Looking for a favorite team

RealHotCoffee · Post #1 » by **RealHotCoffee** » Fri Sep 4, 2015 6:35 pm

I'm aware that some people choose teams based on a number of reasons. Has anyone here ever chosen their favorite team based on the logo or who won the WS in a particular year?

There's someone very close to me that I lost and her name was Chloe. So, I was thinking about rooting for the Cubs because of the 'C' and was also thinking about rooting for the Red Sox since they won the WS the year she was born.

I understand that it's my fandom and noone can decide for me, I was just curious if anyone else has done the same and/or if you ever feel wierd trying to explain why you're a fan of a particular team.

Zeitgeister · Post #2 » by **Zeitgeister** » Sat Sep 5, 2015 9:50 pm

I'm from Minnesota so I root for all the Minnesota teams, but it's not necessary to have loyalty to your state or to the team closest to you. Just root for who you want to, there's nothing wrong with that. The Cubs would be a good choice because they've got a lot of young, exciting talent.

RealHotCoffee · Post #3 » by **RealHotCoffee** » Sat Sep 5, 2015 10:49 pm

I'm from NC and we don't have a home team. I don't get O's or Nats games and the Braves aren't on TBS anymore. They do play Yankees games on AM radio here.

I've never really had a favorite team, but I did have soft spots for the Yankees and Braves. Now, I figure it's time to pick a team and follow and I thought, why not a team that kind of 'reminded' me of a special person? I know it may sound corny, but I'm a pretty sentimental guy lol.

And I plan on getting MLB. TV next year when we move into our new house which was built in 1954, the Indians won the AL pennant that year and their logo is a 'C' which would correspond with Chloe as well...

Decisions, decisions...

Raps in 4 · Post #4 » by **Raps in 4** » Sun Sep 6, 2015 1:21 am

Zeitgeister wrote:it's not necessary to have loyalty to your state or to the team closest to you.

Yes it is. It makes no sense to cheer for a team outside your city/state. There is a reason teams are affiliated with cities.

Raps in 4 · Post #5 » by **Raps in 4** » Sun Sep 6, 2015 1:24 am

RealHotCoffee wrote:I'm from NC and we don't have a home team. I don't get O's or Nats games and the Braves aren't on TBS anymore. They do play Yankees games on AM radio here.

I've never really had a favorite team, but I did have soft spots for the Yankees and Braves. Now, I figure it's time to pick a team and follow and I thought, why not a team that kind of 'reminded' me of a special person? I know it may sound corny, but I'm a pretty sentimental guy lol.

And I plan on getting MLB. TV next year when we move into our new house which was built in 1954, the Indians won the AL pennant that year and their logo is a 'C' which would correspond with Chloe as well...

Decisions, decisions...

You could just impartially follow the sport if you enjoy it (which does take a lot of the fun out of it though).

I'm kind of in the same boat as you when it comes to the NFL. It doesn't make sense for me to cheer for any of the teams, and the sport doesn't particularly interest me. So I usually just end up watching the playoffs and cheering against sports cities I dislike.

Chi Dynasty12 · Post #6 » by **Chi Dynasty12** » Sun Sep 6, 2015 3:58 am

Pick a front office that aligns with your philosophies.

For example, the Cubs are all about the youth movement; have sacrificed winning-now for years to collect young talent. And that young talent is finally being called up to the majors and delivering results.

Or if you like big spenders, go with a team like the Yankees or now the Bluejays who went all in at the trade deadline.

I'm biased b/c I'm a Cubs lifer.

Or, if you like watching games late night on the east coast, go with a west coast team.

Zeitgeister · Post #7 » by **Zeitgeister** » Sun Sep 6, 2015 5:12 am

Raps in 4 wrote:
Zeitgeister wrote:it's not necessary to have loyalty to your state or to the team closest to you.

Yes it is. It makes no sense to cheer for a team outside your city/state. There is a reason teams are affiliated with cities.

So what's the OP supposed to do if he doesn't have a team in his state? No, it really, ultimately doesn't matter, it's just sports.

Post #8 » by **Latrell** » Mon Sep 7, 2015 4:09 am

Raps in 4 wrote:
Zeitgeister wrote:it's not necessary to have loyalty to your state or to the team closest to you.

Yes it is. It makes no sense to cheer for a team outside your city/state. There is a reason teams are affiliated with cities.

That's stupid and incorrect.

Raps in 4 · Post #9 » by **Raps in 4** » Mon Sep 7, 2015 4:14 am

Latrell wrote:
Raps in 4 wrote:
Zeitgeister wrote:it's not necessary to have loyalty to your state or to the team closest to you.

Yes it is. It makes no sense to cheer for a team outside your city/state. There is a reason teams are affiliated with cities.

That's stupid and incorrect.

It's 100% correct. Why don't we have 30 teams in each sport that play games in random cities over the course of the season, without being affiliated with any one city?

What's to stop people from cheering for random teams just because those teams are good?

I appreciate plenty of teams for their management philosophies. I personally love the Spurs and Cardinals. But I'm not a Spurs or Cardinals fan. Being one would make me a bandwagon pleb.

The only time it makes sense to cheer for an out of city/state team is if your city/state doesn't have a team. Even then, I don't see how one can become a true fan of a team that they can't watch live or cheer for with their friends and family. But if someone can somehow develop that "true fan" attachment to a random team, then all the power to them.

Zeitgeister · Post #10 » by **Zeitgeister** » Mon Sep 7, 2015 6:26 am

Raps in 4 wrote:
Latrell wrote:
Raps in 4 wrote:
Yes it is. It makes no sense to cheer for a team outside your city/state. There is a reason teams are affiliated with cities.

That's stupid and incorrect.

It's 100% correct. Why don't we have 30 teams in each sport that play games in random cities over the course of the season, without being affiliated with any one city?

What's to stop people from cheering for random teams just because those teams are good?

I appreciate plenty of teams for their management philosophies. I personally love the Spurs and Cardinals. But I'm not a Spurs or Cardinals fan. Being one would make me a bandwagon pleb.

The only time it makes sense to cheer for an out of city/state team is if your city/state doesn't have a team. Even then, I don't see how one can become a true fan of a team that they can't watch live or cheer for with their friends and family. But if someone can somehow develop that "true fan" attachment to a random team, then all the power to them.

What does that even mean? The stadiums and ballparks are built within cities so that's why the teams are named after the city or state they exist in. Sure, there's certainly an element of marketing to draw on the city or state loyalty of people from that area but that doesn't mean you have to like the sports team where you live, it's just sports. You can call people bandwagon plebs all you want but that doesn't change the fact that they can root for whomever they want.

RealHotCoffee · Post #11 » by **RealHotCoffee** » Mon Sep 7, 2015 6:37 am

I can kind of see it both ways...I have mainly sentimental reasons for liking particular teams, the Pirates because I lived there for 6 months and went to half a dozen games, I like the Phillies because that was my first MLB game and I went with my stepdad, and the Braves because I grew up watching them with my grandma and uncle, but have never been to a game. The Orioles because I lived in VA for awhile and went to a couple of games and would always watch them on MASN.

I like Clemson Tigers football because I used to visit my dad 40 minutes from there and would always beg him to take me to games, he never did though lol. But I plan on taking my kids.

I like UNC because that's where my daughter got a lot of her treatments.

I could root for the Bulls because of MJ, I went to to the same high school and middle school ue went to, but I do like my home teams so I like the Hornets. People have different reasons for liking a certain team.

However, it does kind of make sense because a lot of stadiums are funded with local taxpayer money. So if you paid into your team's stadium, why wouldn't you be that team's fan and support them?

To some, sports is entertainment. And to others it's so much more than that.

Higga · Post #12 » by **Higga** » Tue Sep 8, 2015 5:56 pm

I can't see anything other then rooting for your hometown team. But if your hometown doesn't have a team(or nearby enough team to be considered), just find a team that has players you like and try to stick with them.

RealHotCoffee · Post #13 » by **RealHotCoffee** » Tue Sep 8, 2015 6:03 pm

What if you prefer NL and your city only has an AL team, or vice versa, then what?

Also, let's say you live in Charlotte, NC and you're a White Sox fan because of the AAA affiliate there and then an MLB team comes to town. Is it against fandom rules to switch or would that be okay?

RealHotCoffee · Post #14 » by **RealHotCoffee** » Tue Sep 8, 2015 6:05 pm

Oh and I forgot, let's say I'm a UNC basketball fan. Does that also mean I should be a fan of their football team too? I'm just curious as to what the concensus is, I don't think being a fan should be based on rules, but I do respect the people who do stick to them

Higga · Post #15 » by **Higga** » Wed Sep 9, 2015 5:49 pm

I'll just say this:

Don't root for the Nationals.

Its cruel and unusual punishment and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Stannis · Post #16 » by **Stannis** » Wed Sep 9, 2015 10:43 pm

Raps in 4 wrote:
Zeitgeister wrote:it's not necessary to have loyalty to your state or to the team closest to you.

Yes it is. It makes no sense to cheer for a team outside your city/state. There is a reason teams are affiliated with cities.

What if we don't have a MLB team in our state? Root for the AAA, AA teams?

Stannis · Post #17 » by **Stannis** » Wed Sep 9, 2015 10:47 pm

I will narrow it down a bit...

First of all, if you have an MLB team in your state or city and can go to games, root for them. Going to baseball games is a cool experience.

If you are still looking for a team, choose the NL or AL. Personally, I hate the DH rule. I think it's a disgrace, and I believe pitchers should bat. So I like NL.

Narrow it down some more... Do you like big spenders or teams with great farm systems?

Do you like pitchers duels or high scoring games?

You are going to have to watch a many games though to get a feel. Try to enjoy the sport, and then find a team maybe.

Quake Griffin · Post #18 » by **Quake Griffin** » Wed Sep 9, 2015 11:30 pm

I went to SB for undergrad and UW after. I wouldn't dream of pulling for SB in anything over UW. Some people say you should pull for your undergrad but whatever. I transferred to SB. I spent more time in Madison than Isla Vista….and i'm UW in bball and football.

As far as the MLB goes…I say you find a favorite player and follow him like a lead blocker. I'd make sure he's young and somebody who won't get traded or sign elsewhere when their arbitration years are up.

Kershaw
Posey/Bum (but you'd get called a bandwagoner for this)
Rizzo
The Mets pitching staff (they'll retain one or two of them at least but not all…don't shoot Stannis)
Wacha and Carlos Martinez

RealHotCoffee · Post #19 » by **RealHotCoffee** » Wed Sep 9, 2015 11:38 pm

I love minor league ball. Just recently went to a Durham Bulls game. I agree, baseball games are an awesome experience, whether major league or minor, definitely my favorite sport to see live and I love listening to ball games on the radio and followed the Yankees for awhile on the local sports radio until I joined the Army.

If only Charlotte can get a MLB team...

Not having a favorite team does take away from the experience, especially when interacting with other fans that do have a favorite. I feel kind of left out :-(

lol

RealHotCoffee · Post #20 » by **RealHotCoffee** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 6:37 am

That's a good idea about following younger players. I got a few guys I really like, like Lindor CLE, Shaw BOS, and hoping Olivera can do good down in ATL