Rooting for losers and why we can't help it

So why are you wedded to rooting for 'your' team even if their success on the court, field, diamond, ice, et al is far less than stellar?

Steve Almond writes about just that subject, including this line:

"...I mean hard cases like me, who spend decades rooting for teams that almost invariably stomp our hearts..."

There has to be a medical term for such an ailment.