My Sports Fandom is Waning, Too
I already know why
This is a follow-up to Justin’s piece from last week: Sports Returned. My Fandom Didn’t. If you have not yet read that, it’s recommended you start there, though not entirely necessary.
In short, Justin, a lifelong sports fan who spent 13 years as a reporter and editor for Sports Illustrated, has been watching less sports and isn’t totally sure why. Pandemic? Perhaps. Absent fans? Absolutely. Commercials? Could be. Documentaries? Definitely.
As for me, I know exactly why my sports fandom is waning. To be clear, I’m still a pretty passionate sports fan. For context: I watched all 12 Florida Gators football games this past season and I’ve watched almost every Florida Panthers game so far this season. There have been 36. I am not proud of this.
Here are some things I am proud of:
Running my first half marathon (might train for the NYC Marathon!)
Working on fun side projects (launching some new ones soon)
Starting a newsletter (hi!)
Starting a company (TBA)
Reading great books (not Where the Crawdads Sing)
There is an obvious trend there: all of those are things *I* did. As a sports fan, it often feels like you won or you lost, and frankly,: whether you think you did or think you didn’t, you’re right.
I read something a few years ago that can be summarized as:
A rational person does not concern themselves with things outside of their control.
There are certainly some holes in that ideology, specifically when you consider literally anybody but yourself. But, for the sake of this piece, let’s assume this quote was only about sports.
On a graph where “how much I care” is the x-axis and “how much I can control the outcome” is the y-axis, my relationship with sports was as low and right as it gets.
But this is where I’d like to be:
I have an idealized version of myself as a sports fan: watching big games with friends and family and regardless of the outcome, we still enjoy a great meal and some adult beverages. I’m fairly certain I just invented the NFL on Thanksgiving or the NBA on Christmas, except that my ideal version would never have turkey.
Despite my aspiring position as a sports fan, I think they are amazing. Justin, in part 1 of this unplanned two-part series, said it better than I can:
I’m a huge believer in the power of sports and their ability to reveal the potential of the human spirit and to teach lessons about perseverance and collaboration.
Powerful, fun, important, heartwarming, funny. Sports are amazing. I just don’t want to give a shit when I, er… we, wait, no... THEY lose.
Big thanks to NBA Paint for the graphics in this post. If you’re not already, do your Twitter timeline a favor and follow. This account is the culmination of all the best things about sports and I’m glad it exists.
Action Bronson, Eater by Trade, Finds a New Craving: Fitness
Action Bronson was a huge, in every sense of the word, part of my time in college. We watched F*ck That’s Delicious and Action Bronson Watches Ancient Aliens regularly. The student organization I was involved in brought him in to open for 2 Chainz, and if Ari ever got the aux cord, we were bound to hear some Action Bronson. When I asked friends for Barcelona recommendations, Brian sent me to Foc i Oli, quoting AB’s review: “if there is a god, he lives between the buns of the burger at Foc i Oli.” I agree. So do my parents who went there a year later and my friend David, who has been there more recently. If you’re reading this, you know I love Bourdain. The overlap between Bourdain and Action is significant. The only real difference is that one writes and one raps. Included in that overlap is that they have not historically treated their bodies well. I’m glad to see that Action, down 130 pounds during the pandemic, is finally doing something about that.
–Andrew
Matt McCormick x MAAPS Lost Highway Incense
I have become a big fan of the artist Matt McCormick. His paintings capture the distinct spirit of the American West as idealized in classic “Marlboro Man” ads. While I’m not necessarily ready to cop an original McCormick piece, I couldn’t resist picking up his collaborative incense with Maaps. With a scent of violet, campfire, and pine, it captures the vibe of those Marlboro ads, minus the disgusting cigarette butt smell.
—Justin
Out There: Alex Olson
Alex Olson is one of my favorite skaters. He has a smooth, effortless flow and plenty of pop. He also has an iconoclastic attitude. Olson’s skating and his overall life POV are both on full display in this Thrasher video. It covers his diverse interests from music to surfing to yoga and is in some ways a continuation of his Epicly Later’d episode.
—Justin