Fan-hood and its Potential Rules

So I am watching the Caps game some time last semester, maybe around December, as one of my house-mates walks into the room and expresses his sentiment towards supporting the Caps. Now, this is a kid who strongly supported the Caps all of last season, so much so that when they fell to Montreal in last year's playoffs, it seemed all of the steam had been taken out of him. Anyway, one year later, he has decided that he is no longer a fan of the Caps. Why? Well it has to do something with the fact that he didn't support the Caps before two years ago and that he isn't from DC, so therefore, he just shouldn't by principle be a fan. Ill be honest, I took on this idea myself and thought twice about whether or not I should be a fan because you know what; I'm not from DC either. I caught onto this way of thinking so much that I made a mental statement to myself that I wasn't really that big of a Caps fan. This went on for the rest of the semester and into my winter break from school.

Then came along the Winter Classic, where HBO did a series leading up to the big game, and it just hit me as the two teams battled it out Pittsburgh; "wow I really really want the Caps to win".

Long story short, I just can't help it, but every time I've watched the Caps, or known that they have a game, I find myself passionately feeling emotion that wills for a Caps victory. This whole thing has sparked a thought. When is it alright to be a fan of a team? I honestly really feel a strong desire for Caps' victories. What about that term "band-wagon" fans? I mean, at what point do we draw a line for good and bad fan-hood? Look at all of these Steelers fans who are from Kentucky or DC or Baltimore, what should we make of them? Do you have respect for their choice aside from the fact that it's the Steelers?

I guess this is a free country, but seriously, a BoSox fan from Baltimore starting in the 2004 MLB post-season? Oh man, thank God you were there cheering your heart out just in time for their first World Series title since 1918. Wow, please excuse yourself from my line of sight. Pretty much, this is the way I see it. You can root for whatever team you want, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are immune from ridicule for your choice and its God-honest reasons. Yeah maybe you just happened to love the Yankees all through your childhood while growing up in Dallas Texas, but it just seems pretty coincidental that the Yankees happen to be one of the most successful teams ever in sports. I guess I have it pretty easy being from a city that has both a football team and baseball team and I do feel for people in say Virginia or Idaho or Nebraska, where there are no professional sports. But let's be real, whatever happened to commitment and pride in your own. If Baltimore had a hockey team, you better believe I would be all about it, but the fact remains that the closest NHL team to Baltimore is in DC so it's what I have to work with.

I know, I know, people are going to continue to cheer for whomever they want, but let me make one thing clear, if you're going to be a fan, make sure you do it right and that means support your team with loyalty and a long term commitment.