It strikes the outsiders as very odd to see sports so revered in our society. Riots breaking out over soccer games, the terrifying roar of a crowd at a high school football game. Utterly foreign. “I could never be that enthusiastic about sports,” said senior Skye Michel.

For students who don’t play or watch sports, it’s difficult to ‘get it.’ “[The fanaticism] is too much. These people get too into something they aren’t even a part of,” said senior Madison Musgrave, citing a tennis match in which a crowd distracted players by cheering loudly when they were supposed to remain silent. At the point where fan enthusiasm interferes with the game or creates conflict, is the craze justified? And why do we as a culture get so into sports?

For one thing, sports is hardly the only area in which obsessive over-enthusiasm can cause trouble. Fanatics–whether in religion, politics, or sports–have a level of obsessive dedication that can easily draw them into conflict. But people can be crazy-obsessed with sports without being “crazy-obsessed” with sports for many reasons. “People associate themselves with the team or hometown, which can create a lot of team spirit,” said junior Shaina Morris. The crowd mentality of cheering on a team together also creates a sense of community among sports fans which many are drawn to. And in our culture, viewing or playing sports is considers the ultimate “male bonding” activity.

So even if non-sports fans still don’t understand the mentality, there are at least justifiable reasons why the public goes gaga over people hitting balls around. But do sports really deserve so much focus in schools? Student opinion certainly varies. Some non-fans see the benefit, “Sports are a good way to build character. That’s important,” said Michel. Yet others are left wondering why athletics get all the big funding. “Yeah I think schools focus too much on sports. Even when teams aren’t doing well, we still spend tons of money on football and pack the stadiums,” said Musgrave. Student athletes’ opinions vary depending on their sport. “I think it [focus on sports] is a good thing. But there needs to be an even focus on all sports,” said Morris, noting a recent jersey replacement for the football team while track was left wanting.

Whether you roll your eyes when you see a game on TV or pull out your favorite foam finger, it’s hard to deny that the great American sports craze isn’t going away anytime soon. In the meantime, outsiders will have to put up with a little sports crazy and try to understand that people will always have their little obsessions (jocks are really just sports nerds). And sports fanatics can maybe try not to go on rampages when their team loses or drain the bank for their sport. As long as jocks and normal people stand each other, society will function.