Real Talk - A New Approach in Being A Fan Currently

[AggieLean]

I was going to drive up to Charlotte for a game this year. Will probably wait until next year when there’s a new QB. I usually go to the game here in ATL every year, but not this year. Not worth it. I’ll wait until a new QB. Tired of going there and we lose. It’s sad that I even got my falcons pals feeling bad for me. 
 

I watched 15 mins of the last game. When Bryce threw that int, I cut the game off. Knew how it was going to go. I’ll probably watch the beginning this week, but I know I’ll cut it off 

[Matthias]

2 hours ago, AggieLean said:

I was going to drive up to Charlotte for a game this year. Will probably wait until next year when there’s a new QB. I usually go to the game here in ATL every year, but not this year. Not worth it. I’ll wait until a new QB. Tired of going there and we lose. It’s sad that I even got my falcons pals feeling bad for me. 
 

I watched 15 mins of the last game. When Bryce threw that int, I cut the game off. Knew how it was going to go. I’ll probably watch the beginning this week, but I know I’ll cut it off 

When I decided to finally turn away from the game is interesting.  It was around the middle or late in the 3rd quarter and it was clear we weren't going to make anything interesting happen with Bryce at QB that day.  So I said in my heart 'Unless Dalton starts the next drive to see what he can do, I'm going to do something else'.  So when Bryce came back out for another drive, I turned away.


So I would say from this perspective, if we as fans are seeking for competitiveness against other teams with Bryce at QB and the team being the way it is, we are in for big disappointment.  If we continue to watch our Panthers, I believe it is beneficial to change how we see things this year.  In terms of competing against other teams, Dalton gives us the best chance at winning.  However we all know they are not going to bench Young.  We are in for complete misery if we desire to compete against other teams in hopes of beating them.  Going back to another's response as seeing option 2 as pretending, it is pretending to believe Bryce will beat a handful of teams this year, if any.  Yet can he beat himself, being the worse QB in the league?  His only hope and the team's only hope, is to beat themselves.  Whatever that translates to in the long run, we would see.


Option 2 is highly philosophical and patient in nature.  Heehee!!!  Those who don't have that kind of patience, I urge you to try option 1.  Option 1 may then be the only real one to take in terms of having a good outcome as a fan of the Panthers.  If all these problems the franchise is having is due to Tepper's handling of the team, that ain't going to change in no immediate future or any future.  The problems will continue so we must change our perspective and action.

[Bear Hands]

Option 2:

[Bear Hands]

Option two is not philosophical in nature. It is saying to cheer on a sports team you like even if they’re awful. It’s not that complicated.  

A fan can hate the product, call it out, and be entirely fine. It seems this whole essay depends on emotional investment. The trick is to simply be less emotionally invested and don’t blindly cheer the indefensible in life.

 

[XClown1986]

For me, I'll start watching the games or I'll have the game on in the background, but it is no longer my priority/focus. It will be that way for the forseeable future. 

[rayzor]

i come into every season with optimism. a realistic optimism where all i want to see is something better than the year before. considering how low the bar is at the end of every season for the past 7 years, i don't think that's too much to ask.

except, apparently it is because we haven't gotten better from year to year. and rather than continuing to watch and  just get upset or frustrated i just quit watching and decide to do stuff with my family....or just take a nap. 

seems like every year the amount of time i give it before i quit watching just gets shorter and shorter. 

i just want to see something good happen something positive that makes it look like we are trending upward. i don't want a fluke (like that packers game last year or that one bills drive in preseason this year).

i want to see continual progress. 

i don't even care about having back to back winning seasons. i just want to have more than 5 wins. i just don't want to earn the first pick in the draft. i just don't want to be in contention for the worst team in the league.

i hate that this bar seems to be too hard to get over. i'm rooting for them. i don't want them to fail. i'm just done investing much energy in a team that just can't seem to get it together.

[KSpan]

Option 3: just chill out and accept the reality as it is. See what happens, recognize the crappy reality but still hope for the best, and don't sweat it.

Controversial as it's seemingly been, this has been my approach for years now.

[dave-o]

TL;DR

[Khyber53]

Thanks for making the original post. I appreciate what you're trying to do.

We've been through periods of suck before, just none that have been as prolonged or seemingly futile as this one.

This too shall pass.

Eventually.

Even if Bryce can't.

[Newtcase]

Jeez why are so many people obsessed with offering therapy.

[Matthias]

55 minutes ago, Bear Hands said:

Option two is not philosophical in nature. It is saying to cheer on a sports team you like even if they’re awful. It’s not that complicated.  

A fan can hate the product, call it out, and be entirely fine. It seems this whole essay depends on emotional investment. The trick is to simply be less emotionally invested and don’t blindly cheer the indefensible in life.

 

For option 2, see Bryce as if he were your son.  See the team as if they were your brothers.  With family, you cheer them on to do better.  If they make a mistake, we wouldn't lie to them and say it doesn't matter.  What we would do is encourage them the next time they are on the field.  Now, if Bryce were your son, would you say to him, "You suck!  Quit and go do something else!"  Or would you say, "Keep your head up, you will do better next time!"


So with this perspective, the focus will be on doing better the next time, and make the opponent the Bryce of last time.  Beat who he was the last time.  For the team to beat who they were the last time.  This is more possible for our team.  And like I said, whatever that translates to, it would be interesting to see.  As it stands right now, this team can't be anyone.  But can they beat themselves?  And if they beat themselves, perhaps they will grow to a point where they are unbeatable period.

[PNW_PantherMan]

Bryce as my son.  Yes I'm posting it again.

 

[Bear Hands]

7 minutes ago, Matthias said:

For option 2, see Bryce as if he were your son.  See the team as if they were your brothers.  With family, you cheer them on to do better.  If they make a mistake, we wouldn't lie to them and say it doesn't matter.  What we would do is encourage them the next time they are on the field.  Now, if Bryce were your son, would you say to him, "You suck!  Quit and go do something else!"  Or would you say, "Keep your head up, you will do better next time!"


So with this perspective, the focus will be on doing better the next time, and make the opponent the Bryce of last time.  Beat who he was the last time.  For the team to beat who they were the last time.  This is more possible for our team.  And like I said, whatever that translates to, it would be interesting to see.  As it stands right now, this team can't be anyone.  But can they beat themselves?  And if they beat themselves, perhaps they will grow to a point where they are unbeatable period.

I’m sorry but I’m just looking at this a bit more plainly. This is not my family, this is a sports team with professionals trying to do an effective job in a multi-billion dollar industry.

Just want to watch some entertaining football at this point. I’m not watching my kid play in his leagues. Although it sure looks like it haha. 

[strato]

9 minutes ago, Matthias said:

For option 2, see Bryce as if he were your son.  See the team as if they were your brothers.  With family, you cheer them on to do better.  If they make a mistake, we wouldn't lie to them and say it doesn't matter.  What we would do is encourage them the next time they are on the field.  Now, if Bryce were your son, would you say to him, "You suck!  Quit and go do something else!"  Or would you say, "Keep your head up, you will do better next time!"


So with this perspective, the focus will be on doing better the next time, and make the opponent the Bryce of last time.  Beat who he was the last time.  For the team to beat who they were the last time.  This is more possible for our team.  And like I said, whatever that translates to, it would be interesting to see.  As it stands right now, this team can't be anyone.  But can they beat themselves?  And if they beat themselves, perhaps they will grow to a point where they are unbeatable period.

If he were my son I'd just tell him to make the most of the short time you will be allowed to play QB in the NFL. Don't stress, enjoy it but start thinking about life after.

I can do out of sight out of mind, hope I don't have to.