Living vicariously through your favorite sports team is a constant across all cultures and countries. Soccer in Europe, Hockey in Canada, Cricket in India...but no where is it more evident than with SEC football in the South.
Football to the people who live there and the students and alumni of the schools is more than just rooting for the team to win...it's one of the most important aspects of their lives. It's more than just wearing the team logo or following the scores. It is a constant in their lives from 1 to done. I came to it late in life, as I have simply adopted the SEC (as my wife has adopted the Pittsburgh Steelers).
The result of this extreme fanaticism is good, and some times bad. The good can be seen in the size of the crowds enjoying the games, the pride in the teams accomplishments, and the loyalty learned from winning & losing. The bad can be found in the willingness to circumvent the rules, the unsportsmanlike actions toward the "other" teams fans, and the sense that winning is worth anything. But good or bad, the fans are fans forever.
Last night the Auburn Tigers won the National Championship. A great game for the fans, including my wife who is an Alum. Pre-game & post-game...yelling & screaming...cheering & crying...and yes, a horrible job "papering" the front yard.
The win also means she will be getting a tattoo of a Tiger paw, because she will be a fan...forever.
