I have heard it all. “Are you dating a player?” ” What do you know about sports?” ” Can you name five players on the team?” Five years ago when these questions were thrown in my direction I would retaliate with venom on the defensive. Now, I smile, politely answer the question and move on. Why? My passion is the same as it was five years ago, I just came to the realization that I do not need to explain myself to anyone. I laugh it off.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand the suspicion. Real female sports fans are not an anomaly, but knowledgeable ones can be rare. A producer once asked me if I had a photographic memory because I could name the last 15 World Series winners. If I was a man, would he have asked that question? I replied back; “No, I am just a baseball fan.” The confusion on his face remained.
I have compiled a list of the most annoying situations I have come across as a female sports fan. Listen up boys, this is for you.
1. We do not have to prove our allegiance.
Whether we are a fan of a hometown team or a team on the other side of the country we do not have to prove to anyone why we are a fan of a certain team. Free country, we all have the right to be a fan of whatever team we choose. We may be a fan of a specific team for a variety of reasons- none of which are your concern.
2. We don’t like a team just because of the attractive players.
We are warm-blooded females, of course, there will be certain players that may incite us to drool on occasion. We are only human, noticing when a man is attractive is a natural occurrence. However, noticing an attractive man and appreciating his skill and the way he plays the game can be one in the same. Being attractive has nothing to do with skill and raw talent, those are skills we want the players on our favorite team to have. So, before you make a comment next time, refrain, we may just be admiring his pitching form.
3. Pink hat culture.
Not sure when the pink hats took over. Nevertheless, pink hats have done nothing to bring legitimacy to the female sports fan. Unless, it is breast cancer awareness month or a game dedicated to that powerful cause, pink should be banned from the female sports fans wardrobe. It is not cute, it screams I am not a real sports fan I just like the shirt because it’s pink. Green on St. Patty’s Day, Red/White/Blue on the 4th, there are certain colors that are acceptable for specific occasions. Otherwise, you wear your teams colors. The epidemic of pink hats is ongoing. Pink hats are on the same level as the bandwagon fan, neither any self-respecting fan wants to associate with.
4. Don’t quiz us.
First and foremost, it is insulting that you are quizzing us to find out if we know enough about our team or sports in general for your liking. Who are you anyway? The Schwab? Guarantee we could turn the tables on you and would fail miserably. Besides, we don’t have time for your quizzing, we are trying to watch the game.
5. Being a female sports fan does not equal groupie.
Yet, another insulting accusation. Let’s get this straight, being an attractive female sports fan does not mean you are stalking arenas and ball parks looking for your next conquest. Yes, they exist, groupies, puck bunnies, rodeo bunnies…whatever derogatory word that can be conjured up to describe a female who lacks self-esteem and is looking for a pay day. Anyone that has half a brain can differentiate the two.
6. Females who pretend to be sports fans.
These girls take the cake. I can only imagine females do this for a variety of reasons. I can be pretty sure the main reason is to impress a guy. One word for that kind of rouse: pathetic. An intelligent man can spot the bull a mile away. Ladies, just be yourself and find a guy who shares similar interests. He will eventually find out anyway and you’ll just look like a fool.
7. No one got me into sports.
One of the first questions asked is: Who got you into sports? Was it your brother? Your father? Your boyfriend? Why does it have to be anyone? I got myself into sports. Everyone has something they are passionate about. If you don’t I feel sorry for you. Being passionate about sports is not gender specific.
8. We will take the game personally.
Just because we may like to get pedicures and spa treatments, doesn’t mean that we don’t feel as passionate about our team as you do. We get upset over losses and passionate over wins. We can get offended and overreact at bad calls. I can recall more than a few incidences where a loss has put me into a funk for weeks. Don’t underestimate what our love for the game can do to our emotions.
9. “You never played the sport. How can you understand it?”
Newsflash, most of the men out there rooting for their favorite team have never played the said sport they are crazy about. If they have played, one can be sure it was not at a high level. Just because a person has played a sport a few times and underachieved, doesn’t give them the right to judge a girl for not “understanding” the game. Comprehension of sports takes time. Anyone can research stats. There are so many elements to each sport. The human element cannot be ignored, although I believe that many times it is. It takes research, instinct, passion and knowledge to really delve into what makes each sport unique and special.
10. Do not assume.
This is my personal favorite. A general rule in life is to never assume. Do not assume that we do not love the game. Do not assume that we can’t throw out stats. Do not assume that we are not capable of sharing the same passion about the game that you do. Assuming gets you nowhere except laughed at and ignored.
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