Favorite Team [Archive] - Actuarial Outpost

Captain America

01-30-2002, 07:31 PM

A debate in another thread got me thinking about how people latch onto certain teams, since not everyone goes with the local one.

Anyone care to share their stories about why they chose the teams they did?

As a kid, I just latched onto the teams that were doing well at the time. I guess I was a 7 year old bandwagon jumper. But I've been loyal since, through some pretty lean years.

Anonymous

01-30-2002, 08:44 PM

My family went to the Astrodome once in the seventies. The Astros were trailing 3-0 in the eighth inning. My mother, brother, and sister asked to leave to “beat the traffic.” I informed everyone on the walk to the car that the game was not over. I begged to stay. We listened to the ninth inning on the car radio as the Astros scored the four runs to win. My dad took me alone to see the Astros play after this night many times.

A few years later my loyalty to the Astros solidified. I was run over by a wagon filled with one hundred bales of hay on a gravel road. My mother rushed me to the hospital. As the doctor pulled the chucks of gravel out of my leg with tweezers while under blissful medication, I begged my father to still take me to the game that night. He just shook his head no. Stretch Suba, the Astros bullpen catcher, heard of my dilemma and sent me an autographed baseball. I took it with me to all the Astro Buddies games. I had the ball signed by my favorite Astros; Billy Doran, Jose Cruz, etc.

I have many favorite teams and players but at heart I am a fan of the Astros.

urysohn

01-30-2002, 08:46 PM

It took a while for the New England roots to grab ahold of me, but I'm pretty much a Boston/NE fan (Pats, Celts, Red Sox. some Bruins, but I like college hockey much more than the pros). I've found that NE'ers can be pretty fickle with individuals (see this year's treatment of Bledsoe/Brady), but they're very loyal to the teams.

In high school, I was a big fan of the Bills. Didn't know squat about football - but I knew that when the Bills won, our Buffalo-native math teacher didn't give out homework on Monday. That was '91, the start of their highly successful but not quite successful enough period, so there wasn't a whole lot of homework done on Mondays. And that was enough of a start to keep me with them through 4 heart-breaking losses.

Drzy

01-30-2002, 10:45 PM

When I was youngin' (as in before high school... this is the early 90s), I was a fan of the underdog, or "god awful," teams. This translates to me liking the L.A. Clippers and the Ottawa Senators.

Although far from powerhouses, both teams have risen up and it's given me immense pleasure to see them become exciting, respectable teams. It's a little painful to watch people jump on the Clippers bandwagon when I've been there all along, but that's a small price to pay to see my Clippers steamroll the Lakers. :smile:

Patience

01-31-2002, 08:44 AM

Shea is 30 minutes from my house, so definitely Mets & Jets. When they moved I tried not liking them for awhile, but original allegiance dies hard.

Used to go to 3-5 game a year, since the move maybe 3 times total.

Ducky

01-31-2002, 09:47 AM

I started following the Seahawks as a youngster when they came into existence in the late 70's. I've stuck with them since then, no matter how painful it's been.

Abducens

01-31-2002, 09:53 AM

Judging by who started this thread, I suppose I should post. I root for Ball State because I actually went to school there.

Drewby

01-31-2002, 10:00 AM

Baseball - Royals - lived in KC '75-'83, right during their heyday
Basketball - LA Lakers - born in LA, cut teeth on Chick Hearn's call - stayed with them through Showtime!
Football - Chiefs - KC resident!
Hockey - NJ Devils - watched the game 7 between the Devils and Rangers, and saw the young Martin Brodeur get beat late on a cheapie - started following Brodeur, and thus the Devils. Like the Blues too - spent two weeks computer training in St. Louis during February, and not much else to do but watch hockey!

Oliver Klozov

01-31-2002, 10:20 AM

Baseball - Blue Jays
Hockey - Leafs
Football - Redskins

Toronto doesn't have a football team, and I hate the Bills. I loved watching the 'Skins, at RFK, with Madden and Summerall (when he was still drinking) commentating.

However, I follow the Boston sports scene pretty closely by reading the Globe's columnists.

Jonas Grumby

01-31-2002, 10:40 AM

I grew up in Dallas, and around 7 or 8 years old realized that when the local folks called the Cowboys "God's own team" they really meant it, particularly with that sanctimonious goody two-shoes Staubach at quarterback.

On the other side there were the Redskins - over the hill, led by a drunk quarterback - and they really, really pissed off the Cowboys fans because they won anyway.

I'm pretty antisocial, so the decision was made for me. The great thing was that every time I wrote a Redskin (e.g. George Allen, Billy Kilmer) I'd get a personalized letter back saying things like "are you really a Redskins fan in Dallas? Gotta love it".

But as I just mentioned in another thread, I gave up on them when Dan "Antichrist" Snyder slouched toward DC.

Go Pats!

Anonymous

01-31-2002, 10:46 AM

On 2002-01-31 09:53, Abducens wrote:
Judging by who started this thread, I suppose I should post. I root for Ball State because I actually went to school there.

watching your mom "change the dorm urinal cakes doesn't count"

Captain America

01-31-2002, 10:57 AM

On 2002-01-31 09:53, Abducens wrote:
Judging by who started this thread, I suppose I should post. I root for Ball State because I actually went to school there.

:wink:

Keep going...

egg

01-31-2002, 11:02 AM

Growing up my family had season tickets to Michigan football games. So for the first 21 years of my life I went to nearly every Michigan home game. So at this point I bleed blue.

As for the professional sports, I have always cheered for the Detroit teams. Just the locality, I guess, because the Lilies haven't done anything my entire life. I didn't really get into hockey until around 1990 (now it is one of my favorite sports).

Abducens

01-31-2002, 11:20 AM

>>Keep going...

Ha ha, nope, even though I could. Why should I have to justify myself?

Captain America

01-31-2002, 11:27 AM

You absolutely don't. If you're comfortable with being a fair-weather fan, that's your business. And I'm not being a wise-ass, I do mean that sincerely. Just don't expect die-hards to be able to identify with that.

Anonymous

01-31-2002, 11:39 AM

way to go Captain.

Won't hear back from Abby, though, cause she can't justify herself.

Han Solo

01-31-2002, 12:11 PM

I'm pretty local in my loyalties.
Baseball - Orioles. My little league team was the Orioles, too. We went to Memorial Stadium to watch the big boys play as a team a couple times a year.
Football - Redskins. Even if the owner is isn't popular.
/TAN Even though they are local I just haven't gotten into the Ravens. During my very early years following the game, Baltimore had another team, the Colts. After they left, the Redskins were pretty much the only game in town, so I grew up cheering for them only./endTAN

Abducens

01-31-2002, 12:30 PM

>>And I'm not being a wise-ass, I do mean that sincerely. Just don't expect die-hards to be able to identify with that.

I love how that ever since my team became great, everyone is looking to call me out. I remember the good old days when people would say "I didn't know that Rams HAD fans."

Even if I were a fair weather fan, what's to stop me from making up some BS? If people want to believe I'm a bandwagoner, nothing I say will change that.

Captain America

01-31-2002, 12:58 PM

That's not necessarily true. If you had said 'I grew up in LA' or 'Kevin Greene was my favorite player' or something other than getting defensive about it...I'm a fairly reasonable person, I would've believed you. I'm less inclined to do so know (I realize you probably won't get any sleep tonight because of it!). Besides, it wouldn't be hard to convince me you're a real fan. I can sympathize with the whole "all of a sudden people want to call me out" - I'm a long time Yankee fan but I understand when people are initially skeptical. But I can tell you a lot of trivial things only a real fan would know. What can you tell me?

Abducens

01-31-2002, 01:08 PM

It's not being defensive, it's just that I know I'm not a bandwagon and that's enough for me.

OK, how's this, one of the games that got me liking them was one against the Saints, where the Saints punted, and the ball bounced around in the end zone and never went out. All the Saints guys started walking off the field, and a Rams guy scooped it up and trotted easily to a TD. Never forget the shot of the punter pulling of his chinstrap and then whirling around in confusion. Of course the Rams gave up 2 punt return TDs in that game and lost because they sucked, but I was hooked.

I can understand the bandwagon suspicion though. I've visited NFL forums since before they were good and I was the token Rams guy. Now all of a sudden these other Rams fans are popping up. I give them crap about being so invisible.

[ This Message was edited by: Abducens on 2002-01-31 13:13 ]

jets fan

01-31-2002, 01:08 PM

All I can say on this matter, is that if the Jets ever win the Superbowl and some a**hole calls me a bandwagoner, I'll rip their tongue off!!!

Big D

01-31-2002, 02:08 PM

Hockey: Maple Leafs. I ahve been a Leaf fan for as long as i can remember. I still remember the guilt I felt over the joy I felt when Harold Ballard died.

Baseball: Tigers. When I was younger we would go to Tiger Stadium 3-4 times a year.

Football: My strongest allegences are to the Lions and Pats, but I wouldn't call myself a big fan of either. I do root strongly against the Cowboys, Jets, Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Dolphins and Raiders.

DonkeyPunch (Banned)

01-31-2002, 02:27 PM

>>"I'm a fairly reasonable person, I would've believed you. I'm less inclined to do so know (I realize you probably won't get any sleep tonight because of it!)"

Why do people believe that their anonymous opinions are so important to others?

Mick Fan

01-31-2002, 02:37 PM

On 2002-01-31 14:08, Big D wrote:
I do root strongly against the Cowboys, Jets, Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Dolphins and Raiders.

Jeez, Big D. You hate more way more teams than you like. Why so bitter?? :wink:

Dr T Non-Fan

01-31-2002, 02:46 PM

Not big on teams, since they're made up of short-term players for he most part. Not one of those, "Have to check the web site for news daily" kind. I have important things to do with my time.
When I attend or watch games, I want to be entertained by the high-quality sports action.

Casual Fan of:
In all sports, anything out of Seattle.
Baseball: Reds. Grew up in Big Red Machine country.
Hockey: Kings, post-puky-purple, which coincided with Gretzky's debut there. Had to become a King fan, as I've always been a Gretzky fan.

Big D

01-31-2002, 03:00 PM

[old Gretzky joke]The Kings had to change the uniforms when Wayne was traded there. He couldn't have taken the jokes if he had to wear a yellow uniform[/old Gretzky joke]

Seriously, is this the only time ever a team has changed it uniform in conjuction with acquiring a player?

Shrek

01-31-2002, 03:02 PM

Let me preface this by stating I'm a Cleveland Boy.

Hockey: Started liking the Wings around the time Stevie Y was a rookie. Went to a game with my dad once long before that. The Barons (our franchise) merged with the Minnesota North Stars when I was pretty young, so I was never a Barons fan. Came down to a choice of 2 - Penguins or Wings. Rule 1 - never support a team from Pittsburgh.

Football - now I'm a Raiders fan. I was always a Browns fan, but that began to unravel shortly after "the fumble" and Earnest Byner was cut. By the time Modell moved his team, it was over. Modell doesn't like Davis. Good enough for me.

Baseball - always an Indians fan. I remember going down to old Cleveland Stadium with 6 or 7 thousand of the other faithful to watch Buddy Bell, Duane Kuiper, and Rick Manning take the field. Some of you youngsters may not remember the '87 SI Baseball Preview with Cory Snyder and Joe Carter on the cover. They finished 6th.

Basketball - no sir, I don't like it.

Side note: Big D also hates the Wings. I'd hate the Leafs if I didn't pity them so much.

Dr T Non-Fan

01-31-2002, 03:06 PM

The change in jersey colors was announced at the end of the previous season, well before Gretzky won his last Stanley Cup.
I.e., I would not have rooted for the Kings with white/black jerseys and without Gretzky. I liked Edmonton before that, and still have a soft spot for them.

Ammie

01-31-2002, 03:44 PM

On 2002-01-31 10:20, Oliver Klozov wrote:
Toronto doesn't have a football team

Well, the argos aren't my favourite either, but isn't your comment on the cruel side? :wink:

Captain America

01-31-2002, 04:11 PM

On 2002-01-31 14:27, DonkeyPunch wrote:
>>"I'm a fairly reasonable person, I would've believed you. I'm less inclined to do so know (I realize you probably won't get any sleep tonight because of it!)"

Why do people believe that their anonymous opinions are so important to others?

Did everyone take my comment literally? It was an (evidently unsuccessful) attempt at being facetious.

DonkeyPunch (Banned)

01-31-2002, 08:56 PM

Well, you never know. I've met people that believed they had some kind of magical internet powers before.

Ammie

02-06-2002, 06:07 PM

On 2002-01-30 20:44, Draco Malfoy wrote:
A few years later my loyalty to the Astros solidified. I was run over by a wagon filled with one hundred bales of hay on a gravel road.

Are you serious? Ouch! How did the Astros hear of your plight?

Mick Fan

02-06-2002, 10:09 PM

Nothing quite as dramatic (or painful) as Draco, but here goes ...

Baseball -- Always been a big Pirates fan. The 1979 World Series team is still my fondest sports memory. I don't live too far from there. From the time I went to my first game at Three Rivers. I still go to about 3-5 games per year. I was a complete mess after Cabrera's single in 1992.

Football -- Miami (or is it mi-AMMIE? :cool: ) Dolphins. When I was a kid, I liked Shula and I thought the Orange & Aqua unies were cool. I used to hate the Steelers when they were in their hey-day (and I hate Bradshaw even more now). I've since softened my position on the Steelers, but am still a die-hard Dolphins fan.

NBA -- Golden State Warriors. I liked Chris Mullin when he was there. I don't know why I still like them, but I do. I think it's just a form of masochism. I don't care too much about the NBA, anyway.

PGA Golf -- Phil Mickelson (duh). I've been a big fan ever since he turned pro. We lefty golfers need someone to cheer for. Yes, Flesch and Weir are starting successful careers, but Phil is still THE lefty.

jets fan

02-07-2002, 07:55 AM

MF, what do you think of the Jets current 8 game winning streak against the Dolphins? :wink:

erickson

02-07-2002, 09:54 AM

A lot of people go out of their way to criticize those who "jump on the bandwagon" and start cheering for teams that are good. Heaven forbid Person A should decide during the 2002 playoffs that he/she likes the Rams.

However, many of those people (at least based on my experience) who would have quickly criticized Person A for being a "bandwagon jumper" probably saw absolutely nothing wrong with cheering for the Patriots -- just because they happened to be the underdog.

Seems to me that this latter group is no more noble -- and their criteria for liking/cheering for a team is no better -- than Person A. Why do they think that it's so terrible to cheer for a team because it's good, but it's okay to cheer for a team because it's the underdog?

edited to note the tangential nature of the post and to fix some poor grammar.

[ This Message was edited by: erickson on 2002-02-07 10:05 ]

Anonymous

02-07-2002, 09:55 AM

On 2002-02-06 18:07, Ammie wrote:

On 2002-01-30 20:44, Draco Malfoy wrote:
A few years later my loyalty to the Astros solidified. I was run over by a wagon filled with one hundred bales of hay on a gravel road.

Are you serious? Ouch! How did the Astros hear of your plight?

Yes, I am serious. Unbeknownst to me, Stretch Suba is a friend and neighbor to a lady friend of my mother. Of course, Nolan Ryan is the next door neighbor to my uncle. Why did Stretch Suba know and not Nolan Ryan (have to pay to receive his autograph)? Women talk! Hey, when it gets me a signed baseball I don’t complain.

Captain America

02-07-2002, 10:08 AM

Abducens

02-07-2002, 10:35 AM

Fans only tend to be visible when the team is winning. I remember in the mid-90s when suddenly all of the Cowboys fans appeared and said they were long time fans. I don't doubt them, but it sucks that they only showed their colors after they won a title.

Now, Rams fans are the same way. Some of these guys don't have a clue and call a 2 TD/2 INT day from Warner a terrible outing.

I don't mind that people rooted for the Pats, even if it's because they just hate the Rams. I understand that people are sick of hearing about them (even tho people never got tired of the 49ers & Cowboys...) It's better than a few years ago when people barely knew the Rams existed.

[ This Message was edited by: Abducens on 2002-02-07 10:39 ]

Mick Fan

02-07-2002, 10:40 AM

On 2002-02-07 07:55, jets fan wrote:
MF, what do you think of the Jets current 8 game winning streak against the Dolphins? :wink:

I usually wince when I see the ord "Jets." :sad:

If the Fins just had split against the Jets each of the last two years (holding two big halftime leads), they'd have won the division and received a first-round bye. AS the second seed, their Super Bowl chances would have been greatly enhanced.

BTW ... From '70 to '79, the Dolphins beat the Bills 20 times in a row. :cool: Now there's a streak!

jets fan

02-07-2002, 10:46 AM

Speaking of streaks, I HATE the Colts! Every year since 1986, they have beaten us at least once. In 1991, they were 1-15 and who was the one team they beat? You guessed it, the Jets (by one point). I think if the Taliban put an NFL team on the field with Osama bin Laden as head coach, I would root for that team before I'd root for the Colts!!! I am sooooo happy that they're not going to be in our division next year!!!

Edited to correct some pretty bad spelling errors that CA humorously pointed out!

[ This Message was edited by: jets fan on 2002-02-07 11:00 ]

Captain America

02-07-2002, 10:48 AM

What root do you take to work in the morning? :wink:

Edit: Sorry jets fan, I couldn't resist!!

[ This Message was edited by: Captain America on 2002-02-07 13:21 ]

Not Mike

02-07-2002, 01:17 PM

On 2002-02-07 09:54, erickson wrote:

A lot of people go out of their way to criticize those who "jump on the bandwagon" and start cheering for teams that are good. Heaven forbid Person A should decide during the 2002 playoffs that he/she likes the Rams.

However, many of those people (at least based on my experience) who would have quickly criticized Person A for being a "bandwagon jumper" probably saw absolutely nothing wrong with cheering for the Patriots -- just because they happened to be the underdog.

Seems to me that this latter group is no more noble -- and their criteria for liking/cheering for a team is no better -- than Person A. Why do they think that it's so terrible to cheer for a team because it's good, but it's okay to cheer for a team because it's the underdog?

edited to note the tangential nature of the post and to fix some poor grammar.

[ This Message was edited by: erickson on 2002-02-07 10:05 ]

This is crazytalk.... rooting for the Patriots (or any other team) to win the Super Bowl is no way, shape, or form related to bandwagon jumping.... it becomes bandwagon jumping when you go to work the next day and tell everyone what a big Patriots fan you are, and when you go buy a Patriots hat to try to propogate the myth... and when, two years later, you do the same thing when the Colts are in the Super Bowl.... if you're really a Patriots fan then you know why, when, and where Tom Brady became the QB of this team.... it's pretty easy to distinguish the bandwagon jumpers and fair-weather fans....

Anyone that watches sports knows that it's much easier to watch a game when you can form some sort of rooting interest (whether it's by fantasy football, gambling, or picking a team to root for)....

DonkeyPunch (Banned)

02-07-2002, 01:19 PM

>>"I don't mind that people rooted for the Pats, even if it's because they just hate the Rams. I understand that people are sick of hearing about them (even tho people never got tired of the 49ers & Cowboys...)"

That's not true. I was very sick of the Cowboys. I'd probably be sick of the 9ers too, except I'm a fan.

Abducens

02-07-2002, 01:56 PM

The Cowboys weren't a good example, on second thought. Here's one I bet you can relate to - the Packers!

02-07-2002, 03:49 PM

I picked the Bucs five years ago when my wife was pregnant. I realized I would be home a lot more on Sunday afternoons, and needed an NFL team to cheer on. I tend toward the underdogs, as someone mentioned earlier. That and Dungy having a reputation as the most decent human being in professional football made it a fairly easy choice. I read that Alstott was a good guy, and I noticed he never seems to taunt other players, or allow any to get under his skin.

I'm a little disillusioned with the Bucs after the Dungy firing. Sorry, jets fan, but I may have to cheer for the Colts now. I like Dungy, and Indy is about the closest team to me -- unless you count the Bengals, but I don't like their front office.

General Kenobi (ret.)

02-07-2002, 03:56 PM

I grew up liking the Cardinals because we'd visit my mother's parents in St. Louis a lot. (BTW, Jorge Orta was out! OUT, I SAY!)

I sort kinda rooted for the football Cardinals, but I was thrilled when they moved so I didn't have to pretend that I cared anymore about a team that Bill Bidwill owns (since he obviously didn't care about the fans either). The Bears had been my backup allegiance all along, even when they led the league in nothing but Walter Payton and holding penalties, so they moved on up to the primary spot.

I have a minor interest in the Blues from the St. Louis effect, and I find the NBA dull, dull, dull.

Elessar

02-07-2002, 04:59 PM

Baseball -- I've been a huge Mets fan since 1986. Yeah, I suppose you could call me a bandwagon fan when I was 8, but I've stuck by it ever since. And that includes some of the worst baseball ever to come out of New York. I'm somewhat local too which means I can go to some games. Works for me.

Football -- I've been a 49ers fan since about 1989 or so. Again, that's when they were good, but when I was young, I tended to like the teams that played well. Plus I loved Joe Montana. I wanted to be Joe Montana. He was just the coolest.

Hockey -- I was a Whalers fan way back in the day, until one day Peter Karmanos got upset that Connecticut wouldn't build him a new arena and took his team to Carolina (that hotbed of hockey!), where, of course, they drew (and continue to draw, I believe) even fewer fans than they did in CT. The unis are cooler though. Since then I don't follow hockey that much.

And I was a Celtics fan back toward the end of Bird's (and McHale's) career, and I like Jordan, but otherwise the NBA, filled with prima donna teenage millionaires, does nothing to excite me. I'll take college ball any day of the week. (1999 was still the best year in college b-ball history :smile: We shocked the world!)

And Pete Sampras is probably the greatest men's tennis champion ever. At least IMHO.