What Would Jane Austen Say About Restive Sports Fans?
For some reason, I was thinking the other day about what 18th Century English novelist Jane Austen might say about the rabid behavior of sports fans. Why you ask, I am not sure? Just choke it up to my rambling mind. I am a rambling man, you know.
Austen, author of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility and other books, wrote of realism and often offered biting social commentary in her work. If she observed some of the conduct in stadiums and in bars or home surrounding sporting events, her thoughts most likely would not be positive, nor viewed favorably by the sporting community, especially fans that lose themselves in game and exhibit less than socially acceptable behavior.
A female philosopher of her time, she wrote with a comical slant at times. So maybe, her commentary might poke sarcastic (and deserved) fun at some of the fan behavior of today. More likely Austen, who writings were controversial during her life, would just shake her head and ask all of us quirky sorts to chill and relax, perhaps read more and act less. Tend more to your families, she'd say (I think.).
Austen might suggest to those unordinary fans to settle down and think of the women and children. And, I might say, there are some women and children that act a bit over the top during sports events. She would undoubtedly have some controversial flare in her words, whatever that would be.
A home body, her social behavior entailed reading works to friends or just visiting and talking. I don't believe that she would have put paint on her face, dress in old worn jersey and badly coordinated colors and make loud and ludicrous statements during those social gatherings.
Now, let's be straight up about this, a lot of sports fans head to the ballparks for the experience and to offer occasional blasts of enthusiasm. They are normal in their thoughts and actions. Rabid, highly emotional and over the top actions are not part of their behavior.
For many others, me included, the quirks of our sporting rabidness probably has mental health professionals shaking their heads. It obviously has some of our own families,, wondering what kind of beverages we consumed prior to game time. And, the behavior has dogs running for their little houses at one corner of a living room.
Paranoia and superstition are part of the makeup for the quirky fans.
Take for instance, the occassional bad baseball play by my Detroit Tigers, which causes a sudden and vocal reaction which has my English Springer Spaniel starring at me in bewilderment - who are you mad at? Nobody is here but me? What did I do wrong? Then, she is off hiding somewhere.
I have been known to talk to the TV or radio or even my computer after one a "bad" mistake by the Tigers, Steelers, Coyotes or whatever team I want to win. Don't they know they are disappointing me? Don't they know that there are thousands of me out there, not understanding that mistakes and misplays are part of the game just like home runs and touchdowns?
When I am sitting around watching some baseball, it is often better if I turn the game to Atlanta or Philadelphia rather than watch my Detroit Tigers. It seems that every time I watch the Tigers on TV, they get the crap beaten out of them. Or, they make a rash of errors. A little paranoid, right?
To help my blood pressure and deal with sporting events highs and lows, I use technology to easy the trouble causes by games. The advent of the Internet many years ago has allowed me (and others) to sneak looks at games through the gamecasts app or just by refreshing the box score - when we are home or at a coffee shot.
That internet business is one part of the quirky behaviors. Some fans, like me, also wear the same clothes every Sunday for NFL games or always don the hat on game day we were wearing when the team struck gold with a World Series title or Super Bowl win. We even go to lengths of eating breakfast at a specific time or ordering take out at exactly the same moment as that special day. Of course, we always sit on the couch in the same spot or pace like one does waiting for an appointment.
Sound a little quirky? Yeah it does.
I often sit back and work on a project or look at Facebook or even read a book, then every few minutes I click the box to see the update. If I am on the road, the Blackberry serves the purpose. Even if I know the game is on radio, the Blackberry updates better serve my interest and my psyche.
Otherwise, I will sit there watching the game and end up talking to the TV (sometimes even my computer), like those I am observing can actually hear me. What follows a Tigers' or Steelers' loss is irrational carping or complaining through cyber devices. Clearly, I know they can't hear my voice yelling in my townhouse.
I let those in control or playing for those teams know through online posts what I am feeling -- like they actually are reading what I post. I go to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Detroit Free Press websites, Twitter or Facebook, and offer up my less than positive thoughts about the game just played. Sometimes, though, I am upbeat. Always, a little like Austen, I am controversial or at least aggressive in my writings (so I say).
It might be interesting what Austen would say about my quirkiness and sad sack behavior as a fan. She might offer more biting commentary than I offer in my ramblings about managerial mistakes or less than intelligent decisions by those playing the game.
And, she might say, think about your poor Sierra, who has to listen and observe less than proper social behavior. Think about your family, friends and neighbors, OK, Dan? When you do, the games may become more enjoyable, Austen might say.
Remember Adam Sandler's punishment in Anger Management? Maybe Austen saw that in the movie theatre of the heavens and now might suggest some similar therapy for quirky or restless sports nuts (like me). I wonder if an angelic Austin has contacted Jack Nicholson about the lead role as fan therapist?
It might be a good movie. It will at least have some laughing at us quirky types - Sandler can play me.
Austen, author of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility and other books, wrote of realism and often offered biting social commentary in her work. If she observed some of the conduct in stadiums and in bars or home surrounding sporting events, her thoughts most likely would not be positive, nor viewed favorably by the sporting community, especially fans that lose themselves in game and exhibit less than socially acceptable behavior.
A female philosopher of her time, she wrote with a comical slant at times. So maybe, her commentary might poke sarcastic (and deserved) fun at some of the fan behavior of today. More likely Austen, who writings were controversial during her life, would just shake her head and ask all of us quirky sorts to chill and relax, perhaps read more and act less. Tend more to your families, she'd say (I think.).
Austen might suggest to those unordinary fans to settle down and think of the women and children. And, I might say, there are some women and children that act a bit over the top during sports events. She would undoubtedly have some controversial flare in her words, whatever that would be.
A home body, her social behavior entailed reading works to friends or just visiting and talking. I don't believe that she would have put paint on her face, dress in old worn jersey and badly coordinated colors and make loud and ludicrous statements during those social gatherings.
Now, let's be straight up about this, a lot of sports fans head to the ballparks for the experience and to offer occasional blasts of enthusiasm. They are normal in their thoughts and actions. Rabid, highly emotional and over the top actions are not part of their behavior.
For many others, me included, the quirks of our sporting rabidness probably has mental health professionals shaking their heads. It obviously has some of our own families,, wondering what kind of beverages we consumed prior to game time. And, the behavior has dogs running for their little houses at one corner of a living room.
Paranoia and superstition are part of the makeup for the quirky fans.
Take for instance, the occassional bad baseball play by my Detroit Tigers, which causes a sudden and vocal reaction which has my English Springer Spaniel starring at me in bewilderment - who are you mad at? Nobody is here but me? What did I do wrong? Then, she is off hiding somewhere.
I have been known to talk to the TV or radio or even my computer after one a "bad" mistake by the Tigers, Steelers, Coyotes or whatever team I want to win. Don't they know they are disappointing me? Don't they know that there are thousands of me out there, not understanding that mistakes and misplays are part of the game just like home runs and touchdowns?
When I am sitting around watching some baseball, it is often better if I turn the game to Atlanta or Philadelphia rather than watch my Detroit Tigers. It seems that every time I watch the Tigers on TV, they get the crap beaten out of them. Or, they make a rash of errors. A little paranoid, right?
To help my blood pressure and deal with sporting events highs and lows, I use technology to easy the trouble causes by games. The advent of the Internet many years ago has allowed me (and others) to sneak looks at games through the gamecasts app or just by refreshing the box score - when we are home or at a coffee shot.
That internet business is one part of the quirky behaviors. Some fans, like me, also wear the same clothes every Sunday for NFL games or always don the hat on game day we were wearing when the team struck gold with a World Series title or Super Bowl win. We even go to lengths of eating breakfast at a specific time or ordering take out at exactly the same moment as that special day. Of course, we always sit on the couch in the same spot or pace like one does waiting for an appointment.
Sound a little quirky? Yeah it does.
I often sit back and work on a project or look at Facebook or even read a book, then every few minutes I click the box to see the update. If I am on the road, the Blackberry serves the purpose. Even if I know the game is on radio, the Blackberry updates better serve my interest and my psyche.
Otherwise, I will sit there watching the game and end up talking to the TV (sometimes even my computer), like those I am observing can actually hear me. What follows a Tigers' or Steelers' loss is irrational carping or complaining through cyber devices. Clearly, I know they can't hear my voice yelling in my townhouse.
I let those in control or playing for those teams know through online posts what I am feeling -- like they actually are reading what I post. I go to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Detroit Free Press websites, Twitter or Facebook, and offer up my less than positive thoughts about the game just played. Sometimes, though, I am upbeat. Always, a little like Austen, I am controversial or at least aggressive in my writings (so I say).
It might be interesting what Austen would say about my quirkiness and sad sack behavior as a fan. She might offer more biting commentary than I offer in my ramblings about managerial mistakes or less than intelligent decisions by those playing the game.
And, she might say, think about your poor Sierra, who has to listen and observe less than proper social behavior. Think about your family, friends and neighbors, OK, Dan? When you do, the games may become more enjoyable, Austen might say.
Remember Adam Sandler's punishment in Anger Management? Maybe Austen saw that in the movie theatre of the heavens and now might suggest some similar therapy for quirky or restless sports nuts (like me). I wonder if an angelic Austin has contacted Jack Nicholson about the lead role as fan therapist?
It might be a good movie. It will at least have some laughing at us quirky types - Sandler can play me.
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