Fandom isn’t easy after 29 years of failure

Always looking for more I guess.

A couple of days ago when I posted my last blog, my best friend Danny Cruff commented on Facebook that he couldn’t wait to read the blog when the Kansas City Royals win the World Series.

And then game one happened and I cringed. I cringed for many reasons, but among them was the thought that there may not be a Royals blog anytime in the near future. And then game two happened and everything was even again. But this morning I thought about it and realized that it didn’t matter, it doesn’t matter, if the Kansas City Royals win the World Series — at least, not where writing a blog comes in.

Because a blog about the 2014 Kansas City Royals is not rooted in wins, or even losses for that matter.

See my friend Danny is a rare breed. Danny is a Kansas City Royals fan.

No, not some pop up out of the woodwork Royals fan; there are enough of those lately. Fair weather and all, you know.

No, not some guy just cheering for the Royals to win because his team is out or didn’t even make the playoffs. That is my role by the way.

Danny is a life-long, as I live and breath, hardcore, until death do us part Kansas City Royals fan. He about has more different Royals hats than I have fingers and toes. He doesn’t just worship the church of George Brett; he actually remembers that Johnny Damon was once a Royal. If you play a video game against him, he is the Royals. Both of his kids played t-ball on teams named the Royals. Really, with all due respect, who bleeds Kansas City Royals? Danny Cruff does.

See we all have our days or months or years with our favorite sports teams. But we are all also spoiled. I hated when my Boston Red Sox failed to make the postseason this year, but they were also just champions a year ago. I became a Red Sox fan in 2001 after visiting the city in high school. And while 2001 was in the midst of that great curse, I sure didn’t have to wait long for them to break it during my fandom. Also, in a not-so shocking turn of events (if you ever read this blog), I am a die-hard Duke Blue Devils fan. Being a Duke fan bring an inherent sadness even if we aren’t losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to a school you have never heard of before. The point is, at Duke, letdown is not winning the whole damn thing. In 22 years as a Duke fan, we have won 3 titles, a fourth was won just the year before that. I hate when Duke loses, but I am a fan through thick and thin. But again let’s face the facts: we are all spoiled. Duke’s “thin” is a lot of teams’ “success.” That isn’t bragging, it is just highlighting what makes this World Series, this Royals team so great to me.

Yes, they are awesome to watch. Their bullpen is strong, they are crushing the ball and their outfielders have made some insane highlight reel catches.

But this Royals team is great to me, cheer worthy to be because Danny Cruff is a fan. A real fan.

I can stand up and say “yes, I would support my team no matter what,” and I truly believe that. I am sure many of you believe that too, but would you?

Who, as die-hard sports fans, can say that you would watch your team fail…and sometimes fail badly for 29 straight years? So you are a Chicago Cubs fan and you can claim not winning a World Series in nearly a century? Well at least you’ve been to the playoffs in that time. I couldn’t even fathom a world where Duke would miss the NCAA Tournament, where the Red Sox would be held out of the playoffs for 29 years.

That is Danny Cruff’s life. Or it was.

This World Series may or may not end with a Royals title. Sometimes, that glass slipper just doesn’t fit Cinderella’s foot.

But there is meaning in this run that they have made. There is meaning in the fact that true, completely loyal fandom is fleeting. I have never seen someone as loyal to their team as Danny is to Kansas City. Fandom is easy amongst success. It is also easy amongst mediocrity. Fandom isn’t easy after 29 years of failure.

If you see me on game day during any of these playoffs, really almost any day that I have a hat on my head, you will notice it is royal blue with a KC emblazoned on the front of it. That isn’t because I am a Royals fan. That isn’t because I am a fair weather fan. I wear that hat proudly because I am a Danny Cruff fan; a fan of everything he represents.

Success is fleeting. Pride and optimism in its truest form is rare.

These Kansas City Royals, because of their on field play, have been an absolute blast to watch. But what has been better is watching the joy of my friend. He, above anyone else, deserves this.

The friendly confines of the best rivalry

It all comes around.

Ask Laettner, or Mashburn. Ask Pitino or Krzyzewski.

I became a Duke basketball fan in 1992. And all that mattered in 1992 in basketball was Duke versus Kentucky. Anyone who knows anything at least knows of the tale of their 1992 Elite Eight battle. The game itself is arguably one of the best ever to be played on any basketball court. The shot that ended the overtime affair — you know…THE SHOT — well its merits as the best aren’t debatable. Not with me anyway.

That was — swallow — 22 and a half years ago. But what any true Duke fan, or any true Kentucky fan can tell you is that no moment is more defining of their program.

For Duke, how do you ever live up to the merits of that game? Of that shot? They went on to win another national title that year, have won two more since that (2001, 2010) and were the national runner up on two other occasions. But when you are a Duke fan and you think about your program, it all comes back to “The Shot.”

For Kentucky, how do you ever get past that moment, perhaps the most soul-crushing moment in the history of sports? Yes, they to have won three national titles since (1996, 1998 and 2012). They too have been the national runner-up on two occasions since. But when you are a Kentucky fan and you think about your program, it all comes back to “The Shot.”

In Durham, the name Christian Laettner is laid among the Gods. In Lexington, the name Christian Laettner is laid among loogies and mass vulgarity.

One thing I have learned as a Duke fan is that Kentucky people will never side with me. Why would they? It is after all, sour grapes. They lost, we won. But I also know how quickly that could be different. Hindsight, being 20/20, points out that one change in coaching technique could have sent that Wildcat squad to the Final Four. And then, in Duke circles, the name Jamal Mashburn would be whispered in hushed tones. And then we’d have all of the sour grapes. Tides and fortunes turn. The three national titles and a pair of 2^nd place finishes aren’t all we have in common. After all, our first round NCAA Tournament losses to Lehigh and Mercer are their first round NIT loss to Robert Morris. For their celebrations of Anthony Davis and Julius Randle, we’ve had the heroics of Shane Battier and Kyle Singler. For their massive downtrodden times of Nerlens Noel, we’ve had injury-killing anti-success of Kyrie Irving.

Ever since that shot, the existences of the Duke and Kentucky basketball programs have had intriguing shades of parallel.

The last year in my house has added a new element to my viewpoint. Both of my stepsons are bred from Kentucky lore. One was born in Kentucky, their father and his family are all Kentucky through and through. To them, U and K have been the only initials that matter when it comes to college basketball.

And then, there I was as a Duke fan. And by hook or crook, intrigue or irony, they (especially the youngest of the two), added some level of Duke fandom to their minds. It is never anything that I asked of them, but I am sure something engrained quickly into their subconscious because of how big of a Duke fan that I am, just as being UK fans was engrained for all of the other years of Wildcat basketball they saw or heard about.

Kids are fickle when they cheer for sports teams. For all the home team cheering there is, there are always just as many kids who pick up teams not so near. In my youth, other than becoming a Duke fan, I cheered from my Indiana home for the Atlanta Braves, another team not within 10 hours from where I lived. My youngest, Ayden — as another example — has an insane array of favorites that span from California (San Francisco 49ers) to Canada (Toronto Raptors).

But is there anything more fickle than being a fan of both Kentucky and Duke?

Bobby Hurley’s face would probably contort grossly at the question. Richie Farmer might puke.

My stepsons, again especially the youngest, have added a new space in my mind. A space where this makes sense, a space where I can actually be ok with it. In 1992, a battle like the two programs put forth brought with it a certain amount of despise and hatred. That is what 1992 was about, that was old school. But in 2014, in a world where UFC fighters bash each others heads in for 15 minutes and then hug and smile, why can’t Duke and Kentucky co-exist? Why can’t we just say good job and be happy with the magic we made together?

Last season, Ayden and I sat on the couch for many a basketball game, always cheering for the blue and white no matter what word actually appeared on the front of the jersey. He developed a favorite Duke player in Jabari Parker (he’s not happy he has to pick a new favorite already) and I took a liking to the Wildcats’ Willie Cauley-Stein. As he learned all of the names of the players on both teams, I too learned about UK. He became a true Duke fan, wore Duke clothes and cheered them on. I cheered too. No, I haven’t brought myself to slide into a Kentucky Wildcat t-shirt or anything like that, but when Kentucky played, I found myself cheering them on, especially in their close bid to become the National Champions. That alone is something that I never thought I would find myself doing.

It must be how my dad felt. He may have never hated Duke, but when I was a kid he was a Purdue fan. Now, I don’t think my dad would want any college basketball team to win more than he would want Duke too. Kids do that. They open yours eyes up just enough.

It is a rivalry that has lasted 22 years, but Ayden’s love of both teams has transcended that rivalry. Is he the first kid to think to their self “why can’t I just like them both?” Probably not. But it clicks. After all, Duke and Kentucky are forever intertwined. Nothing will ever change that. So why does everyone have to choose?

It is also what will make this upcoming college basketball season so much fun and possibly pretty interesting. The fact is, in my humble and moderately professional opinion, there are no better teams in college basketball this year than Kentucky and Duke. Always intertwined, we find ourselves at the top of the food chain once more.

Kentucky returned the vast majority of their near-championship core. The Harrison twins, Cauley-Stein, all back to team up with the second best recruiting class in the country that includes freshmen Karl Towns, Tyler Ulis, Devin Booker and Trey Lyles. Duke has a lot of veteran experience in tow too, even if they did underachieve last year. They also add the number one recruiting class in the country with soon-to-be NBA players Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow.

It will be another layer on one of the best rivalries in sports. There is a very good chance that the paths of the Blue Devils and Wildcats could cross in Indianapolis come April with the best trophy on the line. Sure would make for an interesting evening in my house.

I spent more than 20 years on one side of this rivalry. Duke was always greater than Kentucky. Do I still believe that to be true? Of course I do. Should they meet up in Indianapolis this Spring, or ever before, I will have one of my Duke jerseys on while Ayden sits down the couch with a UK hoodie. His brother and his mom will probably do the same as him. I know this to be true.

But I also know that win or lose; I will be content with being a fan of the greatest rivalry in sports. Content knowing that without Kentucky, there is no Duke and without Duke, there is no Kentucky. Our teams did this together. So whenever they meet again, I will be there.

I will be there, praying for the ghost of the not-dead Christian Laettner and Kentucky fans will be there, spitting and cursing his name.

But now, thanks to that space in my mind where Duke and Kentucky co-existing finally makes sense, I will be smiling the whole time.