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On Fandom and Faith - martyup - 08-19-2014

What does it mean to be a fan of Stanford football?  As we stand at the brink of a new football season, it seems an appropriate time to discuss the relationship of fandom and faith.  I'm not talking about religion, but faith in our team.  If all we do is crunch statistics of past seasons, players, schedules, polls, and opponent attrition to arrive at our prediction of Stanford's success this season, can we really call ourself a fan?  I think being a fan involves having faith in your team, despite statistics. 

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with enjoying college football without pledging allegiance to any alama mater.  I enjoy watching college football tremendously, even when Stanford is not playing.  I love to analyze the game and predict outcomes of games.  But, as a fan of Stanford I choose to rely on faith rather than statistics.  If we must overcome lottery odds to win a National Championship, then by gosh that's what we'll do.



Re: On Fandom and Faith - 82lsju - 08-19-2014

I'd say all who weathered the W.alt/B.uddy years were fans with faith (long term maybe not short term), either that or suffered from severe delusions  :)

Our group at the games has touchdown cookies that we pass around when we score touchdowns.  During the last year of W.alt they became first down cookies since we scored so few TDs that year.....

The last few years have been better than I ever hoped for and I hope they continue for a long time.

I think we go either 10-2 or 11-1 in the regular season.

This has always been a favorite of mine - stupac2 - 08-19-2014

"Faith" is a fine invention
When Gentlemen can see—
But Microscopes are prudent
In an Emergency.

Re: On Fandom and Faith - Rally - 08-19-2014

(08-19-2014, 01:22 PM)martyup link Wrote:What does it mean to be a fan of Stanford football?  As we stand at the brink of a new football season, it seems an appropriate time to discuss the relationship of fandom and faith.  I'm not talking about religion, but faith in our team.  If all we do is crunch statistics of past seasons, players, schedules, polls, and opponent attrition to arrive at our prediction of Stanford's success this season, can we really call ourself a fan?  I think being a fan involves having faith in your team, despite statistics. 

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with enjoying college football without pledging allegiance to any alama mater.  I enjoy watching college football tremendously, even when Stanford is not playing.  I love to analyze the game and predict outcomes of games.  But, as a fan of Stanford I choose to rely on faith rather than statistics.  If we must overcome lottery odds to win a National Championship, then by gosh that's what we'll do.

Marty, faith can only take you so far.  All the faith in the world cant help you when you stink and you're 41 point underdogs to the number one team in the land.  Sad, but true.  Oh, wait, that DID happen :)

Re: On Fandom and Faith - martyup - 08-19-2014

(08-19-2014, 02:59 PM)ferrari link Wrote:Marty, faith can only take you so far.  All the faith in the world cant help you when you stink and you're 50+ underdogs to the number one team in the land.  Sad, but true.  Oh, wait, that DID happen :)

Ah, yes.  But the true fan watches his 50 point underdog team and roots for the win.  As a Stanford fan, I watched us beat a #1 ranked USC in 2007.  We were 41 point underdogs.  As a fan, I could have written that game off and waited to see the highlights of the slaughter on ESPN.  But, the Stanford players had to put on the pads and sit through a pre-game speak from the coach about believing.  Those players believed in themselves and their team.  Without that faith, they would have never won that game.  Why shouldn't we, as fans, join our team in the belief that on any given day we can beat any team on our schedule?  Why shouldn't we believe that out team can and will win every game this season?  And, if we do lose a game, why shouldn't we believe that we will lose no more?

Re: On Fandom and Faith - martyup - 08-19-2014

I think I know the reason why more "fans" keep a safe distance from the emotion of team faith.  I think the reason is that it hurts when your team loses.  You can insulate yourself from that pain by emotionally distancing yourself from the outcome of your team's games.  However, such an approach also deprives you of the great emotional satisfaction of your team's triumphs. 



Re: On Fandom and Faith - Rally - 08-19-2014

(08-19-2014, 03:15 PM)martyup link Wrote:[quote author=ferrari link=topic=10393.msg94697#msg94697 date=1408485592]
Marty, faith can only take you so far.  All the faith in the world cant help you when you stink and you're 50+ underdogs to the number one team in the land.  Sad, but true.  Oh, wait, that DID happen :)

Ah, yes.  But the true fan watches his 50 point underdog team and roots for the win.  As a Stanford fan, I watched us beat a #1 ranked University of Spoiled Children  in 2007.  We were 41 point underdogs.  As a fan, I could have written that game off and waited to see the highlights of the slaughter on ESPN.  But, the Stanford players had to put on the pads and sit through a pre-game speak from the coach about believing.  Those players believed in themselves and their team.  Without that faith, they would have never won that game.  Why shouldn't we, as fans, join our team in the belief that on any given day we can beat any team on our schedule?  Why shouldn't we believe that out team can and will win every game this season?  And, if we do lose a game, why shouldn't we believe that we will lose no more?
[/quote]

Couldn't agree more.  (Were we really only 41 pt underdogs?  I told the grand kids it was 99 pts.  Maybe a stretch but even better story.)  i think it will take a miracle to go undefeated this year but I have seen miracles before so why not now?  Go Stanford!

Re: On Fandom and Faith - martyup - 08-19-2014

Garvin, despite your very rational belief that we were toast in that '07 SC game, you watched. That makes you a fan.  But somewhere deep down inside of you there was that irrational faith that we could shock the World and win.  Even for those that won't admit it, as Stanford fans we all have it inside of us.

Re: On Fandom and Faith - 81alum - 08-19-2014

(08-19-2014, 03:28 PM)martyup link Wrote:I think I know the reason why more "fans" keep a safe distance from the emotion of team faith.  I think the reason is that it hurts when your team loses.  You can insulate yourself from that pain by emotionally distancing yourself from the outcome of your team's games.  However, such an approach also deprives you of the great emotional satisfaction of your team's triumphs.
The first part of you analysis is exactly right.  The second part is not.  I insulate myself against disappointment by erring on the side of pessimism, and then forget all of that and become wildly ecstatic when we win.

Pete Franklin always used to point out that "fan" was short for "fanatic" and this implies irrational exuberance.  (I can hardly believe he has been dead for 10 years--it seems like yesterday I was listening to him on KNBR.) I guess I try to have it both ways by being analytical before games and after losses, and exuberant after wins :)

Re: On Fandom and Faith - Leftcoast - 08-19-2014

In my opinion all of us that supportively habituate a Stanford fan board through thick years and thin qualify as fans. 

We're not IRRATIONAL fans - we leave that to the Alabama and Auburn diehards.  We're Stanford fans and you shouldn't expect us to turn off our brains.  We discuss our team, we critique our coaches, we dissect our strategies and back up what we say intelligently.  Far from taking away from our enjoyment of the game these discussions enhance it.

What makes us fans is that none of the above matters on game day.  On game day, we wholeheartedly root for the Cardinal no matter what the betting line might say.  We probably make a few of the folks sitting next to us glare and ask us to "pipe down"  just as they asked us to sit down in the Harris years.

Frankly I wouldn't have it any other way.

Re: On Fandom and Faith - CornFed - 08-19-2014

Faith is a funny word; even if we exclude the religious connotations.  I think if you can reach the conclusion that, in the example being used, SC is going to clobber us and that leads you to schedule a round of golf and not even bother to record it, you probably shouldn't call yourself a fan.  On the other hand, if you believe your faith has any effect on the outcome of the game, you should probably get professional help.  ;D

Some people are just more comfortable embracing their "fandom" through metrics.  Just because you you believe The Upset was a statistical anomaly doesn't mean you care less than those who focus less on the numbers.  In fact, I think the energy that many of our posters put into their research reflects intense support for our team.

Re: On Fandom and Faith - CornFed - 08-19-2014

Further, I agree with LC.  If you spend significant time each day checking The CardBoard for new posts and are disappointed when there are "only" two or three, I believe you qualify as a fan of the Stanford Cardinal.

Re: On Fandom and Faith - Rally - 08-19-2014

(08-19-2014, 05:32 PM)leftcoast link Wrote:In my opinion all of us that supportively habituate a Stanford fan board through thick years and thin qualify as fans. 

We're not IRRATIONAL fans - we leave that to the Alabama and Auburn diehards.  We're Stanford fans and you shouldn't expect us to turn off our brains.  We discuss our team, we critique our coaches, we dissect our strategies and back up what we say intelligently.  Far from taking away from our enjoyment of the game these discussions enhance it.

What makes us fans is that none of the above matters on game day.  On game day, we wholeheartedly root for the Cardinal no matter what the betting line might say.  We probably make a few of the folks sitting next to us glare and ask us to "pipe down"  just as they asked us to sit down in the Harris years.

Frankly I wouldn't have it any other way.

I agree, just wish you hadn't reached for such a strange phrase as "supportively habituate . . . " plain English ought to suffice, I think, like "regularly support," "frequent," regularly participate," something like that.  Sounds a lot like "look, Ma, I'm dancing!" Just MHO.


Re: On Fandom and Faith - CornFed - 08-19-2014

(08-19-2014, 05:56 PM)ferrari link Wrote:[quote author=leftcoast link=topic=10393.msg94723#msg94723 date=1408494755]
In my opinion all of us that supportively habituate a Stanford fan board through thick years and thin qualify as fans. 

We're not IRRATIONAL fans - we leave that to the Alabama and Auburn diehards.  We're Stanford fans and you shouldn't expect us to turn off our brains.  We discuss our team, we critique our coaches, we dissect our strategies and back up what we say intelligently.  Far from taking away from our enjoyment of the game these discussions enhance it.

What makes us fans is that none of the above matters on game day.  On game day, we wholeheartedly root for the Cardinal no matter what the betting line might say.  We probably make a few of the folks sitting next to us glare and ask us to "pipe down"  just as they asked us to sit down in the Harris years.

Frankly I wouldn't have it any other way.

I agree, just wish you hadn't reached for such a strange phrase as "supportively habituate . . . " plain English ought to suffice, I think, like "regularly support," "frequent," regularly participate," something like that.  Sounds a lot like "look, Ma, I'm dancing!" Just MHO.
[/quote]

Well, well.  Aren't we just the best little editor!  See?  Now you're getting the hang of it.  Editing can be fun!

Re: On Fandom and Faith - martyup - 08-19-2014

(08-19-2014, 05:32 PM)leftcoast link Wrote:We're not IRRATIONAL fans.

Speak for yourself.  I fully embrace my irrationality.  :P

Re: On Fandom and Faith - martyup - 08-19-2014

(08-19-2014, 05:40 PM)CornFed link Wrote:[I]f you believe your faith has any effect on the outcome of the game, you should probably get professional help.  ;D

Certainly true on a micro level.  However, I believe that a strong faithful fan base does boost the psyche of a team.  As a case in point, the 2013 Oregon Duck football team had brobdingnagian NC hopes going into our game.  They left Stanford Stadium a mentally beaten team.  Their fans and the press were very hard on them after that loss.  They were unable to recover their winning spirit and squandered their shot a the Rose Bowl by allowing themselves to lose to Arizona. 

Re: On Fandom and Faith - CornFed - 08-19-2014

"They left Stanford Stadium a mentally beaten team." 
Yes.  We beat them.  Like a drum.  And we revealed weaknesses in the process and diminished their perceived invincibility.

And you think their fall off from that point was the result of the fans not being faithful?

Re: On Fandom and Faith - Rally - 08-19-2014

(08-19-2014, 07:32 PM)CornFed link Wrote:"They left Stanford Stadium a mentally beaten team." 
Yes.  We beat them.  Like a drum.  And we revealed weaknesses in the process and diminished their perceived invincibility.

And you think their fall off from that point was the result of the fans not being faithful?

Certainly didn't help.  I know when people don't believe in my team it is harder to get the team to believe in themselves.  Team leaders are influenced as well.

Re: On Fandom and Faith - Rally - 08-19-2014

(08-19-2014, 06:04 PM)CornFed link Wrote:[quote author=ferrari link=topic=10393.msg94728#msg94728 date=1408496167]
[quote author=leftcoast link=topic=10393.msg94723#msg94723 date=1408494755]
In my opinion all of us that supportively habituate a Stanford fan board through thick years and thin qualify as fans. 

We're not IRRATIONAL fans - we leave that to the Alabama and Auburn diehards.  We're Stanford fans and you shouldn't expect us to turn off our brains.  We discuss our team, we critique our coaches, we dissect our strategies and back up what we say intelligently.  Far from taking away from our enjoyment of the game these discussions enhance it.

What makes us fans is that none of the above matters on game day.  On game day, we wholeheartedly root for the Cardinal no matter what the betting line might say.  We probably make a few of the folks sitting next to us glare and ask us to "pipe down"  just as they asked us to sit down in the Harris years.

Frankly I wouldn't have it any other way.

I agree, just wish you hadn't reached for such a strange phrase as "supportively habituate . . . " plain English ought to suffice, I think, like "regularly support," "frequent," regularly participate," something like that.  Sounds a lot like "look, Ma, I'm dancing!" Just MHO.
[/quote]

Well, well.  Aren't we just the best little editor!  See?  Now you're getting the hang of it.  Editing can be fun!
[/quote]

No, on second thought I feel like an ahole for posting that.  Sorry.

Re: On Fandom and Faith - Leftcoast - 08-19-2014

Feelings not hurt.

I started to write  "habituate a Stanford fan board" but thought of 71Bear and the other lurkers.  Thus the awkward edited phrase.  Ah, well, glad to provide some practice to all our editors and editor wannabes.