WHEN the Azkals broke into national consciousness in 2010 and earned new sets of fans, there was a curious phenomenon never noticed in the sport before; fans who worshipped the team and the players and would lash out at the slightest perceived criticism.

It wasn’t just the new fans, there were those who’ve followed the sport for a long time who become sort of overprotective of the team. Eventually, though, they’ve learned to accept criticisms and realize that some are good for the team.

That wasn’t new in Philippine sports. I remember when the suffix “tard” was attached to define a set of fans whose admiration bordered on fanaticism: the Pactards. It started back when Manny Pacquiao was preparing for his rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez and majority of the Pacquiao fans--who were treated to his masterful demolition of Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera--thought that all Manny needed to do was show up for his fight and he’d win.

Of course, we all know what happened. Because of that, some of the more knowldgeable boxing fans started to dissociate themselves from Pinoy fans who simply worship that Pacman in the ring, a number that has grown less in years.

Why am I saying this?

Because in an age when it seems criticisms are stifled and anyone who says otherwise is deemed an anti, one who isn’t interested in progress, let’s look to sports to know that that isn’t the case.

Each of us has our own favorite team or player, but whenever we see something wrong, or something we don’t like, whether it’s an obvious dive or a stupid play like Gilas Pilipinas shooting at its own basket, we voice out our dislike.

It doesn’t mean we want the team to fail. It doesn’t make us haters of the team. It simply means we are concerned about the team’s actions.

Do you know what happens when everyone, including the media, are all praises about one guy and couldn’t see anything wrong? When all they wrote about was whether it would be a left or a right that would stop Marquez? Whether the knockout would come early and would come late?

We let ourselves believe that was the case and we convinced ourselves that was the only scenario that was going to happen. Well, they forgot about the other guy.

So, don’t close yourself to critics and criticisms.