Just as professional athletes practice for an upcoming game, dedicated sports fans must often labor through their own pre-game routine. Each repetition on the bench press or swing in the batting cage taken by a player is matched by the fan that, in hopes of clearing enough time to watch the elongated, commercial-laden game, puts in extra hours of work or study. Come kickoff, jump ball, first pitch, or face-off, the dedicated fan thus feels as if they are part of the game-time experience, somehow a member of the team, able to bask in the glory of sport.
Or, if you’re currently a Chicagoan, feel as though your pride has been fed through a paper shredder as your beloved teams lose both their games and dignity. With the Cubs approaching the century mark of their World Series drought, the Bears and Bulls under .500, and the White Sox earning the worst record in baseball, this year in Chicago sports is looking disastrous.
‘But wait,’ you ask, ‘weren’t the Bears just in the Super Bowl, the Cubs and Bulls in the playoffs, and the World Series trophy on the Southside?’ Indeed they were, but as any distraught fan will attest, it hardly takes but a few blown saves or fourth quarter meltdowns to reduce those memories to ashes. What we want is consistency, to be “in it” every year. Sure, I know that’s what every city wants, but this isn’t just any old place; this is Chicago, the champion of cities, and we deserve a full-time championship contender.
The emotional state of a diehard sports fan is at the mercy of their team’s performance. Autumn feels empty for baseball fans without a playoff team, as does Monday for a fan of football’s defeated. These emotional responses, though seemingly a psychological burden, are often more intense, more heartfelt, than the average set of daily sensations, a concept that baffles those disinterested in sports. In Chicago, these emotions are so true and widespread that regardless of a team’s record or standing, no year, even this one, can be totally worthless. In terms of the richness of sports culture, this city can never have a losing season. Our teams may be struggling, but fans in the stands still cherish the games, memories, and emotions of what has been a frustrating, yet still meaningful year in Chicago sports. Having said that…GO BEARS!