America's Team????

[Pagan]

Fair enough, but I guess what I'm really asking is... wouldn't you have prefered to watch your team every week instead of 5 or 6 times a year? I'm talking about before the Cable packages.

I'm sure at that period of my life it didn't really matter. I watched the Yankees and that sufficed.

Rooting for an out of town team DID lead to a magical Christmas one year though. Back then there was no internet or NFL shop, so you could only get merchandise from local teams. One year on a business trip to Florida my dad picked up something...and Christmas morning I woke up to find a shiny Dolphins helmet on the end of my bed. I was so blown away because the only time I ever saw the helmet was in magazines or when they played the Jets or Giants...and never saw one up close.

There it was right in front of me. I think I might have worn it to school the first day back. LOL

I still have it.

[Ian]

My father said when the Dolphins first came into the league when I was 5, I saw the helmet somewhere and that was it.

I see ... so you chose your teams based on that time honored approach of, "But they have really cool helmets!"

Around here that's known as "The Chick Method."

[Pagan]

I see ... so you chose your teams based on that time honored approach of, "But they have really cool helmets!"

Around here that's known as "The Chick Method."

Read again, I was 5.

Of course, I could have always chosen the manly method of "I live here, so I might as well root for them."

You're reaching, "bro".

[Ian]

By five I already knew, "Wookit da pwetty helmets!" was lame.

[Pagan]

By five I already knew, "Wookit da pwetty helmets!" was lame.

And yet, somehow at 41 you've discovered a whole new world of lame.

Now go ahead, get the last word in. It's your forte.

[Greenlawler]

My father said when the Dolphins first came into the league when I was 5, I saw the helmet somewhere and that was it.

Same with the Penguins.

I've never succumbed to the "I'm from here so it must be the best" line of thinking that some (not saying anyone in particular) have. I hear people from NY saying all the time, "NY is the greatest city in the world!" Is it now? Why, cause you come from there? Personally, I think it's the only city in the world that when it rains it makes its own gravy.

Same with my sports teams. Only NY team I ever rooted for were the Yankees...and before Ian says that's because they were winners, I started following baseball around 1968. Look up how great they were back then.

This is one of the few times I will empathize with anyone with a Yankees Avatar!

I see both sides...I grew up in Tennessee, was I supposed to choose the Falcons because they are four hours away from my house, closer than any other team?
Heck no, as a kid I liked the Dolphins my logic EXACTLY like Pagan's, I too liked the logo. When I got a couple of years older I decided the Packers were my team, Why? I got electric football and the Chiefs and Packers came with it. I liked green it just made since to me.
I admire people who at a young age pick a team and stick with it.
However when a team moves into your hometown. I believe you ought to support the home folks. Thus when the Titans came they became my team.

AS far as greatest city in the world being New York. This is about as genuine as the Cowboys being "America's team". Yet another myth driven by the media.

Oh and I would say this about the regional comment. While I would agree that the Northeast probably has the most passionate pro sports fans. I would say the southeast has the most passionate college fans.

[Greenlawler]

I'm sure at that period of my life it didn't really matter. I watched the Yankees and that sufficed.

Rooting for an out of town team DID lead to a magical Christmas one year though. Back then there was no internet or NFL shop, so you could only get merchandise from local teams. One year on a business trip to Florida my dad picked up something...and Christmas morning I woke up to find a shiny Dolphins helmet on the end of my bed. I was so blown away because the only time I ever saw the helmet was in magazines or when they played the Jets or Giants...and never saw one up close.

There it was right in front of me. I think I might have worn it to school the first day back. LOL

I still have it.

Pagan, I got my first grade school pic taken in a Green Bay sweatshirt. Try finding Green Bay gear at Sears in the early 70's. I also had an old Packers helmet my dad found at a yard sale, it was the greatest present ever.

[gueli]

By five I already knew, "Wookit da pwetty helmets!" was lame.

wow ian, you must have been such a COOL 5 year old

(ps dripping with sarcasm)

This is one of the few times I will empathize with anyone with a Yankees Avatar! I see both sides...I grew up in Tennessee... as a kid I liked the Dolphins...like Pagan...I too liked the logo. When I got a couple of years older I decided the Packers were my team...I admire people who at a young age pick a team and stick with it...
AS far as greatest city in the world being New York. This is about as genuine as the Cowboys being "America's team". Yet another myth driven by the media.

last comment first. Its about image. NY has so many amazing things (museums, sports teams, sites,etc) - and when you go outside the area, one is stunned when a city closes down by 1 or 2 am (hence the city that never sleeps). The only city I can come up with that is close on those hours is vegas.
You are right, it might not be the greatest city in the world, but with so much to offer, it is certainly up there...

As far as picking teams and why- and dont take this the wrong way - If you choose to root for a team and you stay with them (good or bad), what does it matter to others how you came to choose them. Picking a team is a personal choice - and I so dislike the 'bullying' stance that Ian is taking with many fans who choose 'the front runner'.
Why you or anyone else chooses to root for a team is their business. They do not have to be a "real" sports fan. What business is it of anyone elses ?

I do like both your & pagans stories about how you picked, and I loive how DAD gave you each a helmet. Brings back warm fuzzy memories about attending shea stadium in the bitter cold and rooting for Joe Namath as a youngster.

Now my dearly departed godfather was a yankee fan , grandma was a met fan, my uncle mike a giants fan. I rooted for the islanders (we went to games) before they won the first of 4 stanley cups. I rooted for the steelers against dalas in the super bowl(first time I picked a team) in the late '70's, and have liked them from that point on. That is how I also became a fan of the penguins (pittsburgh fan) which is why I root for all those teams.

Pagan, I got my first grade school pic taken in a Green Bay sweatshirt. Try finding Green Bay gear at Sears in the early 70's. I also had an old Packers helmet my dad found at a yard sale, it was the greatest present ever.

That is all.

Go JETS

[JPL]

See I look at my teams in very simple terms and the reasons I like them isn't only because of where I live but more of the way I grew up.

Baseball Yankees - I was watching games and listening to Phil Rizzuto say "Holy Cow!" before I knew what baseball was! I am a Yankee a fan because of Grandmother, she never missed a game on TV!

Football NY Giants - Again I was watching them with my Dad long before I knew what a football was! I still have some very fond memories of watching the games with him.

Hockey NJ Devils - I never liked the Rangers or the Islanders even though I went to a few Ranger games with my Dad. When I was a kid I like the Oilers mainly because of Gretzky but I never got to see too many games. The in 1982 something happened that changed my hockey life forever. NJ got a hockey team and I went to an event & met some of the players during the first season the played in NJ. The players were all very friendly and took the time to talk to me and answer my silly questions. I was hooked from then on!

I think the point I was trying to make in my post is pick a team and stick with them! I went through some tough times especially as a Devils Fan until that first magic moment in 1995 when they lifted the Cup! Followed by my greatest personal moment as a fan in 2003 when I actually witnessed them raise the Cup 8 rows from the ice! I literally felt like I just won as the tears of joy ran down my face!

[Ian]

wow ian, you must have been such a COOL 5 year old

(ps dripping with sarcasm)

I so dislike the 'bullying' stance that Ian is taking with many fans who choose 'the front runner'.

Uh ... you may be taking me a bit too seriously, dude. Either that or you missed this banter between Pagan and I last season.

I'm kidding, man! Lighten up. I just like to rip Pagan for being so all over the map with his team choices. He knows it, gets it, and isn't offended by it. It's sports trash talking ... that's all.

Take it in the spirit in which it was intended.

[Greenlawler]

Uh ... you may be taking me a bit too seriously, dude. Either that or you missed this banter between Pagan and I last season.

I'm kidding, man! Lighten up. I just like to rip Pagan for being so all over the map with his team choices. He knows it, gets it, and isn't offended by it. It's sports trash talking ... that's all.

Take it in the spirit in which it was intended.

I am beyond confident Gueli knew exactly about your war of words with Pagan. I mean if you have been any where on these boards we all know you guys tend to take over threads and make them your personal smack-off's ......of course I maybe the "mark" here and you too were talking smack to Gueli?

[darthmacho]

The New England Patriots should be America's Team! After all, they fought to win our freedom and establish the birth of this mighty nation!


LOL

[Pagan]

I am beyond confident Gueli knew exactly about your war of words with Pagan. I mean if you have been any where on these boards we all know you guys tend to take over threads and make them your personal smack-off's

Yea...I'm beginning to think Ian's obsessed with me.

[Ian]

Yea...I'm beginning to think Ian's obsessed with me.

You did look pretty good in that Gene Simmons costume!

[Pagan]

Lol!

[gueli]

Uh ... you may be taking me a bit too seriously, dude. Either that or you missed this banter between Pagan and I last season.

I'm kidding, man! Lighten up. I just like to rip Pagan for being so all over the map with his team choices. He knows it, gets it, and isn't offended by it. It's sports trash talking ... that's all.

Take it in the spirit in which it was intended.

actualy in case ya missed it - as far as your obsession with pagan goes,

(and for those reading this who do not get it- Ian and pagan have been going at it for a long time. Me & pagan go at it over dolphins / Jets.
other than that I tend to stick up for pagan WHEN HE IS RIGHT (on those rare times).
on occasion I take umbrage with some of Ians comments - but I think we get along just find, especially as 2 opinionated people who can debate a topic, without being nasty. So in other words I was jus' chimmin' in, sticking up for KISS, I mean gene, err wait I mean Pagan.)

the second comment about people choosing frontrunners, is part of a debate with you about comments that you posted in this thread (and some others have followed). What does it matter how or when people choose to root for a team ?
Any Die hard fan knows that in good times, many more people come out of the woodwork. In the bad times you commiserate with other die hard fans. Hence my comments in the past about win loose tie or die

although I do admit, we have taken this so far off topic....

[gueli]

The New England Patriots should be America's Team! After all, they fought to win our freedom and establish the birth of this mighty nation!


LOL

um, football wasn't established back then...
so If I am rooting for Sam Adams, John Hancock, and General Georgie boy - those patriots I am cool with

as far as the hype that once was a dominant team in the NFL - nah

Go Jets

(and by no means take this as me wanting the jets to take the title of "america's team"...)

[Pagan]

(and by no means take this as me wanting the jets to take the title of "america's team"...)

Suuuuuuuure it isn't! LOL

Quick off topic one more time....my band's latest album has been picked up by Shredguy Records for worldwide distribution, and we're in contact with a German and Japanese licensing companies for further promotion.

I'm kinda proud.

[Nascfan]

Quick off topic one more time....my band's latest album has been picked up by Shredguy Records for worldwide distribution, and we're in contact with a German and Japanese licensing companies for further promotion.

I'm kinda proud.

You should be, that's very cool!

[gueli]

Suuuuuuuure it isn't! LOL

Quick off topic one more time....my band's latest album has been picked up by Shredguy Records for worldwide distribution, and we're in contact with a German and Japanese licensing companies for further promotion.

I'm kinda proud.

Be Proud.
Wahoo (for youuuuuu)
good luck

rock on