What GOAT conversations reveal about the herd

This July, fans are enjoying a sporting feast.

There is the afterglow of India’s triumph in the World T20, the European Nations Cup, and Copa America in football, and the unique charm of Wimbledon. As the month ends, the Paris Olympics begin. It's undoubtedly a time of heightened excitement and adrenaline for fans.

Interestingly, this period also sees social media buzzing with conversations about the G.O.A.T.s (Greatest of All Time) in various sports. Sometimes, the title spans the entire spectrum of sports, as in the case of an overall GOAT.

Debates rage online about whether Messi is greater than Ronaldo, Djokovic is greater than Nadal and Federer, Usain Bolt is greater than Michael Phelps, Virat Kohli is better than Viv Richards and Sachin Tendulkar, and so on. The comments below such posts can be quite amusing, if not for the vituperation and over-the-top emotions they inevitably stoke.

However, these debates open a window into the human mind, revealing the passions fans feel. When a person is passionate, the constructed veneer of considered judgement, made in the face of peer and societal pressure, often falls apart. What one glimpses is the true person. These debates help one understand the various peculiarities of our thought processes: blind spots we often ignore, mindsets we bring unconsciously, and frailties that make us endearingly human, even if they surface in conversations about GOATs.

First impressions last

There’s an old adage: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” While it's unclear who said it first, it won't be the last time you hear it. This is akin to James Bond fans being biased by the first secret agent they ‘Bonded’ with. For the older generation, it bounced between Connery and Moore. Millennials and Gen Z vacillate between Brosnan and Craig. Likewise, the first hero that a fan has in a sport, the one who decisively pulls them in, will always represent the ultimate for that person.

The current flavour when that fan started watching is often their first love, and their allegiance in this conversation usually lies there. It becomes incredibly difficult to shake off, no matter how subsequent contenders perform. For people who got into cricket in the nineties, it is improbable that the shadow of Sachin will fade. Ries and Trout emphasised the importance of being first in the mind, a principle that applies to other spheres of human interest and thinking as well.

Heroes form layers in mental makeup

To the casual observer, these debates can be puzzling. They might struggle to comprehend why people take things so personally. However, anyone involved in political discourse might not be surprised. Fans snap back when an adverse comment is made against their idol, as if they or someone close to them has been insulted. Seeing one’s hero’s biggest rival being taken down or mocked also elicits a strange kind of ‘emoticonal’ (as opposed to emotional) pleasure.

There is a deeper undercurrent to the fan support behind a star player. That sportsperson represents a part of the fan’s persona, a very important part of their being and identity. This is even more so these days than it was previously. There are scores of social media IDs where people openly claim to be “die-hard fans of MSD,” “part of LeBron’s kingdom,” or “Alcaraz admirers.”

Exhibiting a kind of cultish loyalty most brands can only dream of. That’s why they feel their own credibility is at stake whenever the credentials of their heroes are up for debate. That icon is literally their heroic face to the world, adding a shimmer and sheen to their perceived reflection.

Emotion regularly K.O.s logic

It has long been known that brands are the emotional relationships companies build with their consumers. This implies that people are swayed more by feeling than fact in purchase decisions. This is borne out by the valuations of several big-brand-oriented companies over the years, some even named after fruits.

Yet, in many high-profile boardroom discussions, there inevitably rises an exhortation to “look at things rationally.” This undermines the entire concept of branding. However, if proof was ever needed of how humans think with feeling and exalted emotion, tune in to one of these GOAT skirmishes. One fan puts up statistics proving their player is the best, and the conversation quickly goes downhill.

Detractors use every trick in the playbook to negate that claim, which needn't be strictly logical. Examples include: “The competition was rigged,” “The referees favoured his rival,” “Numbers prove nothing,” or “His girlfriend wore the wrong outfit that day.” Even if the last comment was in jest, one can see the case for numbers fast approaching zero levels. Emotions overwhelm logic in such forums, extending beyond the pitch.

To conclude, much can be learnt about human thinking and behaviour by observing people engaged in their true passions. Their alter-egos are shed, and their primal sides come to the fore. What may start as a harmless interaction about GOATs can quickly unleash raging lions.

(Our guest author, Vinay Kanchan is a brand storyteller, innovation catalyst, and the author of ‘Sportivity’, ‘Lessons from the Playground’ and ‘The Madness Starts at 9’)