On the Fourth Day of Christmas . . .

. . . I got my gameface on and prepared myself to cheer for my local National Basketball Association team, the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s not always easy being a fan, and lately it’s been particularly frustrating. The Pelicans opened this season with a quick 4-0 start, and then the wheels kind of fell off. One of our best players injured a finger, requiring surgery and a couple of months on the bench. He’s still out. Then another starter did something to his ankle, so we haven’t seen him for a while. Meanwhile trade rumors swirl around our franchise player, Anthony Davis. The Pelicans currently find themselves on an 0-5 skid with a record of 15-20 and currently in 14th place.

But here’s the thing about being a fan: You love your team, through the highs and the lows. You support your players and coaching staff. Sometimes that means giving them a little tough love, but it always means remaining loyal . . . and as a Golden Retriever I know a little something about loyalty. So tonight, as my New Orleans Pelicans return to their home court to start a three-game post-Christmas homestand, I’ll be cheering them on and believing that anything is possible. Because that’s what a fan does.