August 30, 2021: The Hate Files XLIX

10 months… 10 months since the last Hate File. That’s about how long I’ve been waiting to get the cards back that I sent to PSA; maybe now that I’m writing another Hate File, I’ll finally get those back…

This was one of the original features of this blog, and man are there some doozies; check it out if you haven’t. I’m surprised I’ve lasted this long without one, especially considering what the Cubs have went through this past month. It’s been in there, bubbling… technically, I cannot “hate” current members of any of my teams, so the front office will have to wait, but there are other options… there always are. It kind of ties into what’s going on these days in Chicago, with Cubs “fans” jumping ship and rooting for the Sox. It’s these bandwagon fans that will get their day in the sun today.

I hate bandwagon fans, sorry, not sorry. For me, it’s never been a problem. I have my 1 team in each major sport. I live and die with them. That’s not to say I have never rooted for another team… I always root for teams playing against the Packers and Cardinals, especially on big stages. That’s not to say I’ve never liked another team, or a player from another team. Sure, that happens. Typically, this is a team that is doing well, having a special season, an awesome rookie, an aging star who has never won a title… Sure, I’ll root for them during the big game; we all have to pick our teams at the very end of the season. That doesn’t mean they become MY team. That doesn’t mean I will go out and buy any merchandise for that team, and dress up in it, and attend the game, and act crazy, rooting for them, like I’m some true fan of the team; here’s looking at you Chance.

Bandwagon fans have it easy; maybe that’s why I hate them. It’s really easy to put on a jersey of a winning team. It’s natural to want to be part of a winner; it’s understandable to want to avoid the “down years” for your team and the pain that comes with it. There are enough parts of life that bring the pain. Yet, it is in these moments, when your team sucks, that you can filter out the true fans… the ones that will be there through thick and thin; yeah, it’s kind of like you’re married to them. And no, you just can’t jump on another wagon when your team is going through a rough time; that isn’t the way this works. Yet, we see it happen all the time, in all aspects of life. Not for me I say…

No, I’m not going to put on a Yankee hat, a Cowboys jersey, a Lakers hoodie just because they’re “popular”. No, I’m not going to root for the Bucs now because they have Tom Brady, possibly the greatest QB of all time. No, I’m not going to hitch my train to the next super-team that Lebron is trying to build; I’d rather drink my own piss. And no, hell to the no, am I going to root for another baseball team because my team is in the shitter, even IF this team plays in my city; sorry. This is not in my DNA.

But go ahead bandwagon fans… all aboard. Keep buying the hats of the preseason favorites in each sport. Act like you’re their biggest fan. And then when they lose, buy the jersey of the next winner up. You know, if you can’t beat them, join them type mentality? Yeah, you’ll never know what a true fan goes through, obviously you don’t want to. Because being a die hard fan of a team is like life; it has its ups and downs. But after enduring the downs, let me tell you, there is nothing like the ups. But you don’t know how that feels do you? Nah, you’d want to be up all the time; “your team” always has to be winning. You ain’t got what it takes to take the losing, to endure the rough years. That’s OK; everybody ain’t built like this. So go ahead, grab your Lakers hat, your Bucs jersey, your brand new Lightning t-shirt, and your Dodgers polo, you chump ass bandwagon rider. That ain’t happening here. Or maybe you’re just wearing that gear for fashion? I’ve been through that phase when I was younger; never again, let me tell you.

Pick a team and stick with it. It doesn’t matter who the owner, front office, and players are. I can say I was a fan of the team before them, and will be one after them. Can you say the same? No, you can’t. So act like you’re all happy when the next team wins the title because that will be your new team. You never could take losing as a kid huh? Only winning. Probably reset the video game when you’re losing too right? Or maybe you just quit? Or maybe you set the game up to be so easy you can win all the time? Whatever it may be, you’re soft; you’re a weak ass bitch you bandwagon rider you. Be proud of yourself… be proud. You suck and I hate you. Peace.