How You Became A Fan

[Jigga]

Osmosis. Heredity. That's good enough.

[Lee.]

Green Bay Packers. My dad was a Packer fan, passed it on to his boys, although my brother is more of a Vikes fan, the silly .

Chicago Cubs. As a kid, we had a satellite dish, and every day when I came home from school, there was a Cubs game on WGN. That means a lot to a kid, especially since I never really cared for the Expos and despise everything Toronto. I am comfortable with the fact that I will never see them win a championship in my lifetime.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Duh.

Winnipeg Jets. Never really picked up on any other teams after they moved to PHX, but I still sorta follow the Blackhawks, since the Jets-Hawks games were always a 4-3 action-packed bloodbath. To this day, though, I have no idea why the Arena never did a West Side Story theme when the Sharks came to town.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

When I was a kid, I liked the Yankees because Dave Winfield played for them and was my favorite player (lamely, because we share the same first name) and the Giants because my father rooted for them, even though we lived an hour away from Buffalo.

As I grew older, I ditched the Yankees for the Expos because I got tired of winning, then ditched the Expos for no one because I hate baseball altogether now.

I root for Syracuse sports because I'm from upstate New York, and I started rooting for the Bills around 1999 or so because I started recognizing how important hometown pride can be.

I had considered myself a Knicks fan by default, but really enjoyed the Van Gundy/Ewing/Houston/Sprewell years. I've switched allegiances a bit to the Wizards, but that's justified as I interned with the team and met a few of the players. Plus, Etan Thomas plays in DC and he is among my favorite Orangemen of all time.

I pull for the Sabres because of proximity and Rick Jeanerret. I have an interest in U of L football because I lived in Louisville for two years. Finally, I root for University of Washington because I am a student there now. In a few years, we'll see how strong that connection is.

[black_gold_capone]

Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, and Panthers just because i'm from around Pittsburgh.

76ers simply because of A.I., also it was either that or cleveland and umm cleveland

[Guest]

Just a random thought here: how would one have become a Los Angeles Angels fan in greater LA? The only ways I can think of are a severe aversion to the pitcher batting, or that your family didn't want to drive all the way into the city for a Dodgers game and it was just easier to get to Anaheim Stadium. I mean, Koufax & Drysdale, Gibson's home run, Tommy Lasorda, Vin Scully, all that stuff is what Los Angeles baseball is all about. Hell, Vin Scully alone is a relevant chapter in the history of broadcasting. Should you be so lucky as to live in southern California, if one wants to look at it that way, the mystique of the Los Angeles Dodgers is something worth being a part of, to say nothing about their illustrious Brooklyn history. Electing to be an Angels fan over a Dodgers fan, to me, is like declining a Thanksgiving dinner in favor of some baloney on Wonder Bread.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Is it at all comparable to choosing the Mets over the Yankees? Or the Sox over the Cubs? Or the Jets over the Giants? Or, heaven forbid, the Clippers over the Lakers?

For those of us in the population with a permanent chip jammed into our shoulders, we like rooting for the underdog. Those few shining moments when our downtrodden teams hit the big time are cathartic in ways Yankees fans could never appreciate.

[Guest]

Is it at all comparable to choosing the Mets over the Yankees? Or the Sox over the Cubs? Or the Jets over the Giants? Or, heaven forbid, the Clippers over the Lakers?

For those of us in the population with a permanent chip jammed into our shoulders, we like rooting for the underdog. Those few shining moments when our downtrodden teams hit the big time are cathartic in ways Yankees fans could never appreciate.

No, because the White Sox, even though I don't like them, have quite a history, and even I can realize that there's something special about rooting for what's not a regional team, nor state team, nor a city team, but essentially a neighborhood team. With the Mets, I guess you could say that they picked up where the Dodgers and Giants left off, so if you were really into New York National League baseball they could be your team, plus they've had all sorts of dizzying highs and lows. Whether you go Giants or A's, I can understand. But the Angels. They've always just been there, even when they won the World Series.

[FiddySicks]

Just a random thought here: how would one have become a Los Angeles Angels fan in greater LA? The only ways I can think of are a severe aversion to the pitcher batting, or that your family didn't want to drive all the way into the city for a Dodgers game and it was just easier to get to Anaheim Stadium. I mean, Koufax & Drysdale, Gibson's home run, Tommy Lasorda, Vin Scully, all that stuff is what Los Angeles baseball is all about. Hell, Vin Scully alone is a relevant chapter in the history of broadcasting. Should you be so lucky as to live in southern California, if one wants to look at it that way, the mystique of the Los Angeles Dodgers is something worth being a part of, to say nothing about their illustrious Brooklyn history. Electing to be an Angels fan over a Dodgers fan, to me, is like declining a Thanksgiving dinner in favor of some baloney on Wonder Bread.

The reasons why so many are Angels fans are pretty simple. Anaheim serves all of Orange County (which IS considered "greater LA" by some. Go figure) and even Southern LA County, where LA does not. Now im not gonna argue the whole Anaheim is a suburb BS, but I will tell you this. No person in Orange County who has any sort of sense is gonna drive up to Los Angeles to catch a sporting event when there is a ballclub in their backyard. Its a bastard to get up to Los Angeles from here, not like your basic sunday afternoon drive through the countryside. Its crowded, dangerous, dirty, ugly, ect ect ect. Id rather drill screws into my toes than make the miserable commute from Orange to LA county. It Can literally take five to six hours to get from here to LAX in bad traffic and vice versa, and its just over 40 miles. And then when you get there it can take another two hours to park and get to your seat. Last time I went I was at the bottom of the revine an hour before the game started, and didnt get to my seat till the fifth inning. Indescribable horror unless youve accually done it. To go through that, and then to spend four inings dealing with some of the biggest scumbags youll ever meet, even if your on their side, is less than pleasing. then you gotta reverse it all.

Only even relatively smart thing to ever come outta Jimmy Falon's mouth was this (well, I think it was Jimmy falon in that POS movie Fever pitch). You dont really get to choose your teams, they just kinda choose you.

BASEBALL

situation is a little wierd, and most dont like my philosophy on it, but whatever. I dont really care. No particular order.

San Francisco Giants: Grew up with a mother who is by far the most insane Giants fan I know.

St. Louis Cardinals: See above, replace mother with father and Giants with Cardinals.

Oakland Athletics: Grew up watching them, worked for them all through High School.

Sacramento Rivercats: If I was ever forced to arrow it down to just ONE baseball team, the Rivercats would definately be it. Sure they're AAA, but their "My Team", end of story. If Sacramento were to ever get an MLB team id be the happiest man alive.

HOCKEY

San Jose Sharks: I had always liked them, but it was Puckguy and ICS who really got me on the Sharks Swing. Thank you guys.

Philadelphia Flyers: Ive liked the Flyers longer than ive liked any other Pro Sports team. I think its my love for Rocky Top and the connection to orange I saw as a young kid. Im more of a casual Flyers fan than I am a Sharks fan, but id definately be happy to see them win something.

BASKETBALL

Sacramento Kings: Worked for them throughout High School. That and they were the Anti-Lakers at one point.

Golden State Warriors: Ehhh, theyre the Bay Area's team. Basketball is so wasted on me.......

FOOTBALL

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Heres where my Fallon quote comes into play the strongest. Not really sure why im such an enormous fan. Ive just always liked the Bucs. 94 was the first year I started watching football with my dad, and I saw the Bucs play and just instantly said THEM!!!!! Thats my team!!! But I kinda think it was the 96 and 97 teams where I truely fell into fanhood. That and ive always wanted to be a pirate.

NCAA:

Tennessee Vols: Family. Plain and simple. I think i could say Go Big Orange, and Fu*k Florida before I was able to say dada.

Nevada Reno: Nor Nev's team. Gotta rep em.

[Eye]

I'll give it a go.

Cleveland Indians: I have no idea why. Maybe because my dad has an office in Cleveland and sometimes goes there. I'd get some Indians stuff when I was younger in the 90's, but I'm definitely sure that I was a fan before I got any free stuff (Indians magazines, etc.) I distinctly remember the '97 World Series and vaguely remember the '95 World Series.

New Jersey Devils: I guess because they are from NJ and they are the closest team to me. Also,I went to game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals when the Devils beat Philly in 6 games, I've been a fan of the Devils all my life, but... When I was little, Mario Lemieux was my favorite player, he still is my all time favorite player. I did like the Penguins when I was younger and I still do. They're my number 2 team, but the Devils will always be number 1, always have been.

Cleveland Browns: Who da hell knows. I have no idea. I just love 'em. People look at me like I'm retarded or something. Like we'd talk about football and I'd say Jets suck or something and they'd be like you like the Giants? I'd just be like hell no, Browns baby. "WTF how do you like the Browns" But I love the Browns I remember watching them in a game in '95ish, when I started to pay attention to sports the most. I heard that they would be gone, and I was just like what? I was only 7, I didn't know all the details in the move. Football dropped off the radar a bit, then the Browns came back and so did I.

New Jersey Nets: Hometown team. I remember going to a Nets game in the '95-'96 season where they played the expansion Raptors and killed 'em. Since then I've been a fan, it was rough for a while, but now things are great in NetLand.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats: I watched them in a game on tv once, and since then they've been my favorite CFL team. I actually do follow them and check out their site, game highlights, players, stats, and scores.

Well there you go!

[Moser316]

OK, I'll bite:

Milwaukee Brewers: Homerism

Green Bay Packers: Homerism

Milwaukee Bucks: Homerism

Nashville Predators: Since the Milwaukee Admirals are the Predators top farm club, all the top prospects come through here before they get to Nashville.

Celtic: I'm part Irish Catholic, which is pretty much their fan base in Glasgow.

Cork GAA: It's where my Irish ancestry comes from, I only got into GAA because I played hurling last year.

UWM: The alma mater (BS-Architectural Studies '01, MS-Architecture '03)

Wisconsin: Homerism

[leopard88]

Devils after years of being a Ranger fan frustrated after the Brian Leetch trade and getting Jagr, plus the pending move to Newark plus 3 cups convinced me it was time to be a Devils fan.

Remember when hopping off of the Bandwagon: Tuck and Roll.

LOL

For me, it's easy:

Orioles, Ravens, Terps -- geography.

Lafayette -- attendance.

[no97]

I'll start with the four in my sig, then add a few minor teams to that...

I grew up just outside Chicago (Downers Grove, for those that care), and left when I went to college, so that explains the Bears and Cubs. In fact, we had Cubs season tickets starting in 1983 for a couple of seasons...

The Bemidji State and Bemidji HS logos are because that's where I live now, and I work in radio here as the "Voice of the Lumberjacks" (Bemidji HS - I do play-by-play of football, hockey, basketball, baseball and softball). As far as BSU, I do public address for the football team, and have a radio show about their D-I hockey program.

The teams that are not in my sig that I root for are Vanderbilt (my sister and borther-in-law went there). The Minnesota Wild (I was never a hockey fan growing up, so there isn't much connecting me to the Blackhawks, and when I moved to Minnesota, the Wild started up... There's a much greater connection to them than the 'Hawks). Also Northern Michigan University hockey (simple - I went to school there). And finaly Notre Dame football (I had a friend from HS go and end up starting line-backer for the Irish back in the mid-'90's, so I've always followed them too).

Moose

[OB33]

Colts: Dad is a Colts fan from way back when they were in Baltimore, didn't want to go against the house.

Nationals: Homerism

Wizards: Used to be a Mavericks fan for some reason, then I went to a Wizards game in 2004, been a fan ever since.

Flyers: Always liked Philadelphia, and I didn't really have a hockey team to root for so I decided to go with them.

College: I root for a lot of teams, mainly because I didn't really grow up in a college town or have parents that went to college so I've kinda just gone around to different teams. Ohio State is on the list due to a trip I took one summer to Ohio, got to go to Ohio State and see the stadium and everything. Been a fan ever since. Though VT is a close second. When it comes to basketball, I root for any team that's name starts with George, UNC, Ohio State and Villanova. Hopefully one day, I can narrow it down to one team.

Soccer: Columbus Crew for the same reason as Ohio State. Brazil because that's who I rooted for in the first World Cup I saw back in 1994.

NASCAR: Kevin Harvick because when I first got into it back in 2001 he was the rookie busting out on to the scene and after his dramatic win at Atlanta I was hooked.

[Korkie]

I am a homer (Philadelphia) and my grandfather and brother were Philadelphia fans so it just happened. College football unded up being Penn State, because of the local/in-state connections. In college basketball I route for all the Big 5 teams, but when playing each other the order is 1.) St. Joe's 2.) Villanova 3.) Penn 4.) Temple 5.) LaSalle however I do not have a strong bias for or against either way.

[fiasco!]

i was born a tigers, lions, pistons, red wings, and michigan state fan. although i have become a panthers, bobcats, and clemson fan due to my move down here 4 years ago, there is nothing that will stop me from ever being a fan of my detroit teams.

because of my love of the spartans, i despise the university of michigan, except for one week of every year. it just happens that this week i'm a wolverine fan.

[Batfan1400]

This is how I became an OBSESSED "fanboy" of how i spend my

free time on the tube or my video game system.My sig below should give you a hint

1).MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

I became a fan of "America's National Pastime" bcuz the concept was simple,yet

complicated in many ways how the mindgames come into play and how are being layed out .

FYI,I'm glad to see Wash. DC have a team again.

2).NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

I became a fan of "America's Ca$h Cow" bcuz it's like a "thinking man's barbaric slugfest",

but now it's a glitzy-fied choreographed "testerone theatre" !!!!

Yet,I still watch the games,cuz you can't have 1 w/o the other.That's only IMO though.

(theory:If youre a fan of baseball,you'll like become a (nfl/ncaa)football fan.)

3).NCAA DIV. 1A COLLEGE FOOTBALL

The ONLY thing the "NO-FUN CORPORATE FOOTBALL LEAGUE" has on NCAA pigskin,is a

legitimate tournament-style playoff round.Otherwise,its great entertaiment though.

IMO,you can have a lget tourney-style playoff+still keep the bowl system intact in some form.

4).DC COMICS/JUSTICE LEAGUE/SUPERFRIENDS

The very 1st thing I remembered in my childhood was watching the SF/Super Powers Team

on TV one day+fell in love with the DCU ever since.I'm a fan-boy mark for Batman b/c he's

mortal,but I don't mind being cool with Supez,Wondy,Flash,GL etc.

5).POKER PLAYER

I became a fan of poker bcuz I had a strange fetish with playing cards.Also,I prefer

playing with the standard 52-NO Joker's allowed.IMO,I'm a fan of basic player-but

I'll take whatever I can get for now.

6).PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

I used to watch pro-wrasslin' when I was a youngster when I saw Hulk Hogan's

Rock+N=Wrestling cartoon show+real live matches,but now....I dunno

I know it's staged+predetermined,but it beats any bulls+?t "fake" reality-TV program

anyday.I'll see how it plays out whether I come back inot the fold or not.

That's all for today.I'm Out.THE END.

[Gary]

same with Joel, I was pretty much born a Pistons, Redwings, Tigers and Lions fan although i'd rather root for the better school, University of Michigan. Being born in Flint, Michigan and having parents who taught me who these team are made me die hard fans, but at the same time beng raised in the Glendale/Phoenix area has made me a fan of the teams here as well.

I root for Arizona State because it is my Alma Mater and I will always go to their games(unless I have to work) but if and when they play Michigan I will always root for the Maize and Blue.

[OnWis97]

I took a Chicago straight ticket. I don't get cherry-picking your favorite teams. I tried hard to be an Ottawa Senators fan and my heart was never in it.

Pretty much the same for me with Minnesota. When the North Stars moved, I tried to become a Red Wings fan and it just did not work. When they eventually won the cup, I did not care.

University of Wisconsin--My alma mater.

---

My "B" list is U of Minnesota (where I grew up) and Iowa (where I went to grad school), but for the most part it is Minnesota Pro and U of Wisconsin.

[CC97]

Jays/Leafs/Raps/Argos... I'm a hometown fan.

Jays have been my #1 team since 1998 when they signed Canseco. When that happened I started going to a bunch of games a year, and have been to about 275 games since.

Before the Raptors existed I liked the Portland Trail-Blazers, because I hated the Bulls, and then I switched to the Indiana Pacers for '94 and '95.

When Doug Flutie was their QB I loved the Buffalo Bills, after they chose Rob Johnson I stopped watching the NFL every week.

[Fred T. Jane]

This is how I became an OBSESSED "fanboy" of how i spend my

free time on the tube or my video game system.My sig below should give you a hint

1).MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

I became a fan of "America's National Pastime" bcuz the concept was simple,yet

complicated in many ways how the mindgames come into play and how are being layed out .

FYI,I'm glad to see Wash. DC have a team again.

2).NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

I became a fan of "America's Ca$h Cow" bcuz it's like a "thinking man's barbaric slugfest",

but now it's a glitzy-fied choreographed "testerone theatre" !!!!

Yet,I still watch the games,cuz you can't have 1 w/o the other.That's only IMO though.

(theory:If youre a fan of baseball,you'll like become a (nfl/ncaa)football fan.)

3).NCAA DIV. 1A COLLEGE FOOTBALL

The ONLY thing the "NO-FUN CORPORATE FOOTBALL LEAGUE" has on NCAA pigskin,is a

legitimate tournament-style playoff round.Otherwise,its great entertaiment though.

IMO,you can have a lget tourney-style playoff+still keep the bowl system intact in some form.

4).DC COMICS/JUSTICE LEAGUE/SUPERFRIENDS

The very 1st thing I remembered in my childhood was watching the SF/Super Powers Team

on TV one day+fell in love with the DCU ever since.I'm a fan-boy mark for Batman b/c he's

mortal,but I don't mind being cool with Supez,Wondy,Flash,GL etc.

5).POKER PLAYER

I became a fan of poker bcuz I had a strange fetish with playing cards.Also,I prefer

playing with the standard 52-NO Joker's allowed.IMO,I'm a fan of basic player-but

I'll take whatever I can get for now.

6).PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

I used to watch pro-wrasslin' when I was a youngster when I saw Hulk Hogan's

Rock+N=Wrestling cartoon show+real live matches,but now....I dunno

I know it's staged+predetermined,but it beats any bulls+?t "fake" reality-TV program

anyday.I'll see how it plays out whether I come back inot the fold or not.

That's all for today.I'm Out.THE END.

So... what teams do you actually like? I'm confused about that... among other things.

BTW, all of us are merely poseurs when it comes to being a true sports fans, especially compared to these fans...

http://www.fc-zenit.ru/eng/news.phtml?month=10.2006

Toyota Corolla goes to the Fans

Today before the beginning of the game with Spartak (Nalchik) FC Zenit and

Olymp Auto Group (Axel-Car Pulkovo dealership) presented a new Toyta Corolla

to the three Zenit fans. Evgeny Stepanov, Aleksandr Zaraysky and Veronika

Davidova made a 15 000 km long car trip to support Zenit in Vladivostok in

their recent away against FC Luch-Energia.