Cover Photo Courtesy William Wotring Dominion Post
We hear the term “fair weather fan” used very often on social media. Fans typically are labeled this when they are being critical of their team, lack of support through the bad times, etc. The truth is though, fans who act as the labeler in these scenarios are doing so entirely too much and, in some cases, are falsely accusing the labeled.
The latest attack from the fair-weather police came after WVU embarrassingly lost their season opener to Maryland.
WVU twitter can often be dramatic, and usually opinions differ in every which way. Yesterday, that wasn’t the case. WVU fans, or at least most of them were all on the same page, asking the same general question: Why did the coaching staff spend all off season telling us how improved this team was?
The truth is West Virginia didn’t look improved. West Virginia fans noticed and took to twitter to make their feelings known. Because of the great deal of critique WVU fans dished out, the group of fans who religiously use the term “fair-weather fan” came lurking out of the shadows after their off-season hibernation.
West Virginia Football fans deserve to be mad. We were told the entire off season specifically how improved the offense was and it simply did not look improved. Not even in the slightest. And because of that, the fans felt the need to ask, “what the freak is going on?” Evidently that is the cardinal sin to the fair-weather police.
I have a message to those who feel the need to perpetually call others fair-weather fans: Shut up.
Chances are the person who you are labeling as a fair-weather fan has put hundreds if not thousands of hard-working money into the programs at West Virginia. Chances are the person you are labeling as a fair-weather fan yells and screams at their TV because the love for West Virginia sports is so strong and passionate. Chances are the person you are labeling as a fair-weather fan puts West Virginia sports at the top of his/her priority list. Chances are the person you are labeling a fair-weather fan has breathed the words “All I want is a WVU national championship before my time on this Earth is over.”
Do not call someone a fair-weather fan because they dish out some criticism. Don’t call someone a fair-weather fan because they are furious at the fact that Leddie Brown (averaged 4 yards per carry yesterday) only got 6 touches in a second half where West Virginia’s abysmal offense managed to put up a whopping 3 points. Stop overusing the term “fair weather” because you think it validates your status as a fan.
Fair weather fans are the ones who do not support these programs until they are good. Real fans support and care through the good, bad, and the ugly. And I, after being involved in WVU Twitter for a while now, can confirm that the people you are calling “fair weather fans” are more passionate than you are and are much bigger supporters.
In conclusion, watch how, where, and why you use the term “fair-weather fan.” Because being critical doesn’t mean our support is lacking.
And for clarity, I do not condone @’ing any players. That part of criticism is never and should not be tolerated.
