Let fans be fans

Note this was written this summer a few days after the draft. Just posting it now in retrospect. Never made it on to any bigger site. -Joseph

Let fans be fans:

Why calling fans names is uncalled for by Jazz employees

                Like many of you I was confused at the Jazz picking Lyles yesterday. I didn’t know much of the dude and he played out of position all year. As such, I eagerly tuned into David Locke’s podcast this morning on my commute to work. He’s been talking about the guy for weeks and I knew he’d give me his best info.

                He did. But he also stated fans who complained about the pick without a logical argument were doing so like “a whiny bitch”. I didn’t like this. No, it’s not because “he used the B word” or some juvenile crap like that. It’s because he’s a Jazz employee and he was talking to fans.

                I have this belief about fans: let fans be fans. The same passion that makes them scream loud at ESA is the same passion that makes them overreact to a pick of a dude they know little about. Overreaction is part of fandom. Acting irrationally and illogically is part of fandom. We are talking about a game here where grown-ass men put an orange ball in a hoop for millions of dollars in front of millions of people. The very act of fandom is illogical in some ways. If you want the passion that gets them yelling at refs, buying tickets, bringing their kids on school nights, don’t insult them when that “cup runneth over” into comments you don’t like or don’t make sense. THAT’S THE POINT THEY ARE FANS. It doesn’t have to make sense. That’s not part of the deal.

                For many of the last few years it makes no logical sense for me to be a Jazz fan. I’ve lived outside OKC and now Cleveland. I had “better basketball” other options. My six year old daughter asked me once, “why don’t we cheer for the good team?” But I’ve stuck with the Jazz because I’m a fan. I have illogical loyalty. I shout at the TV even though I’m thousands of miles away. I stayed up till the middle of the night to watch guys get their names called who’ll never play in the NBA. I’m a fan and it often makes no sense! Don’t insult me just because I don’t agree with you and can’t give you a logical reason why.

                I like David Locke, I really do! He’s one of the best out there at channeling that passion. Even if I’m watching the game I prefer to mute Harpring and Boler and flip on the internet stream of his call. At Leapin’ Leaners I’ve seen him work his heart out to raise money for Miller charities. No one is questioning if he is a passionate guy who takes his job seriously. Who else does a podcast at 2:30am after a long day? But maybe that’s my point, if you are an organization employee don’t call fans names. They pay your bills and deserve more respect than that from the organization.

In short, stay professional David. It’s not a good look for you and not a good look for the Jazz. We’re illogical and irrational and that’s why were still here.

@josephhorner is a Chinese-Caucasian Clinical Psychology Fellow and Utah Jazz fan from Idaho who lives in Cleveland. No really. Also former resident of OKC, Utah, and Philly.

The King and I at 30: Or why it sucks to be the same age as LeBron

The King and I at 30
Or why it sucks to be the same age as LeBron


Achievement is a funny thing. To feel like you’ve achieved something is totally and utterly subjective and often has to do with you comparing yourself to other people. For my parents who were both first generation college grads who grew up in poverty just completing college was achievement enough. For me that was just the baseline. When I was asked in gradeschool and asked “where do you see yourself as an adult” I always assumed it was about 30 and that I’d have a house and a job. I guess this was because my dad had a house and job her would end up retiring in by 30. That would mean I was accomplished

LeBron man, he’s accomplished a lot. You see him up there with rings, the millions of dollars and all the acclaim. People throw parades for him, pay thousands of dollars to see him, and freaking buy clothes with his name on it. He pulled himself out of poverty. As the years has past comparing all this to myself, man, it can get overwhelming. I freaking have debt, drive a 1996 corolla, live in a renter house, and am planning my third move in 3 years. I feel unaccomplished.

 Despite these feelings, I have always felt a kinship with LeBron even though I’ve never even seen him play in person. Perhaps it was watching him on magazine covers and on ESPN while he and I were in highschool. Possibly it was we both looked like goofy, tall, lanky dudes in highschool. Maybe it’s because he seemed so laid back. Perhaps it’s because we shared an OB for the births of a child.

Truth be told, I feel that kinship with the dude I’ve never met likely because of the scrutiny and pressure to succeed that was always on him. Every time a microphone was thrust in his face, he was scrutinized for passing it to some inferior teammate in the last second (holla Donyell!), or was told he was “too soft” or “didn’t want it enough”, I cringed a little. It just never seemed like he could do enough for anyone. Score the last 28 points in a playoff game, win MVPs, win rings, play every minute possible, be the best player in the world, it just never seemed like enough for the critics, for those outside of him, for the rest of the world. In someways basketball chose him and he had to live up to it.

Thinking about it now, in that way LeBron and I differ and it’s probably a good thing. Yeah, I had a lot of pressure to be a good student but my friends and family was always just: “get a good job man” “be able to feed your family” “just be yourself.” My pressure and criticism was, and is, internal. I put it on myself. Sometimes my wife wonders why unaccomplished. There’s no one asking me everyday what’s wrong, why I’m not better, why I can’t fix everything. If I had someone shove a mic in me after every therapy session asking why the dudes depression hadn’t alleviated or his A1C levels didn’t go down it would get old fast, it would suck, I would be a different person. Heck, it took me the first two years of gradschool to explain to my parents I was getting a PhD. LeBron was expected to end up better than Jordan before he was 19.

I already feel old at thirty so maybe it’s not too bad to be unaccomplished and at the start of my career. I get to just enjoy things, cruise along, spend time with my kids and work towards my goal. LeBron has miles on his body and is starting to see the otherside of the hill. People are starting to ask when it’s all going to end for him and make determinations about his legacy. HE’S THIRTY YEARS OLD.

So as I’m watching in person for the first time LeBron sprint up and down the court tonight doing inhuman things and likely pounding my poor Jazz into oblivion at least I know we’re both 30 today and while we’ve grown up together at least the world is giving me space to do a lot more growing. Thanks LeBron. Yeah it sucks to feel unaccomplished next to you but at least I feel younger now. And I have all my hair, so there.

-Joseph Horner is a Chinese-Caucasian Clinical Psychology Fellow and Utah Jazz fan from Idaho who lives in Cleveland. No really. Also former resident of OKC, Utah, and Philly. He considers it divine providence that the Jazz are here on his 30th birthday.

Twitter: @josephhorner