What do you base your love of your favorite team on?

[Guest Vitamin X]

This was a bit of a discussion that popped up with some friends and I at work, and I was thinking about this recently. I suppose the reason why is because of a couple things.. I'm moving to Portland (Oregon) soon, and, being that I love basketball, it'd be difficult being a Laker fan in Blazer country, especially when their fans are so raibd about their team. But then, I got to thinking, yeah, you know.. I grew up with the Lakers.. growing up in L.A., but this wasn't the team I grew up with or even the one I left when I came to Miami in 2003-2004. All that's left is Kobe. And, I've been away from there and cut my ties with a lot of things save for some family and friends that it's not necessarily like home anymore, so that made me wonder something..

 

What do people, in general, like about their favorite team, that makes them their favorite? I didn't start really watching basketball until 1997 or so, despite the fact I had gone to Laker games when I was younger. I also attended Dodger games, but that didn't make me so much of a Dodger fan. I only got into basketball a lot more during the threepeat (along with everyone else in L.A.) as I had been bored by the Eastern Conference's dominance in the mid and late 90's. So, I basically liked the Lakers because they were the hometown team (fuck the Clippers) and I liked Kobe Bryant, so I felt that was good enough and I stuck with them.

 

With the Packers, that was more picking a team I just liked out of all that I saw. I got into football in 1994 or so, and the Rams sucked at the time and I didn't like Raider fans or the team, so I basically watched all of them and liked the Packers the best and have stuck with them ever since. Don't ever see that letting go, and I've never even been to Wisconsin, hell I've never been anywhere in the midwest, really. I just like the team and their tradition, and their players.

 

So, I guess my question also is when does it become "acceptable" to "switch" favorites? To some it's not really at all acceptable, but I guess it depends on your loyalty also. Like, since I'm not all that into baseball, I can go along with saying I support the Marlins and the Dodgers and even the Rockies (I love the high scoring games at Coors Field). But, since I'm a pretty adamant Packer fan, it'd be kind of weird to say all of a sudden that I'm a, let's say, Panthers fan. That's just my opinion. So what is it that makes you guys love your teams?

[Red Baron 0]

I've always been a Montreal Canadiens fan since I was a toddler. Growing up with my dad, who is also a Canadiens fan, raised me as a Canadiens fan. I grew to hate Toronto and Buffalo, and in recent so, Boston. My hometown is full of Leaf fans, and Sabres fans, but to find any Habs fan is a rare site indeed. One thing that I love about Montreal is the history. They are the most historic team in all of North America, and had have a tradition that is unparrel to almost any other team. You look at the Rafters, and you see players like Howie Morenz, Maurice Richard, Jacques Plante, Guy Lafleur, and even in their dressing room, the border is the list of all the captains and their faces, the 24 Stanley Cup Banners. There's more history assosiated with the Montreal Canadiens than the New York Yankees.

 

For Baseball, I do like the Redsox, and don't like the Yankees. Consider me a bandwagoner, but I've never really liked any team in baseball. I'll go to the Jays and watch them play, and get excited if they win, but I'm not upset if they lose. I can watch baseball between two teams and enjoy the sport greatly.

 

Football, I've was Bills fan up until the mid 90's (or Flutie-Mania) but within the last five years, I've been with the Seahawks. Again, Everyone here is either a Bills, Steelers (and a lot of them are poseurs after they won the Superbowl) Packers, Broncos and Dolphins fans. Even though there is no history behind the team, I've always found them to be exciting, whether they win or lose.

[Red Baron 0]

Switching teams. I mean its acceptable when your a kid, because thats what is going to happen. The only two suggestions is your team is moved, or you get a new team in town, and want to support the team. You shouldn't switch teams just because you moved somewhere.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Moving is an acceptable reason to switch teams, provided you're adopting your new hometown team.

[Damaramu 0]

Yeah but what if you move from like Philly to New York? Then it's not acceptable to take on the new team correct?

 

What about my NBA situation? I'm love the Celtics and I want to see them win more titles. But now that the Hornets are in town I find myself rooting for them to do well despite the fact that I wouldn't if they went back to NO and I can't picture myself wearing any NO gear but my Tony Allen jersey is a frequent article of clothing.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

For me, it's strictly geography.

 

Also, The Superbowl Shuffle is one of my earliest memories formed in childhood.

[Guest Vitamin X]

What about my NBA situation? I'm love the Celtics and I want to see them win more titles. But now that the Hornets are in town I find myself rooting for them to do well despite the fact that I wouldn't if they went back to NO and I can't picture myself wearing any NO gear but my Tony Allen jersey is a frequent article of clothing.

 

In your situation Dama, I'd probably support whatever team OK City got, considering it'd be it's only pro team. Which is also kind of my conflict with Portland, considering the Blazers are the only team they've got. Although, if they get a baseball team, I'd be more than happy to adopt them. It's a little more difficult switching to a division rival, especially one who's future is a bit murky and who's past isn't all that exciting (especially compared to your current team).

 

And I don't think Matt Youngin' it (in the case of liking both the Cubs and the White Sox on the basis that he moved from one area of Illinois to the other) is an option.

[Fökai 0]

--Braves because of the national exposure.

 

--Bulls because of Michael Jordan from 1988 on.

 

--49ers because I'm from Hawai'i.

 

The one team I see myself quickly drifting apart from are the Braves. I've always followed the Giants and Angels with the same fervor that I did the Braves, again because of geography, and with the TBS deal falling apart, I don't see how they're going to be too accesible to me. The other two teams will be featured on FSN every night, while after Chipper and Smoltz' retirement, I'll have no reason to ever watch a game of the Braves again.

[the max 0]

Geography for me. I grew up supporting just about every Boston area team, even the Celtics (I hate basketball).

 

Once we moved to Florida, I took an interest in the Marlins, D+Rays, Lightning and Panthers. I follow them as a passing interest rather than a diehard.

 

As far as other hockey teams, I liked Ottawa because I liked some of their players. I still like some of their players, but I don't like the way they handled the Chiarelli situation and now hate the team. I don't like the Bruins' rivals (Rags, Habs, Leafs) either. Other than that, I like just about every team. But I only want the Bruins to win. Probably doesn't make any sense.

 

 

And Bill Simmons made a good point a few years ago when he said that the only reason to change allegiance was because you were moving to a new part of the country (California to New York) or if the team does something so unforgivable (moving the team, trading a generational talent) that it forces you to another team.

[the pinjockey 0]

Yeah but what if you move from like Philly to New York? Then it's not acceptable to take on the new team correct?

 

 

For that extreme of example, I think that would depend on when the move is. If you are still young enough to not be totally invested then switching is ok. Adults, suck it up and keep your pride.

 

For me it was location. South jersey is an adopted philly area. For older fans who picked up teams when the Raiders and Cowboys were on as much as the Eagles I can buy picking up one of them. Weak arguement can be made for the Giants, since they are in NJ. But as long as they call themselves NY, they shouldn't get NJ credit.

 

IMO, there are only a couple reasons to switch.

- Moving

 

- Continued upper level managerial incompetance (if your team sucks, suck it up. But if the ownership is continually inept or just money hungry, see Braman's post FA Eagles, then you can switch. But if that is the reason, you switch back if the team is sold)

 

- casual fans in non-affiliated locations can switch whenever as long as they don't play the die-hard card

 

*steps off soapbox*

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Switching teams. I mean its acceptable when your a kid, because thats what is going to happen. The only two suggestions is your team is moved, or you get a new team in town, and want to support the team.

 

Agreed.

 

You shouldn't switch teams just because you moved somewhere.

 

I don't agree with this, but personally when I have moved to residences in Sappy Valley and Cincinnati I didn't support any teams in either city.

 

I think another reason to change "favorite" teams is when one of your favorite players moves to that franchise.

 

Teams I liked as a kid.

 

Because I grew up in the area, the Steelers/Pirates/Penguins were automatics.

 

I liked the Blue Jays for a time because of their logo. I liked the Dodgers for a time because of Fernando Valenzuela. I liked the Royals for a time because of George Brett. I liked the Red Sox for a time because of Carlton Fisk.

 

I liked the Pistons for a time because of Bill Laimbeer and because my other friends liked Jordan and the Bulls -- I just had to be different. I liked the Suns for a time because of Kevin Johnson, Tom Chambers and Jeff Hornacek.

 

I liked the Boston Bruins for a time because of Ray Bourque. I liked the Calgary Flames for a time becuase of Al Mcinnis.

 

Teams I like today

 

None. I have players that I like and want to see succeed (Alex Rodriguez, for example), and there are teams whose front-offices I like because of the way they go about doing their business (St. Louis Cardinals), and there are coaching staffs I think do a great job (Bill Cowher and company). When the playoffs come around, I'll pick a team or two that I would like to see win, but I'm not about to go out and buy a team jersey or anything like that. Some examples of this in action: When the Angles won the World Series I was pulling for them (plus the fact I hate the SF Giants). In last year's hockey playoffs I was pulling for the Hurricanes in the East and the Oilers in the West.

[Damaramu 0]

Well if I moved to New York I'd still be an Eagles fan so I understand that one about sucking it up.

Hell i have to suck it up now. Oklahoma might as well be Dallas as far as Cowboys fans go.

[JHawk 0]

For the most part it's geography based, as the Cleveland teams are all my favorites. Except for hockey, where I became a Blackhawks fan for no indiscernable reason.

 

I do like other teams based on various reasons. The Cubs because they used to come on right when I got home from school. The Chiefs because I was pissed Marty Schottenheimer got run out of Cleveland by Art Modell and they snatched him up. Stuff like that.

[naiwf 0]

I was born and raised in NYC.

 

I chose the Mets because I used to go to a lot of Yankees games as a kid and had a few really bad experiences with drunken patrons. I also liked Doc & Strawberry, while no one on the Yankees really caught my attention.

 

LT was the first football player I really took to, making my choice to pick the Giants over the Jets an easy one.

 

The Rangers are the only truly local hockey team since I can't root for a team from LI or NJ.

 

I think if you move, or your team does, then it's cool to switch teams. Bandwagon fans however should be executed.

[Guest Felonies!]

Geography and family. I took up an interest in the Senators for a while because I wanted to see them win it all in spite of the bankruptcy woes, but my heart was never really in it and I kinda stopped caring about hockey after the lockout and the realization that the Blackhawks will never do anything again.

[Guest Princess Leena]

In the big time sports, teams are hardly teams anymore with players changing constantly, so it's hard to get behind anyone. That's why I'm more into individual sports these days.

[Smartly Pretty 0]

Geography and history (or lack thereof). I'm from Jersey, so I like the Mets and the Rangers, but I'm also a Texans and Bobcats fan, cause they're expansion teams, and I like rooting for expansion teams.

[Brett Favre 0]

Pretty much geographical for me, but maybe a little reason for each..the Yankees because Paul O'Neill is my favorite player of all time, the Knicks because I really liked John Starks, and the Jets because I liked Keyshawn Johnson.

[the max 0]

In the big time sports, teams are hardly teams anymore with players changing constantly, so it's hard to get behind anyone. That's why I'm more into individual sports these days.

 

It's still a team if you're rooting for the team and not the name on the back.

[bob_barron 0]

I became a Braves fan because of the TBS thing. I used to watch TBS all the time b/c of WCW, the cartoons and the Andy Griffith show, so I adopted the baseball team as well before I even knew they were good. Even with them leaving TBS, I'll still be a diehard fan.

 

With the Nets, I grew up a diehard Knicks fan with a casual interest in the Nets, but when the Knicks traded Patrick Ewing, that team became dead to me, and I officially switched to the Nets.

 

because I really liked John Starks

 

I've gotten into so many Starks arguments over the years. I hate him. Even moreso then I hate Zo.

 

I was raised a Saints fan. I have casual interests in the Giants and Jets from growing up in NY. If the Saints ever move, I'd probably become a Giants fan.

 

And with hockey- I just am a fan of the Leafs and Canucks. Can't really explain it, I just love both teams. If I really had to pick one, it'd probably be the Leafs from living in TO for the last few years

[Brett Favre 0]

Even more than Zo? I hate Zo. Starks played with crazy ass heart, and seeing how everyone liked Ewing, I just liked his sidekick more I guess.

[bob_barron 0]

I always hated Starks, and my hate intensified after the 94 Finals. Plus, everyone at my school seemed to be in love with him and I didn't get it- I mean 2-19!

[Brett Favre 0]

Yeah I know, but thats one game. I know it was the most important game of the year, but he always busted his ass. Thats where most of the love comes from. Well that and hitting a bunch of 3s...and fighting with Reggie, and dunking on Jordan. The guy did it all.

[Guest wildpegasus]

In the big time sports, teams are hardly teams anymore with players changing constantly, so it's hard to get behind anyone. That's why I'm more into individual sports these days.

 

This is true for me as well. It's one of the reasons why I'm such a big wrestling fan and I'm no longer a team sport fan.

 

I'm a Maple Leafs fan. Of course it was hard not to be a hockey fan in Canada back in the day with Hockey Night in Canada and all that. Hockey was bigger back when I was younger than what it is now. I have been a Leafs fan ever since I was about 3 or 4 yrs old. The reason why I became a Leafs fan was because I always liked to cheer for a fighting underdog. And back than the Leafs were definitely underdogs. I also was a stubborn kid and would never change my loyalty.

The Leafs eventually became a stronger team in the 90s (giving us some fantastic playoff moments) and I became a fan of several of the players. There were several intriguing players and personalities on the team. I was a humongous fan at that time but eventually when players started moving and my favourites got shifted around I lost interest. I severely doubt that interest will ever come back come again for me to actually follow a team sport again.

 

Maybe they should go back to having six teams again (or a few more) with players sticking to a team. That will create more passion for team sports.

[the max 0]

In the big time sports, teams are hardly teams anymore with players changing constantly, so it's hard to get behind anyone. That's why I'm more into individual sports these days.

Maybe they should go back to having six teams again (or a few more) with players sticking to a team. That will create more passion for team sports.

 

That newfound passion won't last long when the league goes bankrupt.

[Brett Favre 0]

If players were regulated to being on one team forever, we'd have a worse case of the same winner every single year.

[Guest wildpegasus]

In the big time sports, teams are hardly teams anymore with players changing constantly, so it's hard to get behind anyone. That's why I'm more into individual sports these days.

Maybe they should go back to having six teams again (or a few more) with players sticking to a team. That will create more passion for team sports.

 

That newfound passion won't last long when the league goes bankrupt.

 

Eh, we're not talking about bankruptcy. We're just talking about what will make the game more fun to watch. What will make the fans who do follow it and the players themselves more passionate. Myself, I wish the NHL would go back to a lot less teams.

[Guest wildpegasus]

If players were regulated to being on one team forever, we'd have a worse case of the same winner every single year.

 

Players wouldn't have to be on one team forever. However, the frequency of players moving would have to be a lot, lot less. Players moving around all the time just ruins the enjoyment of team sports.

[CanadianChris 0]

Baseball - Blue Jays (and the Expos when they were here). That was geography.

 

Football - Broncos. Elway was my favourite player growing up, so I cheered for Denver.

 

Basketball - Lakers. Same as the Broncos -- Magic was my favourite.

 

Hockey - I used to be a huge Leafs fan, thanks to my grandfather and his entire family growing up as Leaf fans. Losing to the Kings in 1993 was one of my lowest moments as a sports fan. I moved to Ottawa in 1996, but even that wasn't enough for me to completely embrace the Senators...it took Pat Quinn being hired a year later before I turned my back on the Leafs completely in disgust. I hate Pat Quinn.

[CanadianChris 0]

In the big time sports, teams are hardly teams anymore with players changing constantly, so it's hard to get behind anyone. That's why I'm more into individual sports these days.

Maybe they should go back to having six teams again (or a few more) with players sticking to a team. That will create more passion for team sports.

 

That newfound passion won't last long when the league goes bankrupt.

 

Eh, we're not talking about bankruptcy. We're just talking about what will make the game more fun to watch. What will make the fans who do follow it and the players themselves more passionate. Myself, I wish the NHL would go back to a lot less teams.

A six team league would never survive in the current economic climate for sports. Neither would a league without free agency. That's just the way it is.