I "B"lieve... that I'm a fair-weather Astros fan

And that's okay with me.

Unless you've had your head in a hole for the last several weeks, you have noticed that my hometeam Houston Astros have been kicking butt in the MLB playoffs. In what has been an otherwise difficult week, the Astros have given me something to be excited about, to rally behind, and to talk about. Even Kelly watched the games, and that's saying something. I watched along with millions of other "fans" as the Saint Louis Cardinals, a much better team to begin with, squeaked out over the 'Stros to meet the Red Sox at the World Series. Did I go out and riot in the streets when it was over? No. I went to bed.

I have always liked the Astros. I enjoy going to watch them play: the roar of the 45,000 person crowd, the proximity to the players and the field, even the nine dollar beers at Minute Maid Park have a certain appeal. I had the opportunity this year to attend several games on free tickets, which is the best kind. However, I'll be the first to admit that I only really get involved in the team when they're crushing the dreams of some other team's crew of the hooting and hollering faithfuls.

I have my own reasons for being a fair-weather fan. First, my history of fluctuating-fanism goes back a long way. I grew up in a family where sports were a big deal. If a Houston team (or a Detroit team, thanks to my dad) was in the playoffs, it was hard not to be exposed. Remember when the Houston Rockets won two consecutive championships in '94 and '95? I do. Remember almost anything else the Rockets have done since? I can't recall. I wasn't heartbroken when the Oilers left, and I didn't throw a party when the Texans arrived.

Along this timeline, I have invested my attention into other ventures and interests. The most relevant at this point are my job and the pursuit of an Electrical Engineering degree, both which still severely limit the time I can spend on watching sports. If everything in life consists of decisions, I have made the choice more often than not to study, socialize, or sleep instead of watch a game on TV.

The whole point is that being a fair-weather fan takes no credit from the teams themselves. The Astros proved this year by being one game away from the World Series that they're a good team - a great team, even. When a sports franchise does so well that they can enrapture even the most casual spectator into laboring over rules and stats, it's quite an accomplishment. They give a city something to rally behind, whether they're regular observers or not. I've never seen a church turn away the influx of people who make the annual pilgrimage to the pews on Christmas and Easter; nor would I expect a team to do the same.

To all of those faithful fans out there, I admire your compassion but can't match your feelings for sports. Be kind to the fair-weather fans, if for no other reason than for us making your ticket prices cheaper. There's no more shame in following a team when they play well, or diving into politics when there's an election, than there is in buying Christmas decorations only in December. It's our delight in seeing the team succeed that keeps us all involved and gives you someone to cheer with. We'll see you in the next time our team is in the playoffs.