Being a sports fan is a little like signing a deal that says you will get your heartbroken every so often and in return there will be some moments of true jubilation. The New York Giants have a great history, a history richer than most teams yet none of that matters to the modern sports fan.
Like a vampire needs to suck on some blood every so often to sustain its life after death, the fan needs wins to remember why they put themselves through the tribulations of being a fan. In the grand scheme of things the Giants 3-game winning streak is meaningless, the team is not playoff bound and it is another wasted season. To the fan who lives and breathes on every play of Giants football though it means everything.
For the 10 year old kid who wears his Eli Manning jersey so much that the numbers have faded long ago, beating the St. Louis Rams puts a very meaningful smile on his face. For the 50 year old man shrugging through a monotonous desk job for the whole day consuming hours of 9-5, Monday is now bearable. We are fans, its not an easy job. Sometimes you have to suffer a 7-game losing streak, but you put up with it.
Dec 7, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; New York Giants fans seeks an autograph following the game between the Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants at LP Field. Giants defeated the Titans 36-7. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
You put up with it because you have a lifetime of memories that makes everything all right. From Scott Norwood missing the kick in the Super Bowl that sealed the Giants championship victory over the Buffalo Bills, to David Tyree‘s improbable helmet catch that helped the Giants defeat the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, Giants fans have moments that they will cherish forever. We are fans, and those moments get us through the day and inspire us to do great things in our lives.
So to the people who want to tank to get their ever so precious early draft pick, you have your priorities more out of whack than the brain behind Donald Duck, a character who wears a shirt and hat but yet wears no pants.
Being a fan is not about the big picture. It does not matter that the Giants wins are meaningless to the rest of the football world, they mean a lot to the fans of the New York Giants. Being a fan is about escaping into the moment and rooting for your team, no matter what their record is. That is what being a fan is all about.