Kids are the ultimate bandwagon fans. Whoever’s winning, that’s their team.
I grew up in a family of Parramatta Eels fans and was one-year-old when they last won a Premiership in 1986. Forever grateful for the life lessons I’ve taken from a club who since ’86 have never failed to fail.
It’s like clockwork, no matter how good their season. In 2012 and 2013 they won the wooden spoon while cheating the salary cap and that might be the only time that’s ever been achieved in the history of sport. They were the worst while cheating.
2001 was the particularly rough one, we’d had an incredible season and were favourites heading into the Grand Final against Newcastle who led 24-0 at halftime thanks to Andrew Johns. It ended up being a six-point loss but oh the humanity. A lot of lessons about being an Eels fan were learned that day.
I remember sitting on the couch with my dad in the mid ’90s, watching some team play against the Canberra Raiders that had Mal Meninga, Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley. Those Raiders were popular with kids cause they were winning.
I’d change who I was going for based on who scored last, much to the slow annoyance of dad, even cheering for injuries on the opposing team, which my dad counselled wasn’t good form. Turns out the athletes are actually human beings and injuries are bad.
The life lesson in Parramatta is that it’s always better to stand by your team, no matter how long (31 years) since they last won a premiership. There’s also the grim but priceless humour shared amongst fans. A dogged acceptance that they’ll merely get us excited before disappointing again, it’s all part of the ride.
Consider the Cronulla Sharks and South Sydney Rabbitohs who’ve won in recent years. It might take another 20 years, but when it pays off it’ll be all the sweeter.
We often inherit teams from our dads. For me it was Parramatta. Now with my son, I put up a Liverpool FC jersey in his room when he was born. It’s still right above his toys today. Imprint, imprint.
“We go for the red team”
He’s pretty interested in football and I’ll sit him on my knee to watch highlights. He even sat up with us watching the 2014 World Cup when he was less than six months old.
I’ve also indoctrinated him into the world of basketball, fitting him out with sweet Jordan 3s and a miniature hoop for our living room as soon as he could walk. I’m a Chicago Bulls fan but for some reason, I feel like he’s free to choose whatever NBA team he likes.
As long as he cheers for Liverpool FC and the Eels, that’s all he has to do.
