Well I do know some things, like what power plays, line changes, and faceoffs are. I know what constitutes being offsides. I also know that the Blackhawks are in the Western Conference, which leads me to question how Chicago can be considered west of anything. It's not 1818, the US has expanded. But that's right, the NHL includes Canada as well. Yes, I'm that guy that thinks the US has to be at the center of all major sports. Maybe that's why I never fell in love with hockey.
Believe me, I wish I could just jump on the Blackhawks bandwagon like half of their current fans have. But you see, I have a problem. I have many problems, but this particular problem involves sports. I need to know every possible thing there is to know about that sport before watching. This includes every team, every player on every team, each player's stats, where they went to college, what country they're from, and what their strenghts/weaknesses are.
If I don't know all that I feel lost. It's basically like jumping into a sitcom during the 3rd season without knowing any of the characters or their history. Would you feel comfortable doing that? Probably not.
I also cannot stress enough how important it is to have an emotional investment with a team. I watched two or three regular season games. Until the playoffs started I could name less than five players. Do I care whether or not they win the Stanley Cup? The answer is not really. I haven't lived and died with this team. I wasn't there for their ups and downs.
What is sure to be one of my greatest memories as a sports fan is watching 2009's Bulls-Celtics first round series. Yeah, the Bulls lost but it was still a great time because I got to see that team grow up. When you're there with a team from the start, remembering how shitty they used to be, you can appreciate it a lot more when they can take the defending NBA champions to seven games.
To only root for a team when they're doing good is missing the point of what it means to be a sports fan. Watching your team progress to the point when they become a contender, I would argue, can be just as fun as when they win it all.
Like I said, I don't care if the Blackhawks win, but I want them to. I want them to win for all the diehard fans. The ones who stuck with them through their dismal years. They're the ones who deserve this championship, and will truly appreciate this moment.
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