As a Buffalo sports fan, I’ve never really been the type of fan to cheer for one individual. I’ve trained myself to cheer for the front of the jersey rather than the back of it. Trust me, I am all about individuals separating themselves from the pack, but I root for the team first and the individual second. Maybe the Bills being fairly mediocre over the last ten years is a reason for me not being able to make the second step.
Even during the Bills Super Bowl runs in the early 90s, I couldn’t tell you who my favorite player was from those squads. I just liked everyone equally. I guess you couldn’t have one without the other. Maybe when you start growing up, you stop idolizing players.
However, just because you stop idolizing a player, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a rooting interest for him. There’s just something about Ryan Fitzpatrick. You know what? Call it a bromance. He’s just an easy guy to root for. From the Obi-Wan Kenobi beard to his smart, thought-out answers to questions, he’s just an easy guy to root for. Everything the guy does just reeks of leadership intangibles. When Christian Ponder couldn’t get a wide receiver or two to attend a workout, what does Fitzpatrick do? He gets like 30 players to hang out in some park in the Southern Tier. When all the QB talk was reaching its high point during the draft, guys like Stevie Johnson kept backing up Fitzpatrick. Even Jerry Sullivan likes the guy.
Again, it’s a bromance.
I think what I find to be enlightening about Fitzpatrick is how most fans aren’t giving him any chance to become a franchise QB. None. Zip. Ziltch. Everyone knows we all live in a sports world where we judge athletes and teams as quickly as possible (Who? Me?), but I can’t do that with Fitzpatrick. Why? Because I feel bad doing it. He’s just too good of a guy. Now, I’ll still do it if he falters, but I really want the guy to succeed.
He doesn’t have maintenace issues. He doesn’t seem like an a$$hole. Whenever you read his interviews, there’s just an honesty about him. You know what it is? A part of me thinks that Fitzpatrick knows he’s a bridge-gap to the next guy. It’s as if he knows he’s lucky to have a starting job. Call me crazy, but if Fitzpatrick started for the Jets, I think they are still in the AFC Championship game.
Even though the names of Jim Kelly’s heirs apparent have been disastrous, the one thing they all have in common besides being terrible and failing, is how a number of fans thought they would eventually be the guy. Yes, there were a number of Todd Collins fans out there. But no one is even entertaining the thought of Fitzpatrick being the guy. I think that is the root of me wanting Fitzpatrick to succeed. Fans like him, but they just think of him as the rebound to your ex-fiance who just dumped you. I guess #14 will keep you company until you find the next love of your life.
I still think there’s hope for Fitzpatrick to succeed. Maybe we can make the rebound girlfriend into housewife material. I’ve talked ad nauseum about how Fitzpatrick has only started a little more than two seasons worth of games in his career and how he’s gotten better over that time. Twenty-three touchdown passes in fourteen starts aren’t too shabby. If Fitz was a first round pick and wasn’t from Harvard, fans would be smitten with his progress thus far. Hell, we all went nuts after Losman’s second year, when he passed for nineteen touchdowns in 2006. We aren’t coming anywhere close to that sort of hoopla with Fitz.
What makes Fitzpatrick so easy to root for is how no one saw him coming. I think the element of surprise with a player or a team will always put them ahead of the curve in fan admiration. This is a bit of a stretch, but when the Sabres came out of nowhere in 05/06, the surprise element was a part of the appeal. Obviously, Fitzpatrick has a long way to go by comparison. You know, getting to the playoffs would be nice.
It’s just the old underdog story which has me rooting for Fitzpatrick. You couldn’t ask for a better personality or background story for someone to root for. Even with the underdog story, there are just so many insults we can throw at this guy:
- Harvard guy becomes a franchise QB? Please.
- Dude who passed for less than 100 yards in Toronto against the Jets? Come on.
- Root for a QB who has the worst last name imaginable? No way!
How great would it be if he proved us wrong? Do I think Fitz can do it? Ehhhhhhhhhhh…I don’t want to root against him, but I am doubtful. However, I’ll be rooting for him to became the franchise QB, not just because the Bills need a QB, but because I want Fitzpatrick to do it for himself.
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