Post inspired by comments made by Big Blue View regular SBakerTheTouchdownMaker in response to the BBV Five Questions with Hogs Haven. Make sure you dip on over there to check out my largely incoherent rants to Ed's probing questions.
Anyways, SBakerTheTouchdownMaker noted that I used "we" to refer to the Redskins. I did this subconciously, and probably do so a lot here at Hogs Haven, as I've never actually established to myself that I'm a member of the Washington Redskins. In fact, I'm not. In fact, they probably wouldn't want to have anything to do with me. Most of the time, I don't even want to have much to do with me.
But that feeling isn't mutual. The Redskins would exist sans Skin Patrol, but Hogs Haven is utterly derivative of the Redskins and that's just the way I like it.
The question here and presented towards reader(s) then, is whether I'm justified in personally identifying with the team. I justifiably refer to my alma mater as "we" when discussing athletics, because I have a demonstrable investment in the team, in the form of a piece of paper with my name on it (that I think I've since lost). But what connection do I have with the Redskins?
We could add financial, as directly and indirectly I have contributed funds to my beloved Redskins. But let us not limit financial spending merely to moneys pocketed by the Washington Redskins; I've "invested" hundreds of dollars into the pockets of Dallas Cowboys fans via lost bets through a horrible many-moons long losing streak we suffered nearly uninterrupted from 1997 through 2004. [One more reason to love Coach Gibbs, by the way, is that he figured out how to beat the Cowgirls.] But my financial suffering lacks regard for whether it bulges the pockets of Cowboys fans or whether it purchases Dick Clark. Worse in the former case, actually, since you also have to suffer the inevitable gloating (see: Emotional Health).
We could add emotional health, as my girlfriend can attest suffers through losses and builds through wins. Nothing slows a work week more than a loss, especially to a division rival. You wouldn't have wanted to be around me September 17th of last year, though had you caught me January 7th after our postseason win over the Bucs, your drink(s) would have been free (see: Financial).
Is that enough? I ask semi-rhetorically because I really couldn't give a damn. I will continue to identify myself with the Redskins even if they wouldn't have anything to do with me and even if I have no reasonable justification for it. Irrational and unconditional love for one's favorite team may not be healthy. But neither is drinking, and I never bother justifying that.