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NFL Team

onewildonewild
edited May 2009 in Everything Else
Now I have been watching American football for a number of years now but I still don't have a team to call my own. I was just wondering who you guys think I should support? I was considering the Eagles, since I have a friend that lives there or the Lions because they suck, that way nobody could accuse me of been a glory supporter :)
I certainly don't want to follow a uber successful team because that would be like supporting Man U in football and nobody wants that.
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Comments

  • FunfetusFunfetus
    This is one thing I've never understood about sports fandom: "having" a team. I get being a fan of particular athletes, but a team, over the course of many years, where all the athletes are continually replaced? I just don't understand it. I'd like to understand it, but I don't.
  • AprecheApreche
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  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    This is one thing I've never understood about sports fandom: "having" a team. I get being a fan of particular athletes, but a team, over the course of many years, where all the athletes are continually replaced? I just don't understand it. I'd like to understand it, but I don't.
    I've had this yard brush for 21 years. I've changed the shaft 13 times, and the head 8 times. But I've had this same brush for 21 years.
  • WalkerWalker
    Despite being a Browns supporter myself I could not, in good conscience, encourage you to support most Cleveland sports teams.
  • FunfetusFunfetus
    I've had this yard brush for 21 years. I've changed the shaft 13 times, and the head 8 times. But I've had this same brush for 21 years.
    Yeah. Still don't get it.
  • ChurbaChurba
    edited May 2009
    I've had this yard brush for 21 years. I've changed the shaft 13 times, and the head 8 times. But I've had this same brush for 21 years.
    Yeah. Still don't get it.
    The point is that it's not a total replacement all at once - A player gets traded here, another retires there, so on, so fourth, until you have a completely new entity - but it happened piece by piece over time, and they were "Your team" the whole time because you slowly get used to and accept all the fluctuations in the roster, without it affecting your sense of "Your team" because it happens so gradually.
    Post edited by Churba on
  • FunfetusFunfetus
    you slowly get used to and accept all the fluctuations in the roster, without it affecting your sense of "Your team" because it happens so gradually.
    That makes sense, I guess. I still don't really get being a fan of a team in the first place, especially when it isn't your local team or something. I don't know. Maybe I just don't have that gene.
  • trogdor9trogdor9
    edited May 2009
    Don't worry, Funfetus. You're not the only one. I understand cheering for your college or high school football team (RIT Football undefeated since 1978!), but that's about where my understanding ends.
    Post edited by trogdor9 on
  • WalkerWalker
    That makes sense, I guess. I still don't really get being a fan of a team in the first place, especially when it isn't your local team or something. I don't know. Maybe I just don't have that gene.
    It seems to be something that is passed down by the parents. Almost my entire family grew up in Cleveland, and both of my parents are sports fans who went to The Ohio State University. As a result, even though I'm not particularly into sports, I really do care what happens to an Ohio team. It's a matter of state pride passed on by my family, even though I grew up in the Carolinas.
  • JasonJason
    edited May 2009
    Despite being a Browns supporter myself I could not, in good conscience, encourage you to support most Cleveland sports teams.
    There is nothing wrong with the Indians. I plan to see at least three home games this year. And there is certainly nothing wrong with the Cavs -- especially this year.
    Post edited by Jason on
  • WalkerWalker
    edited May 2009
    There is nothing wrong with the Indians.
    Last I checked the Indians sucked, but I don't really check that often when it comes to baseball. The Cavs were why I put the qualifier "mostly" in that sentence; I am very proud of them this year.
    Post edited by Walker on
  • StarfoxStarfox
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    I couldn't agree more.
  • ChurbaChurba
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    I couldn't agree more.
    Actualy, that's a good example of the oppsitite of what I'm talking about - When the Giants moved from NY to San Francisco, they lost a massive portion of their fans. Some apparently got quite angry about it - not quite angry enough to barrack for the mets, but still, very angry.
  • chaosof99chaosof99
    edited May 2009
    I personally am a fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and if they don't make the post-season I am usually on the Philadelphia Eagles bandwagon since I'm also a fan of the Philadelphia Flyers and know a few Philadelphians on the internet.


    As for Funfetus' question: I can only really talk about Hockey since I follow it most closely, but usually a team is not as much defined by the players who are in it but rather by the management and the fans. And while there are certainly fluctuations in the rosters, that is part of the entertainment and what makes it interesting to be a sports fan. There are those players you hate to see leave but for some reason he just can't stay with the team, usually because of the salary cap. And then there are also players you hate and want to see removed from your team as quick as possible.

    For example: In the 2006-07 season the Philadelphia Flyers were the worst team in the NHL because they had a lot of unmotivated players with little skill and next to no veteran leadership. After a disastrous 1-6-1 (that is wins-losses-overtime or shootout wins) the head coach was fired, the general manager Bob Clarke resigned and the rebuilding process began. One player who is particularly seen as an example why the season was so disastrous is Mike York who despite him not being very skillful also often skipped practices and also was overweight. The fans were already calling him "York's Peppermint Fatty" and other such names. Everyone was glad when he was finally traded.

    Anyways, for the most part what the team was lacking was leadership due to retirement and a few players in the offseason. However, despite a lot of bad trades Clarke had made to steer the Flyers into this mess, he also had made some very good draft picks the previous years which gave the Flyers a good youth core and only prompted the new general manager Paul Holmgren to make adjustments with a few trades and off-season signings which catapulted the Flyers right back to the conference finals the following season. Among those new players are also such which gave the club some character again, such as Scott Hartnell who is often said to be born and bred to play for the Flyers and Mike Richards, often compared to Bobby Clarke (the same who was general manager until he got fired) who led the Flyers to two Stanley Cup in the mid-seventies. And these two players specifically aren't going anywhere soon. Hartnell is signed until the 2012-13 season with a no-trade clause in his contract and Richards has been signed until the 2019-20 season.

    Regardless, with a lot of contractual obligations and a salary cap to worry about, there are sometimes choices to make. One of those was sending away a rather popular player after having a great playoff in the year they came back, R.J. Umberger, who also was one of the youth core I mentioned and quite a fan favorite despite being a Pittsburgh native. Fans still miss him even though most of them know that it was to choose between him and Jeff Carter and Carter turned into the second highest goal scorer this past season.


    To make a comparision, I would think that in general you want to see the company you work for succeed, despite the fact that you know that often people will be laid off or just have to quit because they have to move, want to pursue a different career etc.
    Post edited by chaosof99 on
  • FunfetusFunfetus
    edited May 2009
    I would think that in general you want to see the company you work for succeed
    Yeah, but the thing there is that you WORK for that company. I can understand rooting for a local team, which is a closer analogy. But I can't understand having an investment in the success of a company that I have nothing to do with. Maybe I like their products, and I want them to continue to make that product. But every every football team is making the same product -- football. And the best team this year is making the best product, so why would I care about another team because they made a good product 10 years ago, when everyone working there was different? I guess some of the management would be the same, so I can see the analogy to what you said earlier about it being about the management in sports, too.

    I don't know, man. I'm a fight fan, and I'm a big fan of some specific fighters. So I can understand being a fan of an auto racer, or a bicyclist, or a swimmer or something. But being a fan of a team, over time -- I just don't get it. I think I'm going to have to just accept that.
    Post edited by Funfetus on
  • chaosof99chaosof99
    I don't know, man. I'm a fight fan, and I'm a big fan of some specific fighters. So I can understand being a fan of an auto racer, or a bicyclist, or a swimmer or something. But being a fan of a team, over time -- I just don't get it. I think I'm going to have to just accept that.
    Yeah, there is definitely the possibility that you are just a person for individual sports rather than team sports.
  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    I said the thing about the brush because I'm on the same side as Funfetus. I don't support any team. I have some favourite individual players of various sports, but generally I like watching athletes do amazing things. Any sport will do, as long as I understand what is going on.
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    Sports that you watch instead of playing yourself? Yuck.
    American Football. Double Yuck.
  • JasonJason
    I don't mean do brag (yes, I do), but the Browns are winning 20-0 in the first quarter.*







    *Against Detroit.
  • AlanAlan
    Yeah but you know how fast it can turn around. The browns usually mess up in the second half.
  • WalkerWalker
    The browns usually mess up in the second half.
    Yep. It seems to me that for the most part they either botch their lead towards the end or pull it out and make a comeback, only to lose anyway.
  • AprecheApreche
    Preseason doesn't mean shit.
  • JasonJason
    Preseason doesn't mean shit.
    Preseason means glorious football is back, and the smacktalk can begin.
  • AprecheApreche
    Preseason doesn't mean shit.
    Preseason means glorious football is back, and the smacktalk can begin.
    Alrighty then.

    Prediction 1: Tom Brady coming back from injury is going to be just like Tiger Woods coming back from injury. He 'aint gonna win dick squat.
  • ......
    Preseason means glorious handegg is back
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    It would be glorious if it actually was a manly sport, without all that silly wuss protection.

    Prediction: Nobody cares but Americans.
  • AndrewAndrew
    Prediction: Nobody cares but Americans.
    Whaaa? Americans care about an American sport? No fucking way!
  • ......
    Whaaa? Americans care about an American sport? No fucking way!
    Yeah, it's surprising, isn't it? Come sit next to me, I've got popcorn. Watching some Americans watch and roar at some more Americans is fun indeed.
  • JasonJason
    Huh? Some European is bellyaching about our sport? And he's Dutch? ZOMGWTF I think I'm going to die from surprise-induced system shock.

    At least be original, Nine.
  • ......
    I'm not bellyaching. Just pointing out that your terminology makes no sense, after all, you use neither foots, nor balls! Just look at the silly armour! Popcorn?
  • GeoGeo
    edited August 2009
    I'm not bellyaching. Just pointing out that your terminology makes no sense, after all, you use neither foots, nor balls! Just look at the silly armour! Popcorn?
    It's just one of the many eccentricities we silly Americans have whereas the Dutch apparently have none.
    Post edited by Geo on
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