Does it make sense to be a team sports fan?

[The Grinder]

I used to live and die w my sports teams, the Sox, Hawks and Vikings (oh no!) 

Now I'm just a tad less attached to them as I got older and realize I love my sports but they dont dictate or determine my happiness in life

Some of you may know I lost a dear loved one last month, her death really put me in a different prospective and how irrelevant sports is

[35thstreetswarm]

It’s worth it…but you need more than two teams.  Diversify that portfolio, baby!

[Texsox]

I've gradually stopped rooting for any NBA, NFL, of NHL team. I'm not certain why or when. If asked I would probably say Spurs, Bears, and ignoring hockey now. 

I've always enjoyed amateur sports but  college sports isn't amateur anymore.  I'm simultaneously happy for the athletes who are finally getting a slice of a pie, (although I think from the wrong pie), while not watching. 

So it's really the high school I coach at and the Sox. If San Antonio ever got a time I'd probably have a solid #1b choice. 

[Greg Hibbard]

I think we need to rethink our expectations of what a “good team” is.

Most folks around here seem to think there’s only maybe 4-6 good teams in Major League Baseball every year, those who make it to the league championship series, and maybe a couple of the better ones who do well in the divisional series. 

I think the way we are conditioned to root for “championships only” is toxic and zero-sum. I want to win as much as anyone, but I think all or nothing is such a bad way to be. 

Over the last three seasons, the white Sox have been probably the 7th or 8th best major league franchise. If we are such a terrible organization, are 22 of 30 MLB teams terrible organizations too?

[The Grinder]

17 hours ago, Texsox said:

I've gradually stopped rooting for any NBA, NFL, of NHL team. I'm not certain why or when. If asked I would probably say Spurs, Bears, and ignoring hockey now. 

I've always enjoyed amateur sports but  college sports isn't amateur anymore.  I'm simultaneously happy for the athletes who are finally getting a slice of a pie, (although I think from the wrong pie), while not watching. 

So it's really the high school I coach at and the Sox. If San Antonio ever got a time I'd probably have a solid #1b choice. 

I think I prefer college football over NFL but like you said, its not amateur, but they do seem to play w more zest than the pro's

I was a HUGE NHL fan many yrs ago but Gary Bettman ruined a great product so the only time I pay attention to NHL is the Cup finals

[South Side Hit Men]

1 hour ago, Greg Hibbard said:

I think we need to rethink our expectations of what a “good team” is.

Most folks around here seem to think there’s only maybe 4-6 good teams in Major League Baseball every year, those who make it to the league championship series, and maybe a couple of the better ones who do well in the divisional series. 

I think the way we are conditioned to root for “championships only” is toxic and zero-sum. I want to win as much as anyone, but I think all or nothing is such a bad way to be. 

Over the last three seasons, the white Sox have been probably the 7th or 8th best major league franchise. If we are such a terrible organization, are 22 of 30 MLB teams terrible organizations too?

I agree that not all 29 teams which fail to win the WS had a bad season / failed. But the expectation was the Sox would have a team that would be at least competitive among the top teams in baseball during their “multi-championship window”.

In 2020, they had one good SP entering the playoffs, last year they were completely overmatched by Houston and this year even if they do qualify, it’s only because they played in the worst division in The MLB.

Looking at the Cubs 2015-2018 or even the shorter Royals or Cleveland mid 2010 windows as the standard Sox fans were hoping for. The Astros / Dodgers are the gold standard in terms of having a very long competitive window.

All but Cleveland won one WS, but all  were unquestionably among the top 4-6 teams for at least two plus consecutive seasons. This is why most are considering the Sox rebuild to date as a failure.