It’s not easy being a fan.
Fans rally around their chosen sports teams, cheering them on from near and far, unable to affect the outcome of a game, often left despondent by a win that slipped through their very fingers.
Folks who have read this blog long enough know that I’m a fan of my alma mater’s teams as well as of Domer’s alma mater.
Fortunately for me, we don’t usually play one another. (Well, we did back in the day — 1977 — and my team, the underdog, won, but that’s history.)
Today, both my Ole Miss Rebels and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are sporting 6-0 records, and it feels GOOD.
For the Irish, winning seasons are almost commonplace, but this is interesting territory for my Rebs. It’s been a LONG time since the Glory Days of quarterbacks Archie Manning and his son Eli leading Ole Miss to impressive seasons.
Not that we’ve never been on top, but it’s been since John F. Kennedy was in the White House that we ended with a 10-0 season. In fact, our 2011 season ended with a 2-10 record, and we were winless in our SEC Conference.
So that’s why this year feels so GOOD!
Halfway through the season, Ole Miss is ranked No. 3 in the Nation! We’re one of only six FBS teams still undefeated.
True sports fans probably seem odd to non-sports fans. Those who don’t wrap their schedules around when other people are playing games that don’t have a whole lot of bearing on the price of tea in China, for instance.
Avid fans probably seem like kooks. Crazies. Idiots. I know my dog thinks so.
Every time Ole Miss gets a touchdown, I jump to my feet, do the Happy Dance, and scream.
Loudly.
Poor Dallas must think the house is on fire!
But watching my teams win feels GOOD. And trust me, winning is a whole lot more fun than losing!
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
Huh? I thought win or lose it was all just about having fun! :-D. No?
Glad your teams are winning and you are a happy fan. Since my grandfather is a Notre Dame Alumni and my Grandmother went to St. Mary’s I share your happiness about ND despite not watching a lot of football.
I did win $325.00 at a HS football game this past Friday in a cash raffle for breast cancer. Which more than made up for sitting in the cold watching Cole’s best friends team lose.
Perhaps, Dallas relates it to seeing a squirrel or a possum and understands your gay abandonment.
Wow, $325 is a nice haul — and more than pays the doctor in case you caught a cold sitting in the dank! I remember your telling me your grandpa went to ND and grandma went to St. Mary’s. That’s a classic connection, one shared by so many attending those two universities. Domer had friend who went to Holy Cross as well. Thanks for sharing in our delight!
I’m happy that the Pats have been winning!
Yeah, you understand my glee — thanks, Professor!
I understand, Debbie, especially when it comes to college football. I love it! I love rooting for my alma mater and now that I’m in Oregon, I love rooting for the Ducks. My boys both love them and it makes for fun fall afternoons.
Maybe having boys helps us moms become sports fans, Barb?!?
Domer has always been involved in sports, and so have I. Watching football on TV with my dad is one of my fond memories. Now, Domer and I often text each other with comments and such as the games are taking place — makes for tight connections, you know!
Glad to hear you love it as much as we do!
Debbie, even though I’m not a sports fan, it was a JOY to read this post because I can feel your love and excitement for the game.
And Yahoooooo, that your team is winning!!!!!
I live in Philly, so I am always so constantly aware of sports season (especially football and baseball) because of the HUGE sport fans they have here. For the past month, I’ve seen TONS of Eagles shirts, being worn by both men and women alike.
Yup, Philly is a huge sports town.
Have a super week, my friend!
X
Ron, you’re so right — Philly is a “huge sports town.” I think people who have ready access to a sports team — whether it be a college or a professional one — tend to rally behind it. Shoot, the same thing happens in small towns across America with high school teams!!
The hard thing about being a fan is watching. You know you can’t control the outcome, yet there you sit, yelling your head off! I’ve known fans who are just as superstitious as athletes, too — they want to sit in the same seats, eat the same foods, arrive at the same times, whatever they did the last time their team won. As if doing anything different might “jinx” the team’s chances!
Thanks for coming along with me on this one — happy Tuesday!
I’m not a sports fan, so I honestly couldn’t tell you where Arizona State stands on any of their sports records! That being said, I’m familiar with the strong alma mater tires you describe- my best friend and her husband just drove down to Tucson to watch a game between USC and U of A – the schools closest to each of their hearts. I’m glad you’re happy with the season thus far. Sadly, I won’t know how the season ends, but I trust if it ends well, you’ll pass it along? 🙂
I’d hoped that people wouldn’t mind reading about our teams, Janna, so yes, I’ll be only too glad to relate “the rest of the story” as it unfolds. Golly, things are just getting so exciting right now — maybe it’s for the best that it’s been such a long time coming, for having experienced the droughts, now we can fully appreciate the bounty!
I can’t remember the last football game I watched. I know it would have been pro, because I’ve never followed college ball, unless some soap-opera-ish situation makes it into non-sports news.
But I do know that Texas A&M and the UT Longhorns are rivals, and I think I’ve even heard that there are a couple of schools in Mississippi that get excited about their games. I hope your team continues to do well. I’ll be glad to hear from you how the season comes out — whatever the result.
Our last win was at Texas A&M stadium, and attendance (http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/texas-aggies/20141012-texas-am-smashes-state-sec-records-for-attendance-saturday-against-ole-miss.ece) broke all kinds of records, nearly 111,000. It must have been a madhouse. I really don’t like being in crowds of that size, so watching on TV is right up my alley. Sadly, poor Dallas can’t stand meekly by and watch my antics, so like as not, I have to send him outside. At least there, he can run and bark with excitement, much as he sees me do, ha!
Thanks for indulging my interest this week!
Oh Debbie, I totally get it. Even though I’m not an avid fan as you are, my son is, so I keep tabs on our home team. For example, i learned that today their winning streak was broken. Sigh. You’re right. Nobody likes to lose.
You know, Monica, teachers and even parents are fond of trying to convince kids that they have to be “good losers” because everybody can’t win all the time. I think even kids realize that’s pretty bogus! Nobody wants to be a good loser — nobody! We endure losing like we endure sickness — but we don’t like it. And the more rabid we are over something, the less we like losing. Sorry your home time’s winning streak was broken, but here’s hoping that will be the only loss!
Well, aren’t you a happy camper. Both your favorite teams have an undefeated season, so far anyway. Enjoy it while it lasts. You’ll have to train Dallas to dance with you. Coming from my sport crazed family, I get it! My grandpa used to turn the TV off when his team was losing, as if that could effect the outcome.
I totally *get* your grandpa, Pat — I think all sports fans are just a little goofy, as evidenced by the folks who wear the same “lucky socks” or whatever to every game! Sadly, since I wrote this post, both teams have suffered their first loss. It doesn’t mean they’re out of the running for the championship this year, but it does muddy the waters a bit.
Oh Debbie, I have missed you and I just had to stop by to see what you’ve been up to! So happy to hear your teams are on top. Currently , I’m rooting for the Royals in the World Series. I grew up in what Pat describes as a “sports-crazed ” family so I can relate to your happy dance and love the vision of Dallas wondering what’s happening.:-)
I’ve missed you, too, my friend, and am delighted to see your smiling face here! I know just what you mean about “sports-crazed.” It’s a great way to grow up, don’t you agree? As for Dallas, he isn’t a TV-watching dog, so he just doesn’t seem to get it when the touchdown happy dance commences — on second thought, maybe he does, and running around the back yard and barking up a storm is his way of celebrating, ha!