Sam Fisher: Kiwi sports fans can ditch their bad-weather gear

Jonah Lomu wants fans to get behind the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Opinion

The game has changed. Large, sad puppy dog eyes, the desperate appeal.

We've all seen it on our TVs, and we can't miss the ads beamed to us several times a day. The message is clear: we need your help, please put your hand in your pocket.

But we can't support all these calls to buy tickets and merchandise.

Yes, while the sombre face of Jonah Lomu tugs at our heart strings, the rules have changed.

Finally, there is release for New Zealanders who are secretly scared to support rugby any more because they can't take the pain and disappointment again.

Now you only have to support our national sports teams while we're winning.

This is the sea change in how we support sport.

Perhaps it started with multiple gear failures during the 2003 America's Cup, or perhaps it goes deeper.

Rugby fandom is not what it used to be.

There was a time when people like me were regularly found beaten up in drains for not actively supporting our "national" game.

Increasingly, we dropkicks don't have to worry any more.

My attention was grabbed this week by a new Facebook group, "Fairweather fans of the All Whites".

Here was a group that summed up the new mood. I joined immediately.

It came with an added bonus: with the All Whites, a draw is the same as a win!

That gives us all far more chances to celebrate.

In the same way that we shift washing powder allegiances, like the permissive culture embraced by young women in bars, we are now free to support teams and sports casually - to have one-game stands.

We are empowered. Kiwis can support any team we like that is doing well or just drawing, and stop when it's not.

This month it's been the All Whites.

What is good about fairweather support of the All Whites in the recently discovered real World Cup is that you can temporarily have deeply held beliefs about the team, the World Cup and football itself.

Kiwis are now experts on the leadership achievements of Ryan Nelsen, and on why top teams like Italy and France were eliminated.

We can argue over the annoying vuvuzela horns, the high altitude and the new Adidas ball, which flies randomly like a balloon with the air rushing out of it.

Should the Italian and South American players be given yellow cards or Oscars for their faux falls?

Is the reason Italy got that doubtful second goal and the United States was denied the goal that would have had them beat England because of a conspiracy involving gambling?

Is it football or can we say soccer?

Anyone can be an expert and you'll never be questioned.

And we can support the All Whites and feel good - until their next loss.

Ricki Herbert and the team can have their 15 minutes of being national icons - and then we can move on.

(They themselves will also move on but they'll all go to large and lucrative overseas contracts.)

We can be diehard fans for cricket, yachting, netball and league for a day, a week or a whole week and a day.

Ideally, we now need a new game where not only a draw but a close loss is a win as well.

Perhaps we can even support our team in black at the other World Cup, the one with the odd loyalty adverts featuring kaumatua on our suburban streets and poor Jonah Lomu with his hangdog look asking us to stay loyal.

And when they lose at the quarters or semis - as I think we all suspect they will - then we can move on to lawn bowls or something else without any guilt or even a second thought.