Everyone's a sports fan. Ignoring the massive generalisation I've just made, there's something about it that's true.

Go out into the street and make a quick survey and a large percentage of people will declare themselves avid sport fans. Most of us - certainly anyone who has got to read these lines - have a favourite sport, team or player. Others who do not religiously follow one defined entity glue themselves to the screen for specific events, be it the Olympics, world-class events or games of national importance.

Glued to the screen… this brings me to one of the most common sports-fan ‘qualities’ I've noticed. Whether watching Michael Schumacher pulling huge side-G's fighting for his last title, cheering West Ham on against Arsenal in their London derby or going the neighbourhood pub to share the experience of Maccabi Tel-Aviv playing in the Euro League basketball finals - we always know better than those playing the game!
"Why didn't he pass?", "Get that player off the field!", "Stinking referee!", "Is he just BLIND!" are phrases you must have heard in abundance, even if you have yelled them yourself.

Most sports fans find just about any justification for correcting, blaming and praising our favourite athletes – admiration, passion, loyalty and legacy. On most occasions, there's just one tiny little ingredient missing – knowledge. But, then, knowledge takes experience.

While viewing many sports events (partially because I belong to the Sportingo staff), I never felt bold enough to present myself as having the tools, capability or experience to make better decisions than the people on the field. I have my own sanctuary for that. Our local scene in Israel is tiny compared to the rest of the world. Technical mountain biking is still growing rapidly, and only starting to get noticed in the local media. Our champions are still no match for world-class competitors, but it's what we've got and it's what I can do.

Participating in the Last 4-cross (aka 4X) contest at Tzubike bike park near Jerusalem three weeks ago threw me straight into action. 4X contests (similar to Boarder-X on snowboards, an official Olympic sport) are very simple in principle. Four riders race together down a relatively short track - 500 metres for the one I practised and raced on. Advancing through stages is based on the elimination method, the two leading riders advance while the other two join the crowd for the rest of the day.

The track is a dirt track, specifically built for the event, including banked, turned, big dirt jumps and a four-foot drop. It's basically a very crowded sprint with some technical elements along the way. Feeling the tension as I wait for the gate to open, seeing contestants in front of me and occasionally hearing their tyres and gear shifts behind me, presented a new meaning to me for being a sport fan.

Watching the mountain-bike downhill world championship and 4X championship from New Zealand a couple of months ago, I had no special sentiments for any of the contestants. I couldn't care less who won or even made it to the podium positions. I could, however, appreciate the talent, skill and guts these guys have. I had a better understanding of the technical abilities each part of the track required them to have, I was able to scale the speed they reach on rough terrain and compare it to my own humble ability. I couldn't let go of the thought that these world-class talents and I had so much in common while they were, of course, also light years ahead of me.

Without any loyalty, without any legacy, without knowing the history of the contestants, how much they're getting paid and who they're sleeping with, I had the highest appreciation possible of their pure effort and skill. That's what being a sport fan should be about before anything else.

So next time you're coaching football, basketball, hockey or motor sports from your couch and TV dinner, give it some thought. I'm far from being a professional athlete - I simply consider myself a sports fan. If you're one as well, come out and play!

Special thanks to Lior Dayan for the photos