Long distance fans unite!

I woke up Monday morning to the news that public enemy number one, Osama bin Laden, had been killed by a group of Navy SEALs. I met this news with rejoice and a feeling of accomplishment. I know personally, bin Laden played a hand in the reasons I joined the Army, which is the primary reason I am now in Washington, D.C. and not Chicago. The men and women of the United States military stepped up on Sept. 11, 2001 and declared that America will not be pushed around. Seemingly overnight, these civilians became servicemembers and dedicated a part of their lives to tracking down this horrible human being.

Some of the best long distance fans I know are serving around the world. They don't bat an eyelash when they have to wake up at odd hours of the night just to watch their hometown team. To them, it's more than a team. Seeing their team halfway across the world reminds them of why they are fighting. Sports can transport a person back to where they came from. It reminds them there are people and things out there that can resume because of the brave duties they perform day in and day out.

Sports have always had a link to the military, and service men and women were some of the first long distance fans. Whether braving the cold in the Battle of the Bulge, or trekking through the jungles of Vietnam, servicemembers have always kept tabs on their favorite teams because it reminded them that, despite their current situation, things will always get better. Sports teams have always made a great effort to recognize the honor and sacrifice of our military men and women. Ironically, the Washington Nationals had a military appreciation night on Monday and teams around the country waved the American flag in a proud fashion. One of the best things I witnessed was footage of the news breaking during the Sunday night baseball game between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. As President Obama announced the death of bin Laden, people in the stands saw on their cell phones the breaking news. Chants of “USA! USA! USA!” began to fill the stadium. As I saw the replays of this on the news, I couldn’t help but think about how proud I was to serve with so many courageous and heroic people while in the Army. This is what made being a long distance fan well worth it.

This blog is dedicated to a good friend of mine who lost his life while serving in the Army while deployed to Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Adam Dickmyer served as a role model and good friend to me and my peers before tragically losing his life to protect our freedoms we enjoy every day.

The secret to enjoying wine and sports

Today I had the opportunity to partake in two of my favorite activities: wine and White Sox. Meg and I went to the Great Grapes Wine festival in Reston, Va. The festival was all you can drink at wine tastings featuring wines from all over Virginia. I was in heaven. Coincidentally, the White Sox were playing that day during the hours we were going to be at the festival. As I started to get ready for the big day, I thought if there was a way I could both enjoy these great wines all while taking in my beloved White Sox. I had several options, all of which surrounded around my iPhone. I knew I could check scores, but I also wanted to listen to the live broadcast. So I packed my headphones and took off to the festival. We met Meg's sister there and her new boyfriend (who of course had no interest in Chicago baseball). When I explained I was going to put in one of my headphones in my ear for a few hours I was met with confusion. I can get the game's radio broadcast on my phone via the MLB At-Bat App and had all intentions of listening to the game.

I talked with my grandpa later that night and explained how I listened to the game on my cell phone. Needless to say, he was flabbergasted. Never in his life did he imagine people could listen to radio broadcasts on a cell phone. He told me most times he would have to wait for the next day's newspaper to find out scores. This made me really appreciate the times we live in. Never before have scores and live broadcasts been more accessible to fans. It's technology like this that make it easier to be a long distance fan.

Dilemma - Surprise party or baseball?

On Saturday I was faced with a situation in which I'm sure many sports fans encounter. Do I watch the rest of my game or attend the surprise party I promised I'd go to? Let me set up the situation...

The White Sox were playing the Baltimore Orioles Saturday and was one of the few chances I get annually to watch my beloved Sox on TV. The problem was, that my wife made plans to invite some friends over for light appetizers before heading to a surprise party for one of our friends. People were coming over at 7:00 p.m., and the game started at 7:00 p.m. Decisions decisions. Well marriage is all about compromise, right? I agreed to prepare the appetizers, so long as I could watch the game. The catch? It had to be on silent. I think that was a fair trade. As our friends began to arrive, I donned my White Sox jersey, put on some music, and the White Sox game. No one was watching the game except for me, and that's fine. I watch for my own personal experiences. It would be enjoyable to watch with other fans, but I'll take what I can get.

Watching games, whether alone or with friends, provides a release for me. I don't have to think about much, just watching the teams I love. Sometimes it takes me back to my childhood, watching games with my dad and I realize those can be the memories I really cherish. It wasn't about the team we were watching, it was about the bond we shared. Being a long distance fan doesn't always allow for me to form that bond with many people, but it makes it all the more special when I do. I found a fellow Chicago fan that lives right down the street. Ironically, he was even from the same town I'm from. There was an immediate bond, and sports serve as the catalyst for our friendship.

I'm sure all long distance fans can relate. It seems as though you could go your whole day without noticing someone walking down the street, but if you bump into someone wearing the same team as you, there is an immediate recognition and a tip of the cap. If you run into them at the bar, there almost is an immediate friendship. Sports serves as more than just entertainment. It can create the glue that can bond a friendship for life.

I love technology!

So in this blog I wanted to discuss some options for long distance fans as far as viewing opportunities or attending games. The hardest part of being a long distance fan is not being able to attend games at your hometown stadium. I'm usually the first person to look at a season schedule to see if my team is coming into my area. If they are, I have no problem spending some of my hard earned money going to the games. If you don't have the time or money to go to games, or if you're in an area where your team won't play, I want to identify some things I've used in the past to help me satisfy my long distance fandom.

1. Cable or satellite sports packages Cost: $80 - $335
Most cable or satellite companies offer some sort of package that will include all out-of-market games. Check your provider for prices, but most will offer monthly payments lasting the season. I used to order the MLB package every year from 2005-2009, but stopped after I couldn't split the bill with a roommate.

Pros: Anytime I'm at home, I could watch my team on TV. I literally felt like I was in Chicago watching games like I used to be. Many of the games were also in high definition, which was better than any TV I used to watch while I lived in Chicago. I could DVR the games and watch them at my leisure too.

Cons: It can get EXPENSIVE. Especially for a 16 game NFL season that costs about $335. This comes out to more than $20 per game, not to mention if you are rooting for a team that is shown on national TV occasionally like the Bears, who played six games televised on national TV last season. If you take away those six games, cost per game is $33.50! My advice: go hit a bar that shows all the games. Here's a list of bars in the D.C. area that will show your NFL team. You may have to deal with unruly fans, but buying a few beers is much cheaper than spending over $30 on one game.

2. Internet video and radio subscriptions Cost: $20-$100
All the major sports leagues offer video or radio online subscriptions. The NFL is the only one that doesn't offer video service, but most of their games are televised nationally anyways. I've subscribed to MLB.TV for three years now and can watch it on my laptop or even my iPhone with the MLB At-Bat app.

Pros: Watch ANYWHERE. Literally. I watched the White Sox play the Detroit Tigers while in the Grand Cayman Islands one year on my laptop. It's much cheaper than the cable or satellite subscriptions.

Cons: Sometimes the connection is bad and a game will be interrupted. Unless you have high-speed internet, it can be hard to watch. Some games are blacked out because FOX owns the rights to Saturday games before 4:00 p.m. EST. Also, you can't DVR the games, so if you miss a game, you're out of luck.

3. Cell phone applications cost: Free-$15
I mentioned the MLB At-Bat app earlier, but there are hundreds of applications out there for smart phones that users can check up on their games and scores. I prefer ESPN ScoreCenter or FOX Sports. Also if you're in the car, plug in the Radio.com app and look for your city's sports stations. I know on Sundays I can tune into Chicago's WBBM News radio 780 to catch the Bears games absolutely free.

Pros: Most of the applications are free. That can be hard to pass up. They are up to the minute, so you're getting the latest news on your team. Since the apps are already on your phone, they can go with you anywhere.

Cons: Most of the apps don't allow for streaming video. The MLB At-Bat app is the only one I use that can stream live video to your cell phone. These apps can also drain battery life on your cell-phone.

Sad Day / Happy Day as a long distance fan

On Tuesday I actually faced a predicament I'm not usually faced with... Bulls were playing in a playoff game, the White Sox were on TV and the Blackhawks were in a game seven situation with Vancouver. How could I possibly watch all these?!?! My solution: go to Grevey's Restaurant and Sports Bar. This was an easy decision because they offer outside seating, a large variety of TVs and food that can be considered better than normal pub food. Tuesday held temperatures in the mid 80s, and sitting outside was a priority. My wife, Meg, isn't as enthusiastic as I am about sports, and less more so about sports from the Windy City, but she is willing to accommodate and let me be the goofy sports fan I really am.

Upon getting to the restaurant, I saw a large variety of fans because of the hockey playoff games that night. Some were Philadelphia Flyers fans, some were Buffalo Sabres fans. Some people had no clue hockey was even still played in late April. I caught up with Lindsay Scott, a lifelong Sabres fan and asked her a few questions about what it's like being a long distance fan.

Long Distance Fan: So Lindsay, you came out to the D.C. area about a year ago, but you moved here from L.A. How are you a Sabres fan?

Lindsay Scott: I actually lived in Buffalo almost my whole life. Everyone loves hockey up there and you just grow up following the Sabres. when I moved to L.A. after college, I still followed them even though we were on different coasts.

LDF: So what about the Buffalo Bills?

LS: Well, personally, I'm not a huge football fan... plus the Bills haven't really had much to cheer about in a long time.

LDF: That's true. So what do you do to still feel connected to the team, even though you're in a different part of the country?

LS: I do have the NHL TV package Center Ice but I also try to go out to some of the sports bars in the area. I feel like I always run into a Sabres fan and we can hit it off and before you know it, we're cheering for the team and becoming fast friends.

LDF: Thanks Lindsay. Good luck to your team.

As the night wore on, I witnessed Lindsay cringe and shriek in horror as her team fell to the Flyers 5-2. I couldn't help but think of my own trials and tribulations as I spent many long hours witnessing the tremendous wins and crushing defeats my teams have endured. The difference here is that the people I can share my triumphs with are few and far between in the D.C. area. My puddle of self-sorrow seems so much larger after a heart wrenching loss when you can't wade in that puddle with a group of fans. This became more painfully apparent as I watched the Bulls advance to the next round of the playoffs, and discovered I was the lone Bulls fan at the bar.

After driving home, I flipped on the White Sox game I had recorded and witnessed them rob the evil New York Yankees of another win. Brent Lillibridge made an amazing catch to end the game, and I was more than ecstatic to watch my home team win as I silently cheered in my livingroom.

Finally, the moment I had been waiting for, the Blackhawks game, finally started. After exchanging a few texts from friends in Chicago, I was set to watch the game. I had my jersey on, popcorn in hand and...no one to watch it with. Meg doesn't care for hockey and apologetically said she would watch the game with me if I wanted. I told her it was fine and to go to bed. That's another frustrating thing about living on the East Coast. All prime-time games start at 8 p.m. In this case, the Blackhawks were in Vancouver and it didn't even start until 10 p.m.

With less than 2 minutes left in the game, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews made a heroic goal to tie the game and further solidifying my man-crush. I jumped up and down and high-fived my imaginary friends, but managed to keep quiet, so as not to disturb my slumbering wife. The Blackhawks lost in overtime and as I turned off the TV in disbelief, a surprising sense of relief came to me. I realized when I actually lived in Chicago I never rooted for the Blackhawks like that. Even though I was alone, I was able to picture thousands of like-minded fans surrounding me in my own living room. I guess what they say is true: distance does make the heart grow fonder.

What the heck is a long distance fan?

Growing up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago during the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, I was privy to some great Chicago sports teams. I witnessed the dynasty of the Chicago Bulls, the up and down seasons of the Chicago Bears and despite living in the Northern Chicago area, I was (and am) an avid White Sox fan. I really didn't follow the Blackhawks until a few years before their storied 2010 Stanley Cup Championship, but now see every score and nearly every highlight. I pretty much live and consume as much about Chicago sports as I can. To be fair, I follow the Cubs, but I let out a devilish smirk anytime they lose and the White Sox win. I'm not quite sure why the rivalry, but most of my friends were Cubs fans, and I always felt like the White Sox were always the underdogs when it came to everything, despite winning the World Series in 2005. There's a weird rivalry there, and if the Cubs ever win a World Series (and I'm confident they won't in my lifetime), I would be insanely jealous and depressed. I'm sure this is how most of my friends felt after the Sox won in 2005 as I paraded around with my 2005 Champions merchandise.

So what is the problem here? Millions of people like Chicago sports! This is true. The problem I face is that I am obsessed with Chicago sports, but I live over 700 miles away from Chicago. I moved to the Washington, D.C. area in 2005 and have lived here, cheered here and have been mostly ignored as a sports fan here. With the latest technologies at my fingertips, hasn't it brought me closer to the game? Sure. But nothing can replace talking sports with just about anyone in the Chicagoland area. You go to the grocery store, you can chat up the cashier about how great Devin Hester is. You go to the bank and before you know it, you're discussing the latest Ozzie Guillen tirade after the game last night. These are the things I miss. How does a person cope with not only the distance between them and their team, but them and fellow fans? I'm setting out to explore these options and figure out what it means to be a long distance fan. Any fan of any team can really take pointers from this blog and hopefully apply them to their own sports obsessions.