SinCityGriz2005
Well-known member
This is my non-researched take on the rivalry:
I don't understand the "support Montana" thing. When I lived in Texas, I never heard a Longhorns fan say "well, Texas isn't in the playoffs, but I am going to root for A&M". That would never happen.
Yet, because it's a "Montana team" people get bent out of shape because there are those of us who don't care about "repping the state" or "support all the Montana boys".
I absolutely do. not. care. about "Repping Montana" or "supporting all of the Montana boys". They chose MSU. I will never support that school or their players. They are my teams century long rivals.
I thought maybe that's an immature view. Maybe I don't have the emotional intelligence I should.
With that in mind I thought, "You should do a little research into what the psychological impacts are for a fan of a sports team to answer your own questions.
So, I did a little research:
I don't understand the "support Montana" thing. When I lived in Texas, I never heard a Longhorns fan say "well, Texas isn't in the playoffs, but I am going to root for A&M". That would never happen.
Yet, because it's a "Montana team" people get bent out of shape because there are those of us who don't care about "repping the state" or "support all the Montana boys".
I absolutely do. not. care. about "Repping Montana" or "supporting all of the Montana boys". They chose MSU. I will never support that school or their players. They are my teams century long rivals.
I thought maybe that's an immature view. Maybe I don't have the emotional intelligence I should.
With that in mind I thought, "You should do a little research into what the psychological impacts are for a fan of a sports team to answer your own questions.
So, I did a little research:
- Rivalries often trigger a primal "us vs. them" dynamic, known in psychology as Social Identity Theory.
- Being part of a group provides self-esteem and a sense of community.
- The rival becomes the "out-group," a target for exclusion and sometimes aggression, which reinforces the perceived superiority of one's own group (yep).
- When a group's identity is challenged by a rival, members often feel a personal threat to their own status or values (I have mentored, tutored and been personally involved wioth several players and their families over twenty five years).
- Victories against a rival trigger massive spikes in dopamine and activate the brain's reward circuits more than wins against other opponents.
- Defeats by a rival can suppress the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), the region responsible for regulating emotion and behavior. This imbalance can lead to impulsive, "flipping" emotional reactions during high-stakes moments (I absolutely experience this).
- Shared history, geographical proximity, and repeated matchups intensify tensions.
- Decades of legendary plays and controversial calls create a collective memory that fans pass down through generations, making every new contest feel like a chapter in an epic story. (Think of all the press and discussion about the "Biggest game in the history of the rivalry".)
- The psychological stakes of a rivalry can increase physiological arousal and push individuals to take more risks than they would in other competitions (Lol Robbie Hauck and a few UC's and PF's).
- When thousands of people cheer or boo together, the collective energy multiplies, making emotions feel more raw and real than they would in isolation (decades of going to Griz games at home and out of state have done this to me).
- Fans are more likely to interpret ambiguous events (like a referee's call) in a way that confirms their bias against the rival, leading to further frustration and passion.
