I am a spoiled sports fan. I have had a charmed rooting experience in my lifetime. In 23 years on this earth, I have witnessed the New England Patriots win the Superbowl three times, the Boston Red Sox win the World Series twice, the Celtics hoist their 17^th NBA Championship banner and, most recently, I’ve witnessed the Bruins bring home the Cup.

Most fans aren’t so lucky. Vancouver Canucks fans, for instance, have never seen their team win Lord Stanley’s glory in the modern hockey era. Of the St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles only one team has won the Lombardi trophy one time, and that was back in the year 2000. The Colorado Rockies have never tasted World Series victory. The St. Louis Cardinals have sat empty handed since 2006.

Boston teams have won at an unprecedented rate lately. Boston is the only city ever to have all four of their professional sports teams win their respective championships in a ten year span (’02 Patriots – ’11 Bruins).

Of course, not many cities have the luxury of being 4-sport cities in the first place. Only twelve American cities host pro football, baseball, hockey and basketball. Of those, several are drought-ridden. Miami struggles in an unparalleled way in all four sports. D.C. struggles mightily too. Minnesota’s twin cities haven’t exactly been celebrating sports victories of late, and Phoenix is home to a plethora of expansion-era teams which have maybe not even had a chance at winning 4 distinct championships in a decade’s span.

Today’s sports heyday belongs to Boston. World-class athletes apparently “love that dirty water” right now. But it hasn’t always been that way. As a lifelong Red Sox fan I had a good idea of the 86 year struggle of the team before their historic win in 2004. In becoming a Bruins fan in college I learned of that team’s 39 year heartbreak quickly. I loved the Celtics growing up: yes, those ‘90’s Boston Celtics, the ones without the wins.

I grew up in an environment where the most well-known athletes were given knicknames in a non-affectionate way. Bucky f****ing dent was notorious. Aaron f****ing Boone smashed the Series hopes of Sox fans everywhere. Admittedly New England isn’t too creative with knicknames in defeat.

But while winning we’ve gotten a little creative. There’s Big Papi, The Truth and Nose Faced Killer (Viva La Stool): There’s the Law Firm, YOOOOUUUK and LUUUUUUCH! Bottom line – winning breeds fun, losing causes bitterness. As a sports fan I have experienced both, and right now I want the good times to roll as long as possible.

I don’t care that there are pink hats (excluding their role in rising ticket prices). I don’t care about the resentment coming from other cities. I will forever wear my Boston hats proudly, though it makes it easier and less out of spite when my teams win.

Unfortunately, I’m a realist. The winning teams today will most likely be the losing teams tomorrow. The Sox, B’s, C’s and Pats can’t win forever even though I’d like them to. The good news is that Cleveland might actually see an NBA Championship before LeBron.

There’s always a consolation prize after all.

But for now, I’ll take the championships.