Fred Faour: This is what sports is all about

With the return of the Astros, it should remind us what is best about being a fan.

It’s OK to live and die with every game. It’s s OK to buy gear. Watch road games with your friends. Root for your favorite player. Take pictures at Minute Maid Park. Dislike Yankee and Dodger fans. Show them your replica rings on Twitter. Root for Mattress Mack to win his bets and try to get free furniture.

Sports is supposed to be fun. It is supposed to be an escape, a chance to come together and forget about the problems in the world.

During UH’s run, it was watch parties, with fans cheering every shot. The excitement of the big wins. The disappointment of the Miami loss. Because expectations were so high, it was a gut punch. But the team gave us so much joy before that.

These are things we should never lose sight of in the course of a season. If the Astros end in disappointment, it is best to remember the incredible ride along the way. Staying in the moment. Escaping.

Joy.

All of that is OK. If you are a Roughnecks fan, enjoy the party atmosphere at the games, win or lose.

As for the Texans and Rockets, the excitement comes from the offseason right now. Debating who to draft. Hoping the franchises finally make some good calls. Even now, going to a game can be fun, maybe not because of the product on the field, but because of the camaraderie and common ground you can share rooting for the same team. In a world where there is so little of that, sports bind us. And the Astros are the gold standard right now.

And that’s OK. Enjoy the ride.