Die-Hard Fence Sitter

So I spoke to a guy the other day who told me he used to be a die-hard BYU fan, but now he's a die-hard Utah fan. I'm sorry, you used to be a die-hard BYU fan? Then why aren't you dead?

I hear this phrase all the time now and I don't understand what it's supposed to mean, especially if you change to a different team when the weather seems good. I'm pretty sure this guy was "die-hard" BYU in the glory days, pulled the switcharoo sometime circa 2004 (BYU's low point, the U's peak) and now can't switch back, realizing that fence-sitting is not an option for a true sports fan.

How could it be any different? There are few exceptions for changing your team. First, you pretty much have to pick your team, especially college teams, by the time you're roughly 14 or 15, so switching in your mid-twenties is unacceptable. You can keep your home teams if you moved from some other city to where you live now, and you can adopt a team if it comes to your home town. For example, if Salt Lake City ever gets an NFL or MLB team, I'll adopt them as my favorite team for that sport.

What are the classifications for a "die-hard" anyway? I don't consider myself a "die-hard" for BYU or the Jazz and I've never wavered in my support for either. Does it mean you still like them even when they lose? You have to follow them year-round, endlessly speculating on recruits, free agents, and other moves for the upcoming season? Do you have to buy a lot of their apparel? Are you going to be buried in their gear?

My take (and I don't know how this guy announced his change in loyalty) is that you have at maximum one opportunity in life to make a major "die-hard" fandom change, so you better be sure it's what you want to do because there is no going back. And if you make such change it better be very public for all friends and family to know.

I can think of one change that impressed me (even though it was a change to the wrong side). My uncle Dave is true blue BYU, in truth the reason that I'm such a BYU fan as I never knew of my own father's love for the hated U. Ironically, his sons are both U fans. I don't know which year it was, but Dave took his son Brad to the BYU-Utah game in Provo. Brad chilled in the stands until the 4th quarter when it looked solid that the U was goind to win, and pulled off his outer shirt to reveal a red Utah shirt underneath, thereby announcing his loyalty change loud and proud. Uncle Dave's words for him, "I will never buy you a ticket to a football game again!" Again, terrible decision to switch to the U, but at least it was cut and dry for all to see.

I won't be so nice to my son. If he ever pulls a stunt like that on me, I'll have his name legally changed to Benedict.