Great piece, Garrett! This really resonates with me. I'm a Kings fan, and I admit that, when I first heard of the beam, I thought it was a silly gimmick. But, it grew on me, and I grew to like it. I also remember the joy and excitement from 2022-2023, the season where they were good and pushed the Warriors to 7 games...only to see things go downhill from there.
It's been easy to be in despair. To be cynical about the Kings (especially Kings' management). To be overwhelmed by current events. To be living in fear and anxiety, particularly as we see so many atrocities. I know I've been struggling myself to cope and deal with it (and have felt burnt out).
And yet: "But if sports fandom is just one more attempt, as an imperfectly social species, to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, there is a special magic in the moments when you and your buddies are the losers and you’re forced to be joy alchemists."
Indeed. Your article reminds me of what gives me hope and also reminds me that we're not alone. It's community. To be able to meet some beautiful souls and connect with them has helped me keep going. I've been able to meet up with fellow Kings fans and share joys (like about the rookies and just being able to spend time together). I've also been able to meet people in my local area who brighten my days with their kindness and with all the good that they're doing. I'm inspired by many at home and around the country standing for justice. They all have shined lights so bright through the darkness.
"When we ask for advice, either in our most hope filled our hopeless moments, we usually already know what to do. What we need is a promise: If I show up (to the arena, to the protest, to the church basement) and it’s only a quarter filled, will you sit next to me? If I show up a year later, and it feels like we’re winning, will you remind me not to take it for granted? If I jump out of my seat and hold my hand out for a high five, will you leave me hanging? On the day that I feel most alone, will you tell me that I’m not?"
This resonates with me a lot. I sometimes worry about being alone, especially given how bleak things are. And like I said earlier, it's easy to despair and feel alone. So, I share similar questions, but also many hopes as well.
Oh you totally get it (am I surprised that this resonated deeply with a Kings fan? Not one bit). There's always a lot of talk, when the cruelties of the world are even more obvious, about things like sports fandom as distraction, but I think what you touch on so well here (and what I hope I got at in the piece) is that, if I actually pay attention, the things I learn about being a sports fan (and being in community with other sports fan) aren't separate from all the other ways I try to band together with other people to connect, survive, transform, etc. The beam forever!!
"There were the Packers and the Brewers and the Badgers and Marquette and then, much farther down the list, you’d run into a dude wearing a Yi Jianlian jersey at the bar and the two of you would convince the bartender to put the game on and, for a couple hours, you never loved another human being more. “You know back in Cameroon, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is, like, an actual prince,” you’d say, and the other dude would be like, “Yeah” as Monte Ellis pulled up for another early shot clock contested jumper."
There should be a seven syllable German word for the specific variety of nostalgia one feels for cheering for a basketball team permanently slotted into the 7-10 seed in the East.
Great piece, Garrett! This really resonates with me. I'm a Kings fan, and I admit that, when I first heard of the beam, I thought it was a silly gimmick. But, it grew on me, and I grew to like it. I also remember the joy and excitement from 2022-2023, the season where they were good and pushed the Warriors to 7 games...only to see things go downhill from there.
It's been easy to be in despair. To be cynical about the Kings (especially Kings' management). To be overwhelmed by current events. To be living in fear and anxiety, particularly as we see so many atrocities. I know I've been struggling myself to cope and deal with it (and have felt burnt out).
And yet: "But if sports fandom is just one more attempt, as an imperfectly social species, to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, there is a special magic in the moments when you and your buddies are the losers and you’re forced to be joy alchemists."
Indeed. Your article reminds me of what gives me hope and also reminds me that we're not alone. It's community. To be able to meet some beautiful souls and connect with them has helped me keep going. I've been able to meet up with fellow Kings fans and share joys (like about the rookies and just being able to spend time together). I've also been able to meet people in my local area who brighten my days with their kindness and with all the good that they're doing. I'm inspired by many at home and around the country standing for justice. They all have shined lights so bright through the darkness.
"When we ask for advice, either in our most hope filled our hopeless moments, we usually already know what to do. What we need is a promise: If I show up (to the arena, to the protest, to the church basement) and it’s only a quarter filled, will you sit next to me? If I show up a year later, and it feels like we’re winning, will you remind me not to take it for granted? If I jump out of my seat and hold my hand out for a high five, will you leave me hanging? On the day that I feel most alone, will you tell me that I’m not?"
This resonates with me a lot. I sometimes worry about being alone, especially given how bleak things are. And like I said earlier, it's easy to despair and feel alone. So, I share similar questions, but also many hopes as well.
Excellent write, Garrett :) Kudos.
Oh you totally get it (am I surprised that this resonated deeply with a Kings fan? Not one bit). There's always a lot of talk, when the cruelties of the world are even more obvious, about things like sports fandom as distraction, but I think what you touch on so well here (and what I hope I got at in the piece) is that, if I actually pay attention, the things I learn about being a sports fan (and being in community with other sports fan) aren't separate from all the other ways I try to band together with other people to connect, survive, transform, etc. The beam forever!!
Incredible piece Garrett! This paragraph:
"There were the Packers and the Brewers and the Badgers and Marquette and then, much farther down the list, you’d run into a dude wearing a Yi Jianlian jersey at the bar and the two of you would convince the bartender to put the game on and, for a couple hours, you never loved another human being more. “You know back in Cameroon, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is, like, an actual prince,” you’d say, and the other dude would be like, “Yeah” as Monte Ellis pulled up for another early shot clock contested jumper."
really hit home. Thank you!
There should be a seven syllable German word for the specific variety of nostalgia one feels for cheering for a basketball team permanently slotted into the 7-10 seed in the East.
Preach🙌🏼
Oh you get it!
Beautiful! Thank you so much! 💕✨💕