Sports and Purpose: The Life of a Losing Fan

Sports and Purpose: The Life of a Losing Fan

Throughout my life, participating in sports as an athlete and a fan have provided me with some of the happiest and most memorable moments. From my brothers teaching me how to play every sport, to weekly New York Jets games since I was 4 years old, to yearly golf trip with my brothers and friends, there are countless memories where playing sports and cheering on my teams has marked the greatest moments of joy and passion in my life.

Whether there is a win or a loss, the saying is unbelievably true that it’s about the friends, connections, and bonds you forge along the way that are most important. I continue to try to make new memories with the people I love by bonding through sports. I have always loved running and biking with my dad, with a highlight being a 100-mile ride we did for Bike for Chai. It is such a lasting memory that I still think and talk about it with him regularly and hope to do another long bike ride with him this year. He and I also do a yearly trip to a sporting event of my choice for my birthday. A highlight event was seeing LeBron score 50 against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The moments I remember most are the tailgates, backyard baseball games, and overall quality time spent with the people I love, not who won or lost (although the Jets usually lost). The process of pushing myself to be an active athlete, along with the connection to others when playing sports together or cheering on our favorite teams as fans, gives me the energy and positive mindset to be the best that I can be.

As a long-suffering Jets, Knicks, Rangers, and Mets fan who has never seen my team win a championship, people often ask me how I can continue to root for such awful teams. My response is simple: it’s about the journey, the camaraderie, and the hope. Growing up with a room designed as a New York Jets shrine, filled with memorabilia and team colors, is both a sign of absurd fandom and also a celebration of a team that has created hundreds of memories for my family. The connection with fellow fans and the shared experiences make the journey worthwhile. The communal suffering and hope for a better season create bonds that transcend the win-loss column.

I feel incredibly lucky to have already had the chance to bring my son both to a soccer game as a fan and to the golf course. I hope we can continue to bond in these ways in the future, just as I have with my dad. Sharing my love for sports with him and creating new memories together adds another layer of meaning and joy.

So, while the wins are few and far between, and the losses can be brutal, it’s not about the game’s outcome; it’s about the lifelong friendships, the unforgettable memories, and the enduring spirit of hope and resilience that keep me rooting for my teams, no matter what.

With all that said, I have officially booked my tickets to New Orleans for the Jets Super Bowl in 2025. J-E-T-S JETS! JETS! JETS!