So there I was, lined up at half court with all my classmates facing me. I was one of 6 captains picked out by my P.E. teacher that stood parallel to the rest of the class. Each of us was given the great responsibility of picking 3 other guys to form our own basketball teams with. I was the 2nd captain on the row, meaning I would have a pretty good selection of peers to construct my team with. I stared at the ground to avoid the many kids making eyes at me, trying to get me to pick them.

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What does it mean to be a fan and how do we become one? Is it a casual interest that we only allow to fill our free time or is it an obsession that sticks with us every moment of the day? Is it something that we invest money and time into or do we invest all of ourselves to it? What makes a fan, fanatical?

This has been something that has been rolling around in my head the last few weeks. A friend of mine’s girlfriend was trying to decide what basketball team she should root for. Her boyfriend is a Heat fan because he loves Dwayne Wade but he also casually supports the Jazz. She also was considering the Lakers because her boyfriend’s older brother (my buddy) is a Lakers fan. I was trying to convince her that it was silly to pick a team based on who guys in her life were cheering for.

This made me start to think about my fandom. I think I am a pretty extreme fan though. I’d like to think there was a scale or gradient of fandom that ranges from casual observer to obsessed nutcase. I would most certainly fall closer to the obsessed nutcase end of the spectrum. I’m the type of fan which takes everything personal. I refer to myself as being a part of the team. I talk in "we’s" instead of "they’s." I take every win and loss as if my life depended on it. My moods change depending on the outcome of games. On top of that, I spend an unholy amount of time reading, writing, watching, loving my sports teams. I’m the guy that watches games at almost any cost. I bail on friends, family and responsibilities to watch the games as much as possible. My friends actually check game schedules just to make sure I’m free on certain nights to hang out. Then, just to take it one step further, I get myself invested in fantasy sports. Which is really like has turned my fandom into a gateway drug.

So what makes a fan, a true fan, and how does one choose who to cheer for?

My fanhood is a little complicated. In that, Utah, only has the Jazz and Real Salt Lake to cheer for. I had to branch out to other locations to find certain teams to support.

As long as I can remember I’ve always been a Jazz fan. My dad grew up here and also liked the Jazz and I remember watching games with him. I loved Malone, Stockton, and Horny. Those are who I grew up watching. I remember going over to the neighbor’s house with my family to watch them play in the Finals. I remember being so upset that we didn’t win. I remember Stockton hitting the shot over the Rockets while I was at a hotel. I was so excited I ran out and did a front flip into the pool and landed in a belly flop. I was born in Utah and the Jazz have always been my main NBA fix.

Most of you who follow me on Twitter (@JasonFortheLove) probably know I am a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan when it comes to the NFL. It was a complicated journey that started with being LDS/Mormon and loving Steve Young. I was a Niners fan because Young played there. He retired in the late 90s and I found myself wanting to cheer for another LDS member. Oddly, it ended up with me being a fan of the Eagles because of coach Andy Reid. Being 11-12, switching teams didn’t seem like a big deal. As I grew older it just stuck. I love the Eagles and will be a life-long fan now. My love for the city of Philadelphia grew too. With me loving the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) and being a casual fan of the 76ers and Phillies as well.

Around the exact same time as Jazz Finals and the Eagles, I broke my Collarbone playing touch football during recess at school. That fall found me in bed for a few days watching the World Series. It was here that I feel in love with the New York Yankees. Players like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, O’Neil, and Bernie Williams became my idols. I just loved them. I didn’t know they were hated. Didn’t care. I became a fan of the "Evil" Empire. Just how it was.

The one thing all these teams have in common is that I feel in love with them around the age of 11. For better or worse I am stuck loving these teams for the rest of my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. When I adopted these teams, I also adopted their rivals. I hate the Lakers, Cowboys/Giants, and all Boston sports. I also adopted an addiction that I don’t think I’ll ever recover from. I must read about my teams, I must watch my teams, I must support my teams, I must love them and know as much as I can about them.

The point of all this is to determine how one becomes a fan and what is required of being a "true" fan. Not those fans in the ESA who are Clippers fans, and Laker fans, before they were Bulls fans, etc. You know who they are. The same ones who switch teams by championships or favorite players. I thought it would be fun to make a fan creed or set of commandments on the subject.

I’ll get us started with a few and I’d love to hear about your experiences and have you add your own rules to the list.

Rule 1: Once a fan, always a fan. You stick with your team through thick and thin for life. This goes mostly for teenagers/adults. Children can’t be expected to have the same passion but steering your kids in a certain direction is always acceptable. Fandom that spans generations is the best.

Rule 2: Team always above player and coach. You cheer for the logo on the front, not the name on the back. You can love your players, you can support your players even after they leave, but no one player is bigger than the team. I have a friend who was a 76ers fan for Iverson, then became a Lakers fan because of Kobe, and is now claiming to be a Clippers fan because of Blake Griffin. Drives me bonkers.

Rule 3: Don’t become a fan simply because your boyfriend/girlfriend like a team. Relationships don’t always last. Fandom does. It drives me crazy when people become "rabid" fans because their significant other is a fan of a team, only to have them stop being a fan when the relationship is over. Marriage is a whole other issue.

Ok, there is 3 to get us started. Add your own and tell us your stories! Also, GO JAZZ!!!

This is a pretty good back and forth debate on twitter right now. I just figured it'd be a lot easier for me to express my views on the state of the franchise rather then keep tweeting about it. So here we go after the jump!

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Clark did one of these a month or so ago on players he liked coming out of the draft. I was going to do one around that time but got caught in trying to finish school stuff so I could graduate. Seeing as how I had my last class yesterday and how a lot of the players who are probably going to drop out of the Draft within the lottery already have, well I figured it’s an appropriate time to try and do one.

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Dear SLCdunk,

As the season came to a thrilling conclusion on Weds night against the rival Denver Nuggets, I found myself reflecting on the season. Perhaps it was the clutch steal by Devin Harris in the closing minute of the game which was the catalyst, perhaps is the standing fans in the ESA loudly cheering and chanting, or maybe it’s because I’m a philosophy major and over think things too much; regardless, I couldn’t help but smile to myself.

This season has been one of the most chaotic I’ve ever experienced from one of my favorite sports teams, and yet, it’s one of the most enjoyable ones I’ve been able to be a part of. We saw new faces enter the season and there was much hope and promise that we could make a run to the WCF’s again. The fabled Knick’s pick resulted in a lanky white boy who with a goofy grin found himself met with a chorus of boos. There was much discussion over this young man, was he quick enough to play the 2 (I was right suckers! You all thought I was crazy when I said he should play the 2! Ahem, sorry couldn’t help but gloat a little), would his outside shot come back, should we have gone big? He started slow and left many of us calling for KOC’s head, but at the end of the season, are there any of us who are doubting how special this kid can be? How he didn’t balk in the face of the Black Mamba’s gait but instead shouldered his courage and matched the vile snake’s production, indeed, even exceeding it. His goofy grin reeks of confidence now and it seems we have a future SG whom the Trailblazers can’t steal from us.

The season opened with some incredible runs, the miracle in Miami, the clutch last shot by D-will against the Bobcats, and an impressive winning record. We would then be met with opposition, losing to the bottom dwellers of the NBA, never gaining a strong footing on our home court, and then losing to the Eastern Jazz team the dreaded Bulls. It was here we found ourselves on the crux of disaster. Sloan was winded, tired, and wounded. The fire in his belly had begin to dwindle and he found himself questioning his resolve. He figured it was better to leave on his own terms, in his own way, than be beaten; and like the of ending of any good Western, he and his best mate Johnson saddled their horses and road off into the sunset.

The Jazz franchise is superior to many within the league and once again showed that it could weather any storm with an even temperament and careful consideration. Instead of panic and an urge to swim against the changing tide, they sailed with it. They promoted Corbin from within the ranks, promoted Scott Layden, the son of a removed Jazz coach and they hired a new assistant coach and familiar face in Horny. Where many teams would have stretched their feelers out across the NBA trying to find replacements, the Jazz franchise, like any family owned business in America, promoted friends and family. That is what makes us so special. The Jazz organization is a family. It relies on individuals who have always been around, who understand what the franchise means to Utah, and lives up to the expectations of a winning tradition. It embraces the spirit of its fans and the state it resides in.

It was here that we found ourselves in unfamiliar waters but with familiar faces. We continued to struggle and stumbled into the All-star break. It was here that the world was once shocked again by an organization which always keeps their cards close to their vest and has continued to be a face of stability. D-will is traded to the Nets. A fan favorite, the best pg in the league, the man who returned credibility to the Jazz after Stock and Malone had left. We were in shock, and yet, we were also slightly prepared for it. Deep down many of us were worried about his commitment to the franchise. We wanted to believe he’d never leave, but we all had that feeling of doubt in the back of our minds. The organization acted and saw Derrick Favors, 2 first round lotto picks, and an able PG in Devin Harris as a great way to strengthen the franchise. So they pulled the trigger.

Over the following weeks we fell in love with Derrick Favors; his defense instincts, his athletic ability, the raw talent that radiated from his young prowess. He is the future, tagged with that goofy white kid from Indiana, and a surprise pogo stick from the second round. We struggled with these young heroes as they battled against veterans around the league. We watched them play well, play awful, win, and lose. There was promise though and we found new hope in our despair.

It was here that I finally realized I had truly enjoyed this season. As I watched Harris steal the ball in the closing seconds, saw Jefferson throw up a weezy which grabbed the lead, then watched Hayward seal the win with is 33 and 34 points of the night. It had been a crazy season. One that would leave many fans scratching their heads and cursing whatever sports god they worship. How could our legendary coach leave, our other worldly PG be traded, and a losing season like we’ve only experienced twice in 20 years mean that there was hope for the franchise.

Perhaps what aided this season the most was the experiences I found myself having on SLCdunk amongst friends. The discussions about Hayward’s athletic ability during the offseason, the arguments about AK’s importance to the Jazz, the love/hate relationship with Bell, the heartbreak over losing Oh my sweet Wesley, and the admiration of coach Sloan. It was in waking up every weekday and getting through class by spending all my time on the blog. It was in the constant twitter talks. It was in the evaluation of player stats. It was in the gentle ribbing of Clark and Clint fighting. It was in the inspiring posts of Yuccaman. It was in the dedication to the blog that BBJ has demonstrated. The crazy posts from Buc. The mathematic equations of AllthatJazz. The correlation of tie color to wins carefully followed by Moni. The dialogue we all provided.

It has made me realize that whether we win or lose, whether we agree or disagree, it is the passion of the fans which makes this team special. On a worldwide scale we can gather and with a wealth of knowledge argue any angle about any subject dealing with the Jazz. So for that I would like to say thank you to everyone on this blog. In the midst of a season of chaos, change, heartbreak, glory, and despair we made this season fun. We made it interesting.

2010-2011 Jazz season has come to a close in a way none of us wanted or expected but at least we went through it together. That is what will always make it memorable. That is why I smiled as we walked away with a victory to close the season. A lockout looms and there is no telling when we will once again be able to watch the Jazz play. I hope we continue to discuss and support the Jazz together on SLCdunk. Let old friends remain and new ones join the fray over the following offseason. Thanks again to all. It’s been a ride!

Sincerely,

ForTheLove

I blew up earlier but since watching the press release and listening to D-will I've calmed down.

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This probably should be a Fanshot, however, they never get as much attention as the posts do. Earlier I saw a few people asking for eachother's twitter accounts. I thought it might be nice to have an official list of everyone's twitter so we can not only argue on SLCdunk but also on twitter. I mean really, what's the 21st century supposed to be about if not arguing and yelling about nonsensical things on status' on every major electronic spot possible?

I joined a few weeks ago for the soul reason of mocking Utes' love for the pirates and ATJ's rantings about shortened ethnic names. Ok, not really, that just sorta happened. I really joined to keep up with Ross Siler and other NBA inside access guru's to find out what was goin on with free agency.

So if you don't have a twitter, get one! Come to the darkside! If you don't feel like sharing, no biggie. You'll just miss out on all the good stuff.

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I thought it might be fun to make a post and have people predict where all the big name free agents were going to land this offseason. With Free Agency open to negotiations starting at 12 p.m. ET tonight, I figured we should get it going now.


Here is the list of major Free Agents:

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The draft came and went, leaving many of us scratching our heads and wondering where the back up PF and big defensive man were in the game plan. We've seen the breakdowns of Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Evans. Both seem to be tweeners. Hayward bouncing between the three back court spots and Evans bouncing between PF and SF.

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