i'm no band-wagon fan

I used to be a Boston Red Sox fan...sorta. My senior year, I bought the hat (bc it had the cute, little red socks on the back, of course) and learned a couple of names--that's all it really takes to be a "fan," right?
Wrong.
Last summer, I went to a bunch of Texas Rangers games. Aaron and his family love the Rangers; his dad is a real fan. He watches every game, knows every player--past and present--and actually enjoys sitting through nine looooong innings of baseball. Enjoys it.
I'm sure you know where I'm headed with this post, so needless to say, I started liking baseball--and the Rangers. I learned all of the names. I learned what scoring position was. I learned that the National League requires pitchers to bat. And I actually enjoyed learning it. I sat in the good seats where the players' heads were almost life-sized. I decided I could be a real Rangers fan.
In an unlikely turn of events, I found myself in my dorm lobby watching the Rangers kick butt during the American League (West) Division Series (ALDS). Then, the Rangers took on the Yankees in the American League Championship Series (ALCS). Imagine my surprise when they won that sixth game after their terrible start at home! So, the Rangers were in the World Series against the Giants. Did I know their past? No. Did I know how many times they had been in the World Series, or how long it had been since they last went? No.
What I did know was that I didn't want to miss one game--and I didn't. I had updates on my phone; I had Aaron texting me after each batter. I didn't want to miss one second. After they lost ("fear the beard," puhhhlease), I was sad, like every other fan, but I was set: I wanted to trade in my nasty BoSox hat and become a Rangers fan.

When the season started on Friday, I was ready. I had previously bought tickets to the Saturday Opening Night game, and I could NOT wait. Plus, the Rangers were playing none other than the Boston Red Sox. I was ready to trade in my hat.
The Rangers swept the BoSox this weekend, and I enjoyed watching Kinsler lead off with a homerun in the first two games. I didn't get to trade in my hat--I'm hoping they'll do that promo again later in the season--but I'm sure not wearing it again.


That's my story. I'm a fan of the Rangers now, and it's not because they went to the World Series. It's not even because of my boyfriend. It's because I found out what it meant to be a real fan.
Now I am one.

GOOOO RANGERS!!!