What are your "rules" & reasons for your sports team fan-ships?

[4_tattoos]

I'm probably alone in this, but if you're gonna wear the apparel of your favorite team to an actual game. WEAR THE GODAMN TEAM COLORS!!! I'm a Washington Redskins fan. I hate going to games and seeing people wear Redskins gear outside of the team's proper colors. Worst offenders of this are those black fan jerseys & the pink women's jerseys. With the NFL changing from Reebok to Nike, I don't know if that trend will continue. I hope it doesn't. I know it may seem petty to some, but that's just how it is with me.

[4_tattoos]

And to why I'm a fan of my favorite teams.

Washington Redskins: I've lived in the DC Metro area my entire life, and football is my sport. Only natural that the Redskins became my favorite team. I was born in 1985, so during my early childhood the Redskins were one of the better teams in the league. They've won 2 Super Bowls in my lifetime (one I was old enough to remember; 1991 season). That made it really easy to root for them as a kid. My fandom was tested at an early age once the Redskins became mediocre (at best) around 1993. However I've never strayed from the Redskins thoughout their subsequent subpar seasonss. Sucks sometimes, but when they do have good year (made the playoffs in 1999, 2005, & 2007) it feels a little extra sweet.

New York Yankees: Throughout most of my life there was no MLB team in DC, so I had to look else where. My fascination with the Yankees started with hearing about Babe Ruth. People made it seem like Ruth was a real life superhero, which is vey appealing to a little kid. I did some research (aka, asked some of my old relatives) about Ruth and the Yankees. Turns out the New York Yankees were pretty much a franchise full of "superheros". They told me about the "legends" of Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Reggie Jackson, and many others. Needless to say I was sold. In a way my fandom for the Yankees is inpart due to my admiration of superheroes. Kinda weird when I think about it, but it makes sense to me. Being a Yankees fan in DC wasn't easy (even a little kid) since many in the area were Baltimore Orioles fans. Then came the Derek Jeter era of the Yankees. While I was able to enjoy 4 World Series title during that run. I was called a bandwagon fan left and right. Didn't phase me though. However, as I became older my devotion to the Yankees would be tested.

Washington Nationals: The Nationals have been in DC since 2005. Throughout most their time in here DC, I did not have cable (finally got a subscription this past January). Needless to say having no cable made it harder for me to follow the Yankees. At that same time, the Nats would regularly play games on broadcast/free TV. In addition to all the coverage given to the Nationals by local media, I pretty could not avoid following the Nationals. That combination of the local media's bombardment of Nationals coverage & lack of access to Yankees game due to not having cable caused a shift. The Yankees were no longer my sole favorite baseball team. They now shared that title with the Nationals. While I fell in love with the legend of the Yankees as a little kid, I got to see the Nationals sort of grow up as an adult.

[Mr. Aware Eagle]

Not a lot of discussion of college sports in this thread so far. I have to deal with this quite a lot, being from Alabama where people think college football is the only sport worth talking about.

I'm fine with people rooting for my school (Auburn) and our rival, Alabama. Top-tier sports is lacking in our state, so people need something to latch on to. But what REALLY irritates me is when the people who flunked out of their local community college say bad things about my school and its community, and they've never even set foot on Alabama's campus. It goes both ways, too. It seems like the people who are the most obnoxious about Auburn and Alabama football are the ones who have no association with the school. There are some things about living in the South that I love, but this is something I can't stand.

Does anyone else experience this in any way? I think that it's okay to cheer for or root for a school that you don't have associations with, as long as you don't give that school a bad name by being obnoxious with your fanhood.

[Arts11]

Not a lot of discussion of college sports in this thread so far. I have to deal with this quite a lot, being from Alabama where people think college football is the only sport worth talking about.

I'm fine with people rooting for my school (Auburn) and our rival, Alabama. Top-tier sports is lacking in our state, so people need something to latch on to. But what REALLY irritates me is when the people who flunked out of their local community college say bad things about my school and its community, and they've never even set foot on Alabama's campus. It goes both ways, too. It seems like the people who are the most obnoxious about Auburn and Alabama football are the ones who have no association with the school. There are some things about living in the South that I love, but this is something I can't stand.

Does anyone else experience this in any way? I think that it's okay to cheer for or root for a school that you don't have associations with, as long as you don't give that school a bad name by being obnoxious with your fanhood.

Personally, I find it really hard to root for college sports if I don't have a direct association (eg, if I attended the school, or a lot of family did, or if I lived in the same city, etc.) with the school. My parents didn't go to an "athletically-inclined" university so I didn't really have that direct influence growing up. As a result, I didn't really follow college sports as much as I did the pros. However, since the Knicks are my favorite basketball team, and Ewing was one of my favorite players, I follow Georgetown bball periodically (though I resist calling myself a true fan, simply because of my vacillating attention and I'm uncomfortable with my lack of direct association with the school).

[The Mojo Maniac]

Being born and raised in the state of Washington, I pretty much became a Mariners and Seahawks fan by default. It's all I've ever known, as my dad (also born and raised in Washington) was the one who got me hooked in the first place.

As for basketball, I followed the NBA closely for a year or two before focusing pretty heavily on baseball, and the Sonics were my team. Although I no longer pay much attention to basketball, the Blazers are essentially my team, given that I have lots of relatives in the Portland area and it's almost like a second home to me since I visit numerous times each year.

I didn't start to get into hockey til a year or two ago, and even now I only consider myself a casual fan since I don't know much about rules and strategy. My favorite team (even though they are non-professional) would have to be the Tri-City Americans of the WHL, as I live not far from there and two of their home games are the only hockey games I've ever been to. If I were to get into the NHL, the Canucks would probably be my team at this point due to mere proximity and my tendency to stay true to my northwestern roots. But if Seattle's arena deal for NBA and NHL goes through, things will certainly get interesting.

You could almost say that I essentially bleed all shades of blue and green.

[dbadefense1990]

Here's my singular rule:

I follow the "big-brother" rule of rooting. This applies if you root for an entire city (i.e. all teams in your city, no specific team distinction), but there are multiple teams in a sport.

It's OK to root for your 2nd-tier team, but only as a little-brother. You applaud him for winning something for your sports region, but you're still the big-brother (you're jealous of his success and you cringe your teeth).

For example, I root for, and am a fan of, the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, Raiders and Galaxy, explicitly. But I give respect to the Ducks and Angels when they win, because they bring something to Southern California, and give all of us here some respect for the rest of the country. But at the end of the day, I still get mad that they win, and not one of my teams.

To the fans in SoCal, NYC, Chicago, the Bay Area and any other areas with multiple teams in a league, do you follow this?

[zpqmaowl]

To the fans in SoCal, NYC, Chicago, the Bay Area and any other areas with multiple teams in a league, do you follow this?

I really don't hate the Angels winning, other than the six games against the Dodgers. It's another ballpark close by during the season, and if the tickets are cheap enough, playoff baseball is still fun (yes, even with a DH). Though, when going to Angels' games if I have a shirt of the other team, I'll wear it. The Ducks, eh, don't really like them, but in March and April I watch them playing other West teams and cheering for them if it helps the Kings, especially since the Ducks were out of it this season.

[loogodude90]

To the fans in SoCal, NYC, Chicago, the Bay Area and any other areas with multiple teams in a league, do you follow this?

I really don't hate the Angels winning, other than the six games against the Dodgers. It's another ballpark close by during the season, and if the tickets are cheap enough, playoff baseball is still fun (yes, even with a DH).

That's pretty much how I feel about the Nats, as an O's fan.

The thing is, the Nats are too new and "innocent" to really hate. They haven't had much success and they've only been in the area for a handful of years, so they haven't done much to create a rivalry.

The rivalry heated up a little earlier this season when they played each other, because they are both actually good teams.

If the Nats make the playoffs this season, I will probably root for them a little. But once more of a rivalry develops then I'm sure the hate will come.

[Arts11]

Here's my singular rule:

I follow the "big-brother" rule of rooting. This applies if you root for an entire city (i.e. all teams in your city, no specific team distinction), but there are multiple teams in a sport.

It's OK to root for your 2nd-tier team, but only as a little-brother. You applaud him for winning something for your sports region, but you're still the big-brother (you're jealous of his success and you cringe your teeth).

For example, I root for, and am a fan of, the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, Raiders and Galaxy, explicitly. But I give respect to the Ducks and Angels when they win, because they bring something to Southern California, and give all of us here some respect for the rest of the country. But at the end of the day, I still get mad that they win, and not one of my teams.

To the fans in SoCal, NYC, Chicago, the Bay Area and any other areas with multiple teams in a league, do you follow this?

Growing up, my big bro actually tried to make this a rule true to life haha. He'd have the Yanks, Giants, Rangers and then he tried to force the Mets, Jets, and Islanders on me. Of course, that didn't really stick. Don Mattingly was my favorite player back then when the Yankees were really mediocre so I just latched on and "took" on his teams anyway.

But in regards to your rule, I feel the same way. I don't have nearly as much animosity to any of the "crosstown" rivals as some might, and although I don't really root for them regularly, I'll definitely doff my hat when they win or do something of note (assuming its not against any of my teams haha).

[knnhrvy16]

Well, born in the Salt Lake area and raised in various parts of Utah, the Jazz are my #1 in all of sports. They're burned into the culture here, almost a Utah "way of life". Whatever colors they're wearing at the time run in your blood. And it's not just the Salt Lake area - it's the entire state, from Cache Valley to St. George. I also had the privilege to grow up during "Stockton to Malone!", so that alone swayed me. I'm quite the die-hard and have been all my life.

Going along with that but on a more recent note, RSL is right there. Another team burned into the culture here (seeing a trend? Utah LOVES sports). I'm a huge "Loyalist". And frankly, I don't care that "Real" makes no sense and hardly anyone else here does either. We just love 'em too much.

Unfortunately I'm in a rush and can't finish the rest of this, but maybe when i'm off work I'll come back and say the rest.

[Arts11]

Well, born in the Salt Lake area and raised in various parts of Utah, the Jazz are my #1 in all of sports. They're burned into the culture here, almost a Utah "way of life". Whatever colors they're wearing at the time run in your blood. And it's not just the Salt Lake area - it's the entire state, from Cache Valley to St. George. I also had the privilege to grow up during "Stockton to Malone!", so that alone swayed me. I'm quite the die-hard and have been all my life.

Going along with that but on a more recent note, RSL is right there. Another team burned into the culture here (seeing a trend? Utah LOVES sports). I'm a huge "Loyalist". And frankly, I don't care that "Real" makes no sense and hardly anyone else here does either. We just love 'em too much.

Unfortunately I'm in a rush and can't finish the rest of this, but maybe when i'm off work I'll come back and say the rest.

Given their geographic location, do most Utahns share a common fervor for any other professional team? I've worked with a couple of Utahns over the years, and theyre all pretty much Jazz fans, but then they never really mention any of the other pro sports.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

1. DO NOT be a fair-weather fan. I've been a Lions fan since conception, and it's been extremely painful at (most) times being so. But I kept telling myself that they'll be good one day. That day has come and I'm glad I stuck it through.

2. There's no such thing as a team B.

My reasons for being a fan- I'm a believer in supporting your hometown team. Being a metro Detroiter, I've got teams in all 4 leagues. With the Habs, my dad is from Montreal and experienced the glory years in full. It was kind of forced upon me at first, but I fell in love with their history and culture. However, with total disregard to my rule #2, I've always had a soft spot for the Red Wings.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

On a side-note, I've got a question I've always been curious about regarding teams that move. Do fans typically continue to root for that team? I've never experienced this, so I've never had to think about it.

Are former Sonics fans pulling for the Thunder right now?

Did Nords fans root for the Avs in the 96 finals?

[OnWis97]

On a side-note, I've got a question I've always been curious about regarding teams that move. Do fans typically continue to root for that team? I've never experienced this, so I've never had to think about it.

Are former Sonics fans pulling for the Thunder right now?

Did Nords fans root for the Avs in the 96 finals?

When I lost the Minnesota North Stars, I cheered against them actively. I was all "sour grapes" when the won the Cup in 99. Now that we have the Wild, I have only slight animosity, but I don't get too gung ho about it anymore. However, I did have friends that were cheering for them in 1999; not like they did in 1991 (when the North Stars made the finals), but still far different from me. With the Wild in town, I think both sides have moved toward neutral when it comes to the Dallas Stars. So my impression is that each fan reacts differently to the move. There were still some Minnesota players left on the 99 team, and my friends were cheering for them (Modano, for example). Even without the Wild, with those players gone, I suspect their interest would have waned.

I would suspect Nordiques fans would have been similarly split. For me, I know it would have been extremely aggravating seeing them win the cup the first year in their relocated city.

[knnhrvy16]

Well, born in the Salt Lake area and raised in various parts of Utah, the Jazz are my #1 in all of sports. They're burned into the culture here, almost a Utah "way of life". Whatever colors they're wearing at the time run in your blood. And it's not just the Salt Lake area - it's the entire state, from Cache Valley to St. George. I also had the privilege to grow up during "Stockton to Malone!", so that alone swayed me. I'm quite the die-hard and have been all my life.

Going along with that but on a more recent note, RSL is right there. Another team burned into the culture here (seeing a trend? Utah LOVES sports). I'm a huge "Loyalist". And frankly, I don't care that "Real" makes no sense and hardly anyone else here does either. We just love 'em too much.

Unfortunately I'm in a rush and can't finish the rest of this, but maybe when i'm off work I'll come back and say the rest.

Given their geographic location, do most Utahns share a common fervor for any other professional team? I've worked with a couple of Utahns over the years, and theyre all pretty much Jazz fans, but then they never really mention any of the other pro sports.

In sports other than basketball and soccer, Utah (at least the Salt Lake/Provo-Orem area) is actually pretty hard to pin-point. Depends on the sport, really.

In the NFL, it'd probably go (as far as I've seen) 1. Broncos (wide margin) 2. 49ers 3. Raiders, but I live next to a Redskins fan and a Cowboys fan, my grandpa is a Cards fan, and I'm personally a Colts fan, so it can certainly vary. There's also a small Eagles following in and around Provo, mostly due to various BYU connections over the years (Chad Lewis, Andy Reid, Reno Mahe, etc.).

Hockey fans I know and have met root for the Avs mostly, with the Ducks and Coyotes not too distantly behind. I've met some Kings fans (before the Cup run) here and there too.

Baseball is where it's a little more wide-open. With Salt Lake and Orem being affiliates of the Angels, there's quite a following here. You'll see a few Braves fans too, thanks to Dale Murphy (one of the more prominent LDS athletes, who actually lives in a town just five minutes east of me) and TBS broadcasts. After that, it's pretty wide open. My friends from the southern part of the state tend to be more proximity-driven (Rockies or D'backs), but up north there's a few "famewagoners", as we call them - Yanks, Red Sox, Cardinals, Phillies, etc. Personally, I'm a Dodger fan because my grandpa was a Dodger fan growing up in Brooklyn and always told me stories of watching Robinson, Reese, Snider, Hodges, and Campanella. After hearing those kinds of first-hand accounts, I couldn't not root for 'em.

As a whole, Utah is a HUGE sports state. You'll find some pretty passionate fans of all kinds here.

[bosrs1]

Here's my singular rule:

I follow the "big-brother" rule of rooting. This applies if you root for an entire city (i.e. all teams in your city, no specific team distinction), but there are multiple teams in a sport.

It's OK to root for your 2nd-tier team, but only as a little-brother. You applaud him for winning something for your sports region, but you're still the big-brother (you're jealous of his success and you cringe your teeth).

For example, I root for, and am a fan of, the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, Raiders and Galaxy, explicitly. But I give respect to the Ducks and Angels when they win, because they bring something to Southern California, and give all of us here some respect for the rest of the country. But at the end of the day, I still get mad that they win, and not one of my teams.

To the fans in SoCal, NYC, Chicago, the Bay Area and any other areas with multiple teams in a league, do you follow this?

Nope. In fact I'm the opposite. I actively root against local teams that aren't "my" team. For instance I was pulling for the Angels in 2002 during the world series and was ecstatic when the Giants choked. I was similarly rooting against the Giants and was pissed they won the series in 2010.

[bosrs1]

On a side-note, I've got a question I've always been curious about regarding teams that move. Do fans typically continue to root for that team? I've never experienced this, so I've never had to think about it.

Are former Sonics fans pulling for the Thunder right now?

Did Nords fans root for the Avs in the 96 finals?

So far only one of my teams moved (partially) when the San Jose Earthquakes moved to Houston. During those two years I all but ignored MLS except on the rare occasion a game was on TV. And then I rooted against the Dynamo. Not that it helped with them winning the MLS Cup 2 years in a row after bolting. The Earthquakes are back, but I still root against Houston actively second only to the Quakes rivals LA.

I may be forced to make similar choice with the Sacramento Kings and/or Oakland A's in the near future as well and the result will be the same. They'll go from 1st to worst.

[Stampman]

I dont have any "rules" for being a fan of teams, be a fan of who you want to be a fan of.

Pretty much...

[aci]

I don't really have any 'rules', though I HATE bandwagoners.

So many people I know (who are in their mid-20s now) randomly started loving the Penguins or Red Wings in hockey only in the last 5 or so years, despite clearly being Leaf fans in high school. Same goes with Bills fans becoming Patriots, Giants or Saints fans. Also, as someone who has liked the Clippers since well before Blake and CP3, I am going to be really pissed if the people I went to high school with start rooting for the Clippers. Seriously, I got ripped so bad in high school for liking them...

Since the original post mentioned English football, I'll tell you all my amusing story about that. When I was in high school, I randomly picked a favourite soccer team, and considering I pretty much knew Liverpool and Manchester United, I picked Man U. A couple years later, I found out they were basically the New York Yankees of soccer, and decided I needed to pick a new team. I don't remember my exact reasoning, but I ended up picking Sheffield United, who aren't even in the Premier League anymore. I stuck to my guns, and by complete happenstance I ended up meeting a girl about 4 years ago who had moved to my area from Sheffield about a year before that. Let's just say that sticking with a crappy team that gets demoted has its karmic benefits.

[David Beckham]

Been a lifelong Anaheim Mighty Ducks fan but first and foremost a fan of all Los Angeles sports. I have always felt neutral to the Kings, never hated them, never loved them. Their Stanley Cup run is really bittersweet because I love that the Stanley Cup is gonna come to Los Angeles but feel kind of jealous that the Ducks aren't winning the title.