Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
October 15, 2009, Washington Post

Be a True-Blue Fan, in Good Times and Bad

Listening to the angry reactions of Redskins fans during the past few weeks, I decided it might be a good time to talk about what it means to be a good sports fan. After all, most folks who like sports, including kids, spend as much time rooting for teams as playing on them.

First, it's good to pick a favorite team and stick with it. Part of the fun of watching sports is caring whether your team wins. So if you're a Redskins fan, keep rooting for your team even if it is struggling. Don't switch to the Giants or the Vikings just because they are winning.

Having a favorite team is sort of like having a friend. You don't dump a friend because she messes up once or twice. A good friend remains a friend.

Don't take the games too seriously. Watching a sport is supposed to be fun, not some life-or-death struggle. And it is always fun to see an exciting, down-to-the-last-second contest even if your team loses. Sometimes I think it is better to see your favorite team lose in a thriller than win in a blowout.

Be realistic. Competitive sports, and especially professional sports, are tough, with lots of good players and evenly matched teams. Your team can't win every game or challenge for the championship every year. So enjoy the seasons when your team is winning, and try to put up with the losing ones. Please don't be a whiny fan who complains even when his team wins because they didn't win by enough points.

Give the other team credit. Just because someone is playing against your team, that doesn't make the player an enemy or a bad person. I grew up near Boston, so I have been a loyal Red Sox fan my whole life. I root against the New York Yankees all the time. (Go, Angels!) But I have to admit that Yankees such as shortstop Derek Jeter and ace reliever Mariano Rivera are tough, terrific players.

You can admire the players even if you don't like the team.

When you go to a game, you should act like a good fan. It's okay to hoot and holler for your team. I don't even mind fans booing a bad call or a pro player who isn't trying his hardest. But fans should never yell stuff directly at referees or players, and that includes name-calling.

And all sports fans, adults and kids, should watch their language at a game. A good rule is never to yell anything at a game that you would be ashamed for your mother or grandmother to hear.

So, everyone -- even all you suffering Redskins fans -- relax. Being a sports fan can be fun, if you know how to be a good one.

Fred Bowen writes KidsPost's sports opinion column and is the author of such kids' books as "Touchdown Trouble" and "Soccer Team Upset."

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