In episode number 224, I stumbled upon a news clip about the Oakland A's baseball team. The owner wants to move the team due to low attendance and lack of profits, which has upset the fans. The fans expressed their anger towards the owner, even though the team was performing well with a 7-0 record and near capacity crowds. I found it ridiculous how passionate these fans were about a sports team. Personally, I'm not a sports fan because of the exorbitant costs involved. Just the ticket prices for a family of four can add up to $200-260, and that's without food or drinks. It's outrageous considering I remember paying only $10 for a major league baseball game in the past.

The level of fanaticism displayed by these fans is unhealthy and indicative of larger issues in society. People invest so much passion and identification into something as trivial as a sports game, whereas they should focus that energy on improving their own lives or relationships. I want to clarify that I'm not against sports as a recreational activity, especially if it involves spending quality time with loved ones. However, the obsession and vicarious identification with professional sports teams is worrisome.

Unity among fans doesn't automatically make it right or healthy. It's like the quote from the movie "V for Vendetta" where the protagonist says that if we want to know how we got into this mess, we just need to look in the mirror. The news clip from Oakland showed the emotional detachment of the reporters, as if the happiness surrounding the team's success was the pinnacle of existence. This level of fervor is reminiscent of other instances of unity, like the Nazis, which doesn't make it morally or psychologically sound. If these fans faced a real crisis and I proposed they ask a player for financial help, they would think I'm insane.

Most likely, they put their expenses on credit cards, which creates a false sense of payment. The problem lies in people's emotional investment and lack of return from their sports fandom. It's like unrequited love, where fans give their attention, money, and adulation, but the teams or players wouldn't reciprocate when they're in need. The entire sports industry encourages vicarious identification, which is crazy.

We shouldn't invest so much emotion and passion into a sports team. Instead, we should focus on building real bonds with friends and family. Sports teams are meant to be a source of entertainment, not the central focus of our lives. In the grand scheme of things, a player's home runs or statistics won't matter to us. It's time to reevaluate our priorities and invest our energy in things that truly matter.

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