This week, both my NHL and NBA teams were knocked out of the playoffs. A rational person would simply have been bummed out, but I was devastated. I didn't talk to anyone for 12 hours. All I could do was sit in my room, blare dubstep until 3 a.m. and play my most violent video games until my hands started shaking. I couldn't load ESPN.com without swearing violently at my computer. I was in a dark place.
I'm a diehard Orlando Magic fan. I own more Dwight Howard jerseys than neck ties. A Magic loss ruins my f*cking day.
Some might find it puzzling that I'm so emotionally invested in an organization that has given me nothing tangible in return. My parents have provided everything that I have in this world. Without them, I would not be writing this column. Despite their importance to me, I've never worn a shirt with their face on it or paid over $200 to watch them play their weekend board games. I'll buy them the occasional holiday and birthday gifts, but I'm pretty sure that I have invested way more money in Orlando Magic tickets, apparel and paraphernalia than I have given to my own two parents.
I can make the same argument for Dartmouth. We all pay an incredible sum of money to go here. If you add up four years of tuition, the money going to the DDS monopoly and the money you spend on books, you would probably have enough cash to pay for the surgery that will make Khloe Kardashian appear less like an ogre (sorry Lamar, you are still going to have kids that look like the Shrek babies). This money is an investment we pay for our education in order to find a desirable career. Beyond these costs, we're not required to spend anything on Dartmouth.
Yet despite the incredible amount of money it costs to attend this school, we still continue to invest additional time and money in Dartmouth. I'm not required to wear green, but my closet is greener than a South Boston St. Patrick's Day parade. We are not required to attend athletic events, but thousands of alums pack the stands during Homecoming football games. No one pays us to wear green or to scream at Cornell pitchers at baseball games we do so because we care.
Tangible rewards are overrated. If humans were only motivated by physical compensation, we would never decide to have children. Let's be real, children are basically parasites parents spend their hard-earned money and scarce free time on something that for the first two years of its life poops, pees and does little else. I'm not a parent yet, but I understand why people love kids. I have four beautiful nieces, and I'll never forget when I heard them say my name for the first time. I can't express the feeling on paper, but I do know that there isn't a single item in the world that I would take instead of experiencing those moments.
The point I'm making is that loving sports makes sense. Even though we spend countless hours in front of the TV and even more money on gear, sports fan know that it's all worth it. Even though I've never been a fan of Boston sports (read: I can't stand Boston sports), watching the city celebrate after the Rex Sox snapped their World Series drought in 2004 was one of the most beautiful images in sports history. Sports give you hope and something to believe in. Even if your team has the worst season in league history (sorry, Bobcats fans), there's always hope for next year. When you're having a terrible day, that two-hour break spent watching the game is enough to recharge your battery before a long night at the library.
Sports unite communities. You don't know that creepy guy who always sits across from you on the subway, but you immediately start to like him when he starts talking about the Yankees' bullpen. Sports make it acceptable to hug the random guy at the bar when your team scores. Sometimes we all just need to feel part of something bigger than ourselves.
We love Dartmouth for the same reason. We're part of a community that's bigger than ourselves, and watching our peers succeed is just as rewarding as personal gains. Dartmouth alums will go out of their way to ensure their company has a little green in every department. I don't know half the members of the Dartmouth Aires, and I hate reality TV shows, but I TiVoed every single "Sing Off" episode to watch my classmates shine.
We love sports and we love Dartmouth because they make us feel special. We don't need a tangible reward. Being part of a loyal community is rewarding enough.
