How did you choose your team?

[Swiss]

Someone here had chose the hometown team because it was the sole team at home... but I'm curious about those who chose one team in a 2 (or 3) teams in the city (like New York with its Yankees/Mets, Jets/Giants, Rangers/Islanders...), also there are some people who chose a distant team because of a great one playing there.

I'm starting with myself:

- In soccer (in Argentina) I root for Independiente because it's near of my hometown, the players wear a very red shirt which reminds me of the Swiss National team and Independiente had a excellent player called Ricardo Bochini who, according many folks, is better than Maradona.

- Baseball: when I was 22 years old, I hooked myself with the 1993 World Series, whatta series!!! Although I loved Carter, I didn't became fan of the Blue Jays. Later I bought a fat baseball history book and I liked alots the history of the Red Sox and the old NY Giants so I fell in love with them. I think I'm 51% Boston fan and 49% SF fan.

- NFL: I root for the Dolphins because I lived in Miami.

- NBA: Although I didn't like too much basket, I use to follow the Celtics because of Larry Byrd. And they are from Boston, rah, rah, hurrah! I also kept an eye on San Antonio because of Manu Ginobili, an Argentinean player.

- NHL: The Canadiens only because of the Frenchspoken background of Montréal. I'm a Frenchspoken Swiss. And the Habs have the most exciting jersey of the whole league.

How was you becoming fan of your team?

[OnWis97]

Very simple.

Pro: Born and raised in Minnesota.

College: My undergrad alma matter.

[JQK]

Location, Location, Location.

I grew up in Bayonne, NJ.

I am a fan of:

New Jersey Devils

New York Giants

New York Jets

New York Yankees

Rutgers University

Seton Hall University

I root for Duke basketball as well, but that comes from my dad. I don't know why he's a fan of them, but he's been a fan of them long before i was born, so i don't get it.

So, it's more like Location, Location, Location, and family...

[hormone]

I'm 30, so you can picture the eras I'm about to describe.

TB Bucs: My mom's family is from/lives in the St. Pete, Clearwater, Tampa area. Growing up, they got the expansion team and told me to stay out of the Browns/Steelers rivalry and to get on their bandwagon because they needed the support.

Miami Canes: Liking Florida football and orange unis, Miami was on top growing up so I took them up due to the success and big games vs. Penn State.

Pitts Pirates: No Florida baseball, so went with the home team.

Pitts Pens: No Florida hockey, so went with the home team.

Boston Celtics: They were successful and I HATED the Lakers/Bulls since everyone around here front-runned with them since we have no basketball here.

[Shumway]

All of my favorite teams are essentially because of a player I liked back in the day. Some of the players are pretty random, I'll admit. I guess I just liked their cards.

- MLB: Angels - Mark Langston...actually, I started as an Expos fan, but when he became an Angel, I followed. Currently, I'm about 20% Cardinals fan, since Jim Edmonds rapidly became my favorite player.

- NFL: Lions - Barry Sanders...no need to explain

- NHL: Red Wings - I actually like them just because I liked the Lions. The whole Detroit connection did it, I suppose. I started liking the Wings the year before they lost to New Jersey.

- NBA: Suns - Thunder :censored:in' Dan.

- Soccer - World Cups: Italy...my family's italian, so there. I root for USA as well, but, well, they manage to disappoint. I've laways kinda liked Argentina as well, although I don't know why. I think they were my team in Fifa '96 on Super Nintendo. As far as club teams, I don't really follow it closely, just because it's darn near impossible to see on TV in the states, but I like Juventus because of Del Piero.

- NCAA: I follow Pitt, since my brother went there, and I saw plenty of games at Heinz and Three Rivers. There are teams I root for(because of players I like), although I wouldn't call them favorites, per se: Oregon (Joey Harrington, yeah, I still like the guy), Okie State(Barry Sanders), and Central Mich(Dan Majerle)

[officeglenn]

NHL: Proximity. Grew up in southern Alberta, so I was a Flames fan.

CFL: See above, replacing "Flames" with "Stampeders."

MLB/NBA/MLS: Pretty much proximity again. With Toronto being the only Canadian team in each league (well, I did cheer for the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Montreal Expos while they were around), I didn't have much choice.

NFL: Most of my favourite NFL teams I have picked on the (rather fitting, in the context of these forums) basis of their uniforms/colours/logos. Top of my list are the Buccaneers, Jets, Titans, Bengals.

European Soccer: I started cheering for Arsenal because, when I was in college and had cable in rez, they would pretty much only show Manchester United and Arsenal games on Saturday mornings. I knew a little about the Premiership, though ? enough to know that cheering for ManU was like cheering for the Yankees, and I didn't want to get on that bandwagon. So Arsenal it was.

[Epiphanic]

My teams of choice were picked largely because they were good enough to get on network TV, but weren't the best team in their league. In essence I liked the good underdog.

MLB - Seattle Mariners/Washington Nationals: As a young lad I was primarily a Twins fan because my dad is a Twins fan as well. With the 1994 strike, I, along with every other baseball fan, was scarred by it. With the 1995 season I started liking the Indians because my cousin liked them and they were good. They were quickly replaced with Seattle's comeback and West Division title in the 163rd game of the season over California. Coupled with their victory over the Yankees in the ALDS, Seattle soon became my team of choice because they were an underdog yet still good enough to enjoy some success. This past summer I moved to Washington, DC and attended a few Nats games at RFK. I am slowly becoming a Nationals fan now.

NBA - Phoenix Suns: When I started following the NBA the Suns were a premier team in the West. This was the early 90s when the MJ-led Bulls were dominating. I saw the Suns as the underdog and picked them for my allegience. I also somewhat root for the Spurs, but that is only because of Tim Duncan (as you will see below).

NFL - Miami Dolphins: Again same story. With Dan Marino, Miami was a perennial playoff contender but never the popular pick for the Super Bowl.

College - Wake Forest Demon Deacons: My dad had a conference in Winston-Salem, NC in 1996 (I'm pretty sure that's right). He said he got to visit the Wake Forest campus and I thought that was pretty cool. With the college basketball season, the Deacs (led by Duncan) were ranked #2 in the country. Again, not #1, but good enough to be televised so I could follow them fairly well. I went to a small D-II school so Wake remains my D-I school of choice.

[WJMorris3]

For pro sports, as a lifelong resident of South Jersey, the Philadelphia sports teams are the obvious team to follow.

For collegiate football, I picked Notre Dame because of a football game I saw on television against Indiana (I later found that this was NBC's first broadcast of Notre Dame football), and "Notre Dame" just sounded like a cool name. At the time, I had no knowledge of their football prowess.

For collegiate basketball, I again stay within the realms of Philadelphia, because South Jersey does not have a Division I basketball program. Penn comes first (I mean, they have not lost a conference tournament game in the last decade), then Villanova (went to high school with Andrew Sullivan), Drexel (Michael Kouser), St. Joseph's (no basketball players, but Andy Kulinski, the soccer player), La Salle (no player of interest), and finally Temple (sorry, but John Chaney rubbed me the wrong way)

[KevinMcD]

Well I believe the Bills, Bulls, and Sabres are obvious.

The Orioles is a longer story. My dad grew up idolizing Brooks Robinson and when he was 6 and 10 they won the World Series. So obviously he grew up with the Orioles. And my dad passed that along to me.

[Ez Street]

I was out taking a wizz, and the Royals and Chiefs were the only teams left.

[McCall]

Growing up in Missouri, you pretty much are born into Cardinals Country. My family as Cardinals fans goes back farther than the team itself. (Okay, that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea.) I've been going to Cards games since I was about 4 years old. Cardinals are like a religion in my family. With their history and just the aura of the team, it's hard not be a fan and so easy to be.

As far as the other sports, I'm pretty loyal to St. Louis teams in general. So I'm definately a Rams fan, and although I don't follow hockey too closely, I do consider myself to be a Blues fan.

As for the NBA. Well, I really don't care for it much anymore, like most people, I'm sure. I was a big time Bulls fan up until Jordan's second retirement and the NBA Lockout of 1998-99. Since then, the NBA has just been a joke. THough I do like the Spurs and Mavericks. They're two teams I can actually watch play. And since I have a lot of family in Memphis, I'll support them as the closest thing to my "Hometown" team.

[FiddySicks]

I get a lot of :censored: from people a lot of the time for the teams I like, but truth is I dont care enough about sports in general to get so wrapped up in it like some people do (This is a recent discovery, which shocked the hell outta me). Now dont get me wrong, I love watching sports. Its the most entertaining thing ive ever found next to sex, most nostalgic thing next to christmas, and most comforting next next to a big bowl of moms home made mashed potatoes, but its just a game.

With that,

MLB:

Athletics. I have worked on and off for the A's/Rivercats since my sophomore year of high school and have become very familiar with the team.

Giants: My mother was born and raised in San Fran and is the most die hard Giants fan I know. I have a very strong link from both of my parents to the team. Hell, my parents even met in the damn ferry building next door to the park!!!

Cardinals: Yet again, another nostalgic link. My dad grew up in St. Louis, MO rooting for the Browns (Yeah, hes THAT old) and the Cards. Nothing is better than sitting down with pops watching the Cards game.

NHL:

Sharks: This is all thanks to our very own Puckguy and ICS for infecting me with the Teal and....... Orange?

Flyers: Not exectly sure why. I think it has something to do with rooting against the wings in 97.

NBA:

Kings/Warriors: Because I care so little about basketball I just root for the Northern Cal teams

NCAA:

U of Tennessee: This is all thanks to my dads side of the family. I was brainwashed with the UT love before I could even walk.

U of Nevada: Local team in the NorNev area, went there last semester.

NFL:

Buccaneers: Now heres where the die hard love kicks in full swing. Jimmy Fallon was right only once, but damn was he dead on (sure he didn't write the line, but he said it). Sometimes you dont pick your team, your team just picks you.

[CS85]

Chicago Bears - I watched part of a game with my Uncle at Thanksgiving of 2000 I want to say where the Bears were playing the Lions with the sorry-ass Cade McNown at the helm, and I watched religiously the next season where the Bears won 13 games and had a fun year. Since then I've been a sick addicted weirdo.

Chicago Cubs - I grew up watching them with my parents, and got into them religiously around the 1998 season where Sosa and McGwire had their big years. Since then I've followed them hardcore, and had my first wrigley trip this past summer.

Chicago Blackhawks - I caught on towards the end of the 2001 season where the Blackhawks made the playoffs for the first time in forever, and lost to the damn Blues. Since then I've followed them very casually.

Indiana Pacers - I was a big Pacers fan until 2001 or so. The 1998 NBA conference finals was Indy vs. Michael's Bulls. I saw game 6 where Reggie hit the game winning 3 to send the series to 7 games. I was never a fan of the Jordan Bulls, and rooted for Indy hardcore all the way through their title run in 2000 against the Lakers. After the Malice at the Palice I gave up on the Pacers and the NBA. Now I'm a very casual fan of the baby bulls.

[kewp80]

Well, mine, like most other fans is because of location and family.

MLB: Love the Cards, my most favorite of all the teams I like. This is because my dad and whole family on my dad's side are Cards fans, and their all from Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis. I go to at least one Cards game every year, usually more.

NFL: Again, St Louis, with the Rams. The 1999 season really got me actually paying attention to them, like most Rams fans, but I supported them with my Rams starter jacket even before that season. Before the Rams moved I was a big Bledsoe and Patriots fan because my elementary school's mascot was the Patriots, even though the school was named after Robert E. Lee haha.

NHL: The Blues, I don't follow the NHL as much as I used to, I used to love the Blues when they went to the playoffs every year. My dad is a big Blues fan, and used to go to Conference Final games all the time.

NBA: Not a big hoops fan, but if I had a favorite team I would have to say the Jazz. Back when they lost in the Finals to the Bulls I liked Malone and Stockton, and I just thought they had a cool name and look.

College: I live in Columbia, MO so the Missouri Tigers are my team in all college sports, my Saturday morning routine is to go tailgating, and if I feel like it go to the game. If it's a night game then I watch College Gameday, and then tailgate later. I don't go to Mizzou, but I've lived here all my life, and its always been a constant in my life, and there really isn't anyone else to root for around here.

Soccer: I'm a big Liverpool fan, can't really say way, just like their style I guess, came a big fan while watching them in the Champions League this last season, damn AC Milan! I also like Portsmouth just because I always seemed to catch them on TV all the time, and I liked playing with them on FIFA 07.

Rugby: Been following the Super League lately, and have been listening to St. Helens games. They just beat Leeds Rhinos to advance to the Grand Final, so I'm pretty psyched. I guess I like them because they are close to Liverpool, and they're good

[Sir Donald]

MLB: I got interested around the time of the Marlins expansion, but it never really clicked, until 1998 when the Arizona Diamondbacks arrived and 2001 cemented that choice.

NHL: I'm currently a fair weather fan in need of a franchise to root for.

NLL: Portland Lumberjax - Something just appealed to me (in spite of the horrendous spelling ) plus the idea of the ownership was something different.

[Lee.]

Some is geographic, some ain't.

Football (CFL)- Blue Bombers. You grow up in Winnipeg, you're a Bomber fan, period.

Hockey- Used to be the Jets (RIP), but now I'm a Blackhawks fan first, Canucks fan second. I never liked the 'Nucks, due to the Jets rivalry, but then again, I haven't lived in a hockey market for 10 years. It's kinda nice.

Football (NFL)- Saints, Colts, Packers. I'm a Packers fan due to my dad being one, but I like the Saints and the Colts because I've been inside both stadiums (just not to see a game). You'd think I could put the Vikes and Dolphins (Orange Bowl, baby!) on the list, but nope. Just can't stand em.

MLB- NL: Cubs, Astros. The Astros because I've been in the Astrodome a few times (stadium tours are fun), but overall, the Cubs are my team. When we lived outside of Winnipeg, we had one of the first old-school satellite dishes (12 feet!), and every day after school, I could come home and turn on a Cubs game. That started in 1983, and I've been a die-hard ever since.

American League: No one, really. I kinda like the Twins due to geography, but beyond them, I'm really a National League fan at heart.

NBA- I can take or leave basketball, for the most part.

[illwauk]

I'm a fan of the Brewers, Packers, Bucks, Badgers and Marquette because those are the teams I grew up watching.

My Milwaukee Panthers fandom started long before I enrolled there. When my aunt was dating a guy who played ball for them (in their D2/early D1 days). She would take me to the games when she babysat because she knew I liked basketball. When I moved to Green Bay with my mom, I always made an effort to see them play UWGB because I hated Green Bay (the town, not necessarily any of the teams) and I was a smart assed teenager who wanted to piss off the Phoenix fans for pulling for their biggest rival.

I'm a fan of Western Michigan partially because I got fam in K-Zoo. But mostly because I'm somewhat known for wearing their colors. I didn't realize it until my cousin ran into one of my classmates and after describing me, my classmate apparently said "Oh, that dude who's always wearing brown." That's when I suddenly realized a good 65/70% of my clothes are some combination of brown and wheat/caramel/gold/yellow (or at least have brown on them). Add to that my natural love of underdogs and I couldn't help but adopt the Broncos.

I tried to adopt the Steelers a couple years ago because I was tryin' to be with a girl from Pittsburgh and most Packers fans annoy the s**t outta me. Plus the Steelers played a style of ball that I played in high school and Bill Cowher reminded me of my coach (who wasn't nearly as effective, BTW). But it turned out I couldn't fully give away my allegiance to the Packers because I'd been a fan of theirs for so long. I still follow the Steelers as "my AFC team," but I'm definetly a Packers fan (is spite of the fact that most of their fans set Wisconsin back to the stone age).

[Moser316]

MLB: Brewers, because they're the hometown team and they were still pretty good when I was a kid.

NFL: Packers, because that's who my parents rooted for and we sometimes had access to tickets when they played at County Stadium.

NBA: Bucks, because they're the hometown team.

NHL: Predators, because they're the parent club of the hometown Admirals.

College Football: Wisconsin, because they're the only big time program in the state.

College Basketball: UWM, because they're the alma mater (and provided a nice distraction from my master's thesis in 2003 when they made the NCAA tournament).

College Hockey: Wisconsin, for the same reason as why I like them in college football.

European Soccer: Everton, because I started following them during former Rampage striker Brian McBride's loan period there and stuck with them (although I also follow Arsenal, Fulham, and Celtic).

GAA: County Cork, because my Irish ancestry hails from there and they've won the most All-Ireland hurling titles to date.

[Starchild]

For me it's 98% location, 1% somewhat-irrational personal feelings toward other locations, 1% great players

NBA: Knicks... basketball is NYC's game and the only team that has and ever will matter in NYC is the Knicks. On top of that, even playing pickup games and whatnot, I was big on defense... I'm a small dude, so when playing, I wanted to be the guy that made hustle plays, boxed out, hounded the ball, took a charge, anything to help the team since I'm not a gifted ball handler nor a great shooter/rebounder. The Knicks, at the time, were the embodiment of that kind of play, and it was only natural that I'd gravitate that way.

NHL: Rangers and Penguins... my support for the Rangers was always purely location driven. I was never a big hockey fan at first... just casual, I hate Long Island so I refused to cheer for the Islanders, likewise, I have some hatred toward New Jersey so the Devils were out of the question, Rangers play at MSG, so that was my team. Gradually I grew to appreciate, understand and love the game more and more, and my loyalty has always remained with the Rangers, although I'm far from a die-hard fan (although more than a casual fan). I always cheered for the Pens simply because I found Mario Lemieux to be captivating, so when the Rangers weren't playing them, the Pens were my go-to team... since Mario retired, I'm 100% NYR, although I like to see Pittsburgh do well.

MLB: Mets (unfortunately)... I live in Queens, the NYers in my family are old school Brooklyn Dodgers fans who now live in Queens, so there you have it. I grew up going to Mets games, never went to Yankee stadium until like 3 years ago when I caught a Yankees/Rockies game. I was a very casual fan throughout most of the 90s until around 1996 when the Yankees really came on... but I still stuck to the Mets. Oh, and the emergence of Mike Piazza helped... I was still pretty casual up until Piazza got traded to the Mets, then for whatever reason, I followed them more closely and really became close to my die-hard status with the Knicks (but not quite).

NFL: I don't like football.. for whatever reason, I just can't get into it. However, if I were to choose a team, it would probably be the Giants. The trend is Yankees/Knicks/Rangers/Giants and Mets/Islanders/Jets... so I guess I've gotta go Big Blue (and besides, of all the players I know-which I can probably name on two hands-the most names I know are Giants).

[OnWis97]

...and most Packers fans annoy the s**t outta me.

Hey! Me too!