To be more clear, in what ways does your love of your favorite sport manifest itself?
Take, for example, my wife (I’m not saying please, as I’d really rather keep her, thanks). She and I are both what most people would consider to be huge baseball fans. But it shows itself in very different ways. She has a love of the game, and ONLY the game. She can watch pretty much any MLB game on TV or in person and be deeply interested, knowledgeable, analytical, and generally having fun. She’s more in-tune than I am with history and the advanced stats (I have lost many a baseball-related trivia contest to her, as evidence). And she will cut the throat of any umpire too timid to say the batter went around on a check swing. But she generally only wants to see the game played at its highest level, and she usually isn’t interested in anything peripheral to the game. (And I have no doubt she’ll be along to correct me if I’ve misrepresented her here.)
On the other hand, I tend to love most everything about baseball as a whole. In addition to enjoying watching virtually any two MLB teams play each other, I’m really into the things that surround the game. I like getting to games incredibly early to soak in the stadium atmosphere. Can’t miss Opening Day, because I love all the ceremony that goes on. If there’s an opportunity to meet a player or coach or broadcaster, I’m usually in (I don’t collect autographs, though – I’m usually happy to get a handshake and/or a picture). In the near future, I’m going to have an opportunity to observe batting practice on the field, and I’m practically beside myself. My wife has zero interest. And, I also enjoy watching college baseball, women’s softball, and even the occasional Little League game on TV. I also own multiple jerseys and hats for each of the two teams I follow. I have a bunch of other paraphernalia that I won’t go into unless asked, but suffice to say everyone around me in my work and personal life knows I’m a baseball nut.
I’m not sure either of us qualifies as being “extreme,” but we’re certainly on opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to how we show and feel our love of baseball.
So please, take the sport you love most, and describe how that love would make itself apparent to an outside observer. Is it obvious to someone speaking to you, or just looking at you? (Bonus points for team-based tattoos or haircuts.) Do you blend into the crowd, or stand out as a fan? How do you define your own fandom?