What perplexes me most is: Why is it that pro football is so important to so many people despite the fact that the outcome of any given football match (like all other sports) has absolutely no impact on the day to day lives of its fans? I think it\'s a bit like this; I used to like playing football and enjoyed doing well. Eventually (quite soon actually) , I ran up against my limitation and could go no further. At that point, I became more concerned with supporting a team - that is to say, I paid for other people, more talented than I, to play on my behalf, much as medieval persons of substances would pay someone else to go on pilgrimage on their behalf. So what it happening is that the players I sponsor by my support are the embodiment of my own fantasies and because I hold a tiny stake in them, I am able to believe that they are doing it all for me. Vedat Şafak YAMI was born in Istanbul, Turkey. He completed his PHD in the field of History of Religions in 2008. He is currently working as an academician at a Turkish university. He believes in Democratic and humanitarian values as principle. Among his hobbies are outdoor sports and classic cars.