Take Back the NFL

We're knee deep in the NFL season and by now the pretenders are starting to get weeded out from the contenders. There is however another group within the NFL that needs to be pulled out by the roots and cast aside. I'm speaking about an ever growing genre of NFL fans.

Most serious NFL fans are aware of the notorious individual fans of each NFL team. For instance, the maniac Jets fan who wears the team modified firefighter helmet and leads the J-E-T-S chant. Then there's the Hogette Redskin fans that shamelessly adorn themselves in women's clothing and wear ridiculous pig snouts. You also have the Silver Surfer Patriots fan who paints his cue ball head with a flying Elvis and a sparkling silver coating. The Goldie-locks Vikings fan with the power mustache and a crossed out Packers logo tattooed on his arm is another TV camera man favorite. The doom and gloom Raiders fan with the...ok let's face it there's a thousand different Raiders fans worthy of note.

The problem is, fans of this ilk (and even worse) are slowly becoming more abundant. No longer is there one lone nutcase per team obsessed with getting on TV. Now, when I watch a game, it seems like there's an organized freak show packed with Styrofoam fans dueling for air time and to see who can attract the most attention. The formula is simple; all you have to do is dress up like a 7 year old child on Halloween, throw your sense of dignity out the window, and try as hard as you can to get on TV through self promotion...even if it means not paying attention to the actual game. These clowns enjoy getting on TV more than they do the actual game. How do I know this? Because if their eyes opened any wider and if they got any more excited than what they demonstrate when the camera is on them, the laws of physics would cause them to instantly explode. Not worth it. What ever happened to a team sweatshirt, a tall beer, a loud voice, and a "get off your god-forsaken cell-phone while you're at the game" style attitude. It's a shame that a growing contingent of NFL fans are being coerced into feeling like they have to play dress up and partake in the "spectacle" of the modern NFL environment.

With the NFL fining people for sneezing on the quarterback, it's getting bad enough as it is. Now, with the gradual movement toward bringing in a European fan base (home of the soccer flop), we need to stop this epidemic before it consumes our entire beloved sport. How do we do this? It starts with you. It starts with me. It starts with anyone sick of seeing people walking around NFL stadiums looking like Pokemon characters on PCP. Start calling people out. Let them know how ridiculous they look, and let them know the general consensus is that they're more akin to American Idol groupies than actual NFL fans. Bottom line, go out, pick up some NORMAL NFL gear, wear it proudly, cheer for your team, and bring back the time old NFL tradition of a knowledgeable NFL fan base with a love for the game, not a love of themselves.

Information about the Author:

Joe Brady is a longtime sports fan who has witnessed the slow decline in true sports fans first hand through his ownership of an NCAA Shop, NFL Shop and MLB Shop in the city of Chicago.

Sports and Recreation Articles: http://www.article-buzz.com

Print This Article
Add To Favorites
Email to Friends
Get Re-print Code