Tales from a Bandwagon Fan: He left the Reds and Bengals for other teams
I recently had Sports Fan Coach Mike Bass on Sports Talk and asked him about the idea of a fan, unhappy with his team, becoming a 'bandwagon' fan and seeking out a winner.
Mike then asked Enquirer readers about the concept in his column this week.
If you are tired of the losing by the Reds and/or the Bengals have you/would you consider picking another team to follow?
I got the email below from listener Tim after Mike's appearance on Sports Talk. I'd like to discuss tonight at 6:08:
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Lance,
You asked your guest if it is OK to become a bandwagon fan and jump to another team. I chose the bandwagon option last year. I'm 30-years old and was born in Anderson in 1991. I have not witnessed a playoff win for the Bengals or a series win by the Reds. Nothing. Squat. I can't share your memories of the Big Red Machine or Wire-to-Wire or the Freezer Bowl or the Ickey Shuffle. I have mostly losing and frustration. So I weighed my options. Calculated my allegiances. I decided I was working harder to be a fan of the Reds and Bengals than they were working to keep me a fan. I entered what I call fan free agency and jumped on a bandwagon. I decided to pick two new teams. I wound up choosing the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Chiefs. Simple reasons. They have young and exciting players and they win. I enjoy watching them. They make me happy. Kansas City is about 580 miles from our condo. Atlanta is about 455 miles. But I follow my teams on the net, listen to podcasts and sports talk radio in Atlanta and KC. I redirected my 'fan' money to buy the MLB Extra Innings package and MLB At-Bat app to follow the Braves and Sunday NFL Ticket to watch the Chiefs. Honestly, it has been liberating. I watched the Braves win the division and come within a win of the World Series this past season. I enjoyed a fun, young, dynamic core of players like 22-year old Ronald Acuna Jr, 23-year old Ozzie Albies, 22-year old Ian Anderson and a face of the franchise in Freddie Freeman. I'm ready to watch my Chiefs play for a return trip to the Super Bowl this weekend. Patrick Mahomes entertains me. Travis Kelce is an easy root for as a former Bearcat.
I made my first road trip to Kansas City to watch my team play the Panthers this season. I hope to make it to Truist Park this summer. My son is seven years old. I feel I've set him on a course of happiness as a fan. He has Braves and Chiefs stuff on his bedroom wall and wears the gear. It will beat memories of Carson's knee, the Jeremy Hill fumble, Cedric Ogbuehi, Corey Patterson, a directionless rebuild and 22 scoreless playoff innings that have left me scarred.
My friends don't understand. They give me crap. A lot of it. I don't care. I just decided life is too short to be unhappy over choices I control. I made the choice to follow teams that make me happy. It sure beats what I've felt growing up as fans of the hometown teams.
Tim E
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Let's discuss tonight at 6:08. Join our discussion now on my Facebook page.