We got to wondering the other day why people use the word "fan" to describe an avid devotee of a sport, celebrity, etc. Couldn't help visualizing a pharaoh being fanned by his slaves and wondering if there was some kind of connection.
As it turns out, though, "fans" is just a shortened form of "fanatics," which I think is totally amusing. When I hear the word fanatic, religion is the first thing that comes to mind-- but with their ridiculous rituals, costumes, chants, fervent opinions, etc., sports fans are about as "fanatic" as it's possible to be!.
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