why do we follow sports?

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=manny

So, how will this play out? I see Manny leading the Dodgers to the 2008 World Series, breaking their hearts and donning pinstripes next season. He won't feel bad, because he's Manny. The L.A. fans will feel bad. I will feel worse. It will be the single most painful sports transaction of my lifetime. It will make me question why I follow sports at all, why we spend so much time caring about people who don't care about us. I don't want to hear Manny booed at Fenway. I don't want to root against him. I don't want to hold a grudge. I don't want to hear the "Mah-knee! Mah-knee!" chant echoing through the new Stadium. I am not ready for any of it. You love sports most when you're 16, then you love it a little bit less every year. And it happens because of things like this. Like Manny breaking the hearts of everyone in Boston because his agent wanted to get paid, then Manny landing in New York because the Yanks offered the most money.



long article from bill simmons on espn, brings out a great issue at the end ...
why do we care? why do we invest ourselves into a team and players that almost always end up spurning us in the end?

we care because of the joy that comes with seeing our team win ... but there is so much more possibility for being crushed. only one team wins every year, but there is a chance of being crushed by players leaving for more $, the team missing the playoffs, or making the playoffs and crushing us with a tough loss ...