I have a few questions for you "sports fans" .

Does your allegiance change when you move from one state to another?

Do you stop rooting for "your team" because they're not winning?

Do you root for a new team because your favorite player has changed teams?

I myself have been living in Florida for almost 5 years and continue to be a diehard Red Sox, Bruins , Patriots, & Celtic fan. I've rooted for each of these teams through some mighty lean years and now enjoying some great years.
Changing allegiance isn't an option for me because it's in my blood.

[CFrance]

When we left Pittsburgh and ended up in MI for 25 years, we never-ever stopped rooting for the Pirates (yes, despite everything!), Steelers, and Penguins. There is something about your home town and its teams that's an unbreakable bond, through thick and thin.

We did start rooting for the Tigers (that was okay since they're in the American League) and Lions (who don't win much but we like them anyway, and Detroit is Jerome Bettis' home town, and Detroit was so welcoming to the Steelers when the Super Bowl was held there).

But those are second tier. And never would we even think of rooting for the Red Wings.

[bookseller49]

Could never understand people who rooted for other teams from other states. Lifelong NY Mets fan since their inception. Not a fair weather fan.Jets and NY Rangers too!The only time I would actively root against any NY team would be rooting for any team playing against the evil empire, the team with the deep pockets that likes to spend all that money they have at their disposal. Tanake please sign with anybody but the Yankees.

[BarryRX]

Originally Posted by bookseller49

Could never understand people who rooted for other teams from other states. Lifelong NY Mets fan since their inception. Not a fair weather fan.Jets and NY Rangers too!The only time I would actively root against any NY team would be rooting for any team playing against the evil empire, the team with the deep pockets that likes to spend all that money they have at their disposal. Tanake please sign with anybody but the Yankees.

A typical Mets fan who defines himself by his hatred of the Yankees more than his love of the Mets. The two teams compete in the same market, and yet one team is hugely successful and the other isn't. I could understand if you were a fan of a small market team and couldn't match the Yankees resources, but the Mets have access to the same market. But, to answer the OP, I ALWAYS root for the home team of my youth. And while I am a Yankee fan, I still love excellence from others. My favorite non Yankee players were Carl Yastremski, Rocky Colavito, Duke Snyder, Willie Mays, and Sandy Koufax.

[redwitch]

All of your responses imply you lived in one area in your youth and, more than likely, your father, uncles, brothers, cousins, etc. followed that same team. Not everyone lived that kind of life. My brother and I traveled around the world in our youth. My father loved the Kentucky Wildcats but otherwise was not really a sports fan (but he was known to root for the Yankees and did enjoy watching football with his buddies when we were in the States). My brother loved soccer.

I never really understood hometown loyalty. To me, that is like an arranged marriage vs. marrying the person you love. You may come to love your spouse when the marriage is arranged but it takes time. When you choose to love someone, your passion runs deep from the beginning. So, I choose to choose my teams. My passion runs as deep for my teams as does your passion for your hometown team and isn't that what being a fan is all about?

So, good job Niners! You played a great game yesterday. One day the Royals will come back and be a contender (hey, I can dream, right?). And, of course, go Bruins!!!!!!

[Mikeod]

Why not both? After 27 years in MA, I never stopped supporting the Sox, Celts, Bruins, and Pats. But with 30+ years in San Diego, I also root for the Padres, Chargers, and SDSU Aztecs. My only problem comes when the Pats and Chargers play each other. Now, after the years here, I've not developed any support for the Rays, Bucs, or Lightning and it seems the Gators have enough followers that they don't need me.

[Cedwards38]

I stay with my team, no matter what. I've always been a Cincinnati Reds and Kentucky Wildcats fan, and I always will be.

[DonH57]

Living in Massachusetts with my wife who is from there I rooted for the Patriots but still hoped for the Bengals to be successful. ( They're working on it). Never gave 2 poops for the Browns. Really like the Pittsburgh steelers because anyone I've met from there are salt of the earth types. Pittsburgh is one of the best cities I've ever had the pleasure to visit. Their fans are great too.

[Indy-Guy]

I still follow the Indianapolis Colts and the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers currently have the best record at 32-7 in the NBA and the Colts had a very good season.

As for following a team in my relocated area I have found myself following UCF Football the last several years perhaps more their success combined with their location to The Villages. Coach George O'Leary of UCF is certainly an interesting story and his success as a football coach is very good.

[BS Beef]

Prepare to pounce…..I'm going to tell you why I gave up on the Bengals. I have been a Bengals and Reds fans forever, well since I can recall. 3-4 years ago I got tired of giving my allegiance to a team that had an owner only interested in the bottom line and not putting a winning product on the field. They're recent success has to do solely with the new bargaining agreement between owners and players, IMHO. Teams are forced to spend a certain amount of money now. I have heard the argument "oh, he's a great guy." I don't buy that when you take advantage of a community for so long. His father was a legend and he's been nothing but a disgrace with the product he's put on the field. On a happier note I have stuck with my Reds through thick and thin. With the exception of Carl Lindner the ownership has always tried to put a good team on the field. That's all I can ask for. As for my Pro football teams, I went to school in Montana and have been a Bronco's fan ever since. Living there you only had Seahawks or Bronco's to pick from . A friend of mine pass away way too early in life, he was a diehard Dolphins fan so I took them on for him as well. Ok I'm ready for you guys to bring it on for me bailing on the Bengals. For the record both my boys are still big Bengals fans and I certainly don't root against them. They just don't get any of my emotional capital.

[zcaveman]

I am still an NY Yankee and NY Giants fan. But I am also getting into the Tampa Bay Rays. I will still root for the Yankees when they play the Rays though.

BTW - My other NFL team has always been the Packers. They were always my favorite before I moved to NJ.

Z

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by BS Beef

Prepare to pounce…..I'm going to tell you why I gave up on the Bengals. I have been a Bengals and Reds fans forever, well since I can recall. 3-4 years ago I got tired of giving my allegiance to a team that had an owner only interested in the bottom line and not putting a winning product on the field. They're recent success has to do solely with the new bargaining agreement between owners and players, IMHO. Teams are forced to spend a certain amount of money now. I have heard the argument "oh, he's a great guy." I don't buy that when you take advantage of a community for so long. His father was a legend and he's been nothing but a disgrace with the product he's put on the field. On a happier note I have stuck with my Reds through thick and thin. With the exception of Carl Lindner the ownership has always tried to put a good team on the field. That's all I can ask for. As for my Pro football teams, I went to school in Montana and have been a Bronco's fan ever since. Living there you only had Seahawks or Bronco's to pick from . A friend of mine pass away way too early in life, he was a diehard Dolphins fan so I took them on for him as well. Ok I'm ready for you guys to bring it on for me bailing on the Bengals. For the record both my boys are still big Bengals fans and I certainly don't root against them. They just don't get any of my emotional capital.

Everything you say about the Bengals and the Reds is true of Pittsburgh, but you would switch the teams. The Pirates had 20 losing seasons until the ownership finally changed and someone came in who insisted on building a team and ignoring the bottom line. That person bought the bottom-liner out when, after a semi-productive season two years ago, the jerk decided it was profitable enough to sell.

The Steelers have one of the most respected ownerships in the NFL. They do what's good for Pittsburgh and football in general.

We did not give up on the Pirates. Don't ask me why! There's a saying in Pittsburgh that the fans bleed black and gold. I guess once you've seen a team win (1960's World Series and a couple more, plus multiple playoffs), you still believe in your heart it will happen again.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by DonH57

Living in Massachusetts with my wife who is from there I rooted for the Patriots but still hoped for the Bengals to be successful. ( They're working on it). Never gave 2 poops for the Browns. Really like the Pittsburgh steelers because anyone I've met from there are salt of the earth types. Pittsburgh is one of the best cities I've ever had the pleasure to visit. Their fans are great too.

Wow, your statements about Pittsburgh make me very happy! Thanks! Sometimes I grow weary of having to defend a great city because someone visited it in 1944 and couldn't see the sun through the steel mill polution.

[kittygilchrist]

I'm disloyal to the extreme. I like watching great qtrbacks and the offense that goes with that. I cut my teeth on football watching Spurrier as QB doing razzle dazzle and hail mary for the gators back in the day. doesn't hurt if they're handsome...so I've got my eye on Cam Newton for next year. This year I've been a Denver girl..

Loyal only to the Gators tho a grad of both UF and FSU.