Let the Torch Burn
Any man, woman or child who proclaims him or herself to be a sports fan takes great pride in doing so. We choose sports, teams, and players to idolize and identify with to bolster up as our heroes and role models. This is often a decision driven by the shared qualities we recognize between our heroes and ourselves, like a certain attitude, a physical appearance, a set of values, or a history of success and excellence. In some cases it is a history of failure and shortcomings that help us relate to an athlete or team.