Super Fans

Superfans, a word that describes extremely dedicated and obsessed sports fans, was coined from the “Saturday Night Live” sketch “Bill Sweski’s Superfans.” The sketch depicted a group of Chicago Bears football fans in a local bar discussing and arguing sports. Today, superfans can be characterized by this same sense of loyalty, but how each fan expresses his or her loyalty is different for each person.Q: What makes you a Seahawks superfan?A: (Kohl Buitenveld) I was born in Seattle and came from a family of die hard fans. I’ve been a fan since I knew what football was and it has stuck with them through the Matt Hasselbeck days and the many years of missing the playoffs.Q: What are your special routines for watching Seahawks games?A: Depending what time the game is, I wake up about an hour earlier, take a shower, put on my Russell Wilson jersey, my Russell Wilson socks and my custom Seahawk game day shoes. I make sure I have everything I need within reaching distance of the couch. I only watch the games at home unless I’m actually at the game and I prefer to watch the game in silence without any distractions, of course unless I’m part of the 12th man at the actual game. I refuse to record the game, and only watch them in live time.Q: What is the most memorable experience you have had going to real life Seahawks games?A: Last year, I was fortunate enough to win my fantasy football league with an $800 payout, paying for a flight to Seattle and a ticket to the NFC Championship game against the 49ers, a game most would consider the actual Super Bowl, given the absolute blowout against Denver. Richard Sherman’s interception in the end zone to end the game just energized the entire city and it was a crazy feeling.Q: What your favorite thing about the Seahawks since you have been a fan?A: I give tons of credit to Coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider for our success because they totally stripped the team down and built it through the draft. They were able to create a young Super Bowl winning team with little money to work with.Q: Who is your favorite Seahawks player since you have been a fan?A: My favorite player is Russell Wilson because I admire how he came into a struggling organization and was able to turn it around and lead them to a Super Bowl victory at such a young age.Q: What makes you a Lakers superfans?A: (Brandon Naim) I watch every game and I never quit on the team, even during hard times. I always believe. (Kunga Sagar) Being born and raised in LA definitely has influenced me in becoming a big fan. As I began watching basketball more and more, Kobe Bryant made me a huge Lakers supporter. Ride or die, win or lose, I’ll be there for my team.Q: What are your special routines for watching Lakers games?A: (B) If the Lakers go on a run, I just stand up the entire time and go crazy. (K) When I watch the games, depending on what plays happen in the game, I’ll react in different ways. Examples: fist pumps, cheers of joy, or anger.Q: What is the most memorable experience you have had going to real life Lakers games?A: (B) The most memorable Laker game I went to was probably against the Nets in ’07 because the game went down to the wire, even though we lost by two. Also, there was a Nets fan in my section and he got thrown out of the stadium because he got in a fight with a Lakers fan. (K) I have got to say one game against the Wolves was the most memorable because Kobe was in his “masked mamba” phase and he was on a scoring run during that time. In the game, Kobe had a nasty poster on Pekovic so that stands out.Q: What is your favorite Lakers moment since you have became a fan?A: (B) My favorite Lakers moment was when the Lakers were losing against the Raptors in 2013. Kobe went crazy and brought them back and hit a bunch of shots in a row. (K) My favorite moment was the final buzzer of the 2010 finals versus the Celtics in Game 7, which included Kobe on the scorers’ table, celebrating his fifth title and Gasol and Odom crying out of joy.Q: Who is your favorite Lakers player since you have been a fan?A: (B) Kobe because he always has a winning mentality and he will always try his hardest no matter what, which is proven by what he has done this season. Nothing can stop him. (K) Kobe because of his heart, killer instinct, the way he plays as a scorer on the court, his perfect fundamentals, such as footwork, and his jump shot.Q: What makes you a Chelsea superfan?A: (Jared Hassim) My father was born in London, and that’s how he became a Chelsea fan and he brought me up to be a Chelsea fan since birth.Q: What are your special routines for watching Chelsea games?A: We usually wear all of our Chelsea gear, and we sing a song; it’s called “Blue is the Color.” We have a banner that we hang. We have a man cave dedicated to Chelsea. We transformed our garage to make the Chelsea Cave.Q: What is the most memorable experience you have had going to see a real life Chelsea game?A: I’ve seen them play the Galaxy a number of times, but never in London. I go to see them whenever I get a chance. My most memorable experience is Didier Drogba cracking in a shot from 30-something yards and then pointing to my section in the stands for his celebration.Q: What is your favorite Chelsea moment since you have became a fan?A: It was the Champions League Final versus Bayern Munich. They were neck and neck at the penalty mark. Didier Drogba stepped up to the spot for the final penalty to determine if Chelsea would win or lose, not to mention it was to be his final game at Chelsea. So it was a very thematic end to his career at Chelsea, and he just shot it straight into the side of the goal and the crowd and everyone at the pub erupted in joy and Chelsea won the game.Q: Who is your favorite Chelsea player since you have been a fan?A: Didier Drogba is my favorite Chelsea player because he is an inspirational player, a fantastic center forward, whether it’s with his ridiculous header or his powerful foot, he’s always going to do something special with the ball. He never gives up. He’s so relentless and powerful. Tim Howard, the Americans’ star keeper, said that the only striker he fears is Didier Drogba.