01-18-2023, 06:31 PM
(01-18-2023, 12:46 AM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: Question wasn't directed at me, but I've always had 2nd and 3rd favorite teams in every sport. I grew up in Cincinnati and the hometown teams have my love even though I've been gone for almost 20 years. I've lived all over the country and realized every fanbase has some of the same blinders as every other team. Homers abound, as expected. But some teams are lovable for players or the fanbase or the history. Growing up, I loved the lore and tradition of the Packers. I also liked the Chiefs as a Midwest, play hard team. Neither nearly as much as the Bengals, but I was good with them. I spent a few years in SoCal and saw how excited a lot of people were about the Rams coming back which made it fun to hope for good things for them (screw 'em now, though...).
In baseball it was the Reds first, but I had a soft spot for the Orioles (huge Ripkin Jr fan when I played SS) and the Mariners (huge Griffey Jr fan when I played CF, plus the most beautiful swing). AL vs NL, but still teams I followed. Hockey it's been the Avs and Caps. I could go on. But I think the big key now that I don't play sports is having fans that are fun to talk to about the game, that know the history, know the teams and aren't assholes about it. I love intelligent conversation, which is why this board has been great for so many years. Plenty of homers, plenty of downers, but lots of great analysis and fun banter.
Thanks- great post. I’m from Buffalo originally and grew up a Bills/Sabres fan due to my father. I moved to Vegas 24 years ago and my love for my hometown teams only grew fonder. I HATE the golden knight. I HATE the raiders.
That said, baseball was a little different. Pete Rose was my favorite team growing up. Started as a Phillies fan as 1982 was the year I really started to follow closely. That transitioned to the Reds and I fell in love with Eric Davis (my favorite baseball player ever) and that bunch a characters. Barry Larkin, Chris Sabo, Kalvoski Daniels, Danny Jackson (he deserved the cy young over Orel imo), Jose Rijo, Tom Browning (rip) and the most electrifying bullpen in sports history, the Nasty Boys. Rob Dibble became my idol. Davis was traded to the dodgers and I threw up in my mouth and didn’t have a team anymore. Baseball, to me was something to watch from the nba finals to the start of NFL training camp. Way behind NFL, NHL, NCAAB. So I guess that’s why I asked the question. I had no problem switching and rooting for other teams in sports I didn’t really care about very much. The sports I loved, I could only root for my teams.
