Why do you support your team?

[RedZoneD25]

Re: Why do you support your team?

My family has been Eagle fans since my great-grandfather. My first material possession was a kelly green Eagles football that was given by my dad the day I was born; I still have it to this day.

[RGiles36]

Re: Why do you support your team?

I grew up in 90's when the Cowboys were enjoying their dynasty years. As a kid, you sometimes cling to whomever is winning. Not only that, but that was the team with the most names I was familiar with; The Triplets, Deion, etc. Plus my aunty was a HUGE fan...all that rubbed off on me and just kind of stuck.

[lilbiggio]

Re: Why do you support your team?

this is a very interesting question, I've actually been working on a documentary over a similar subject for a few years...


As for me I grew up in East Texas so there were 3 teams you could have theoretically ran with the Saints, the old school Houston Oilers, or the Dallas Cowboys for some reason I was a 49ers fan however. I detested all of the bandwagon Cowboys fans when I was younger so I naturally rooted for their NFC arch rivals at the time.

However I always liked them since they were the regional team, I just wasn't as big of a fan. I honestly think when the Boys started the lean years with Campo I became a bigger fan and once I moved to DFW for college they became my favorite professional team in all sports.

I also agree it is very interesting to see the stories of people who are fans of teams outside of their area. It takes dedication, to wear a Cowboys jersey in Cali just because you grew up in Texas. Or one in VA because you refuse to love the Redskins... those are the fans I respect above all.

[BurghFan]

Re: Why do you support your team?

Wow! Well Doc thanks for starting the thread.

We got a bunch of stories as to why you picked the team, but I would love to hear stories of what guys would do if the team moved/changed owners? When does the loyalty fade? ARe you expected to just stick with a team even if you have an owner you know doesnt even want to win?

Well, the Pirates have been losers for 18 years and several ownership groups now and I still love them. I think we came pretty close to losing the Pens to Kansas City before Super Mario stepped in and saved the day. Not sure what I'd have done if the Pens had moved. Of course the Steelers are a model of stability with the Rooneys having owned the team since its inception in 1933 and having only 3 head coaches since 1969.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: Why do you support your team?

Titan/Oilers and Ravens/Browns fans what did you do when the team moved? What did you do when a new team replaced the team that moved away? Crazy to think that if orginal Browns fans decided to support the Ravens, the ended up supporting a division rival

The NFL was pretty much dead to me, although I was a 49'ers fan, albeit just because I was a huge Steve Young fan.

Every once and a while you'll find a guy in Cleveland who roots for the Ravens, or stopped watching the NFL when the Browns left. The biggest thing and a recent trend is that people want to rename the franchise, because it's so different from the one that left.

Whatever...I guess I don't really care. This new team has been so crappy, it doesn't really feel like the Browns have been back.

[sb24]

Re: Why do you support your team?

The NFL was pretty much dead to me, although I was a 49'ers fan, albeit just because I was a huge Steve Young fan.

Every once and a while you'll find a guy in Cleveland who roots for the Ravens, or stopped watching the NFL when the Browns left. The biggest thing and a recent trend is that people want to rename the franchise, because it's so different from the one that left.

Whatever...I guess I don't really care. This new team has been so crappy, it doesn't really feel like the Browns have been back.

Interesting. I would have the same "NFL is dead" approach. Renaming the franchise I find interesting. I wonder how many are in support of that?

[OSUFan_88]

Re: Why do you support your team?

Interesting. I would have the same "NFL is dead" approach. Renaming the franchise I find interesting. I wonder how many are in support of that?

I would imagine that it's just a small amount of people, but...it's really not a bad idea. I am definitely open to it, as the Browns name doesn't have the same meaning that it did before they left.

[SoxFan01605]

Re: Why do you support your team?

I am from MA, but I am a Cowboys fan. In the 80s, nobody seemed to care all that much about pro football in Worcester (I mean, they did when they won...lol...but it was always behind the Celtics and Sox and even the Bruins for a lot of people up there) so I never had family or friends beating them into me like the other NE teams.

Anyway, the Cowboys were my Dad's team simply because he was introduced to American football by watching them and it stuck. So, I grew up with the Cowboys. I started watching in the late 80s and honestly, being a kid, probably would've jumped that losing ship for the 49ers (Joe Montana was THE QB when I was a kiddo) if it weren't for Troy Aikman, who became my favorite player. I've been on-board for the roller-coaster ride that is Jerry's Cowboys ever since. So, I've been a fan as long as I've watched football.

As for other teams I like (as long as they aren't playing Dallas of course):

Patriots: I root for them to do well out of a hometown thing.

Panthers: I was going living in NC when they started and it was nice being in on the ground floor of a franchise (I remember all the Kerry Collins hype-and subsequent disappointment-like it was yesterday). Wasn't a big fan of them handling the Cowboys for a couple years in the late 90s though.

Texans: I am married to a Houston native and live in Houston now, so I came to like them as I don't consider them a "rival" of the Cowboys despite what people from Houston think...lol (I've learned that while most Houstonians seem to hate the Cowboys, many Cowboys fans like the Texans just fine...kind of a one-way rivalry).

[dickey1331]

I am from MA, but I am a Cowboys fan. In the 80s, nobody seemed to care all that much about pro football in Worcester (I mean, they did when they won...lol...but it was always behind the Celtics and Sox and even the Bruins for a lot of people up there) so I never had family or friends beating them into me like the other NE teams.

Anyway, the Cowboys were my Dad's team simply because he was introduced to American football by watching them and it stuck. So, I grew up with the Cowboys. I started watching in the late 80s and honestly, being a kid, probably would've jumped that losing ship for the 49ers (Joe Montana was THE QB when I was a kiddo) if it weren't for Troy Aikman, who became my favorite player. I've been on-board for the roller-coaster ride that is Jerry's Cowboys ever since. So, I've been a fan as long as I've watched football.

As for other teams I like (as long as they aren't playing Dallas of course):

Patriots: I root for them to do well out of a hometown thing.

Panthers: I was going living in NC when they started and it was nice being in on the ground floor of a franchise (I remember all the Kerry Collins hype-and subsequent disappointment-like it was yesterday). Wasn't a big fan of them handling the Cowboys for a couple years in the late 90s though.

Texans: I am married to a Houston native and live in Houston now, so I came to like them as I don't consider them a "rival" of the Cowboys despite what people from Houston think...lol (I've learned that while most Houstonians seem to hate the Cowboys, many Cowboys fans like the Texans just fine...kind of a one-way rivalry).

I don't like Houston because they beat us their first game as a franchise.


Do you really care where I sent this from?

[Kanobi]

Re: Why do you support your team?

I started as a fan of Christian Okoye and gradually began following the whole team and used them on Tecmo Super Bowl. lol! Plus I took pride in likely being the only Chiefs fan in Los Angeles(or maybe even California) at the time ('89-'92) lol! Been a fan ever since

[Chef Matt]

Re: Why do you support your team?

I started as a fan of Christian Okoye and gradually began following the whole team and used them on Tecmo Super Bowl. lol! Plus I took pride in likely being the only Chiefs fan in Los Angeles(or maybe even California) at the time ('89-'92) lol! Been a fan ever since

I did sort of the same thing but with the Jets. I owned the cpu bad in the Tecmo series so I always came with the worst team. Just so happaned to be the Jets. After so many years you learn all the player names and what not. They just stuck and became my team.

[Brandwin]

I jumped on the 49ers bandwagon when I was young (Tecmo Bowl series helped that) dad wasn't a sports fan, didn't have older bothers, so I picked a team that was good and hung on.


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Sent from the depths of the sea but I'm heading back to the block

[wwharton]

Re: Why do you support your team?

To answer the question, I was a HUGE baseball and basketball fan when the Colts were in town so I had no ties to them. I started getting into the NFL after the Bears beat the Pats in the SB. I gravitated a bit towards the Skins since they were the only team in the area, and then I went to school in PA when the Skins were at their peak. Dealing with Eagles fans and watching the Skins shut them up brought me closer to the team, but like the Wiz, I couldn't and can't fully claim them. As soon as Baltimore got the Ravens the Skins were bumped to #2.

I like following local teams, so there really wasn't much of a chance for anyone else with there being a team in town. It's easier these days to follow teams in other places so maybe I'd feel differently if I had to make a decision today but I still struggle claiming an NBA team because there isn't one in Baltimore. I work just outside of DC so I have to see and hear more info about the Skins than the Ravens during the week so that keeps them relevant in my world and I want them to do well... unless they play the Ravens in the SB, which would create the greatest sports induced two weeks in the DMV.

Rams fans, were you able to follow the team each time it moved? At least when the Raiders moved it was in state.

Titan/Oilers and Ravens/Browns fans what did you do when the team moved? What did you do when a new team replaced the team that moved away? Crazy to think that if orginal Browns fans decided to support the Ravens, the ended up supporting a division rival

I can tell you there are people in Baltimore that still think there's some rivalry with the Colts because they want payback (stupid but true). I think it's even worse in Cleveland towards the Ravens (makes sense for many reasons, including being in the same division and watching them win a SB shortly after the team left). I don't think the Browns situation can be compared at all to the Ravens though. They DID keep the name, which means all of the records, all of the HOFers have a connection to the team still, etc. Losing the name "Colts" is the biggest slap in the face the NFL could've made to Baltimore. And this is coming from someone that didn't have any connection to the Colts, but you can feel the effect around the city, with the history, HOFers, marching band (yes it's THAT big that it deserves mentioning), etc.

The Browns could decide to change their name now and it wouldn't be horrible. It still wouldn't be the same as having to come up with a new name for the initial new team AND watching "The Browns" play in some other city at the same time.

I also agree it is very interesting to see the stories of people who are fans of teams outside of their area. It takes dedication, to wear a Cowboys jersey in Cali just because you grew up in Texas. Or one in VA because you refuse to love the Redskins... those are the fans I respect above all.

Sorry but there are probably more bandwagon Cowboy fans in the DC/VA area than in Texas. There are many stories explaining it... some or all may be true going back in time, but the real bandwangon hoppers have no fear jumping on board and flaunting it around here because there are already so many other Boys fans in the area.

[Dagio]

Re: Why do you support your team?

I was born and raised in Phoenix. My dad became a Cardinals fan when they moved here in 1988, so by default I was also a fan. Even with all the terrible seasons during the 90s and 2000s, there were always at least 1 or 2 games during the season that would remind me why I'm still a fan, like Jake Plummer's last-second TD pass against the Eagles in 2001 or knocking the Vikings out of the playoffs in 2003. So at this point they're my team regardless of their record.

[Checmate101]

Re: Why do you support your team?

Growing up, it could be only two teams on the tv screen on Sundays, The Redskins and the Redskins opponents, Grandpa,uncles,aunts,and dad didn't allow me to watch other teams play. It was just all Redskins.

Funny thing is though my moms (R.I.P) and her side of the family are Cowboys fan, so it was when all of us would be together, and talk junk to each other.