Sports Fanatics...The Dark Side!

   Yes there is a dark side to sports fanatics. Sports fanatics tend to get...well a little crazy when it comes to their teams and sports. This of course leads to a lot of hot heads pushing buttons that they should not be pushing in the first place. This in turn causes many violent acts to break out amongst the fanatics. So much so that people have gotten stabbed, shot, and almost even blown up. Violence from fans is one of the most massive signs that you have stopped being just a fan and have become a sports fanatic.

   One of the most well know sports fans to start riots and other types of shenanigans are soccer (futbol) fans. They are some of the most passionate and violent fanatics in the sporting world. They are know for having riots and just flat out brawls because the other team wins.  One massive example I can think of is when a disgruntled fan hurled a live grenade onto the field at the Asians Champions League soccer match when Iran versed Saudi Arabia. After the grenade was tossed onto the field a player walking by it picked it up thinking it was debris and tossed it off the field. When it landed on the ground(as you can see in the video below) it exploded. If the player delayed just a couple seconds longer he could have lost his hand. (Washington Post)

   Soccer (futbol) is not the only sporting environment where their fanatics go a little lets say....crazy. In the case of football there are also fanatics that decide to take drastic measures because their team lost or a rival fan is being loud that their team is winning. One team in the NFL that is known for its well scary fans are the Oakland Raiders (Picture Below) these fans are one of the craziest fans I have ever seen.  Now you would look at the picture below and think "well thats just some of their fans...right?"Well no actually if you ever get to watch a Raiders vs Chargers game you'll begin to notice that almost every Raider fan is that crazy. 
   Speaking of crazy Raiders fans during a Raiders win...yes a win...a fan decided it was of best judgement to stab a Chargers fan. In another incident involving Raiders fan (shocker)"On Aug. 20 following San Francisco's exhibition victory over the Raiders, two men were shot in the Candlestick Park parking lot. The stabbing is the second violent incident after a Raiders' game this season." (USA Today) 
   For some reason fanatics take many things to heart especially when it comes to their team. That is why violence breaks out among fellow a fans and is one of the most noticeable and tell tale signs that you have crossed the line from regular fan to a fanatic. 


 Picture:















   Video *Warning Very Violent*:

Sports = Life

This fan decided to get a tattoo of his favorite team and the titles they have won.

     There are many ways to identify if you are or are not a sports fanatic. Yet there are a set few major signs on whether or not you are one. One of the most obvious ones is the obsession of the game.

   Have you every been sitting around watching a game...lets say football, and have been able to name exactly which players which, their college, their stats, and the past teams they have been on. Well if so you may be a sports fanatics.

   Sports fanaticism is a very interesting thing when you look into especially the obsession side of it. Many fanatics will sit and watch their team play and actually begin to believe that they can change the outcome of the game just by doing a certain tactic or movement in their seat. Like I know I personally believe that if I sit in the same spot or have the same routine that my team will win. Its like the Bud Light commercial where all the guys in the row put their labels out because they believe that it will help the kicker in some way kick the ball better so that he can make it. Which they then use one of my favorite lines "Its only weird, if it doesn't work." and "It's like magic...but real."

  That truly is how most fanatics think when they go to watch their games. Like I know some friends that if they don't sit in the same spot or do the same thing and their team loses they feel as though they were the cause of the loss and not the team. I know when the Jets lost to the Steelers in the AFC Championship game, I don't know why but I believed that it was my fault because maybe I forgot to do something to help the team.

    The obsession for the team/sport in fanatics goes even deeper. Most fanatics must know everything when it comes to their particular sport and or team. Like me personally I report New York Jets news on twitter. I do this because I wanna know every little thing thats going on with the Jets at any given time.  You can usually spot a sports fanatic from a regular fan if you say a certain players bad...take Raven fans for instance. If you ever find yourself in the company of one just say these three magic words "Joe Flacco Sucks!" If they respond with an eruption of "Are you Stupid?" comments and than follow up with stats of him from the past 4 season than he/she is a sports fanatic. A certain skit run by SNL shows exactly what sports fanatics are. The sketch is called "Da Super Fans"starring Joe Mantegna as the show's host Bill Swerski, along with Chris Farley as Todd O'Connor, Mike Myers as Pat Arnold, and Robert Smigel as Carl Wollarski. The sketch depicts a show of Chicago fans that talk about pretty much how great their team is. This sketch shows pretty much the mentality of most sports fanatics, that their teams the best and thats that.

    The obsession for the sport/team is one of the most obvious tells a person can have on whether or not they are a sports fanatic. Yet there are other signs that will help you pick out if you are one or not.


SNL "Da Super Fans":

Commercial:

Are You a Sports Fanatic?

   Heres an interesting question...are you a sports fanatic? Well how can you possibly know if you are truly a sports fanatic? Well I'm here to let you know how to exactly identify that you have crossed the line form ordinary fandom to full on fanaticism. In the next couple of posts I will be breaking down exactly what you will need to know to figure out if you just a fan or a fanatic. I will also be showing examples.


*Warning: If you look like this...

 ...you're probably a fanatic.*

Sports Fans/Fanatics vs Athletes and Coaches

In this video Sports fans/fanatics butt heads with the athletes and coaches.

*Warning* Don't mess with the players! -.-

What Is a Sports Fan?

  Sports fans are a very interesting bunch when looked at. They are usually the loudest when it comes to the different types of fans, but what exactly is a fan? Well according to the dictionary a fan is "A person who has a strong interest in or admiration for a particular sport, art or entertainment form, or famous person." 

   A sports fan in itself can be put into 3 different categories.  They can be a fan of the team, sport, and/or athlete. Yet all three of these categories have one thing in common. They all in some way live their lives vicariously through the sport, team, or athlete. 

   Sports fans can be found in many different settings from sports bars/restaurants such as Buffalo Wild Wings to their own homes and the stadiums where the certain team plays. 

   Most fans tend to express themselves in different ways some create signs while others cheer and use instruments. A very big way to cheer nowadays in soccer(futbol) is to use vuvuzelas. These create a very annoying but loud sound that can be heard throughout the arena. (video of use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl5iQFKygxw)

  Sports fans will always be around as long as there is a team and a sport on t.v. 


   

Fans Vs Fanatics:The Transformation

 Welcome to Fans vs Fanatics: The Transformation, this blog will be talking about the differences between a fan and a fanatic and how you know you crossed the line from fan to fanatic. In the society we live in today most people are in someway are sports fans. The thing to watch is when one crosses over to the other. Hope you enjoy!