The Philosphy of Being a (Notre Dame) Fan

The College Football playoffs have brought much more than a new format to the post season. This pathway to the National Championship has yielded incredible television ratings, surprising match-ups, exciting games and for me, questions about the philosophy of being a fan.

Given the time, mental energy, money and attention students, alumni and friends give to a team, it might be worth asking How does being an avid fan fit into living a good life? Fortunately, the University has given us a resource to help us answer this question.

Philosophy professor Meghan Sullivan shares that there are many ways that being a fan of a sports team … say a football team … is a good thing because it promotes the virtues that contribute to leading a meaningful life. Watch and see for yourself. 

What this short lesson doesn't touch on however is the how and why people root for a certain team. This fascinates me. For example, a woman at my gym said "I know you are cheering for ND but I want Penn State to win. My son-in-law's family went to school there. He didn't. Regardless, now we are pulling for them." I just listened. A colleague informed me he could not cheer for the Irish because his nephew plays for Ohio State. I said "oh your brother Brian has a son on the team? Wow!" "No," he said. "It's Brian's wife's brother's son." Although I wanted to say "that seems like a loose definition of nephew," I just listened. The truth is, fandom is totally up for grabs. It's up to an individual to decide who they like and who they don't, who they will follow and accordingly, who becomes a rival. I have followed what I believe to be a fairly conventional path to fandom. Others? not so much.

I am a fan of my local, Bay Area sports teams: Niners, Giants and Warriors. With the rise of professional women's sports, I anticipate adding the Valkyries to my dossier. I have grown up a fan of these squads and remain loyal to them as well as my high school and collegiate alma maters. 

I don't wear gear representing other teams or players. When I visited the Duke bookstore last January, I was reminded that I have no interest in wearing a shirt from a school I did not attend. I won't go so far as to say I will never do that, but in general I abide by this code of conduct. 

NLDS Game in 2014

I have cheered for other teams when my own teams are eliminated from post season play and as written about before, I found myself cheering for my rival—the Los Angeles Dodgers to beat the New York Yankees last fall in order to win a bet. #NotProud. The increased (and mostly positive attention) around Notre Dame has caused me to consider the path to fandom further. I have a personal ethic about sports fandom and wonder about it for other people. While Sullivan points out some moral quandaries that arise with regards to sports fandom, other questions remain. 

For example, I grew up in a family that loves Notre Dame football. My paternal grandfather was born and raised in South Dakota. A devout Catholic, he played the game at So Dakota State University and coached the sport for years. Choosing to follow Notre Dame—a Catholic university in the midwest was an easy choice. I'm grateful it was one that was passed down to me. Go Irish. 

My parents never pressured me to go to Notre Dame. When I was a student,, they were proud of me but it did not define them. They tell me they looked for me on television for four years, to no avail. Truth is, they were watching games long before my time in South Bend and long after—but I love this story nonetheless. 

My Dad and I outside of Farley Hall, senior year.

They were able to make it back to campus for one game a season. Yes, even in my day some parents and families made it back for every home game. Many live within driving distance and have their own friends and family to see on game day. I have however wanted to ask some parents: Do you or does your child go to Notre Dame? Fandom doesn't always reveal the best in me.

Fans can be judgy and territorial. I have thought to myself at other sporting events or experiences: this doesn't compare to "x." or If they only knew "y." While that may be true, Why not let fans have their own experience...and create their own memories? Our loyalties run strong and deep. They often reveal who we are and what we value. For example, I've never understood why a person—not from Oakland or Los Angeles—would choose to follow the Raiders. I mean, I know why...but I don't understand it. 

Nor do understand the fan who cheers for their grad school louder and prouder than their undergraduate institution. This seems to happen quite regularly with Notre Dame. It's strange to me  because undergraduate life is such a defining part of the Notre Dame experience. Its four years and students live in the dorms on campus. Sure I'm happy they like the Irish, but it feels different. For example, I have a friend who was enrolled in the one year program for his MBA. The man wears more ND/talks more about ND than he does about the University of Oregon and his four years in Eugene. If we had played the Ducks, that would have been really interesting. 

Another friend added that he cheers for Michigan because he got into grad school there. While that must have been an honor to be accepted to the program, I found that to be a loose tie to fandom. I said "well I was wait-listed at Duke. Do I cheer for them half the time?" His collegiate alma mater dropped its football program so he became a man without a college football team. He is not alone. He chose Stanford—a local school he did not attend, and he became a season ticket holder. I respect that. In short, I get it when your undergraduate school no longer has a football team or never did. Otherwise, this is an elusive ethic to me.

I will say, it's been a wonderful time to be a Notre Dame fan. SO many people are wishing us well and have delighted in the story of this season. Our head coach, Marcus Freeman is universally admired and respected. Truly, he is beloved. At times, it's felt disarming to have such great support. Yes, I still hear the unsolicited remarks like the one I heard on Friday. "Your team isn't very good. I don't think they have a chance against OSU. To me the real championship game was the semi-final." I didn't really know what to say. Even if I felt that way, I'm not sure I would say words like those to a fan about their own team. But, I sure as heck have questioned their credibility, let alone their sanity and potentially their humanity. Such is the nature of sports fandom. Furthermore, it's neve been easier to get dressed in the morning. I have a license to wear my ND gear and as the Alumni Association has called fans to do: #paintthetown green. Done and done.

I followed Dr. Sullivan's and Augustine's advice and put my loves in right order. I won't be in attendance at in Atlanta. I just wasn't able to find a ticket for under $1125 each for me and my crew. Those would have cost $1750 each with fees—and that was early in the week! Instead, I'll join others at the San Francisco Alumni Club's official game watch at Chief Sullivans—Irish fans of all types. We will wake up the echoes and cheer cheer for old Notre Dame, one and all. AND regardless of the outcome, we have already won.

We have won so much to have been a part of this journey. Thank you, Notre Dame. Thank you to my Grandfather for forging the fan connection. Thank you to the athletes, coaches and all who make football work. Go Irish.

Photo Credits
Green Fans
Coach Free and Athletes