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There's a question I've asked myself, mostly in the spring and over the summer, and it's hard to answer.

"Why do you do this to yourself? Why bring the stress into your life? Why are you a fan of this stupid hockey team?"

So I drive a lot for work and after the inevitable playoff loss or miss, I drive and this question just turns in my mind. Why do I do it?

Why do WE do this?

Why do we devote so much of our precious free time, so much of our money, our energy, our brain capacity, to a game. Or a show. Or a stranger?

Sports fandom is just as strange as comic, movie, video game, any other kind. We're not special in this regard but I think we're the most public with our emotions over this nonsense.

I try to answer my own question. I love the community of fans I've gotten to know after more than a decade of social media celebrations and agony.

I love that it's something that brings us together. As a family. As a city.

Why I’m a fan of junior hockey
This is probably the only good thing Eugene Melnyk has done hockey wise.
PPP LeafsAdam Selvig

I also enjoy the group of people here at PPP, and everything we've seen as a group.

Why I’m a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs: PPP staff tell all
You can tell us your story in the comments.
PPP LeafsCathy Squires

There's always last night's game to chat about as we wait for the bus or to use as an icebreaker in social situations.

Sometimes we get to witness history together;

Others we collectively hold our breath and hope for the best.

The emotional rollercoaster that comes with being a fan of a player, a team, a sport, anything, is one that brings us together and gives the stories we share whenever we can.

I want to hear those stories.

Coming up over the next several weeks I'll be sharing conversations I've had with people from all over the fandom spectrum. We'll talk golf with Sportsnet's Justin Bourne, pro-wrestling with podcaster/comic Rivers Langley, basketball with Dre Alverez of the Nerd! and Box Score Geeks podcasts, baseball with the internets nicest man Alex Schmidt, auto-racing with former OHL FanBoys podcast host Steve MacLean, and of course hockey with author/historian Mike Committo, podcaster/writer Alex Ackerman, and more.

Join me, my guests, and anyone who happens to wander into the room I'm recording in and help answer the question: Why are you a fan?

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Why Are You A Fan?