7 ways to be a better sports fan

6) Stop treating sports as if they are separate from society

Sports are how I escape from the world! They are how I unwind and relax after a hard day at work. Thus I should never have to deal with societal questions while watching sports — because it’s my unsullied, precious release valve — and how dare people treat this thing that’s special to me as if it involves other people, or as if it is somehow tied to society as a whole. How dare they spoil my relaxation time!

If you’ve been around sports fans long enough, you’ve probably heard some variation of this argument, and it’s so ridiculous that it makes me want to tear the already-thinning hair — thanks, genetics — off my scalp. See, just because you close your eyes and believe that sports are somehow removed from society doesn’t mean that they actually are. Nope, no matter how hard you wish and stomp your feet, sports will continue to be a part of a larger web of politics and issues, which means, yes, there will be conversations about race, and which means, yes, there will be conversations about sexuality, because sports aren’t out on a special island by their lonesome, devoid of any links to the world.

Now, before you bring out the pitchforks, is anyone saying that you have to like the political and social sides of sports coverage, or that you have to agree with the views being presented? Not at all. But it’s naive to think that a large enough barrage of #sticktosports griping is going to halt those conversations. How we talk about sports is changing, and that trend isn’t going to be stymied and thrown into reverse — no matter how much you complain, no matter if you like it or not. Those are the facts.

In a similar vein, last but not least…

Next: 7) Watch women's sports