Do the Villa make you happy?

[villa_cads]

The beeb are running an article asking if sport makes you happy. Apparently, research has shown that the amount of dopamine we release is directly related to how much we're expecting an event to occur. There is a quote from Eric Simons (author of The Secret Life of Sports Fans) that resonated with me given out current situation:

"The best way to be as a fan is to have the maximum emotional investment in a team but the least expectation of success, because that's what rules the dopamine release."

This season has been pretty depressing for the most part and it's been difficult to find positivity. But the happiness from the last three games, especially the totally unexpected rout in the first half against Sunderland, has put that to the back of my mind. So does this tally for you, have you been happiest with a win when we're struggling and expectations are low, or when we're doing well and expectations are high?

[Toronto Villa]

Villa make me love everyone in the street one minute and politely smash them all in the head with a brick the next.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

The theory about expectations makes sense. The recent Albion league game was a good example. I wasn't really expecting us to win beforehand. I certainly wasn't after 90 minutes. This must have contributed to the absolute euphoria afterwards (as well as the other, more obvious factors).

[JUAN PABLO]

Last two weeks yes

[Witton Warrior]

Yes - when skies are grey

[rob_bridge]

Definitely still impacts my mood both ways despite being a much more passive fan nowadays. Even more so this season than others as it was utterly dire September through January,

However I have come away from Villa Park v Arsenal in December 2007 & 2008 and v Everton in 2009 with a real buzz even though we didn't win any of those games.

20 years ago it would make or break my weekend / midweek.

[Nelly]

That does hold true for me. When Villa have been dire but then somehow grab an unexpected win in a massive game - there's very little better than that. It's not just the joy of an unexpected win though; I don't know it's like for other clubs but I think there's a smouldering expectation at Villa and when things finally, somehow look like they might go for us, it seems like we might go some way to fulfilling our potential. Hope, I suppose. That's a wonderful feeling. Knowing Villa are motoring again.

[Tom_Mc9?]

Once every three or four months or so yes.

[pooligan]

One thing is for certain as far as i am concerned ,i feel a hell of lot better when we win,than when we lose.For most of the last few seasons i have felt down,the last few weeks have changed all that .i am happy all of a sudden

[Des Little]

I'm very happy right now.  I've got a Semi in fact.

[villa `cross the mersey]

Yes they do but not often enough -

I love the banner in the Holte which reads "Balti, Stella, Villa"

Mine would probaly read :

"Funk, Soul, Villa"

Keep the faith

[oldtimernow]

Currently they are

[peter w]

Can't use Stella as it's not Brummie...should read

Balti, Ansells Bitter, Villa

[not3bad]

Mine would be Balti, Banks's Bitter (or mild), Villa, though I suppose Banks's is a bit Black Country.

[Godfrey Brian]

"The best way to be as a fan is to have the maximum emotional investment in a team but the least expectation of success, because that's what rules the dopamine release."

And that captures the Villa experience perfectly. They give me general background happiness (I'm at my happiest when I'm moaning about something I care about) coupled with the occasional outrageous high. Best example of this -a conversation between me and my mate outside the Feynoord Ground in May '82 before kick-off accepting that, at least we'd see them in a European Cup Final but it was going to be a quiet trip home.Two hours and a couple of gallons of dopamine later and we couldn't stop smiling until Notts County in August!