Fan Rules (updated)

Back in the early days of this blog I tried to create a guideline for fans with my Rules for a Sports Fan post. Below are the condensed version of the original 15 rules:

1. Take into account your favorite team when drafting your fantasy team. No Jets or Patriots players for me.
2. Switching favorite teams is similar to getting a divorce. There has to be a reason why, a grace period and then a valid reason for a new team/relationship.
3. One must carefully choose the reasons why you pick a favorite team since that will be a question you will have to answer for the rest of your life.
4. You can follow multiple teams, but only have one favorite team.
5. Check out the player's contract and standing on the team before buying his jersey.
6. Along the same lines don't ever wear a jersey of another team or sport to a game.
7. If a foul ball comes your way then catch it with your hands or relinquish your right for the ball. Don't use a glove. Don't drop it and then scramble for it knocking over women and children in hopes of getting a $13 baseball. Act like you have been there before.
8. If your team wins a big game then a cigar is necessary if not required.
9. It is perfectly acceptable to root for individual players.
10. Don't bet against your team.
11. Wherever you go to undergrad is your favorite college team...no exceptions. You had a choice to pick this school and you should stick by that school no matter what. They are your favorite college team in every sport and if they play another school you are required to root for your school.
12. Your childhood favorite college teams can still be your 2nd favorite teams, but if by chance they ever play your school then refer back to rule 11.
13. When their is an important game (Duke-UNC, Super Bowl, etc) involving your favorite team there are only 3 acceptable excuses for not watching the game: getting married (and if so pick a better date), attending a funeral or if someone is in labor.
14. If you have a significant other who is not into sports you should try and make them root for your favorite teams.
15. When rooting for a team, seniority matters. I take someone who has been a Red Sox fan for 30 years more seriously than someone who has been a Red Sox fan for the past 3 years.

And here are a few new rules to be added to the list:

16. There is a time and place for novice sports fan to ask dumb questions. That time isn't the last 2 minutes and that place isn't while watching the national title game. Don't be the person who asks if Auburn has to go through all four downs even if the time has expired right before the winning field goal.

17. Some people take sports way too seriously. For those people the best rule of thumb is to treat big losses by their favorite teams as if there was a death in the family. Don't ask too many questions and let them come to you when they are ready.

18. If you don't really care who wins then don't take joy in the other team's failure in front of that person. One big caveat though is if they deserve it. If they have been sending you daily emails telling you how Wisconsin was going to beat TCU then feel free to let them have it. If they have been normal and are just cheering for their favorite team then there is no reason why you should be a jerk.

19. If your team makes it to the College World Series for the first time ever then try as hard as you can to drive to Omaha and attend a game.

20. Supporting your team when they are a visitor carries an extra set of rules. Be respectful of the home team. Be extra hospitable to your team's fans.

21. Make a reasonable effort to follow your team. You don't have to watch every game, but every now and then (and especially if it is important) it is worth going to bed a little late to watch your favorite team.

22. Enjoy the wins and try to forget the losses. Most of the time fans treat it the other way around by forgetting the wins and agonizing about the losses.

23. If one of your close friends (think wedding party) has a team playing in a big game that you otherwise wouldn't care about then it is acceptable to throw your support around that team on an interim basis.

24. You can like a way a player performs on the field without liking how the person acts off the field. In an ideal world the best players would also be the best people, but that isn't always the case.

25. Extra points are given to any fan who goes to see one of their favorite players get inducted into the Hall of Fame.