Why do you root for your team(s)?

[Heidenreich]

Sorry if this was already posted. Favorite, fan, & team in the search showed a LOT of responses. I didn't see it in the first two pages....

Anyway, someobody made a point on a thread on Fedex about Redskins gear about people "Probably being a fan of the Lakers, Yankees, & Red Wings", obviously a knock on people being frontrunners. It got me to thinking (mainly because I root for two of those teams) how did you become a fan? I know some of us are normal, and root for the locals, but I also know people are like me, and root for other teams. I am a Yankee, Knick, Redskins, & Red Wing fan. My brother is a Blue Jay, Utah Jazz, Dolphin, & Flyer fan. Only my one roomate is a Yankee, Knick, Giant fan.

Anyway, here's my reasoning.

Yankees- My dad's team, his dad's team, his dad's dad's team, will be my son's team someday.

Knicks- I didn't really get into hoops until around 1990. And back in the day, you couldn't see every team on TV like you can today. So I watched the Knicks, and started to follow them. It's been hell most years ever since....

Red Wings- The one team I take flak for, but the reasoning is simple. They were really, REALLY good in NHL '93 for Sega genesis.....

'Skins- I HATED the Giants growing up. I really don't know why, but i know I didn't like them. So, to piss off the Giant fans in the area, I had to pick a rival. The St Louis Cardinals were terrible, so they were out. Even at a young age, I knew I didn't like Philly. My mom tried to help by buying me a Cowboy helmet, but I didn't like the colors. By process of elimination, that left Washington. And I wouldn't want it any other way.....

[dfitzo53]

Redskins - They're the home team.

Colts - Lots of family in Indiana.

Wizards/Pacers/Orioles/Caps - Same reasons as above, although I don't follow those ports the way I follow football. I'm old enough to have grown up without the Nats but too young to have known the Senators, so I'm an Orioles fan, but I root for the Nats.

[airborneskins]

Well Let me see!

Skins- Born in DC and because I have been a fan my ENTIRE life, and we have season tix.

Mariners / Seahawks - because I spent most of my younger years growing up in Washington state. Was cool to go to all of the home games of both.

Orioles - because they are the home team.

Yankees (except for when they play Seattle, B-more) - because all of the old Mariners that I used to watch are now Yankees.

Carolina Tarheels B-ball - because when I was young, I always wanted to play ball there. Unfortunately joined Army and never played B-ball.

Notre Dame football - Well let me just say that I married into that

I don't watch Hockey

I watch a little soccer (United because they are the home team)

And recently the Nationals because they play at RFK!

[Thiebear]

I root for my teams because they are mine and always have been...

Pops was a D.C. Cop in Anacostia- 7th Princinct...

I got to do NBC camera equipment at a few of games as a teenager..

Snyders just keepin em warm for me...

[RyansRangers]

Well I live in CT and my dad is a skins fan so I started to root for them at a young age because I couldnt stand the Giants or the Patriots...

Mets I always went to shea stadium as a kid so I learned to hate the red sox and yankees

NBA- could care less

Hockey - GO WHALERS........ I still bleed green

In CT you have a lot of options since we have no teams

[RonJeremy]

Skins - Dad grew up in D.C. and has been a die-hard fan since the 50's. Didn't have a choice when I was little. Either love the Skins or be a five year old homeless kid.

Terps- I am a homer.

Baseball - baseball sucks! But if a gun was put to my head I might jump on the Nationals bandwagon.

Wizards - not a huge fan of the pro game but the Bullets became the Wizards. I jumped on the bandwagon this year though. Once again Homerism!

Hockey - do they even play that anymore?

Skins take up most of my sports fanaticism!

[Predicto]

Skins - My dad would roll over in his grave if I ever was not a Skins fan. I think my first word was "Jurgensen".

Michigan Wolverines - Went there for Law School. My undergrad, the University of Chicago, does not have Div. 1 sports, so I was free to adopt Michigan.

SF Giants - Moved to SF 16 years ago. Because DC didnt have a baseball team, I had no prior commitment to a team. When the Giants built their beautiful ballpark WITH THEIR OWN MONEY rather than squeezing the taxpayers, that was the last straw - I have been a fan ever since.

Golden State Warriors - Sure, they suck, and suck bad, but it is goig to be so sweet when they finally start winning.

[Huly]

CLEMSON- I have orange blood. I was born and raised a Clemson Fan. My family would have disowned me if I was a fan of USC.

REDSKINS- I was raised to hate Dallas (my brother brain washed me by age 2) and to like any other team. So when I moved here it was easy to start watching and liking the Redskins!

[Major Harris]

'skins- here in the eastern panhandle of west virginia, we are in the dc market for tv stations, so they were always on. also, the first nfl game i ever watched was the mnf game when joey t. got broke up by LT. that game was so exciting, it was hard not to be a 'skins fan.

orioles- home team, always loved cal. they now share me w/ the nats.

caps-don't miss hockey one bit, but caps playoff games are exciting

wvu-home team.....GO 'EERS!

UNC basketball- married into it.

[rebornempowered]

Redskins- Grew up in South Dakota. I couldn't stand the Vi-Queens and Chefs which were on TV each week there. Also, I was a fat kid who used to run people over on the playground playing football. My uncle lived in the DC area and he encouraged me to root for them. I watched and loved Riggins running people over so it was a natural fit.

Cubs-Could watch the lovable losers on WGN at home instead of the Twins on Midwest Sports Channel. I played first base and liked Mark Grace. The rest is misery.

Avalanche-Started playing NHL on SNES. I thought the Quebec Nordiques logo was unique and sort of cool. They moved to Colorado and I followed.

Cavs-Not much of an NBA fan. I have a friend who has 6th row season tickets. We went to a game and it was fun to watch LeBron. Root for them by default. I really don't like bandwagon teams but at least this bandwagon team is only 50 miles from my front door so I don't mind rooting for them a little.

Nebraska-No D-I schools in South Dakota. It was either Nebraska, MN, or Iowa schools. Nebraska has big scary linemen and run the ball down your throats. I like that type of football (although they are moving away from that now )

[NYSkins1]

Skins-I'm a third generation fan.

Braves-There was no hometown team in Rochester, so when I moved here I latched on to the home team in baseball.

As far as college, I'm probably going to root for wherever I end up going. College sports are not very big in Upstate New York, so I grew up not caring about them. By the looks of my prospective college list, it looks like I'm in for a lot of misery in the way of sports (though I do have USC...)

[Walking Deadman]

Redskins- I grew up in VA, family has followed various teams, but the Skins have been mine.

Why, you ask?

When I lived in VA, I saw something--- maybe it was team spirt, maybe we were a winning team, maybe it was tradition, but the Redskins were THE METRO AREA.

The pride people had for their team was incredible, very few places do you see that (Green Bay, Chicago, NJ (Giants and Jets) are a few exceptions).

Plus, the day Madden said that Texas stadium had the roof so God could watch his favorite team play (I don't know if he was quoting a Dallas owner/player/coach) sealed the deal.

I can't stand Madden and I can't stand for someone to call Dallas "America's team" or "God's favorite team".

Baseball- I used to love the O's primarily b/c of Babe Ruth's history in Baltimore, Eddie Murray and Cal. But until this year, the O's have been a heartbreaker. I hope the Nats can develop into a great team for the METRO AREA.

Basketball- have to root for the Wiz, but I follow players/coaches more than team. I like the Heat now b/c of Shaq and Mourning (although I hope the Wiz could win the series) and if Phil Jackson comes back to coaching I 'll root for his team as well.

[TODD]

Redskins- Grew up here, born during a SB run (1986-7), live in Ashburn.

Browns- They're my second favorite team, but no where near my Skins. I like the fans, I like the type of game they play, I like the city of Cleveland.

Wizards- Always loved 'em, even though I haven't been as loyal to them as my Redskins (I rooted for the Celtics in 2001-2002... latched on to Pierce/Walker/McCarty/O'Brien). Die hard Wiz fan every other year

Nationals- We have a team! That's why.

Orioles and Yankees- No else to follow in my lifetime until this year. I went to some O's games and I vehemently hate the Red Sox, although I'm not a "fan" of the Yanks I do root for them.

Other teams I root for? Anaheim Angels (Vladimir is my favorite baseball player, so vicious), Capitals (when they actually plau).

[danbee]

NFL, Redskins. Born in DC in 73' by the time I was old enough to watch and understand football it was 82' started playing football in 87' and graduated in 91'. All important events and the Redskins were in the SuperBowl for all of them, it's all I know.

Arena Football, LA Avengers. I live in Souther Cali now it's a good football fix in the spring and summer.

Are there any other sports?

:point2sky

[CTaylor42]

Skins-Since I saw the 1972 NFC championship when we crushed the Cowboys 26-3.

Cardinals-Perhaps the only home team I root for.

Illinois-We lived there for the first 15 years of my life. I continued to root for them after we moved away.

Spurs-Lakers-Celtics-76ers-Knicks-I'm a big time bandwagon fan when it comes to the NBA.

[SkinsHokieFan]

The local guys always. Thats all that makes sense to me

I am fans of the Redskins, Nationals, Capitals, Wizards and DC United. Hell I hope the Mystics do well

And of course I cheer on every team at my college (Va Tech) and high school

Seems to me the only logical way to cheer on a team, the team that represents your town or city (if you have been there a long time and call it home, I know lots of people move around tons)

[a_good_brotha]

I root for the local teams. Although I live in Maryland, I'm closer to DC than Baltimore. I get all my local stations in DC. Besides the Redskins were around before the Ravens and I don't remember the Colts in Baltimore.

[Ignatius J.]

Redskins - Hometown

Terps - Dad went there, and local

Lakers - I was in LA when I became a real basketball fan, and the lakers were good so I started following them. I tried to be a fan of the clippers but it didn't make sense.

Yankees- I hate baseball, but if it's on I root for the yankees because of two things. First, everyone always hates the yankees, so it seemed like a contrarian thing to do. Also as a laker and redskin fan I sympathised with teams who everyone hates just cause they're good.

[TC4]

NFL -

MLB -

NBA -

NCAA -

[halter91]

Redskins- I was at my grandfathers house watching the Skins/Cowpukes, I didn't realize it at the time, but all Eagle fans hated Dallas and he was rooting for the Hogs and the Skins. So There, A skins fan was born.

Phillies-Grew up watching Michael Jack Scmidt, Left, Pete Rose, Gary Matthews, Gary Maddox and the rest of the boys. I remember the Tugger striking out Willie Wilson and I remeber Joe Carter going deep on Mitch Williams. I do like the Bosox, only cause I hate the Yanks so much, and once you go to Fenway, you have to be a fan.

Sixers-Dr J., Moses Malone, AI and the young AI. I love the Sixers.

Hockey-Hands down the Detroit Redwings. 91 was my favorite player till he jumped ship, but I still love the wings. I went to game 1 of the Stanely Cup playoffs a few years ago, wearing my redwings jersey in Philly. Probably wan't the smartest thing. Also helps that I hate the Avalanche, Joe Sakic and Forsberg can both go to hell.

College Football-Penn State Football, once you go to a game, it's hard not to be a fan. They have a great tradition and tailgating is the best. Well, next to Skins tailgates.

College Hoops-UNC, been a Heels fan longer than I've rooted for any other team I like. I remember Jordan, Perkins, Worth, Wolf and all the other. Plus I have family in NC, and when I was younger, I didn't know Duke, Wake was in the state. I'm glad I'm an NC fan though!!