The Ultimate Sports Fan Taboo List

It takes more than just pride to be a diehard sports fan. It takes some serious responsibility, too.

Much like our favorite teams often preach during years of rebuilding, fans need to stay the course and remain patient, avoiding tempting taboos that make them seem more basic than anything else.

That's why I'm giving you some of the worst things that a sports fan can do—so make sure you avoid these forbidden activities while wearing your team colors.

Don't Wear a Jersey Any Time Outside of a Sporting Event

Andy Marlin/Getty Images

Anytime I see a person wearing a sports jersey, my first thought is that they're one of the lucky ones who are heading to watch a game live at the stadium.

Of course, that's not always the case, though, as people will rock the look anytime they want to, thinking it's just like their favorite T-shirt.

Don't be confused, though, because a jersey should be reserved for sporting events only. Whether that means you've got tickets or are headed to a bar with friends to see your team play, a jersey acts as your team's armour for the day, uniting you with others wearing the same outfit to support the squad.

All other instances should be avoided.

Oh, and under no circumstance should a jersey be tucked in—unless you want to get razzed on by your buddies.

Don't Pretend You're Too Cool to Participate

I don't care who you are, what you make or how old you are, when you're at a sporting event, it's the one time that you're allowed to act a little bit immature.

No, I'm not talking about getting too hammered off of $10 beers and streaking across the playing surface—although that does happen to some—I'm talking about participating in cheering, yelling your lungs out, clapping to get your team going and giving high-fives to those around you.

Sports bring strangers together in a way that nothing else can, so take part in the fun and don't be a bump on a log who thinks they've outgrown what makes a live game great.

Don't Throw Crap onto the Playing Surface

No matter what your age is, you know that bad calls in sports happen.

And while they absolutely suck when they go against your team, there's a proper way and a bogus way to accept them.

The improper way would be to take whatever garbage is nearby and chuck it onto the playing surface, delaying the game, putting people in harm's way and, even worse, potentially getting busted and kicked out—or banned—from the stadium.

I'm all for cursing the ref who missed the call in that moment, but when things end up on the field, it's just an embarrassment for an entire fanbase.

Don't Play the 'What If' Game

Just like bad calls happen in sports, so, too, does bad luck.

And even when luck has no part in the outcome of a sporting event, fans can be heard complaining about what could have happened had this or that gone right.

Look, guys, I can sit here for days and tell you thousands of reasons why I think that my Kentucky Wildcats should have beaten the Wisconsin Badgers in this year's Final Four—especially that shot clock call—but one play doesn't make a game, so just move on and accept a loss as it is.

No one wants to be a bad sport, so stop worrying about what if and realize what did.

Don't Say That You Can Do Any Better

Dave Martin/Associated Press

Let's go ahead and get this straight—just because you've won your fantasy sports league three years in a row doesn't mean that you have what it takes to run or play for a real pro sports team, so let's all stop pretending that we can.

Sure, there are some pathetic displays of athleticism in sports each and every night, with athletes providing hilarious bloopers and teams getting run out of a building because they just couldn't buy a bucket.

And while front office execs are often easy targets for bad draft picks, free-agent signings and trades, they have years of expertise, so they, generally, know what the hell they're doing.

You and I, though? Pre-ranking and drafting players in fantasy isn't exactly comparable experience.

Don't Break Tradition

Much like the aforementioned slide talking about being too cool to cheer, those who ignore tradition in sports should be required to take a test on the associated team, just to make sure that the fan truly does care about them.

Investing into a sports team takes time, energy and passion, relying on the past and present to form a relationship that lasts a lifetime.

When someone forgets about those who planted the seed of tradition before them, it's disrespectful to the entire franchise—along with the group of supporters who understand the importance of these rituals, no matter how ridiculous they might seem.

Don't Cheer for Your Fantasy Team over Your Real One

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

While fantasy sports have given fans a little extra incentive to watch games all day long—even ones between crappy teams—that doesn't always mean that fans know how to handle the responsibility.

No, I'm not referring to setting your fantasy lineup or posting to your league's message board a few times a week to stay engaged, I'm talking about rooting for players on that virtual squad over your real team, looking for points on the computer rather than on the real scoreboard.

Sure, it feels great to own your fantasy matchup every week. It feels a hell of a lot better when the team you grew up watching wins, though, even if that means limiting your star quarterback in fantasy to minimal points.

Your heart should be with your real team, always.

Don't Be Overconfident

Image via Screengrab

It's one thing to boast on Twitter or Facebook about how your favorite team is going to win a big game. It's a whole different beast when you take that confidence and do something like, say, get a tattoo on your leg about a team that had yet to win a national championship.

As sports fans, we all want to think that we know how games are going to unfold—especially when those contests include our favorite teams.

Unfortunately, even the surest bet sometimes doesn't pay out, so being overconfident that something will happen will only result in heartbreak if it doesn't—and, in this guy's case, something to permanently remind him why fans shouldn't jump to conclusions too soon.

Don't Bash Athletes on Twitter

Sam Forencich/Getty Images

Just because an athlete gets paid a lot of money to play a sport doesn't mean that they aren't witty when it comes to social media.

In fact, a few players have proven that it's the exact opposite, responding to haters in a way that completely punks out anyone who goes after them.

Internet trolls are known for hiding behind their keyboards and laying into a player or team just to see if they can get a reaction. When the ridiculed player or team actually does reply, the troll usually ends up on the losing end, so it's best to just avoid the situation altogether.

Don't Be the Guy Who Thinks He Knows It All

We all have that buddy who thinks that he or she spends just a little bit more time researching stats during their day, making sure they're the king/queen of sports knowledge.

The problem with that friend, though? Well, they're just a little bit annoying, constantly coming off as condescending anytime anyone says anything about sports.

We get it, dude, we might have forgotten about some crazy sports fact, but that doesn't mean you have to call us out each time we mess something up.

It's not that they're not trying to be helpful, it's that their tone makes it appear as if they're that teacher in middle school who feels like they need to correct you for the dumbest little detail—get over yourself.

Never Steal a Souvenir from a Kid

It's true that every sports fan wants something to remember a game with.

Unfortunately, as much as my 30-year-old ass wants to appear on SportsCenter for making a barehanded snag of a foul ball, the kid sitting in front of me wishes that he could keep the ball that just caused my hands to swell up.

For that reason, don't be the jerk who pockets that ball and leaves the youngster crying for getting so close to a souvenir—unless you want to have that on your conscience for the rest of that game.

Don't Give Up on Your Team

In this particular instance, some may think that New York Knicks fans chanting, "Tom Hanks" over and over is more than appropriate.

The team has been struggling all season long, with its roster made up of a bunch of D-League players because of the mounting injuries.

Still, seeing one of the proudest NBA franchises' fans do this—in their home arena, no less—is straight-up embarrassing, with the entire league seeing why expectations in the Big Apple are unrealistic.

No fans wants to endure a season like the Knicks are producing, but those who stick it out are the true supporters and should be rewarded for understanding what it takes to be a bona fide, loyal sports fan.

Don't Jump on the Bandwagon

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

It's bad to give up on your team, refusing to watch games until things get better, but it's a hell of a lot worse to give up and then find another franchise to replace it with.

Like, seriously, it's about the worst thing a sports fan can do.

As I mentioned earlier, being a sports fan takes patience and responsibility, with one of the duties being sticking with a team through thick and thin.

There's nothing worse than someone who jumps onto the bandwagon of a team that's the current trend, unwilling to deal with the adversity that it takes to win a championship. 

It sure can be tough sitting through all of the heartbreak and sour moments, but always stay true and never give up on your squad—no matter how tempting or necessary you think it might be.

Don't Fight Other Fans

All too often, we've seen what happens when you take stubborn sports fans and mix opinions with lots of alcohol—and it's not pretty.

Throwing crap onto the playing surface is a bad look and reason to be escorted out of a game, but fighting with another person because they have a different team's jersey on is just ridiculous, making anyone involved just seem, well, trashy.

Rise above the heckling and remember that no matter how hard you cheer or think that you actually affect a game's outcome, you can't, so play nice with one another and enjoy sports.

Don't Ever Leave a Game Early

We all remember the nation's reaction upon seeing fans of the Miami Heat literally walk out on their team during Game 6 of the NBA Finals when the Heat were all but destined to lose to the San Antonio Spurs and end their season.

All of a sudden, though, the Heat staged a miraculous comeback, making those fans regret the decision to take to the exits, hoping they could get back in to watch what unfolded—which was an epic overtime game that, eventually, led the Heat to a title in Game 7.

Mixing in a lot of these taboo things like giving up on their team, displaying bandwagon tendencies, probably bashing athletes on Twitter and, who knows, maybe even fighting, Heat fans were the perfect example of what to never do if you want to be taken seriously as a sports fan.

No matter if it's a regular-season blowout or a disheartening championship loss, you signed up to be at the game until the end, no excuses.