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

[Guest Felonies!]

wildpegasus's heart is in the right place, in that there are too many hockey teams in cities where it doesn't work, but eliminating the Philadelphia Flyers and everyone who came in after them doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense. If you're going to make a hopeless hockey realignment post, you're supposed to say "bring back the Whalers."

[CanadianChris 0]

He's Canadian, so he's supposed to say "bring back the Jets."

[Guest Felonies!]

True. Nordiques too, to complete the WHA troika.

[tominator89 0]

It's definitely geography for me. As a kid, I'd watch whatever local TV networks would air. I became fans of the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, 76ers, Penn State, etc.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Geography for me (Phillies/Flyers/76ers), except I stray when it comes to football. I started out as an Eagles fan, but the post-Super Bowl Marion Campbell era was nothing to write home about. SB XIX rolled around, and everyone in the schoolyard was picking sides between the 49ers & Dolphins. I picked the Dolphins, and stuck with them ever since.

 

I picked the Miami Hurricanes since I already was rooting for the Dolphins, and Penn State since I attended & graduated from there.

[MFer 0]

NFL-Lions, Raiders, Seahawks, Falcons, Bucs, Jags

 

NBA-Pistons, Magic, Rockets, Jazz

 

NHL-Red Wings, Sharks, Kings, Oilers, Ducks

 

MLB-Tigers, Red Sox, Mariners, Astros

 

These are pretty much the teams I have always loved. There are several other teams who I loved before and don't now and vice-versa. Since I'm from Michigan, the Detroit teams have always and forever will be my favorites. With me I kind of have this funny thing about hating teams that have been on top for extended periods of time(unless they're from Detroit). That's why I hated some teams like the Lakers and Bulls and now they're two of my favorite NBA teams. I've loved these teams for all different types of reasons, whether it be the uniforms, the venue they play in, certain players, or the way they played.

[CanadianChris 0]

NFL-Lions, Raiders, Seahawks, Falcons, Bucs, Jags

 

NBA-Pistons, Magic, Rockets, Jazz

 

NHL-Red Wings, Sharks, Kings, Oilers, Ducks

 

MLB-Tigers, Red Sox, Mariners, Astros

Sports polygamy at its finest.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

When I was a young kid, I liked the Vikings because of the combo of Cris Carter and Randy Moss, with Randall Cunningham. I also liked their jerseys. But as I got older I became a Eagles fan, because of Donovan McNabb, and now I'm a full fledged Eagles fan until I die.

 

In Hockey I've been a Habs and Flames fan since birth because I live in both citys.

 

In Baseball, I was an Expos fan because my godmother use to work for them and I would meet all their players. My autograph baseball of Vladimir Guerrero is my most valuable possesion, along with my autograph Jarome Iginla junior hockey card. But since the Expos moved, I became a fan of the Phillies mainly because of Ryan Howard. I always liked the Yankees and Giants(because of Bonds) aswell.

 

In basketball, I like the Nets, mainly because of Jason Kidd.

[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.

 

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

 

I guess I'm just not that way. Players, and the team style, has a big part to do with it. Example: I loved the Knicks until they got Spree, and the Knicks went away from their burly, bruising, cheating ways to having 12 overpaid shooting guards on their team.

 

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

 

Not every player has to be on the same team. Trades, and such, are good. Losing star players every 2-3 years just because they want another million, is bad. Unfortunately, free agency must always be a part of sports... but, it's gone too far.

[Cuban Linx 0]

Living on the other side of the world my favorite teams have all been chosen rather arbitrarily. When i started to follow the NFL the '98 Vikings and their super-offence caught my eye first, then for some reason i can't remember i started liking the Tennessee Titans in early '99 and stuck with them since.

 

I had a passing interest in Baseball but only really made an effort to get into it so i could participate in the fantasy league here in 2004. Out of the players i had on my team i'd pick a player/team i liked to support, and more or less randomly decided to go with Mark Teixeira and the Texas Rangers. Plus i already disliked the Angels for some reason so going with a division rival of theirs worked out nicely.

 

Despite watching the NBA for almost as long as i can remember i've never ended up settling on a 'favorite' team. I was a big fan of the Kemp/Payton-era Sonics, i remember liking the Ewing-era Knicks, i own an Orlando Magic jersey but have no memory of giving a shit about them, i suppose if i had to pick a favorite team right now it'd be the Blazers, but their antics over the last few years have severely reduced my enthusiasm for them too. Odd that the league i've always liked the most and have watched for by far the longest i've never really stuck with one team.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, 76ers, PSU football and Villanova basketball for me, by geography(4 Philly teams), exposure(PSU is on all of the time in South Jersey) or being a student at the school (I go to Nova).

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'd like to note that there's a certain level of fun in rooting for a team that no longer exists. I never knew how much I liked the Expos.

[snuffbox 0]

Geography.

[Vern Gagne 0]

With the exception of the Twins. I have no interest in any of the local teams. Don't like the Vikings or Wolves. Don't care about the Wild.

 

My two favorite NFL teams are based more on individual players. Derrick Brooks for Tampa Bay, and Carson Palmer for Cincinnati.

 

I became an Astros fan around 1994.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Always been an Os fan and always will be unless Peter Angelos makes the dick move of moving them to Las Vegas or something.

 

I was a Redskins fan until the Ravens came about in 1996. Tried to be a fan of both teams but it was impossible. I hate Dan Snyder with a passion even though he brought back Gibbs and has lessened up on his fooling around with the team, but that was my main reason to go with the Ravens.

 

College wise, its all about the fact that I live in Maryland.

[Guest]

For me, it's mostly geographical. When the Raiders and Rams moved out of LA, I picked the Jags. I liked their logo better than Carolina's.

 

For the Lakers, I was exposed to them for as long as I can remember. For the Dodgers, it was because I hated the stupid Anaheim Angels logo.

[jwest27 0]

Well, as I grew up, I began to like baseball. We get every Cardinals game down here, and Mark McGwire hit 900 ft homeruns. So I became a Cardinals fan. Then the Rams became the Greatest Show on Turf and Kurt Warner became football Jesus, and I became a Rams fan. Then the Patriots beat them a few years later in the Superbowl, and I became a Patriots and especially Tom Brady hater. As far as NBA goes...uh I guess the Cavaliers are pretty cool. Lebron James woooo and stuff. Not as much of an NBA fan as other sports, but I watch it.

[alfdogg 0]

Partly geography, partly just taking on the teams my family liked. I actually liked the Bulls when I first started watching basketball, of course because of Jordan. And my dad & his side liked the Celtics, so those were my teams as a young kid. When Jordan first retired, I started getting into the Pacers more, and have stuck with them ever since.

 

In football, it's the Colts and the Bears. My mom's side, oddly enough, is from Wisconsin, but it's mostly women, so not a big sports family. (EDIT: And even more bizarre, both of my mom's sisters married Viking fans.)

 

It's always been the Reds in baseball, and the O's while Ripken was there. I'm also not above rooting for other teams in the division if my team's already out, if that team has players I like, such as McGwire/Sosa.

[Lightning Flik 0]

For me, I'm an Edmonton Oiler fan through and through. Brought up and raised on hockey as life, that's how come I'm an Oilers fan. I'll never change that fact ever. That and getting to hold the Stanley Cup the last time the Oilers won it always helps a kid keep allegiences.

 

As for other sports, I'll root for Canadian teams (basketball and baseball), but the only other sport I follow well is now football and that's for the Atlanta Falcons. Although, my knowledge of NFL sucks - as evidenced by my lack of knowledge concerning trying to attempt at Branch for the Falcons - I still root for the Falcons. Not sure why exactly, I just sorta watched some game and really liked it, and just went "well, I might as well root for them" and it sorta stuck. Yeah, very lame reason, but that's basically what happened.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

NFL-Lions, Raiders, Seahawks, Falcons, Bucs, Jags

 

NBA-Pistons, Magic, Rockets, Jazz

 

NHL-Red Wings, Sharks, Kings, Oilers, Ducks

 

MLB-Tigers, Red Sox, Mariners, Astros

 

I find it tough you can love three teams per sport.

 

For me, I find it tough to love more than one team per sport. I love the Cubs (ugh), but I like the Indians and A's, too. That doesn't mean I'm getting too upset or happy if those last two win or lose.

 

As for me, I curse that 1994 summer day when I came across WGN. Truth be told, I had only took an interest in baseball because of Frank Thomas and wound up watching my first Cubs game just to hold me over until I could watch Frank Thomas and the Sox play later. *cringe* I need a shower.

[Guest Felonies!]

You mean a young Bruiser Chong once demanded a winner? Fer shame!

[Darthtiki 0]

For the Dodgers, it was because I hated the stupid Anaheim Angels logo.

Which one the stupid Disney-fied logo from the mid 90's or the current one?

 

My teams:

 

NBA: Kings

 

MLB: Dodgers & Angels

 

NFL: Packers & Raiders

 

My reasoning for each team varies. For the Kings, I'm from Sacramento so it's de-facto and my allegiance will change only if the arena deal falls through and they move anywhere other than Anaheim, then I'll have to choose between the Clips and joining the dark side of the purple and gold. Also, I will admit that I follow the Monarchs because A)Sacramento is a basketball town and B) it's a guilty pleasure especially since they have a couple non-thoroughbreds on their squad.

 

For the Dodgers and Angels, while I was a young kid I watched the Giants only because they were close, but when I decided I wanted to live in So-Cal I switched my allegiance, plus I saw Karros and Piazza knock b2b homers against the Giants in 93 which sealed it.

 

The Pack and the Raiders, as a kid I was all about the Niners because they were kicking ass and also they were the de-facto team. However, when I was in high school I did bandwagon jump because I had a friend from GB and they kept destroying the niners, but I will point out that I haven't left since. As for the Raiders, along with the Angels, I always make sure I follow a team from each conference and league so the Raiders were local and when I started following them in 2002 they had Jerry Rice who is one of my all time favorite players.

[Broward83 0]

Most of my picks are due to either geography, or national exposure. Growing up in Houston drove me to rooting for the Astros, Oilers, Rockets and such.

 

I would've kept a loyalty to the Titans, but much like the fans in Charlotte, I (along with most of Houston) were pissed off with Bud Addams for not only moving the team, but during their run to the super bowl, telling the media he'd wear the bowl ring on his middle finger to show it to everyone. A blatant shot at Houstonians so we basically all went to cheering for Dallas *cringe* or just falling back on either UT or AnM.

 

NFL: Texans

MLB: Astros

NBA: Rockets (..god I wish we'd go back to the yellow/orange look..)

NHL: Stars (..although our minor league team, the Aeros are damn good too)

College: University of Texas / Notre Dame / Army

 

Notre Dame because of their national exposure on NBC and always being able to see them on a Saturday afternoon.

 

Texas, well.. it's my belief that here in Texas, you're either bred to cheer for UT or AnM and there's dual-rooting. Either you Hook 'Em, or you Gig 'Em.. I think the only thing we both agree on is that OU should die.

 

Army... eh, my grandfather is a WW2 vet and that set the tone for us all. Rooting for Navy or attending Navy gets you removed from the family.

[MFer 0]

NFL-Lions, Raiders, Seahawks, Falcons, Bucs, Jags

 

NBA-Pistons, Magic, Rockets, Jazz

 

NHL-Red Wings, Sharks, Kings, Oilers, Ducks

 

MLB-Tigers, Red Sox, Mariners, Astros

 

I find it tough you can love three teams per sport.

 

For me, I find it tough to love more than one team per sport. I love the Cubs (ugh), but I like the Indians and A's, too. That doesn't mean I'm getting too upset or happy if those last two win or lose.

 

As for me, I curse that 1994 summer day when I came across WGN. Truth be told, I had only took an interest in baseball because of Frank Thomas and wound up watching my first Cubs game just to hold me over until I could watch Frank Thomas and the Sox play later. *cringe* I need a shower.

Alrighty then, I LOVE Detroit teams and LIKE the other teams.

[starvenger 0]

NFL-Lions, Raiders, Seahawks, Falcons, Bucs, Jags

 

NBA-Pistons, Magic, Rockets, Jazz

 

NHL-Red Wings, Sharks, Kings, Oilers, Ducks

 

MLB-Tigers, Red Sox, Mariners, Astros

 

I find it tough you can love three teams per sport.

 

For me, I find it tough to love more than one team per sport. I love the Cubs (ugh), but I like the Indians and A's, too. That doesn't mean I'm getting too upset or happy if those last two win or lose.

 

As for me, I curse that 1994 summer day when I came across WGN. Truth be told, I had only took an interest in baseball because of Frank Thomas and wound up watching my first Cubs game just to hold me over until I could watch Frank Thomas and the Sox play later. *cringe* I need a shower.

Alrighty then, I LOVE Detroit teams and LIKE the other teams.

I'm not sure that's good enough in a couple of cases. If you're a fan of an Original Six team then you really shouldn't be rooting for anyone else. You should be a Red Wings fan, period. For similar reasons, you should either be a Tigers fan or a Red Sox fan.

 

As for the NFL, from previously living in the Detroit area I have some former colleagues who renounced their allegiance after the Barry retiring/Matt Millen double whammy (yes, I know it didn't happen at the same time but it was a cumulative thing). I think they may have even been part of the Millen Man March. I'd suggest you do the same and pick one of the other teams.

[treble 0]

I guess it's mostly geography. I was born in Toronto, and remember going to an Leafs game at the Gardens when I was about 5 or 6, then their playoff runs in '93 and '94 sealed it for me. It's really tough being the only Leafs fan in a family full of mostly Sens or Habs fans, family gatherings with my dad's side of the family are hell. I live closer to Ottawa now, and cheered for the Senators a bit when they first got good and the Leafs were shit, but once the rivalry started to heat up, that ended.

 

The Jays winning the World Series in the early '90s made it easy to cheer for them, I also remember going to a game with my dad when I was pretty young (maybe 7). I don't think I got really invested into the team until the late '90s, though, probably after they signed Clemens, that got me really excited.

[starvenger 0]

I guess it's mostly geography. I was born in Toronto, and remember going to an Leafs game at the Gardens when I was about 5 or 6, then their playoff runs in '93 and '94 sealed it for me. It's really tough being the only Leafs fan in a family full of mostly Sens or Habs fans, family gatherings with my dad's side of the family are hell. I live closer to Ottawa now, and cheered for the Senators a bit when they first got good and the Leafs were shit, but once the rivalry started to heat up, that ended.

 

The Jays winning the World Series in the early '90s made it easy to cheer for them, I also remember going to a game with my dad when I was pretty young (maybe 7). I don't think I got really invested into the team until the late '90s, though, probably after they signed Clemens, that got me really excited.

I swore off baseball after the strike. That managed to last until this year, when my brothers and I bought into the Jays' "81 for $81" promotion.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Tough to say. When I was young and growing up in New Jersey, it was geography and family favorites (Yankees, Giants, Rangers). After moving to Florida I stopped really caring about hockey and baseball and retained some ties to the Giants. Now I also cheer for teams that sport UVA alumni if given the chance (Heath Miller, Tiki, etc.). The only sports I follow really closely are college basketball and college football, and obviously I root for the alma mater in those. I also fell in love with Auburn two years ago after watching them gut out the 10-9 win over LSU and learning that their tailbacks referred to each other as Cadillac and Escalade. For them, it's more of a "damn son, they're badass" kind of respect.

 

As far as the NBA goes, again, I don't really follow it that passionately. Still, ever since the early 90s, I always seem to land on the Suns as a favorite, whether it's because of superpowered whiteboy Dan Majerle, the badass dunking gorilla, or the ridiculously fast-paced team they field now.

[Guest Felonies!]

Edwin, become a Cubs fan and suffer with us.

[MFer 0]

NFL-Lions, Raiders, Seahawks, Falcons, Bucs, Jags

 

NBA-Pistons, Magic, Rockets, Jazz

 

NHL-Red Wings, Sharks, Kings, Oilers, Ducks

 

MLB-Tigers, Red Sox, Mariners, Astros

 

I find it tough you can love three teams per sport.

 

For me, I find it tough to love more than one team per sport. I love the Cubs (ugh), but I like the Indians and A's, too. That doesn't mean I'm getting too upset or happy if those last two win or lose.

 

As for me, I curse that 1994 summer day when I came across WGN. Truth be told, I had only took an interest in baseball because of Frank Thomas and wound up watching my first Cubs game just to hold me over until I could watch Frank Thomas and the Sox play later. *cringe* I need a shower.

Alrighty then, I LOVE Detroit teams and LIKE the other teams.

I'm not sure that's good enough in a couple of cases. If you're a fan of an Original Six team then you really shouldn't be rooting for anyone else. You should be a Red Wings fan, period. For similar reasons, you should either be a Tigers fan or a Red Sox fan.

 

As for the NFL, from previously living in the Detroit area I have some former colleagues who renounced their allegiance after the Barry retiring/Matt Millen double whammy (yes, I know it didn't happen at the same time but it was a cumulative thing). I think they may have even been part of the Millen Man March. I'd suggest you do the same and pick one of the other teams.

Hey there's no question that I favor Detroit over any other team. I've been to the games, even when the teams sucked major ass. I've got my gear. I've watched meaningless regular season games. The first Tiger season I remember was in '96 when they lost something like 109 games. But I never stopped watching them and these days I feel good about being a fan through all the crappy seasons. I could've stopped watching the Pistons when they got rid of Grant Hill then or Ben Wallace now but that wasn't the case. I've watched the Red Wings well before they won 3 titles in 6 years I've never wavered in my loyalty to Detroit sports. I will easily root for the Tigers over the Red Sox any day of the week. My fondness for Boston stems from a few things: my hate for the Yankees, Fenway Park, and the players, guys like a young Nomar back in '97 and guys like Manny now. However, if Boston and Detroit met in the playoffs someday, I will always go with the Tigers. With all the shit that Millen's done I will still defend him and the Lions. I won't go to the games with a paper bag on my head or any of that other bullshit. After Barry left, I still cheered for the Lions. I'm not a bandwaggoner or fair-weather fan or whatever. I'm a Detroit sports fan. The other teams I listed, I will root for them over all other teams in their respective leagues except Detroit. I can explain why i "like" everyone of those teams if anyone would like. Ok, so i don't "love" every team that I listed, but people use the "love" word loosely all the time so I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I don't need my loyalties questioned, I know where I stand. Is it really that wrong to "like" other teams?