Which sports team (in particular, NFL team) do you support and why?

In My Humble Opinion
1

With the football season nearly upon us again, it is time for people to dust off thier towels and cheese hats, wash their shirts (maybe) and come out to support thier team.

In this regard I have a dilema. I have always loved watching American football (henceforth to be called football), but have never had a real attraction to one team or another. I started watching several years ago when one of the channels in England started showing games and highlights.

So my question to you, the members of the dope, is who do you support and why?

The decision of who to support is a difficult one for me as I personally don’t have any real ties to any team. There are certain aspects I like about some teams and there are certain things I like to see in a game.

I like watching a good running back. Someone with power, but also with some good moves. I like watching an explosive offence, it is very entertaining to see a team who can score points quickly. I like watching good defence and especially good linebackers and a hard hitting secondary. Whilst I am not averse to watching a low scoring game, I want my team to win and play well.

Now we get down to the specifics.

I like watching the Rams because they have a great offence, a superb running game and they can rack up points quickly. Often games involving the Rams are high scoring on both sides which is very entertaining.

My wife comes from Tennessee, so there is a little bit of a tie there (although she is not a football fan). I like their running back, but he has not had a good last couple of seasons because of injuries and such. I also like their quaterback and that they utilize thier tight ends alot.

We live in Detroit. But the Lions suck (and I’ve only been here a few months).

I also like some of the teams who were doing well when I first started watching such as San Fransisco and Dallas and I kind of like the Bears.

Do I have a choice? How do I decide?

Rick

2

No, you have no choice. Dammit, man, you must support the Lions.

See, here’s how it works. Most football fans in the U.S. cheer for their hometown team. Then there are also the frontrunners who don’t really follow football, but when a team starts to get popular, that’s the one they root for (such as the Cowboys, or whomever wins the Super Bowl any given year).

It’s acceptable to drop your allegiance for a team only if you move out of town. Now, in your case you’re new to the country, but since they didn’t have American football teams in England… :slight_smile:

I lived in the Philadelphia area for 30 years, so my team is the Eagles. But now I live outside Washington, so I do follow the Redskins. But when the Redskins play the Eagles - I’m rooting for the Eagles.

3

dantheman … that’s only one way of determining who to root for.(Although I admit to being a Buckeye, the proliferation of Wolverines around here is enough to upset my digestion)

I live in Northwestern Ohio, a 5 hour drive from at least 9 different NFL teams (Vikings,Packers,Bears,Colts, Browns,Bengals,
Lions,Steelers,Eagles) and I don’t root for a single one of them!

My team is the S.F. 49ers I mostly picked them to get on my brothers’ nerves (He’s a Raiders fan) and I get bragging rights to the Bay when they play. I’ve loved them when they were up (Oh, the salad days of Montana and Rice) and when they were down (Whattaya mean we got NO draftees? Is Youngs brain in the center of his skull today?) And I love them even more today!(DID they ever suprise me last season! I thought it would take a few years of rebuilding)

Choose whatever team you like, for whatever reason you like! I will root for the Vikings simply because they have the same team colors as my H.S. (Go Panthers!)
Root against a team as well! I root against the Cowboys, as they were the Niners biggest opponants in the NFC in the past few decades. I find myself rooting against the Rams too! (a divisional thing)
If you choose a popular team because of great play, you have chosen them for thier skills, not for thier ‘cool’ value. (even I gotta give the Rams thier props)
Above all else, STAY LOYAL! Ain’t nuttin’ better than watching your team win the BIGGAME and be able to say “I was with them when they sucked” It gives you a warm fuzzy feeling deep inside.

Man! I love “American Football”

4

Well being from the Boston area, I have to support the Patriots, so it was a great year last year!

5

What Dantheman said. I live in Nashville but was born and raised in Atlanta. So, Falcons first, Titans second. It really doesn’t matter though, you choose who like but its much easier keeping up with a local team like Detroit because of the local press coverage.

6

There is something more to it than just your geography. I’m a Saints fan (stop snickering), and always will be, because I’m a passionate New Orleanian.

However, come December when the Saints start sucking (if they haven’t been sucking the whole season already), I need to cheer for a team that actually has a chance of winning something.

Actually, now that I think about it, there are a lot more teams I hate than teams I cheer for. Bottom line, I will cheer for you if you’re playing the Vikings, Rams, Giants, Ravens, Panthers, 49ers, Bengals, or Redskins–because I want to see these teams lose. All the time.

7

Then you should know better. You’ve got a lot of teams within a relatively small area, and you go to California for one? Uh-uh. You, sir, are no football fan. You should know all about the intense rivalries between fans of the teams in the ol’ black-and-blue division in the NFC.

8

Growing up in San Diego, I was always a Chargers fan. I don’t follow the sport too closely (couldn’t name any players, etc.) but I always hope they come out ahead.

It helps that they’ve had some excellent years but not so many that they become irritating (the 49ers), and they’ve had their bad years, but not so many that you give up all hope. I also like seeing Dan Fouts on Monday Night Football.

9

I used to live in western South Dakota, so my geographical possibilities were the Vikings and the Broncos. The town where I lived was split about 50-50 between the two, btw, with some stragglers rooting for odds- and ends.

Broncos all the way!!! I was a fan of theirs even when they were bad (as they were for years), and suffered through the humiliating Super Bowl defeats (I mean, the Redskins scoring 5 touchdowns in 5 minutes on 5 possessions!!! It’s like the Hand Of God descended on the stadium…the rest of the game, the Broncos actually out-played the Redskins, including scoring. But… ah, well…). When Elway finally had a TEAM behind him, he showed what he was capable of, and made all Bronco fans finally able to hold our heads up high. If he hadn’t had to carry the entire team on his back for years, he would have won at least another 3-4 Super Bowl rings.
GO BRONCOS!!!

10

Well, since they are in the division, how about the Bears or the Packers (dear god, as a Vikings fan it pains me to say that). My reasoning is this, since the Vikes and the Motor City Kittys play in domed stadiums, some of the true entertainment value of the game is lost. It was meant to be played outside (I have fond memories as a child, watching the Vikes at Met stadium beat the tar out of the Saints (note the jab at Andrew Dupont) from INSIDE A SLEEPING BAG! it was cooollddd.) The Bears and the Packers would be easy enough to see in Detroit (I’m sure there are local bars that would play all the games) and Detroit plays each team twice a year anyway. Also, if you ever reach the point of “raving lunatic fan” there is no better venue to watch a game than Lambeau. Soldier field comes in a close second.

11

You must’ve had your tail 'tween your legs when they tanked the American Bowl in Osaka the other night on ESPN!

Well, obviously, I’m a WASHINGTON REDSKINS fan. Been that way for many a year.
(by the way, trash-talking IS expected… especially between rival team’s fans. Just don’t let it become physical)
I’ve supported my 'Skins through shining years and dim years. I’ll continue to do so for a long time.

<kneels>
“God, please let my 'Skins have a winning year. Amen.”
<stands>

There ARE some teams that have fewer fans because there are fewer people that grew up with them. Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers have had home-town fans for GENERATIONS. Their fans continue to carry their torch wherever they move. On the other hand, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks are much younger teams and have yet to build much of a fan base outside of their playing area.

This is, of course IMHO… YMMV.

12

Oh, the good old days…
Montana to Rice…touchdown!
Montana to Clark (The Catch)
Ronny Lott
Matt Millon
Bill Walsh
Etc…

TelcontarStorm, we went to Kansas City to watch Joe Montana play against his old team. I think it was 1995. It’s the only time I’ve ever rooted against the 49ers. Joe won!

Living where I do, I continually have the Giants and Bills shoved down my throat. It’s for this reason Mr. Honey installed the satallite dish, and we order the Sunday Ticket each year. We can watch the Niners every weekend.

13

RickQ, lemme tell you something that should make you reconsider being a fan of the Lions. The new NFC North has four teams, the Lions, Packers, Bears and Vikings. Packers fans hate the Bears and hate the Vikings, yet can’t generate much spite for the Lions. Vikings fans hate the Packers and the Bears, the Lions are just regular competition. Bears fans hate the Packers and Vikings, and the Lions are dat team dat used to have Barry Sanders. So if you choose to follow them be prepared to be ingored. Of course, you could hope that Matt Millen is on to something and Harrington is the Next Great Quarterback so you could say “I was with 'em when they sucked! Wooo! Wooo!” But historically speaking, they’re just a little bit better than the Cardinals.

But as for tips, try these: Favor older teams, as historic rivalries beat thew snot out of the newer ones; avoid Florida teams, it’s bad enough their college teams win the championship 2 out of every 3 years, we don’t need the Lombardi trophy going South at the same rate; teams that play outside on grass are True Men, teams that play inside are pansies (teams that play outside on turf need to have their heads examined); cheerleaders are meaningless, try not to look; seek out teams whose fans don’t embarrass you (i.e. you chould avoid the Raiders and the Cowboys for just being obnoxious, The Browns and the Packers for just not being easy on the eyes); finally, see if any televized games show tailgating outside the stadium, if so that probably speaks well for the fanbase (if you are shown tailgating with an effigy over a barbeque pit, you’re probably seeing a Raiders game, and I’d suggest avoiding that).

14

Dallas Cowboys

Why? Actually, because I grew up in the Dallas area (in the days of Roger Staubach) and they were my hometown team. Well, “hometown” in the sense that I lived in Garland, which is damned close enough!

Always liked 'em; always will.

The Oilers used to be my “second” team, followed by the Saints, just because the Oilers were also a Texas team and New Orleans because… um… I guess I just like the Saints. Of course, with the demise of the Oilers (gotta hate the Titans–sorry!), the Saints moved up to #2 for a while, but with the arrival this season of the Houston Texans, I’ll have a new second fave (yes, just because they’re a Texas team), and the Saints… well, the Saints are down to #4, because now that I’m living in North Carolina, I’ve elevated the Carolina Panthers to the #3 spot. Just seems right.

(There was a brief rebellious period in the 8th grade when I cheered on the Washington Redskins just to be onery. And I still like them second-best in the former NFC East, but as a hard-core Cowboys fan, I’m not allowed to admit that. And I’m also okay with the New York Giants because Tom Landry played for the Giants. But I hate the 49ers.)

15

My grandfather is a Giants fan. My father is a Giants fan. The first Super Bowl I watched was XXV.

Of course, I’m slightly closer to Boston than I am to New York, but the Patriots’ owner, He Who Must Not Be Named II (He Who Must Not Be Named I is the bastardmotherfuckercocksuckershitfuckass who moved the Whalers), used Hartford to leverage Boston into a new stadium. He lifted our hopes of getting an NFL team, and we were left with nothing. It was embarassing.

Surprisingly, some of my (stupid) friends still root for them. This means I also root for anyone in the AFC East (Is it still the AFC East after realignment?) except for them. Last year sucked. But I am a Giants fan, which means this year will suck. I’ll also be in Washington the next 4 years, being around all those Redskins fans will be…fun. I need to get tickets for the G-men-Skins game at RFK. What? They don’t play there any more?

16

The Texans because I live in Houston.

The Colts because I am a big Manning fan.

17

I support the Packers. Kind of. Coming from Anaheim, I used to be a Rams fan. Then an evil bitch took them away. So I had to drop them like a bad habit. Now, I had always been fascinated with the Packers since I was a kid and I watched a game of theirs that they were playing in the snow. They have heart, the best fans in the game, and no dome on their stadium. Go Packers!

The only thing you are NOT allowed to do is become a Cowboys fan or a Raiders fan. If you are not from Dallas, and you are a Cowboys fan, then you are automatically dubbed a bandwagon jumper. Same as being a Lakers fan and not from LA or a Yankees fan and not from NY. You can’t be a Raiders fan because that means you are bloodthirsty, violent thug.

So yeah, anyone but the 'Boys and the Raiders.

18

You, RickQ are a free agent fan. Future T-shirt and hat purchases hang in the balance. Possibly even a trip to watch “your” team play. And you can’t disscount the prayers to alla you will give your team 16+ sundays(mondays,saturdays and sometimes thursdays) a year. The choice is yours, make it wisely.
Now, I root for the Steelers. I grew up in St.Louis. We had the Cardinals then. They were horrible. Nobody liked them. Bill Bidwell. Worst. owner. ever. I had to pick a team. I had friends that were 49ers fans, Jets fans, lots of Bears fans and even one loser that liked the cowboys. I setteled at the time on the Steelers (after a season or two flirt with the Seahawks, what a hard team to root for) because of their history of greatness and their, at the time, underdogedness (I invent words). Well I moved away to Atlanta. The proven worst sports town in America. Then around the south with the Air Force and I stayed loyal to the Steelers. I actually shed a tear when the lost the Super Bowl to the much hated Cowboys. Great ownership. Great managment. Great coaching. Great fans.
Now to sell you on the Steelers. They always have a good running game and a great defense. You are not going to confuse them with the Rams. Even last year, they had a great year, but they put almost nobody away early. Nearly every game was fun to watch for at least 3 and a half quarters. They are not explosive. They have a slow, plodding offense. Maybe they aint the team for you. You may look like a bandwagoner to other fans. Try and pick a team that sucks or is at least average. The Bengals, Colts and the Browns are not that far away. The Colts maybe a good fit. A lot like the Rams with a little less talent (not much less). They have a good coach now (Dungy) and should be better than last year.
dead0man

19

Oh, and I forgot that my AFC Team is the Steelers. Fresh out of Brown with his Ph.D in Mathematics, my dad got a job with them as an entry-level paper-pusher [This was before he decided to become an actuary]. Says it was the worst job he’s ever had and that Pittsburgh sucks [He said that, not me. I haven’t formed my own opinion on the birthplace of Steel City Beer because I’ve rarely ventured outside the airport there.] but he worked there during their heyday in the 70s so they became his AFC team too.

20

I was born in Shreveport, LA and thus was a Dallas Cowboys fan from the get go. Some of my earliest memories involve watching the 'Boys play on TV over at the neighbors with the ‘big folk.’

I’ve moved around quite a bit, but always stuck with the Cowboys. Super Bowl champs to 1-15 back to Super Bowl champs and then to mediocrity; I’ve never wavered.

Now that I am living right out of DC, I get to play the role of contrarian fan. I have loved watching the Redskins play the last couple of years because they have underachieved so badly. I never miss a game on the TV. In fact with the fan disgust around here, I may be the most consistent viewer in the region :wink: What is it–4 head coaches in 4 years? I love reading the sports page on Mondays when all the ‘Skins fans are whining, “but, but, we were supposed to win!” and wondering what happened to their team. Of course, the fact that the Cowboys have beaten the Redskins 9 times in a row, I’m just lovin’ life here during football season!