I am an Eagles fan. Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles. Defending Superbowl Champs.
Suck it Patriots.
I wasn’t always an Eagles fan, nor did I take football seriously. I’ve been a bandwagon fan because my little brothers were absolutely obsessed. I mean, Bradley can tell you the full biography of just about any of those giant humans you see on tv. Not kidding.
Bradley happened to like the Eagles, and I happened to want to somewhat be included, so I like the Eagles. (Side note: Gregrey likes the Giants, and it’s not a dig against him or anything, but yeah, not really feeling them.)
Anyway, I recently started dating ANOTHER Eagles fan, making the family’s official team the Philadelphia Eagles. Thank. You. Very. Much.
So, since Austin is absolutely the love of my life, I’m committing to this Eagles thing. I’m going to be a real Eagles fan. #flyeaglesfly
Now, how do I go from being a bandwagon, “only while they’re winning” fan to a committed follower of the birds? Here is what I’m focusing on, in how-to form, if you will.
Know the rules.
So, if you’re trying to be a fan of a team in a league you know nothing about, you’re setting yourself up for failure. I am lucky that football has been on in the background of my childhood, a common Friday night high school activity, and a topic of discussion during many meals growing up. I know the rules, the basic ones at least.
Get to know how a team wins, what they can do wrong, and what is considered respectful behavior before, during, and after a game. Examine the way a season is set up. Don’t know the difference between the NFC and the AFC? Get that down. Just get to know the basics of how this game is played, and you’re well on your way to nailing this fan thing.
Watch the games.
It may seem like a given, but it’s really not. For example, a know a certain someone who adorns their Carolina gear (Tar Heels, not Panthers) every chance they get, but totals probably ten minutes of basketball viewing time every winter. You have to watch the games. Not all of the games, though that will kick you into super fan shape. Just watch your team play. It’s the quickest way to get into to the next two steps.
Ask questions (during commercials).
So, I’m notorious for talking… and talking, and talking some more. During a football game IS NOT the time for me to go on one of my spiels about sexism in professional sports journalism or any other issue on my mind for that matter. I don’t know why I always end up thinking a good time for a rant is during a live sporting event. I’m literally rolling my eyes at myself right now.
I have worked on, and will continue to work on, my focus. When I’m trying to learn more about something Austin cares about, I especially need to pay attention. When the game is going on, I have so many questions, which makes me feel diminished a bit. I am working on embracing this lack of knowledge as an opportunity to ask questions and bond, but wait! There’s a catch. I have to wait to ask questions AFTER the play ends, and ideally during a commercial. When you have a die hard fan like mine on your hands, you’ve got to understand that a break in game play is the ONLY time to effectively get an answer to one of your burning questions.
Know key players.
This comes with all the previous steps. If you actually know the rules, watch the games, and ask questions, you’ll know the key players. After you get the hang of who is important, then it’s easy to catch onto why your guy is so torn up about an injury, a suspension, or a trade. Knowing the key players will let you form a bond with them similar to my bond with the Two Dope Queens. I care about Nick Foles as a person. That’s the level of commitment I’m talking about here.
Follow the team on social media.
Well, here’s the last and final step to becoming a true, knowledgeable fan of your boy’s sports team. Follow the team on social! It’s simple, you’re already doing it, and it’s mindless studying. Seeing a story scrolling through your timeline is loads easier than any of the steps I mentioned above. Just do it. (Haha, see what I did there?)
In the meantime, here are some things:
HOW EVERY TEAM AND DIVISION HAS FARED IN NFC VS. AFC MATCHUPS
NFL RULES – Always check the date on the rules, cause they change.