What's worse than a poser?

First off, let's define a poser. A poser is someone who who "poses" as something they are not. It can be used in many different contexts. Most of these contexts are unimportant. And those of us who have a major problem with posers are really immature. It is something teenagers are more concerned with than grown, emotionally secure adults. But I am neither grown nor secure in much of anything.

My issues with the poser mentality came about in the mid-90s when my beloved Cleveland Indians suddenly were dominating Major League Baseball. They had been so bad for so long and nobody was going to their games. The good citizens of Cleveland trashed the team year after year. It was a running joke how bad they were. The common folk that didn't care too much about sports never had anything good to say about them....and really, who could blame them at that time. The team was really bad. There was a core group though that still watched the games, went to the games and claimed the Indians as "our" team and remained eager to cheer for anything.

So as the mid 90s came about and those of us who hung in there with the bad teams (and can still give you the starting lineup of the atrocious '87 team that lost over 100 games after beginning the year on the cover of Sports Illustrated) were completely estactic over the new found success despite the ugly strike that took the 94 World Series away, we found ourselves unable to go to games. We were suddenly surrounded by people all dressed up in their brand new, fancy, expensive, "trendy" Tribe attire. When we did get lucky enough to go to the games, the people around us told us to "sit down," "relax," "it's not that big of a deal." What? Who are YOU to tell ME to sit down! If you don't care that we are only down 2 runs in the 8th inning and Jim freaking Pool is being called from the bullpen (or my favorite Eric KER-Plunk) then, get the F*&$ outta here!

Then people started acting like they were life long fans. And I began to notice some of these people were people who bashed the Tribe in the past. Not the bashing that avid fans do with their own team when they are so upset. I for one will admit I trash my most beloved teams (Ohio St and the Browns) in my most beloved sport (football) and talk about how much they suck and how pathetic they are maybe 100 times a week during their games. That is different. Yes, it is. It is different because these "posers" bashed them and rarely turned an eye towards them. They just did because everyone else was bashing them. Also, they were very general in their bashing. There wasn't anything specific. If there was, it was wrong and ridiculous.

So I was getting very angry because these so called fans were getting enjoyment out of my team without paying the emotional pricetag I did. I and my fellow die hard fans somehow deserved the feel good-ness of a winning team more than they did. And I was jealous that they seemed to get as much out of it as I did. And they were the ones at the games sitting on their hands talking about stupid crap during the game giving me an attitude then calling into the radio shows talking about obnoxious fans. I don't mean the times I drank too much and really was obnoxious, I mean the times I was standing or yelling or cheering or booing. I deserved getting yelled at when I went too far. (Booing could be a good debate blog)

So as time passed I noticed this with other teams I love. I notice it in other arenas, mainly because I am one. I'll be the first to admit I miss out on a lot of bands until they "make it big." And I have grown out of much of the anti-poser sentiment I once had. I and my teams need these fringe fans. They help pay the bills. They keep the critical mass afloat for the team's popularity and pressure the owners to be successful. And in the end they deserve to root for their geographical affliated team as much as any of us.

Since I moved to Columbus and have noticed the power and sheer number of people in Buckeye nation, I have also noticed the spitefulness of people in this town. If I wasn't a Buckeye fan myself, I would probably understand it. We, as Buckeye fans, are pretty obnoxious and annoying. I will admit that. BUT......the people in this town who root for the Wolverines purposely make me sick!!!!!!

These fans couldn't name the starting QB for the team this year WHILE THEY WERE WATCHING THE GAME! The only reason they could name the coach is because of the jokes Buckeye fan makes about him constantly. (6-1 by the way) Oh but they love Michigan and they sport all their shirts and coats and hats and the stinkin time. They love to talk trash about "their" Wolverines, but act like they don't really care after a loss.

I actually don't have a problem with Michigan fans. Even ones living in Columbus who went to UM, have family there, or grew up in Michigan. Obviously, it is a rivalry and there are rivalry type of feelings towards UM fans, but I can respect it. They are a necessary evil.

BUT...these stupid, spiteful fans that only root for a team out of spite are in the same line of logic as posers but worse. I have no respect for it. It is stupid. Dumb. And ignorant. Not the kind of ignorant people use incorrectly as in rude, but ignorant as it really means...not knowing.