Irrational Faith

This is my first post. Obviously, I hope my blog doesn't suck.

The big news is that the Giants won the Super Bowl. A fan always hopes for a good season, but before the season I certainly wouldn't have put money on the Giants to even get to the Super Bowl.

In the New York sports venacular, the word "believe" is typically associated with the Mets, specifically the 1969 Mets. These days, that overblown word will be spotted on banners in May at Shea and even at other stadia. But this Giants team really was about belief.

My belief was not unwavering. On December 24, 2007, I declared in an e-mail to friends:

"The frustrating thing is I don't doubt Eli's ability to win some games, but the Giants are not going to win the Super Bowl with such an inconsistent QB. He hasn't had a complete, 4-quarter effective game in a long time. So, sure, he'll get to the playoffs with a strong defense and good running game, but his play does not indicate that he will lead his team to a championship."

I can claim that I believed, because I put money on the game. I bet $10 on the Giants to win and $10 against the spread. (Shoulda put $100 on the line. I also should have bought real estate in Washington in 1998, but never mind.) My confidence was on display only after the Giants had made it into the game.

But the truth is that somewhere during the season, I stopped believing that the Giants could win it all. Does that make me a bad fan? Don't fans put too much emphasis on what they do? Some wear lucky jerseys. Some pray. Others say cliches like "one game at a time" as if it matters what we think.

I was skeptical. I needed evidence to believe that the Giants could win a championship with Eli Manning at the helm. Like religion, being a sports fan should be an irrational matter of faith. Following your team is not about evidence, it is about faith, irrational faith, rife with superstition and ritual. I will never lose sight of this again. As Theodore Herzl famously declared, if you will it, it is no dream.*

* Does not apply to Redskins. The irrational faith of the drunken ignorant Maryland masses in the 400-level will never be redeemed.