I will always root for or against a team in the championship game/series. I have a few teams I really like, and more teams that I truly don’t like. If neither team fits in one of those two categories, I’ll find something about one team that I like and that’s who I’ll root for.
Why? …
Look it up.
I tried and didn’t find anything. I was a Laker fan when he was a player and I recall that people loved him. The worst I can find is he was a shitty coach after his playing days. Why the hell won’t you just share the reason?
I’m puzzled as well. I liked him with the Lakers.
This Super Bowl is kind of tough.
The only good thing is, one of the teams is going to lose.
I did a fellowship year in Philadelphia, but have ribs in the freezer from Arthur Bryant’s, so it’s a wash.
Dammit. I had the over (8 plays) on number of plays before Brady bitches about officiating.
Evidently I had it backwards. Sorry about that. Still not a Lakers fan though.
I don’t follow sports at all, but if forced to choose, I go with the oldest team, e.g., an original six team if it’s the NHL, then the 1967, 1970, 1972 expansion teams, which brought the total to 16, but I can’t even name all these teams. Ditto with the NFL, save for the Jets, because of Broadway Joe Namath. I have a 40-something friend I drive crazy with boomer “humour,” versions of “I like the Packers this year, as long as Bart Starr doesn’t get injured by Alex Karras.” As for the CFL, I rely on @NorthernPiper for SDMB play by play when the Roughies play, though I haven’t seen George Reed suit up lately.
Like this year. How many were watching not because they were fans of the Eagles but because they wanted any team that was there to beat the Chiefs.
My position is slightly different. Since I don’t care who wins, I can cheer every good play, no matter which side gets it.
I’ll adjust this slightly during the game, if one of my scoring options to win money in the pub’s betting pool is on the table. “Man, if the Piggers get one touchdown and one field goal in the next five minutes, I win $200! GO PIGGERS!”
I enjoyed the Eagles sticking it to the Chiefs and maga Mahomes.
I went the other way. As a Giants fan I was absolutely rooting for the Patriots over the Eagles in that Super Bowl, but then rooted for the Eagles this time against the Chiefs.
I wanted the Patriots to beat the Eagles because the more Superbowls the Patriots won the sweeter the two Giants victories over them became.
And then I wanted the Eagles to beat the Chiefs because fuck this Chief’s dynasty, and also Saquon.
I’m a life-long Lions fan, so you already know my story.
I am so sick of the Chiefs and everything that goes along with them that I would have rooted for anybody playing against them, so I was happy with the outcome.
On the other hand, the Eagles’ fans acted so atrociously afterwards that going forward I shall root against them.
Otherwise I generally go for the underdog and/or someone (Bills) who has not won much (or anything).
mmm
I don’t get it. I know I shouldn’t say what a “true” fan should do but I don’t see how any Giants fan could root for the Eagles or the Cowboys and to a lesser extent, the Commanders. The Chiefs aren’t rivals. They barely have history against the only team I really care about.
Was that a surprise? It’s happened enough before that it’s now tradition. On a cop page I frequent there were Philly cops hoping the Eagles lost because the fans are less crazy when they lose.
Just to agree, in general, the Philly fans are the worst in the US. I thought this was common knowledge and common wisdom.
It is usually the only thing that Yankees, Red Sox and Met fans agree on.
Not really. I guess it just reminded me of how it is.
mmm
Life-long Lions fan here too. I couldn’t bring myself to watch any more playoff games after the Lions’ divisional round loss. I watched this year’s SB, but with less interest than any other SB in recent memory.
I had no idea who to choose to root for. I usually go for the underdog in this situation too, but the Eagles’ fans are terrible, and I had already heard they trashed the city after they won the NFC championship. So how much worse would the city suffer if they won the SB? I did find myself sort of subconsciously rooting for the Chiefs early on, though I don’t really understand why, and being disappointed when they started getting ass-whupped. Though I’m not sure if my disappointment was because the Chiefs were losing, or more because the game was turning into a boring blowout.
Well it was mostly for Saquon, but a strong minority really was because “Fuck the Chiefs.” Like a 55 / 45 split.
EDIT: There’s also pride of the division, though I never find that to be a reason to root for a division rival. More of a satisfaction after the fact.
I have never yet seen a Super Bowl where I wasn’t rooting at least slightly for one team to win vs the other. But if I truly don’t care, then I want it to be as interesting and tight a contest as possible.