Undying fan loyalty? Why?

[Jack of Arcades]

Just a quick post before I head out for the weekend.

Why is it seen as a horrible thing if someone decides to root for a team for a reason other than geography?

Why can't a fan decide that a team is going about things the wrong way and they'll root for someone who does it right?

[Green Kool Aid]

growing up my brother just arbitrarily decided to be a fan of the marlins, kings, senators, and raiders. it had to do with favorite players. we weren't on speaking terms after the snow game (pats-raiders brady tuck).

i really only love the celtics, and follow the pats and now the A's just because i cant stand the red sox or their fans. the bruins are a complete afterthought.

also, this is a good thread. is it okay for me to root for memphis in the playoffs because the celtics arent going to make it? (thus making the playoffs more fun for me)

[J.R.]

[ QUOTE ]

Why is it seen as a horrible thing if someone decides to root for a team for a reason other than geography?

Why can't a fan decide that a team is going about things the wrong way and they'll root for someone who does it right?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think it is and they can. Most people just hate on bandwagoners. Pick a team and go with it.

[JaredL]

I think the problem is lack of connection with the team. People generally feel that you must have some real connection to the team whether that's through being from the city, having relatives there, going to that school or whatever.

Also, guys that always go for the top teams have never really suffered like the "true" fans. Part of this is just being surrounded by other fans and going through the pain of losing seasons. To emphasize this point, I brought up that Mebenhoe, unlike I believe Clarkmeister, had never actually suffered through terrible seasons as a Duke fan. He replied pointing out two or three seasons one of which was actually bad and another in which they made the NCAA tournament.

I am a Pittsburgh fan. I go to grad school here. I don't consider myself a bandwagoner (I have started cheering for the Pirates for example) but the last couple years I have been much more into the Steelers than my first year here. The reason for this IMO is that I feel much more connected the city and the area. My first year here I hated it, last year early on I didn't like it but found it acceptable and now actually like living here. None the less, I still don't feel I at anywhere near the same level as Iggy et al who are from here and have loved these teams forever, for the reasons I mention above.

Jared

[Pudge714]

The biggest problems are when people commit sports bigamy rooting for two teams, or if they do the following.

My favorite teams just happen to be the Cowboys, Yankees, Duke, Notre Dame, etc.

Or the other one that bothers me is when people go you know I always really liked the Spurs so I guess I can start rooting for them now.

[Triumph36]

Because that's not how cheering for a sports team works - that's an intellectual decision. Most fans can't help but root for the teams they chose when they were young, and feel some silly connection to the whole thing. Also, with the Internet and NFL Sunday Ticket, etc. it is much easier to keep up with a team from thousands of miles away.

You could do it, I guess, but it's basically like being a front-runner only getting in a year before all the bandwagoners - you'd be noticing through drafts and free agent pickups when a team was likely to be successful in the coming year(s). It's still being a front-runner - still, it feels a lot better when your team wins after you stuck it out through tough times than enduring that .500 season before the championship push.

[Jack of Arcades]

I dunno, I just don't see any point in being, like, a Pirates fan right now.

[New001]

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I dunno, I just don't see any point in being, like, a Pirates fan right now.

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That's part of the fun though. It makes the good seasons so much more enjoyable.

[TheRover]

I don't know. It kind of sucks, but I don't think I could get nearly as excited as I did when the Cubs were in the playoffs a few years ago if I just switched to Cleveland or Oakland right now (I just like Frank Thomas in case the avatar is confusing anyone).

I don't have a problem with rooting for another team though. I think there's a difference between being a fan of a team and wanting a team to do well. I couldn't explain it though.

[Triumph36]

Baseball of all the major sports seems to have the most hopeless franchises due to the awful CBA and the stranglehold the union has over the owners. Still, if you're a Pirates fan and they suck, you find another sport, or find some secondary teams that you kind of follow but not really. I mean, a die-hard fan has teams that he hates and teams that he doesn't really mind/likes - you see it on this board all the time. When the playoffs roll around they'll choose a team and root for them, but not with the same emotion - 'I want so-and-so to get a ring, I've always liked player X, etc.'

Being a Yankees, Giants, and Devils fan, I haven't experienced this kind of hopelessness and I'm not sure that I ever will.