Dubnation just won another title. It is Dubnation. It is us that won.
NBA
I find it petty that people want to call out fans when they say “we” won a championship. A usual retort is “are you on the team? Then you did not win a championship. You are not on the court, you are not playing, you just watch the team perform.” I hate this. When people exclude fans from the we, what are these people trying to accomplish? The only notion to step on fans and exclude the fans is to take away their personal joy.
When someone says that he or she is from the bay are people going to ask that person whether he or she runs the city, perform civic duties, or enforces laws? No. When fans identify themselves as “we” with a sports team it is like saying they are from a region. Fans develop a sense of identity with their passions. We bought tickets to the game, we tuned in on local television, and we feel the emotions; joy and sorrow as we watch our team. Why cut them down in that journey?
This same sentiment is weaponized when people attack bandwagon fans. Bandwagon fans materialize because something is transcendent, inspiring, and so enthralling it captures the community more than just the beleaguered. Losses, bruises, and disappointment do not elevate someone’s experiences as more worthy than another who wants to join the party. The previously punished fans may appreciate the win more, feel more joy, and ultimately find solace in relief. But the beaten up, just because they took the hits, does not make them better than anyone else who soaks up the positive energy. There are no solar panels that are depleting the sun.
I once was at a bar the season after the Giants won a World Series (one of their 3 championships, I can’t remember). Some dude called me out as a bandwagon fan. I told him I was not. But go ahead and pop off sir. This guy proceeded to quiz me on Giants’ knowledge. After I crushed his soul, like Stephen Colbert crushed James Franco in Tolkien lore, he acknowledged I was a “true” fan. Whatever buddy. As if I need your stamp of approval from a Padres Dodgers fan. (I think I remember it was a Padres fan, but for my own personal fun factor, I am retelling this story as if the dude was a Dodgers fan.)
This is what irks me. Why do we have to exclude? Why does a person feel like they have a leg up on someone else because the excluder denied that someone else their access? The solar panels are not depleting the sun.
I have brought a few different friends to party many different times. On more than a few occasions there are murmurs from people like “why is he here?” “Who invited him?”
“Um, I brought him here, what’s the problem?”
“He isn’t cool enough.” “He’s lame.”
“Well, I was invited, and I am ‘cool enough’ and I invited my buddy.”
First off, what does “cool enough” mean? Is there some sort of criteria you must check off to be cool? Do you have to pass a test of 20 questions? I understand some celebrities, athletes, etc. project a sense of cool. Maybe from their mannerisms, their fashion, their sheer presence. But us common folk, what is “cool enough?“
The sad reality is that these insults reflect on the insulter. Does someone else’s presence affect the insulter’s reputation or image? If the insulter worries about being in the same room with someone that isn’t “cool enough,” reality check, you, Mr. or Ms. Insulter, are not in fact that cool. You are not secure in yourself that you must jockey external factors to make you look “cool enough.”
What made me think of all this, is this Golden State Warriors’ run. I have invited my friends to always join me to watch a game. Whether the invite was the day of, the week before, the month before, a year ago, I invited you. (Not going to lie, I am a cool hang with watching sports.) It is always an open invite. I am always posted up in my (some may say man cave) place. It is totally understandable that people feel reticent to ask to come after my initial invite. I say this, as an apology, to all my friends that I do not follow up and invite individually at every event. But everyone is welcome.
This is not to say that everyone is always welcome. People makes mistakes and commit violations. If someone abuses my friendship, or worse, abuses one of my friends, I have no problem excommunicating that violator just like Chase Center banned Fake Klay Thompson for life.
But from the start, everyone deserves an invite. Someone is not discriminated from buying a ticket to a game because of what he or she looks like, how he or she dresses, or how (perceived) annoying he or she is. Sports do not exclude. There are logistical limits to how many people can fit into an arena and stadium. But anyone, can watch a game somewhere. Solar panels do not deplete the sun.
My crew for game six watched the Warriors seal the championship in Boston. After we got out all our joyous cursing we settled down and reflected on this postseason run. We have had a lot of people come thru our place during this postseason and it was all fun.
But this shook me. My roommate, the guy who shares the same mailbox, who has keys to our apartment, who barbeques at our parties, turned to me, and said, “Dude this was so fun, thanks for hosting.” Without me blubbering my emotions into the eternal scripture that is the internet, I can say that is one the best compliments that I have ever received.
It is not about the location. It is about the inclusion.
Unless you are Fake Klay Thompson.