Talking with my wife last night she brought up something that I hadn't really thought of. She was looking over my shoulder as I was doing a little research on the new Crew owner and she asked me if I did that when the Reds were sold a few years back, when Roman bought Chelsea or when the Seahawks were sold. She asked me to put my sports loyalties in order across all the sports I follow. This is what I came up with. 1) The Crew. Hometown team that I get to watch live most often. Not a STH due to time constraints (three kids under 15). 2) Chelsea. If they are playing on a channel I have on cable it's going to the DVR if I can't watch live. Will head to a bar to watch if I have the time. Get score updates on my phone if unable to watch. 3) OSU Football/Basketball. Conflicts with the top two and OSU goes to the DVR. I am an OSU Football STH but I usually have to sell the tickets due to my Daughter's soccer schedule. 4) Seattle Seahawks. It's become much easier to follow them from afar and I still keep updated on their games live but I won't rearrange my schedule to make sure I can watch. 4) Cincinnati Reds. Baseball has a ridiculous number of games and I just don't have the time to stay involved as I used to. Still check the game results from the night before when I wake up. After going through this with her, she called me an idiot and went to bed. It was interesting for me to think about and to look at how my loyalties from sport to sport have changed over the years. 10-15 years ago it would have been OSU Football first with the Reds second followed by soccer and NFL.
Great idea for a thread! 1) Cleveland Indians - my dream as a kid was to be a starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians (still my dream, really). I watch/listen/follow pretty much every single game and go to about 15-20 games a year as I live 10 minutes from the stadium. I also follow the minor league clubs very closely. I'm probably part of the last generation of American kids who played sandlot ball every day, traded baseball cards, and dreamed of nothing else than being a "big leaguer". 2) Ohio State football. I grew up in Mansfield, where everyone is a die-hard Buckeye fan, so I kind of didn't have a choice. Plus, my old man is a huge Notre Dame fan, so I had to rebel and be an equally huge OSU fan. My house is scarlet and gray, I have a Buckeye tattoo and a OSU painting on my garage door. I absolutely live and die with the Buckeyes every Saturday. (I DO NOT follow recruiting, though. I find the recruiting industry wholly unsavory). 3) Columbus Crew - closest soccer team to me. I've been going to matches since '96. I watch (nearly) every match and keep up with the club on a daily basis. 4) Arsenal FC - I'm as devoted to AFC as I am to the Crew, with the exception of being able to go to matches and also because I haven't been following AFC since '96 - I couldn't, really. I will say, though, that Arsenal results tend to affect my mood more than Crew results. Frankly, if I let the Crew affect my mood too much, I'd need to be medicated. 5) Cleveland Browns - I'm not a typical Browns fan, in that I'm not a drunken buffoon who shells out 25% of my weekly wages to sit in a shitty stadium, watch a shitty team, and waste 12-14 hours of my Sundays devoting myself to a lost cause. Instead, I watch the Browns out of a sense of civic responsibility. I wish them well, but don't get emotionally invested in results. But, I do watch every play of every game, so that has to count for something, right? Others - other OSU sports, Cleveland State sports, Cleveland Cavs.
That's funny as hell. As for the rest of your post, I've done that type of re-collection in the past too. Personal sports evolution is actually a fun exercise. For me I was always OSU. Browns and Indians always in the mix... the Mark Price Cavs. Got really sick of basketball and got really invested with the Indians. Then '94 and the World Cup came around and that began an 8 year ever-growing love with soccer where baseball and football were supplanted. Baseball now holds no interest for me. 2002 my little brother was in the marching band, eventually dotting the i 5 times and then football has had a small, tenuous grasp on my Saturdays, where I don't care if I miss a game or not. It's soccer. Period. And that is mostly due to the Crew. The Crew kept my focus on the game, with the national team and later in Europe. And for all of that alone, I have a massive respect for the Hunt family. I'm glad they sold the team but it cannot be argued what the irreplaceable impact they've had on the soccer landscape at a local, state and national level. My rank is 1) USMNT 2) Crew (really probably splitting hairs between 1 and 2) 3) Arsenal 4) Ohio State football Beyond that, its so random that it can't be specified.
1) USMNT. I remember seeing them in the late 80s. My, how we have grown. Gone are the empty stadiums, kickball mentality and mullets. Still my favorites. 2) Hull City. I was an exchange student years ago and Hull was in the fourth tier. They were local so I went to games but watching them this year will cost me many fingernails. 3) The Crew. Love the fans, players, jersey, city and stadium. Hate the FO and MLS as a league. 4) Whoever is on my betting ticket. I had a good year of betting last year but I can go from cheering to hating Swansea pretty damn quick. 5) Whoever employs an American. Have no attachment to Nottingham Forest but if Lichaj is playing I want them promoted. When in doubt cheer for the American and this gives you plenty of teams to follow. 6) Browns/Cavs/Indians. Follow them loosely but have little emotional stock. Was a diehard Browns fan growing up but when they moved I never regained my passion. 7) UMass as I'm an alum, OSU by birth. College sports are much more of a social than emotional or financial game for me. My first soccer love was the Canton Invaders. Sniff.
1. USMNT - I am not sure if the are #1 because they help build respect across the world with their performances but for whatever reason they are #1. Follow yanks-abroad pretty heavily. 2. Crew- Don't miss a game despite my drive. Constantly recruiting new fans (3 new ever gamers this year), have the physical shakes when they announce a new owner (I knew I had a problem when that happened). Will always support Columbus even if I live in China. 3. Everton- Since bout 2002-2003 I have loved Everton as my 2nd soccer club. I watch pretty much every game and follow the team closely. 4. All other forms of soccer take my #4 spot, whether college, youth, other pro leagues etc. 5. Fantasy Football- I think I broke the thread rules on the this one but I follow whoever my guys play for. By follow I mean I watch the scoreline and wonder why they don't hand the ball off to my guy more. 6. Cleveland sports - Cavs, Browns and Indians, since I went to school in Cleveland I have that attachment. I don't follow more than just enough to have water cooler talk at work or out with friends.
This is the extent of my sports awareness...in order: 1) Crew 2) Arsenal 3) USMNT 4) All other soccer 5) OSU FB/BB
Here's one thought. Count the number of jerseys, polos, caps, and t-shirts you own.... For me, it's far and away the Crew, followed by Gladbach (access is an issue there, but I do ok), Phillies, and Blue Jackets.
Love this idea: 1. Alabama Crimson Tide football - no contest here. This is my religion. 1b. Alabama Crimson Tide anything else - including golf, gymnastics rowing, and tiddlywinks. 2. Arsenal - bypassed some others as I have been moving around for my career. 3. Columbus Crew - became a fan when I moved here in 2006 and it has been grwoing ever since. Now it is in my blood. 4. Paris St. Germain - have been a fan for 11 years, and have been following more closely since they are available on TV much more regularly in the last 5 years. 5. Columbus Blue Jackets - only became a hockey fan when I moved here 7 years ago, but I have moved from a casual fan to something more than casual but less than avid. 6. Dallas Mavericks - much more of a fan when I lived there. Now that I am moving back, I will likely become a much more avid fan again.
Me having more OSU gear than anything else is a result of living in Columbus my whole life more than actually being most loyal to the teams.
The top spot is close, but I've spent more of my life watching pointyball (but more time playing soccer). Cincinnati Bengals (I know...) Columbus Crew OSU Football FC Barcelona Cincinnati Reds Los Angeles Lakers
1a. Columbus Blue Jackets 1b. Columbus Crew (these flip depending on the time of year) 3. IndyCar racing 4. women's college volleyball (Illinois)
Well since my free time is dedicated to Crew... 1) The Crew 2) Everton (see my sig line for one of my favorite quotes. Now THATS commitment) 3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Was in Tampa for college when they won the Super Bowl. That was amazing) 4) CBJ 5) tOSU 6) #wINDIANS
The USNT (Men's and Women's) was something I didn't think of. I will move heaven and earth to make sure I am watching them live (either on TV or in person) during all levels of qualification but not the friendlies or silly year after the WC. Having said that, anyone know where I can get two tickets to the Mexico game? My daughter and I have NEVER missed a NT game in CCS.
Nice idea. I ranked this is order of who I would go see if all where in Columbus playing on the same day. 1) The Crew - Very few things in my life have I invested so much emotion, time and money into beside The Crew. I love the players, I love the fans (even you people on BigSoccer), I love watching the league grow and I love the games. I am hooked. 2) USMNT - Country before club but I had to be honest between the two I am more invested in the Crew right now. On Sept 10th this will be #1 without a doubt. 3) Marquette University BB and Soccer - My alma mater. I try to catch them whenever I can. Yes I love Dwyane Wade. 4) Tottenham Hotspur - Spurs have never been the sweethearts of English football, they have always had fight. I love the fight and passion. 5) Green Bay Packers - Born in Wisconsin and went to college there. My first football stuff came from my uncle in Wisconsin, it was all Packers. I remember cheering for Lynn Dickey. That is a painful memory. There are others I will see but have no emotional investment in them.
1. Crew -- All sports, like politics, are local. Club over country, always. 2. USMNT 3. Tottenham 4. OSU Basketball 5. Cavs 6. NBA basketball (I know it's not a sport, but I'll watch just about any game any time over anything else) 7. OSU football -- Probably would have been No. 1 prior to '96. Only really care enough now to keep up a conversation with my dad. 8. Browns football -- Same as OSU fb, but in regards to friends.
Lots of Arsenal love here...count me among it: 1. Crew 2. Arsenal 3. USMNT 4. Washington Redskins 5. Borussia Dortmund
I was a Washington Redskins fan for most of my life. I quit them a few years ago because I could no longer stand the pain of the stupidity inflicted upon me for over a decade. I still find myself humming Hail to the Redskins on occasion though. All that being said ... Go Gunners!