Not A Fan

I've lived in Oklahoma all of my life and I've never been a fan of the University of Oklahoma, aka OU, aka "Sooners" football team. I just don't like them and haven't for a long time. In fact, my disdain for OU goes back to the Barry Switzer days.

Actually, part of my dislike for the team is due to their fans; many of them I am acquainted with are down-right obnoxious. Their team is the best team in the ENTIRE NCAA! Their team is definitely better than your team. Their team has won this and Their team has won that! And God forbid you don't love their team as much as they do.¹

Here's the deal: I enjoy watching a sporting event from time to time. I played baseball from the time I was six years old until I entered High School. Like most every red-blooded American boy in the 60's, I dreamed of growing up and playing in the "big leagues". So I'm not against sports per se; I just don't put them in a place of prominence in my life.

Many sports fans live as if their team, its existence, its wins and [gasp] losses, its coaches, it players...are THE thing that makes or breaks their very own existence. Everything they own has their team logo on it. Their dog, cat, horse and parakeet (if they have one) are all named "Sooner" or "Boomer" (OU fans).

I watch NCAA baseball, basketball and football WHEN I HAVE TIME. I don't plan an entire weekend around it. I don't go into a manic state of depression when "MY team"² doesn't win. I watch the game. If the team I like wins, great. If they don't, I go out and mow the lawn or whatever activity/chore I've got lined up. I don't have entire team rosters memorized. I can't tell you who won the National Championship last year...or the 15 years before that. I can't tell you the names of the Offensive and Defensive coaches. In fact, I can rarely recall the final score of a game the next day. It just doesn't matter to me.

Sadly, some of these same fans, when asked, couldn't name their current Senators or Congressman. Some won't be able to tell you the names of the three branches of the Federal Government. Some won't be able to quote the books of the New Testament...but ask them who the starting defensive tackle or quarterback is for their team and they'll be able to tell you his age, weight, GPA, color hair, where he went to high school, his major, his stats from the last three seasons, his jersey number, and his celebrity girlfriend's name!!

It's just a game people, and in the total scheme of things, it really isn't that important.

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¹ The Sooners have amassed an impressive number of National Championships in football, seven to date, I believe. All together, they have won 26 NCAA National Championships in baseball (2), football (7), golf (1), gymnastics (8), wrestling (7), and women's softball (1).

² For the sake of full disclosure, I graduated from Oklahoma State University (OU's in-state rival) and that's about the only team I'll make an attempt to follow. During my time in college, I don't recall actually attending a football--or any other sporting event. I have an OSU sticker on my vehicle, but again, my life doesn't revolve around the OSU Cowboys. The "Pokes" haven't won a football national championship, but the OSU does have 50 NCAA National Championships in wrestling (34), golf (10), basketball (2), baseball (1), and cross country (3). They have the fourth highest number of total NCAA Championships:
1. UCLA (101 titles)
2. Stanford (94 titles)
3. USC (84 titles)
4. Oklahoma State (50 titles)

Does that mean MY team is better than theirs?