It’s my senior year in high school. The Anaheim Angels
have just won the World Series. I am on my way to class and this
cute girl, who has been in many of my classes over the past three
years but has never said a word to me, is approaching fast.
Surprisingly, she looks eager to tell me something.
“Ben,” she says (I immediately melt when I hear my
first name come out of her mouth). “I’ve got to hand it
to you. You totally called it.” I don’t say anything
for about 10 to 15 seconds, but the dumbfounded smile on my face is
probably worth a thousand words. Finally, I make sense of the words
and realize that I have no idea what she’s talking about.
“F-f-for … what did I call?” I stammered.
“You said at the beginning of the season in physics class
last year that the Angels would win the World Series. You called
it!”
Now I’m totally in another heavenly world. This girl
apparently not only knew who I was, but she obviously cared enough
to listen to a private (although probably loud and outspoken)
conversation I was having with my friend that sat next to me in
physics class the year before.
During the course of that conversation, which took place before
the 2002 season had started, I indeed predicted that the Angels
would win the World Series.
With a rejuvenated sense of confidence about myself, I tried my
best to look intelligent. “Yes,” I tell the girl,
“I did call it didn’t I,” neglecting to mention
that I had said the Angels would win the World Series at the
beginning of every season since 1992.
It’s moments like these that make being an optimistic
sports fan worth it. No matter what kinds of sports one likes,
there are really only two types of sports fans: pessimistic fans
and optimistic fans.
Pessimistic fans think they have it all figured out. They think
that if they underestimate the team that they root for, there is no
way they can be disappointed if the team does underachieve.
The problem with unguarded pessimism as a sports fan is that it
easily becomes a habit. Once the team starts doing well,
pessimistic fans can’t enjoy the moment because they are too
busy talking about why the team is lucky and how they will come
back to earth the next game or the next week or the next
season.
I know from experience that when things do not go the optimistic
sports fan’s way it can be extremely painful. Being a fan of
the UCLA football team the past six years has made the pain
familiar.
Still, the joy that is experienced during the rare sports moment
when things go perfectly is totally worth it. I honestly still get
that sensational feeling every time I think about the World Series
and how unbelievable the moment was when the Angels actually won it
all.
It doesn’t matter that I was in reality so distanced from
the team, the fact that all of my positive hopes and dreams for the
team that year had come true made me feel like I earned a ring
myself.
Here at UCLA, you actually do get to be close to the teams.
Going to games, sitting in the best seats and seeing many of the
athletes around campus only enhances the optimist’s spirits
when things start to go right.
Being optimistic about the year in sports for the UCLA teams and
any other team that you may root for is the only rewarding way that
you can be a fan.
There’s always a chance you may be let down, but the
feeling you’ll get if (no, when) your teams succeed will be
what you remember.
E-mail Azar at bazar@media.ucla.edu if you also predicted
UCLA would beat Oklahoma … in July.