This — is a very good night. A great night. A night every Ginebra fan should remember. From the right side of the bed they woke up on, down to their own pre-game rituals come game 7 tipoff. On this night, a worn down, yet (always) fighting Ginebra squad effectively withstood a mighty Air21 onslaught. When each Ginebra player finally gets some alone time after all the victory drinks tonight, they should reflect on how they started the season, and watch tonight’s game on tape.

Aside from my obvious and heartfelt congratulations, Ginebra’s win isn’t what this post is about. As a sports fan, it was uncharacteristic of me to not bother looking for tickets to tonight’s game. Aside from the fact that scalpers posing as fans had already started lining up for tickets as soon as the final buzzer sounded for game 6, I had this superstition that every game I went to ended in shambles. Yes, I was more than willing to give up seeing the game live than seeing my team lose.

We all now that losing is the worst feeling in the world. But to lose after pouring your heart and soul into any kind of game and hearing jokes about it right after? Oh man — don’t even come near me. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets miffed at people who pose as fans of the opposing team. I’m sure you’ve had your own encounters with douchebags like these.

As the day progressed however, I found myself dialing away the numbers of people who I thought had even the slightest affiliation with the Philippine Basketball Association.

I even called the halftime dancer I snuck in with during Ginebra’s last Championship in 2004. Because I didn’t have a ticket, I had to make one silly excuse after another every time an usher asked me how I got in. Dancer’s companion — I told them, even motioning towards any crowd on the sidelines that resembled halftime entertainers. They also won a championship that very same day.

Regardless, I’m not ashamed of what I’ve done. The extra effort to secure tickets, or even the chase you embark on just to meet your everyday idols is a big chunk of what makes you a sports fan. It’s experiences like this that separate fans from mere spectators.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done for your team?