I've Switched Teams. Is That "Kosher?"

[Uncle Buck]

4 hours ago, MikeT14 said:

I'm just jealous you could do it. I wish I left Washington a long time ago.

If it's not fun anymore, I would encourage you to do it.  It feels strange at first, but it has really re-energized my love for the game.  Being a football fan is supposed to be fun. 

[Uncle Buck]

2 hours ago, FrantikRam said:

You are justified IMO and if you can do it, do it. When the Rams lost to the Jets and Niners the second time this year, my reactions got me thinking about pulling back a bit on my emotional investment.

But if I were you, I'd keep the fandom.

My Dad became a Rams fan in 1966 at 7 years old. The Rams were pretty good throughout the 70s and 80s - then the 90s happened. I was a kid and we live in Ohio, so maybe that helped my Dad get through it - he couldn't watch very many of the games.

I remember how excited my Dad was when the Rams hired Vermeil. And yet nothing changed. The beginning of the 1999 season, Trent Green was so good in preseason - at the time I was too young to realize this, but it was the one time that you looked at a preseason and said this team will be good.

Then Green goes down.

Now, everyone knows what happened - but what a lot of fans may not realize is that coming into 1999, the Niners had beaten the Rams 17 straight times. My dad is not from LA - were from Ohio (and so are the Rams, which is what I've taken to telling people when they ask me how I'm a Rams fan) - but he loved the LA Rams and was devastated when they moved to STL - and as much as he loved the Rams, he hated the Niners. If you asked my Dad prior to the 1999 season to choose between beating the Niners or losing to the Niners but making the playoffs, it wouldn't even have been a decision for him. The Rams were so bad in the 90s that if we went 2-14 but beat the Niners twice, my Dad would have been happy.

I was 13 years old in 1999 - just a few years earlier I decided the Rams were going to be my favorite team - but when the Rams beat the Niners 42-20, kneeling near the goal line where we could have scored again, I remember the angle we were sitting at in the restaurant where we went to watch games. I remember my Dad literally jumping up and down when the game was over. I remember the pure joy that he had.

Watching the Rams eviscerate the Vikings in the playoffs, who were a problem for the Rams in the 70s. The anxiety at the realization that yes, the Bucs defense is good enough to shut the Rams offense down. The unbelievable catch by Ricky Proehl. The celebration at Isaac Bruce making the most underrated and often forgotten play in Super Bowl history. And finally seeing Mike Jones clinch the Super Bowl win.

 

 

Before the season in 1999, my Dad was a Rams fan for 33 years. During that time he saw several playoff appearances, one Super Bowl appearance, some success in the 80s and then a decade of futility.

You have 17 years on what my Dad had, but this is why we do this. For that one season. And it can happen anytime, any place.

I gather that you think that season won't come, but I would point to the Chiefs. Prior to Mahomes arrival, what's the difference between the Chiefs and Vikings? Yes Mahomes is a generational talent - but he also wasn't even a top 10 pick. The Vikings have arguably the best group of skill players in the league and a young defense. They are literally a QB away and it's been forever since the Vikings have had a QB at that level, but Chiefs fans didn't give up and I wouldn't either - the payoff for when your team finally does win is beyond worth it.

That was a great post, and I agree with a lot of what you said.  One thing I will say is that after the Vikings lost in '98, I thought sure they would be back and take care of business in '99.  I never saw that incredible Rams team coming.  I'm glad your dad's long time loyalty was paid off in happiness.  I think a big part of why I lost my love for the Vikings is because they never gave that to my dad.  He has been with them since 1961 and I don't think he will be around by the time they finally get to the top of the mountain.  His last few seasons will more than likely just end in disappointment like all the rest of them have. 

Thank you for your post.  I think by writing this I actually figured out why I lost my passion for the Vikings.  It's because of my dad.  I'm going to move on to the Jags.  If they win, that will be great.  If they don't, that will be fine too.  I'll be ok with it.  I'll still be a fan of my new team.

[Drained]

im probably gonna do it and bandwagon onto the sb winner so no problem to me

my family all became 49ers fans after the oilers left houston, they're still 49ers fans to some degree, its not bad to have two teams

[ET80]

19 hours ago, Uncle Buck said:

Maybe give it some time and you will find yourself drawn with another fan base and start feeling it for a particular team down the line. 

I highly doubt that - the Texans are different, I was "in the operating room" when they were born, I've been a part of every single milestone they've ever achieved.

I'm not interested in finding that sort of passion for any other brand. I'm perfectly fine watching and loving football without the inherent bias brought on by wanting one logo to beat the other logos out there. It's a beautiful sport in its own right, and I can now focus on that beauty without checking my phone to see how the McNair franchise is doing.

This actually feels like it could be a great thing - an unaffiliated fan, free to appreciate the stars of this game, with no preconceived battle line drawn for me. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to do this, it's similar to life when the Oilers left (I was a Vikings and Panthers "fan" back then, but I enjoyed all games during that time).

I might go get a Derrick Henry jersey, then a Trevor Lawrence jersey. Not because I'm a Titans/Jags fan, but because I like Henry and Lawrence.

[Uncle Buck]

1 minute ago, ET80 said:

I highly doubt that - the Texans are different, I was "in the operating room" when they were born, I've been a part of every single milestone they've ever achieved.

I'm not interested in finding that sort of passion for any other brand. I'm perfectly fine watching and loving football without the inherent bias brought on by wanting one logo to beat the other logos out there. It's a beautiful sport in its own right, and I can now focus on that beauty without checking my phone to see how the McNair franchise is doing.

This actually feels like it could be a great thing - an unaffiliated fan, free to appreciate the stars of this game, with no preconceived battle line drawn for me. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to do this, it's similar to life when the Oilers left (I was a Vikings and Panthers "fan" back then, but I enjoyed all games during that time).

I might go get a Derrick Henry jersey, then a Trevor Lawrence jersey. Not because I'm a Titans/Jags fan, but because I like Henry and Lawrence.

Nothing wrong with that at all.  By the way, I used to love those Oilers teams with the great Bum Phillips and my all-time favorite running back: Earl Campbell.  I wish there were more games or even highlights available of theirs to watch of that era.  I'll never forget that Monday Night Football game when they just kept handing it off to Earl and he just destroyed the opposition.  The stuff of legends.

[Chiefer]

Like a Hebrew National brotha 

[40Year Pack Fan]

14 minutes ago, Uncle Buck said:

Nothing wrong with that at all.  By the way, I used to love those Oilers teams with the great Bum Phillips and my all-time favorite running back: Earl Campbell.  I wish there were more games or even highlights available of theirs to watch of that era.  I'll never forget that Monday Night Football game when they just kept handing it off to Earl and he just destroyed the opposition.  The stuff of legends.

Earl Campbell sure took a beating in the NFL....He now gets around in either a wheel chair, walker, or scooter....

[Dr LBC]

14 minutes ago, ET80 said:

This actually feels like it could be a great thing - an unaffiliated fan, free to appreciate the stars of this game, with no preconceived battle line drawn for me. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to do this, it's similar to life when the Oilers left (I was a Vikings and Panthers "fan" back then, but I enjoyed all games during that time).

This was what I did in the 90's when Georgia pirated the Rams away to St. Louis; I went Ronin for several years.  I'll admit, that time was a shade beneficial towards me because there were multiple expansion teams brought into existence during that time (I wouldn't have called myself a diehard, but I definitely supported both the Panthers and Jags early days when Kerry Collins and Mark Brunell, respectively, were taking them to the playoffs... for one year at least).  I mean, ultimately, unless you have the emotional investment in a team (which can lead you to borderline-masochism at times - and really may not be healthy), it begs the question: "Do you really need to have a team?"

Kind of the way that I've always been with college football.  I hated that everyone in Southern California expected me to automatically be a UCLA or USC football fan because...  because they're kind of local?  When no one in my family or even immediate group of griends, their parents, etc. have any ties to the schools?  Just didn't make any sense to me.  Honestly, I can tell you form that experience that sometimes it's more fun being the "anti-fan," where there are just certain teams that for whatever reason you enjoy seeing not succeed and you're a wandering fan that's there to support whoever happens to be playing against the team(s) you dislike on a given week.

[Jakuvious]

Honestly, at the end of the day, as much as it is popular to paint NFL fandom as sacred, this is really just a hobby. This should be a pastime, a stress release, an escape. Even in the dark years of Kansas City's history, I always got more joy out of my fandom than stress or pain. While it sucked the years we went 2-14, the 2 outweighed the 14, and the time spent enjoying the games with my family or my girlfriend at the time or talking with other fans here on this board was always still a net positive. The most heartbreaking playoff losses still weren't that big of a deal compared to the joy I have gotten overall from being a fan of the Chiefs. Thinking about what could be the next year always outweighed the failures of the past one.

If that isn't the case for you, and it's time to move on, I would 100% support that. If rooting for the Vikings became more of a drain than a pleasure, absolutely go away from that. At that point, the sport is no longer what it should be to you, as a fan. And however you choose to go about that, cool. Fan of the Jags? Dope, I wish you the best. Fan of no one, like ET, that's alright too. At the end of the day, this whole thing really should just be fun. It doesn't need to be unwavering loyalty or borderline religious commitment. It should be enjoyable. Do what you gotta do to make it be.

 

And ultimately, while I can't relate in terms of the NFL, I can sympathize from other sports I've been a fan of. NCAAF, went from Nebraska to South Carolina to disinterested. An esport I watch, I'm more a fan of a couple players than a team, and it isn't uncommon for teams to drop whole rosters, and I'd definitely switch if that happened.

[FrantikRam]

1 hour ago, Uncle Buck said:

That was a great post, and I agree with a lot of what you said.  One thing I will say is that after the Vikings lost in '98, I thought sure they would be back and take care of business in '99.  I never saw that incredible Rams team coming.  I'm glad your dad's long time loyalty was paid off in happiness.  I think a big part of why I lost my love for the Vikings is because they never gave that to my dad.  He has been with them since 1961 and I don't think he will be around by the time they finally get to the top of the mountain.  His last few seasons will more than likely just end in disappointment like all the rest of them have. 

Thank you for your post.  I think by writing this I actually figured out why I lost my passion for the Vikings.  It's because of my dad.  I'm going to move on to the Jags.  If they win, that will be great.  If they don't, that will be fine too.  I'll be ok with it.  I'll still be a fan of my new team.

 

Then I'm happy for you - the only thing I'll say is, the next time the Vikings are a playoff team or if they ever do get that Super Bowl run, even in switching teams you've earned it, so make sure if it happens that you watch it.

[FrantikRam]

1 hour ago, Uncle Buck said:

That was a great post, and I agree with a lot of what you said.  One thing I will say is that after the Vikings lost in '98, I thought sure they would be back and take care of business in '99.  I never saw that incredible Rams team coming.  I'm glad your dad's long time loyalty was paid off in happiness.  I think a big part of why I lost my love for the Vikings is because they never gave that to my dad.  He has been with them since 1961 and I don't think he will be around by the time they finally get to the top of the mountain.  His last few seasons will more than likely just end in disappointment like all the rest of them have. 

Thank you for your post.  I think by writing this I actually figured out why I lost my passion for the Vikings.  It's because of my dad.  I'm going to move on to the Jags.  If they win, that will be great.  If they don't, that will be fine too.  I'll be ok with it.  I'll still be a fan of my new team.

 

Also, just to add - I TOTALLY get it. For me the Rams are more about bonding with my Dad and brother first. If not for that, I'd still be a Rams fan but I suspect my need to watch every snap of every game would slowly dwindle

[RJ_11]

Just my opinion obviously, but I find it super strange when people do this. I adore the Bears, they're part of my identity, if they went 0-16 each year for the remainder of their history I'd never give up on them. If they don't win a Superbowl in my lifetime then so be it, that's just luck of the draw (and bad decisions by ownership at the minute) , not ever gonna jump ship for the chance of piggy backing on another team's Superbowl. Even thinking about supporting a different team is something that just feels dirty and alien. 

I don't think any less of a person who chooses to do it. But I think it's seriously weird. 

[40Year Pack Fan]

1 hour ago, The LBC said:

This was what I did in the 90's when Georgia pirated the Rams away to St. Louis; I went Ronin for several years.  I'll admit, that time was a shade beneficial towards me because there were multiple expansion teams brought into existence during that time (I wouldn't have called myself a diehard, but I definitely supported both the Panthers and Jags early days when Kerry Collins and Mark Brunell, respectively, were taking them to the playoffs... for one year at least).  I mean, ultimately, unless you have the emotional investment in a team (which can lead you to borderline-masochism at times - and really may not be healthy), it begs the question: "Do you really need to have a team?"

Kind of the way that I've always been with college football.  I hated that everyone in Southern California expected me to automatically be a UCLA or USC football fan because...  because they're kind of local?  When no one in my family or even immediate group of griends, their parents, etc. have any ties to the schools?  Just didn't make any sense to me.  Honestly, I can tell you form that experience that sometimes it's more fun being the "anti-fan," where there are just certain teams that for whatever reason you enjoy seeing not succeed and you're a wandering fan that's there to support whoever happens to be playing against the team(s) you dislike on a given week.

To this day I think the reason I dislike the Ravens so, is because of what Art Modell did....Quietly whisking the team out of town in the middle of the night....

As for expansion teams, I didn't particularly care for Tampa Bay and Seattle when they came into the league....And today, it's still strange to think of the Cardinals as being from Arizona and the Colts from Indianapolis...And still not sure sure why the Oilers mascot didn't go along to Tennessee....

[Malfatron]

1 hour ago, RJ_11 said:

Just my opinion obviously, but I find it super strange when people do this. I adore the Bears, they're part of my identity, if they went 0-16 each year for the remainder of their history I'd never give up on them. If they don't win a Superbowl in my lifetime then so be it, that's just luck of the draw (and bad decisions by ownership at the minute) , not ever gonna jump ship for the chance of piggy backing on another team's Superbowl. Even thinking about supporting a different team is something that just feels dirty and alien. 

I don't think any less of a person who chooses to do it. But I think it's seriously weird. 

yeah, for me, i just cant do it

my life would probably be better if i didnt like football at all.

[sledgehammer]

What if I decided which team I support after the super bowl every year, so I can participate in the celebrations and parades on an annual basis? Would that be kosher?