FanPost

Quelling Expectations: An Examination of Our Fandom

As fans there's nothing wrong with expecting a lot.

I expect the Colts to win the Superbowl every single year. I would argue that we all do.

After all what is an expectation?

According to some dictionary website expectations are just "the act or the state of expecting" expect is defined as "to look forward to". A synonym of both words: Hope. Hope: "the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best"

Each week we all expect a win...maybe we more "hope" it, but through our hope is an expectation. Without that expectation, that hope there is no emotion. And every Sunday people at Buffalo Wild Wings see more emotion from me than I show in the 6 other days of the week combined. All fans are like that to some degree. While maybe you aren't as outwardly emotive as I am, if you don't have an emotional attachment to a team, are you really a fan?


We all expect to win. Deep down inside I believe that we all expect our team to win every game. It's the cynicism that has been beaten into us by the world that makes us realize that we can't. If we go into games with the expectation that a loss is inevitable we stop being fans and start being annalists.

And for what?! Why is it better to be right and cynical than wrong and hopeful? So you can log onto the internet and say "look I was right?" So what. Surely someone will say "but if I'm expecting three wins and we make the playoffs I'll be ecstatic, if I expect the playoffs and ended up with three wins I'll be disappointed." To that I say you'll be disappointed even if you "expect" the Colts to only win three and you're right. If you're okay or excited about three wins you can't possibly be a fan. You're an analyst, someone who has no emotional attachment to the team, and if that's what you get paid to do, keep on doing it. If not be a fan!

It's time to be fans. It's time to ignore things like "facts"! This is the NFL there are no "facts" that predetermine the outcome of a game as long as the fact is that both teams are on the field when the game kicks off.

You can try to quell expectations if you want but the fact is, a little of you, way deep down inside, expects to win every game.

You're a fan, you love this team.

Don't forget that.

Indianapolis Colts (14-2)
2013 Super Bowl Champs
Until proven not to be.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.