Fandom is a funny old thing. There is an inherent incoherence and illogicalness to it that makes it seem unruly and unfathomable. How can a group of people be so engrained and in love with an organisation or a team or even a player or coach that, for some of them, they have never met or experienced?
Fandom does not rely on logic and sound thinking. It is not sober and safe. It is nonsensical and unreasonable. You cannot explain it away — or sometimes even explain the existence for it. It is passion in its purest form.