Team loyalty

[vraiblonde]

Why are you a fan of a certain team and how did you choose them in the first place? In most cases it's not even the same team you first fell in love with - not the same players or the same coach or even the same owner. Frankly, I'm shocked that the Redskins have a single fan left, but Monello is still a diehard and he's not even from around here.

So why do you remain faithful to a particular sports team?

 

[kom526]

So it'll me and Monello screaming at the TV at your place this season?

 

[b23hqb]

Simply because. I am a fan of the U of Miami Hurricanes. Moving to Fl in 1976 after being released from the USN, and living in Tampa, where I am still, I traveled the state to see each of the big 3 football schools. UF just made me puke by the arrogance and sneeriness of a bunch of blowhards that had accomplished absolutely nothing up to that point, went to Tallahassee and watched the even more sucky Seminholers with the same feelings, then went to Miami and the Orange Bowl to see the absolutely horrible Hurricanes, but loved the atmosphere and the unis, so i chose them way before being a Cane was cool, and I'm sticking with them.

Being a charter season holder with the BUC-CAN-EERS GO BUCS! since day one in 1976 pretty much 'splains that. 40 years, mostly miserable, but they be my team.

The O's always - my dad, a born and raised Baltimoron, lead me down that path. Not a dreaded TB Rays fan at all, but I certainly respect them.

TB Lightning just because they started here, and I like 'em.

When it comes to sports, IMHO, no one needs any logical reason to like or dislike teams. It's just the way it is.

 

[Shutout]

St. Louis Cardinals baseball because I was born in East St. Louis and lived in the area until I was 10. It was the first pro team I really followed and never stopped.

Ravens- I moved to Maryland when I was 13 and was never into the Colts like most people in the area. After no football team in the area I went with the Ravens when they moved here.

Alabama football - A distant cousin played there when I was young so I followed the team ever since.

 

[GregV814]

like Obama drones?

 

[Misfit]

I pick the teams whose colors I think are pretty.

 

[Larry Gude]

like Obama drones?

It's the same psychological dynamic as politics. We become emotionally attached and that's pretty much it, team, make of automobile, party. Obama is simply their QB right now and that's their guy. No matter how disappointed they may be with him for a 'game' or a play or two, he's still their guy. GOP does the same thing. :shrug:

 

[vraiblonde]

Ack! Stop! No politics in this thread!!!

I'm very interested in the mindset of the loyal fan, who remains faithful to his/her team even when they have sucked for many years. Monello and I were discussing this at lunch yesterday (Chief's Bar, Sunday, AYCE chili and tacos, $5 ) and he couldn't come up with a logical reason for sticking with the Skins. I like watching sports, and I have a few favorite athletes, but I'm not highly invested in them and don't really understand the whole emotional aspect of it, especially the rivalries.

 

[SoMDGirl42]

Ack! Stop! No politics in this thread!!!

I'm very interested in the mindset of the loyal fan, who remains faithful to his/her team even when they have sucked for many years. Monello and I were discussing this at lunch yesterday (Chief's Bar, Sunday, AYCE chili and tacos, $5 ) and he couldn't come up with a logical reason for sticking with the Skins. I like watching sports, and I have a few favorite athletes, but I'm not highly invested in them and don't really understand the whole emotional aspect of it, especially the rivalries.

If you jump from team to team just because they are a winning team, then you have no loyalty to any team, you are just riding the band wagon of the winning team to say you are a fan. Loyal fans stick with their team even when they suck, and when they do win, the prize is that much more special.

 

[DoWhat]

GO DALLAS!!!!!!!

 

[Larry Gude]

Ack! Stop! No politics in this thread!!!

I'm very interested in the mindset of the loyal fan, who remains faithful to his/her team even when they have sucked for many years. Monello and I were discussing this at lunch yesterday (Chief's Bar, Sunday, AYCE chili and tacos, $5 ) and he couldn't come up with a logical reason for sticking with the Skins. I like watching sports, and I have a few favorite athletes, but I'm not highly invested in them and don't really understand the whole emotional aspect of it, especially the rivalries.

It's not politics. It's human psychology and, on that basis, I would think it would interest you. Most people are a D or R because that's what dad was. Same with a team. Most folks can't really articulate a political ideology they believe in that actually represented by their party and that's about the extent of the attraction to a team. It's symbolism, pure and simple. People like to have things to believe in, to share with others. OUR team, right or wrong. Our party, our faith. The very fact that the Redskins are painful, pathetic, ongoing disaster on the field and still have loyal supporters is merely indicative of the depths of that faith.

Sense of community, of belonging. :shrug:

The reason he couldn't come up with a logical reason for sticking with the Skins is because there is no logical reason to be FOR them in the first place. They put food on his table? Help him in his life? Buy tickets to come cheer him on at his work? Buy and wear 'Mo is betta' t shirts? No. And why? Because he's not big enough to be a faith, an entity for people to get irrationally caught up in and committed to, right or wrong, win or lose. If he gets big enough then he can be like Trump and the same thing all over again; why would anyone be 'for' Donald Trump. Same answer; to belong to something. :shrug:

 

[Grumpy]

Most folks can't really articulate a political ideology

Been consulting with Jonathan Gruber again???

 

[Larry Gude]

Been consulting with Jonathan Gruber again???

...that is actually represented by whom they support. :shrug:

This is where the sports analogy does differ; at least if your a Skins fan your a fan of whatever it is being a Skins fan means to you and that can't readily be challenged or seen to be inconsistent as is so in politics. In politics we tend to claim to be, say, Skins fans while supporting the equivalent of Dallas.

 

[GregV814]

well, I will admit my dislike for the OHHHHHHHHH's only because of a few things that are not related to the baseball players. First, Chuck Thompson was a typical sports fanatic that suffered with acute myopic, rose colored glasses. The BURDS could make a simple double play and you'd have thought they had just invented sliced bread. On the other hand, if a opposing left fielder made an unassisted triple play against dem BURDS, he would have said it was a lucky break and Brooksie baby sweetie had a gnat in his eye....... The other reason is silly I guess, but when did the Orioles initials become the verse in the Star NATIONAL ANTHEM song???????????? I really dislike the "OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH" sung in verse....