.
As I struggled off and on for approximately three or four weeks with my commitment of fandom to my favourite National Hockey League (NHL) franchise, the Toronto Maple Leafs, I began having doubts.
According to the Labor Law Talk online dictionary, the term fan refers to someone who has an intense, occasionally overwhelming liking of a person, group of persons, work of art, idea, or trend. The word is an Americanism of around 1889, a shortened version of the word fanatic in reference to an enthusiastic follower of a baseball team.
Two aspects of this definition stood out for myself; intense liking, and enthusiastic follower.
Let's say for instance, if I were near Peyton Manning of the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts for some reason, and he needed a bottle of water or his even shoes shined, I'd be all over it.
Or if Kenny Rogers needed some fresh pine tar fetched from the Detroit Tigers clubhouse, I would not hesitate.
With these unrealistic examples aside, the point is that I am a dedicated and committed fan to both the Colts and the Tigers. No matter what happens with these franchises and how successful or futile they have ever been, I have always proudly displayed my affection and desire for those teams.
This brings me back to the Leafs.
When speaking of intense liking. I can't say I agree with many of the moves made by the club, including the Andrew Raycroft gamble, the continuous signing of aging stars at the tail end of their careers, and the basic fact that the ownership doesn't really care if the team succeeds as long as the “suits” of Toronto keep filling the seats on a nightly basis.
In terms of being an enthusiastic follower, nothing about the Leafs excited me this season and when I think about it, nothing has for years.
It is one thing to be upset that a team has not won any significant game in years, yet when a team doesn't seem to be very enthusiastic themselves in the moves they make as a franchise, one has to question their motivation.
For these reasons, I have decided to turn my back on the Toronto Maple Leafs, and shift my attention and dedication to a new club. I am officially ending the relationship I have had with the Leafs, and starting a new one with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
You heard it here first; I'm pitching my old blue and white sweater of the Leafs, and embracing the black and gold of the Pens.
Pittsburgh is a young, up-and-coming franchise with potential, talent, and promise. More importantly the team has a sense of excitement flying around it.
Led by a the young group of first overall, and second overall picks of the past few years, including; forward Sidney Crosby (19 years-of-age), forward Evgeni Malkin (20 years-of-age), goal-tender Marc-Andre Fleury (21 years-of-age), and forward Jordan Staal (18 years-of-age), the Pens have an extraordinarily bright future.
Everything that embodies the definition of a fan, that I mentioned previously, is something I am going to dedicate myself to as I delve into my new role as a Pittsburg Penguins follower.
So Sidney, if you ever need your skates sharpened or stick taped, don't hesitate to call.
