There You'll Be

Okay, just posting on another thread, it occured to me that when I'm rooting for teams, it's almost always due certain players/coaches, rather than a team itself.

With all the trades, changes, and easy come-easy go firings and hirings, it's hard to maintain a team.

I am NY Giants fan, and Seattle Sonics in the NBA.

However, now I'm rooting for the Lakers--for Gary Payton and for Malone.

And, for the Dallas Cowboys because of Bill Parcells-who I'd follow anywhere.

So, I was curious as to what everyone else thinks. Do you...

*Maintain your loyalty to your team only
*Follow your players and coaches
*Keep your team loyalty, and have a soft spot for the places where your coaches/players go

or...what?

And, how does it make you react?

I have to say-it's almost driven me insane, because of my loyal instincts, I'm almost always torn now.

Chi159

Always team loyalty.

I've never been the type to root for another team just because a player I happen to like plays for them. That's not my style. It's the reason why I didn't become a Washington Wizards fan after MJ left Chicago. In my book, the team comes first and then the player. I'll root for certain players to do well on other teams, but never against my favorite teams. No way! I'd rather see them get beat, and get beat bad. As long as my team wins, then it's all good!

NikNak

Nice topic, Kimmie. I think we might have had a discussion like this sometime before. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I am a die-hard San Fran 49ers' fan, so I will stick to them. No matter what. My two favorite players are gone, though. Steve Young retired, and Jerry Rice plays for Oakland, but I always want Jerry to succeed, no matter where he is, so I keep my team loyalty to the Niners, but I will always have a soft spot for Jerry. He will always be my favorite (and the best) receiver in the game, to me.

My favorite basketball player EVER will always be Michael Jordan. No matter what generation, century or year. No matter who was there before him, with him, or after him. I will follow him ANYWHERE he goes and always want him to succeed, as well. I watched the Wizards' games only because he was on the team. Now that he has retired (again), I still watch their games, if I'm at home, but I never was or will be a huge fan of the team.

Hmm, what else? Oh, I love the Syracuse Orangemen, men's football and basketball. I have always been a fan. So, of course, with Carmelo Anthony and Donovan McNabb coming from Syracuse, I definitely follow them on their respective teams, meaning, again, that I want them to do very well and I like watching their individual games, not necessarily the team they play for as a whole.

The only coach that I really like is Phil Jackson, and that stems back to the glory days of the Chicago Bulls, so I was very happy when he went to the Lakers. Personally, I like watching the Lakers and I think I just might be one of the few people on this board that doesn't hate Kobe or his game. Heh.

Now, the only other sport I watch is tennis, where there are no teams, really.

Katiebear

Good question I mean I'm a Pacers and Colts fan regardless of who's on the team or not however I also like to watch players on other teams yet I'm loyal to their success even though I don't care for their team.


It varies I guess.


NikNak- I got no beef with Kobe(pardon the pun) either, I don't think he's as bad as people make him out to be at times plus he's got game. Yeah he plays for the Lakers but what can I say nobody is perfect [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

NikNak

Cool, I didn't know that. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

The Daywalker

Player.

I'm a hardcore college sports fan, so I build loyalty with my college kids then i follow them into the professional ranks. I do have strong likes/dislikes in the pros, but I was more loyal to teams as a kid then i do now.

Story of how i became a Red Sox fan - Little kid playing little league, team was called the West Side MEts, started to watch baseball on TV, the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. Since i played for the Mets, i was a bigger fan of them. Had two young guys, Gooden and Strawberry. Huge fan of them. Darryl went to LA, a team i hated at the time. I had to become a Dodger fan, as i loved Strawberry greatly. In becoming a Ddoger fan, i became a fan of it's players. Namely the Martinez brothers. Ramon, the teams Ace, and PEdro, the teams really young and raw bullpen setup guy for John Wetteland. Soon, this little bullpen guy was one of my favorites and out of the blue, gets traded straight up for an all star second basebman(i'm sure many of us remember Delino DeShields) and after 2 years, Pedro became a god in Montreal. Winning a Cy Young and being the best pitcher in baseball. Being the best minor league team MLB has ever seen, Montreal lovingly and graciously supplied the Boston Red Sox with their stud pitcher.

I do'nt unpack.

So, goes it in the NBA. Still a Portland fan at heart, but I tend to root for Golden State and New Jersey.

Still a Mets and Dodgers fan, but allegiencies with Boston and,.... i don't want to be come a California fan, but i love Vlad.

NFL, i've said it all along, if Indy and Baltimore lost their Hurricanes, i probably wouldn't be a fan. So we'll see.

I think Hockey is the only sport that i've kept Team loyalty, and that is with the Calgary Flames. Always loved Al MacInnis, and since i was a bit of a St Louis fan already, i didn't mind him going there. Jarome Iginla is my new fav player, so ti's all good.

Jordan23

Same here. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]



Same here...only that part though! [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]

[ 01-15-2004: Message edited M_J_23 ]

There You'll Be

[img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] Phil Jackson is another I love-that came for his incredible knowledge of the game, and how to dissect another team. That's why I love Parcells. Rarely do you find coaches who can concentrate so well on the game that they can coach most any player-plus tell you how to beat virtually any position/player.

Some interesting answers! I guess like all our tastes, everything in answers varies. Thanks for answering. It makes me feel less insane!!

ITA-I personally adore Kobe, and I agree-he's got game. I love to watch him play. I love to watch most of the Lakers play-there is no denying the talent that they have. Of course, I've been a Shaq fan since day one, so I try to stay out of their sqabble. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Nik [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] No picking on the Newbie Sports Poster! I swear, I checked the first 3 pages and didn't see the topic. :embarrassed:

[ 01-15-2004: Message edited ThereYoullBe ]

QueenBitch

I agree. I mainly sdtick with the team, but have a soft spot for where coaches and player go. I'm a big Rams fan.

Milt Palacio

Definitely team loyalty.

Hot Rod

I`m also very loyal to my teams no matter how many changes it has to it`s rosters.

IndyFan

Now my Bunnykins is starting a sports thread?!!?
Welcome back, ThereYoullBe!

I cheer for the home team; in this case Pacers & Colts.
I also follow local althletes, thus my trips to Butler U games, keeping up with Iowa, and cheering for Bonzi at the Pacers/Grizzlies game. [img]smilies/blush.gif[/img]

NikNak

Kimmie, I have to tease you! It's in my nature. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

NikNak

Just to avoid pruning. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Headhunter

I am loyal based on two criteria; appeal, and effort (or dedication). Appeal is personal taste, and effort/dedication is the respect and hard work that goes into perfecting their game.

Guys like Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett rate pretty high; guys who slack like Vince Carter fall off really quickly. Just the way it works. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]