I’ve talked about this concept for a long time, but I recently came up with a name/definition for it and thought I’d share. Let me know if you agree with my premise.

Theory of Fanhood Relativity: If you have a rooting interest in multiple teams who are playing each other, it’s okay to cheer for the one you like less, if the game has more significant implications for that team.

Example: I grew up in South Carolina, so the Gamecocks are one of my all-time favorite teams. However, I have always liked Ole Miss to a lesser extent for various reasons. Because the Rebels were a legitimate national title contender early in 2009, I cheered for them to beat the Gamecocks in a game I attended in Williams-Brice Stadium.