The Roar
The Roar

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My sporting loyalty is finally paying off

Roar Rookie
25th February, 2013
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Roar Rookie
25th February, 2013
14

As any fiercely loyal sports fan would know, supporting teams that you don’t feel deserve your support can often feel like an exercise in torture.

However, as much as I try to forget or dampen my interest in those teams that I follow, it never seems to last. I continue to torture myself.

As a teenager growing up in the early 00s during Australia’s dominant phase in many world sports, I came to expect success from most teams that I followed.

Whether they be the Australian Cricket team, Port Adelaide football club, the Wallabies, the Australian Olympic team or even the San Antonio Spurs, I always expected success.

However, as I became an adult (at least legally), it seemed as though my sports teams all conspired to teach me lessons on how to grow up and cope with defeat.

So my current predicament has left me feeling somewhat perplexed.

At the moment, the majority of the teams that I support or have some sort of allegiance to are actually performing OK, dare I say performing well. Subsequently I am not sure how to deal with all of it.

After what has seemed like a nightmare off season, Port Adelaide have actually won a match (albeit in the NAB cup) by a significant margin, which is something I haven’t seen in a long time.

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After coming of age during their dominant period, my faith in the team has been severely tested. I’m in no way saying that I believe that the Power will be Premiers this year, but I’ve seen improvement, which is nice.

Over in the NHL, after last year’s disastrous season and the lockout, the Anaheim Ducks are finally showing their potential.

With Corey Perry, Teemu Selänne and Jonas Hiller keeping them at the top end of the standings (second overall) and on a six game winning streak, it seems that Lord Stanley has a chance to make his way to the Honda Center in April.

Let us not forget that last season they finished 25th overall and 13th in the Western Conference.

Growing up a David Robinson fan, the San Antonio Spurs have been my saviour during recent times, being probably the most solid team in the NBA in recent memory.

However, after leading 2-0 in last year’s Western Conference finals and subsequently collapsing, I have to believe that this year they will go the extra mile to get Tim Duncan one last ring.

After last season’s disaster, Melbourne Victory are in contention for the finals, which in itself in a miracle! Anyone remember Jim Magilton?

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The Melbourne Storm, after last year’s win, are also World Club Challenge winners now and look like they may win back to back grand finals.

The Wallabies, after drawing with the All Blacks and ending that streak, a whitewash of Wales and then a winning tour of Europe (despite losing to the French), look to have a serious chance of defeating the Lions as well as at least giving those in the championship a scare.

A while ago, I began to keep tabs on Port Vale for some reason that eludes me now (perhaps I liked Robbie Williams for a few months, who knows). After entering administration last year, they are well placed for promotion to League One next year, currently sitting second on the table.

And finally, being from Bendigo (please don’t hold it against me) it’s great to see the Spirit in the WNBL grand final next week! Not only that, but the final will be played in Bendigo.

It is strange to think that the grand final will be played on the same court I played on while I was growing up.

Don’t worry however, not everything is perfect. The less said about the New York Jets the better.

While it is still only at the spring training stage right now, I believe that the Chicago Cubs will continue their streak to 105 years between World Series wins, which will be confirmed around the end of June.

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Hey, at least they don’t have any dead money on their payroll.

Finally, living next to Loftus Rd stadium here in London, I at least have QPR to balance things out.

So, Roarers, has something like this ever happened to you?

Are there any teams or sports you follow that only ever end in heartbreak?

Should I go out and buy 100 lottery tickets now or just sit around waiting for it to come crashing down?

Or will the main thing that most of you takeaway from this be that I follow too much sport?

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