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The Rules for Choosing Your Favorite Sports Team
Football season is just around the corner and while most of us probably have favorite teams already, I thought those who don’t might want some guidance in choosing a favorite team, in any sport. I say guidance because technically these aren’t rules, but if you ask me they oughta be.
The way I see it, too many “fans” are allowed to cheer in ways that I really can’t agree with. If you’re already one of these fans, you may qualify for a grandfather clause. If you’re interested in becoming a fan, and looking for a team to root for, let these guidelines show you the way.
Understand that this process includes a huge gray area, and because of that my rules are almost as contradictory as an NCAA rule book. Still, I think they’ll do a pretty good job of getting the point across – at least to the level where you can make your own respectable choices.
Root, Root, Root for the Home Team
As the song says, ‘if they don’t win it’s a shame’. There was a time, and I still think it’s like this in many cases, when it was a natural process that the youngster grows up cheering for his/her hometown team. My concern is that it seems the home team loyalty is not as automatic as it once was.
I’m willing to acknowledge that the evolution of free agency in professional sports has contributed to impatient fan behavior. However, your team’s star leaving town is no reason for you to start loving up the long-time rival (I know you hear me Cav’s fans).
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em
I don’t mean jump on board with a winner. In fact, that’s a HUGE no-no and we’ll discuss it in a bit. With this rule I’m offering up a suggestion for those who are without a favorite team themselves, but someone close to them is already a passionate fan.
For example, ladies – if your boyfriend/husband has a favorite and you’d like to get involved in watching the sport with him, it’s probably a good idea to cheer for the same team as him. Fellas, if your girl likes a team in a sport you’re not yet into, it’s DEFINITELY a good idea that you side with her.
Who’s Your Daddy?
Hopefully your old man is cut from the old-school cloth that encouraged liking the home team, then you can follow his lead and choose your team in compliance with two of my rules.
Most fans find a team during their youth, when their dads are their biggest influence. There’s no better bonding experience for a dad and a child, especially a son, than to share the thrill of victory and/or the agony of defeat.
So, if you’re in the market for a favorite team, think about who your dad likes, and give that team a strong consideration.
Only Recovering Alcoholics Should Be on the Wagon
It is never acceptable to jump on a team’s bandwagon. As I sit here writing this, I can’t think of a single time when it’s ok to jump around from winner to winner.
However, in an attempt to avoid hypocrisy, I have become a fan of how the New York Yankees win. It’s not that I enjoy watching them win, but I enjoy that they win. I’m intrigued with their continued success.
Still, the point remains. Like your team through thick and thin. Ask any Boston Red Sox fan if 2004 was worth 86 seasons of frustration.
Showing Your True Colors
At the risk of sounding sexist, this rule usually (usually) applies most to females. The team colors are not, I repeat, are not a good reason to like a team. If you can’t find another, more respectable reason to sport your team, you should probably rethink your plan.
I will admit that it’s hard to like a team if you don’t enjoy their colors, but in my opinion the colors will become an acquired taste if you develop a passion for the team first. Plus, if you happen to like a team that’s got a badass color combo, you’re all set.
The Michael Jordan Rule
When I was in middle school, (almost) every one of my friends liked the Chicago Bulls. They didn’t like them because they had a rich tradition or a legendary coach. They liked them because they had Michael Jordan.
That in and of itself is ok with me as far as a route to determining your favorite team goes. Find your favorite player and root for his team. The problem comes when he “retires” to play baseball, or when he signs with the league cellar-dweller. That doesn’t give you a free pass to cheer on the new superstar or be a frontrunner for the new top team.
The way I see it, you have two choices. Continue rooting for the Bulls (my recommended choice), or follow him to his new team (a distant second choice).
What I’m Trying to Say
The whole point of this rant rules post is to try and encourage a little loyalty out of sports fans. It’s not always easy to love your team when they haven’t given you much to cheer about in a century (your day will come Cubs fans), but when they finally do win the big one, there will be no feeling like it (just ask Red Sox Nation).
I can pretty much sum up what I’ve been trying to say in three words…
Loyalty, loyalty loyalty.
Once you pick your team, they become a part of you, just like your shadow, your hair style and that cold sore you got from that 6th grade game of spin-the-bottle. They’re yours, for better or for worse – or at least until free agent season.
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Good stuff, but, I disagree. Having a favorite team is a full time gig, you take your fanhood with you everywhere, which is why I think just going for the “home team” isn’t the way to go. Let it come to you, don’t force anything, wait for a team/program that you find great interest in. From their history, traditions, rivals, colors, ect. Sorry but I just don’t have any issues with Georgetown, never have, I have never really been a Jimmy B kind of guy, that’s just me. And I don’t like the color orange, I just couldn’t be spoon fed the SU kool aide. UNC was my team of choice, from 1993 and going strong in 2010 and beyond. Go with what suits you, don’t let daddy or your home town ties lead you elsewhere.
I’ll admit that I didn’t explain the rules as clearly as they needed to be. Unfortunately the more I explain, the cloudier and more contradictory they’d become. My most important rule is that you stay loyal. If you want to like a team that’s across the country, I have no real problem with that as long as you don’t get bored when they don’t win for decades. Loyalty is slowly leaving sports, from all angles (athletes and fans are guilty). I’ll honor your “total package” argument regarding history, traditions, etc. and in my own I’m-always-right-fashion I’ll call it rooting for the home team.
P.S. UNC won the bball title in 1993, did you read the part about only being on the wagon if your an alcoholic?
Actually the first UNC game I ever watched was in the 1992-1993 season , and they lost to Michigan in the Honolulu Classic. That’s what started it. It was just dumb luck they ended up winning the championship later that year, against Michigan no less. Call it luck.
Im very proud to say that I am a die hard Chicago Bulls fan and will never stop. When Jordan left I wanted to cry (I think I did) I was hoping he would be a Bull well into his 50s, but obviously this never happened. I will admit though I got on the wagon in winning ways. I became a Bulls fan in the 90-91 playoffs. Give me some credit though, I was only 7. The only wagon I knew of had four wheels and radio flyer on the side of it. I will defend my Bulls til the day I die though. I will never get sick of uttering the words “this is the year”….and once again, move over MIAMI, this is OUR YEAR. Huge Cuse fan (Im proud we have a succesful organization/university) I became an Orange fan not because of home town pride, but like you said RJ, those were the earliest bonding moments me and my father shared growing up. I have been going to games with him since I was 5? It will never get old and I hope to bring my son to games when he arrives. Same goes with the Yankees. Some of my greatest memories were helping peel my dad off the ceiling at home after a big yankee win or a world series run. Dad is Giants/Nets fan too though….sorry dad, thats where I draw the line. So with all this being said, GO BULLS, ORANGE and YANKS!!! And to the fake sports fans out there (DEL)…I hope UCONN never wins again. I hate people who live in a place with tons of hometown pride (315) and root for the bad guy because they want to be “different”….UCONN, GTOWN, PITT and BOSOX fans residing in NY should be shot on sight…rant fin
and Bo….UNC would be a second “team” for me ONLY and I mean ONLY because I LOOOOAAAAATTTTHHHHHHHEEEEE Dook and UNC has been the team that has dealt them the most painful losses in the past couple decades…..one would think, being white and in America one would LOVE a college hoops team filled with GREAT white kids playing hoops tradition, but total opposite. I hate everything about Dook and their evil coach.
@Jamie: I’m not agains all Bulls fans, even ones that chose them simply because of Jordan. By continuing to like them, you’ve earned the right to cheer for MJ back in the day. I’m talking mostly about the fans that ditched the Bulls as soon as Kobe and Shaq teamed up. Loyalty trumps all other rules.