Who do ya love, who do ya hate?

[the 'stache]

This popped into my head reading the topic about Alabama and the CFP, and since I've never seen it discussed here in great detail on Net 54, let's all go on record, and let our allegiances be set in cyberstone forever. I feel this will be a fun way to all get to know each other even better. Plus, some friendly banter between heated rivals could be interesting, to say the least!

So, here's how it works. Tell me what teams you are passionate about? I mean die hard, "you can bad mouth my mama before you bad mouth my team" supporters through good times and bad. I don't want any bandwagon jumpers here! If you've been a Cubs fan since October of '16, you're getting tossed from the sports bar, and our bouncers have instructions not to let you back in! Also, why is your loyalty to these teams so strong? Were you born in a particular city, and rooting for the local team is considered de rigueur? Or, was your love for a team, or teams, born from another source of inspiration? What other franchises do you love that might come as a surprise to the rest of us, and why?

And who do you hate. What teams, when you see them, well, the very sight of their colors, or the faintest echo of their fight song, makes your skin crawl? And, again, why?

Lastly, aside from the love you have for professional sports franchises, what players have you always loved. And, again, why? You're not restricted to your beloved teams. These athletes can come from anywhere, and any era.



I will start.

I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1971. Though the city of Milwaukee has only celebrated one World Series victory (in 1957, before my time, sadly), the tradition of baseball in Milwaukee is rich. Much like Cubs fans just a few hours drive to the south, win or lose, Miller Park's turnstiles are always busy. We consistently draw 2 million plus fans every year. And, as this article shows in 2013, the city of Milwaukee's per capita attendance is the best in the Bigs. Now, I haven't lived in Wisconsin since 1989, when my family moved to Texas before my senior year of high school. But I've remained a die hard Brewers fan. I went to so many games at the old Milwaukee County Stadium, I lost track. It was a great park, with a rich history. I'd sit behind the dugout, first base side where the great Cecil Cooper manned the bag, and look out to right field where the great Hank Aaron once played. I'd look over to third base, where Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews's muscular build stood between plate appearances, and bombs sent into the cheap seats. I'd look at the mound where Warren Spahn and Lew Burdette formed one of baseball's best 1-2 punches a top the rotation. And I spent hour after hour watching two Hall of Famers play side by side, Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. The two men combined for 4,736 hits and 2,605 runs as teammates. Only thirty-one players in the long history of the game have amassed 3,000 or more hits, and I got to grow up watching two of them chase history.

Of course, as much as I love the game of baseball, and my Brewers, you cannot grow up in Wisconsin without loving the Green Bay Packers (you can't unless you're weird, that is). If you cut me open, my blood is green and gold. I went to my first Packers game the same year I took in my first Brewers game, in 1979 when I was eight years old. Both were at Milwaukee County Stadium, as the Packers played a few of their home games there every year. The first time I flew over Lambeau Field in Green Bay, I felt as if I'd made a trip to Mecca. I have spent way too many hours reading about, and watching old footage from the greats of the past. Bart Starr is a national treasure. I never saw him play, as he was before my time (his final game came three months after I was born), but I've always felt this profound respect, and love, for the man. The Packer tradition is a rich one, and Bart Starr has long been the great ambassador for the team, and the game, in Wisconsin. No, when I started watching the Packers, they stunk. There's no other way to put it. My first quarterback was David Whitehurst. I had a little #17 jersey. As a toddler, I probably could have thrown the ball further than him. The Packers lost a lot, but I didn't care. They were my team. That losing changed, though, after I left the state. But I yelled loudly enough that the players in Green Bay could probably hear me all the way in Dallas.

I also grew up as a big fan of the Bucks, and of course, Wisconsin Badgers football. Unlike the Packers, the Bucks were good when I was a kid. Real good. They made it to the playoffs pretty much every year-only to lose to the Celtics every year (or, so it seemed). I sat in the nosebleed seats at Mecca Arena. I distinctly remember the cat calls from the fans in the cheap seats. "Technical foul, ref. Too many honkeys on the court." I remember the smell of the hot dogs at Mecca. Not as good as County Stadium, but then again, watching Sidney Moncrief, Terry Cummings, Jack Sikma et all made up for any shortcomings in the food.

The Badgers pretty much stunk, of course, right until I left Wisconsin. I left in the fall of 1989, and Barry Alvarez became the Head Coach in 1990. They went 1-10 that first year. But since then, they have become a powerhouse. The last nine years, the Badgers have gone 93-27 (a .775 winning percentage). I jump around at home if my knee doesn't hurt.

Though I grew up in Wisconsin, I also learned to love a few other teams. My parents were married at the little chapel on the campus of Notre Dame. I've always been a fan of the Fighting Irish, and have been on the campus many times. I also love the Pittsburgh Pirates, and really like the Boston Red Sox. My Pirates love was born out of reading a book about the club when I was first learning about Roberto Clemente. This was at the time "The Family" was winning the World Series, too. And the Sox? Well, I'm Irish Catholic. In another life, I might have lived in Boston. But it's the players that have driven this affinity. If I had a time machine, I'd take in every game Ted Williams ever played in (when I wasn't busy watching Clemente play)!

Teams I hate? The Dallas Cowboys. I loathe them. Growing up, they were my second favorite football team. I loved Roger Staubach, and had an infinite amount of respect for Tom Landry, the quite gentleman on the sidelines. When I moved to Texas, Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys, and Tom Landry, who'd been the only Head Coach the Cowboys ever had, found out he'd been fired from the tv news. Since then, I've hated Jones, and the franchise. I do like a few players, but I will never root for the Cowboys so long as that classless ass is owner of the team.

I can't stand the Minnesota Vikings, either. When I hear that horn, I want to shove it somewhere unpleasant. I should hate the Bears, but I don't. I respect the franchise, even though they are our chief rivals. Bears fans can be abrasive, but there are a lot of good ones, too. Vikings fans? They're all insufferable, in my experience.

Then, there's Ohio State and Michigan. Oh, and the Miami Hurricanes. I'm all for sportsmanship, but if a team can beat the Buckeyes, Wolverines or Hurricanes, and run up the score in the process, I'm all for it.

Favorite players outside of my team? Roberto Clemente, Ted Williams, Roger Staubach, and Joe Montana. I also loved watching Dan Marino throw a football.

You guys are up!

[bnorth]

Love the Dallas Cowboys. Have been a fan my entire life, can't remember ever not being a fan.

Hate the Minnesota Vikings. Why, because everybody here is a Vikings fan.

[the 'stache]

Not everybody.

Originally Posted by bnorth

Hate the Minnesota Vikings. Why, because everybody here is a Vikings fan.

[KCRfan1]

I'm a MIZZOU guy thru and thru. I bleed the Black and Old Gold!

The Miami Dolphins are my NFL team of choice, and the Royals are my MLB team!

There aren't any players I hate, or teams for that matter.

Players I have admired are Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, and George Brett.

[clydepepper]

Love:

Koufax, Mantle and Ryan

but, also Bob Feller, Billy Wagner, David Eckstein and Mickey Lolich

...and many more

Hate:

bonds, 'clemens', and rose

and, regrettably, many more.


.

[steve B]

Cool topic.

I'm originally from western Connecticut, an area that's in both the Red Sox and Yankees areas. (Mets too, but not as much)
Moved to western Mass, just in time to discover sports, 73 world series, Aaron setting the record, Rice and Lynn and the whole 75 season and series. Dad is also a Red sox fan, so I guess it's natural. We moved near Boston just in time for the 78 season, and at the time you could just get on the T - Bus stop was less than a mile from home - and go in for a game. There were usually tickets available if you weren't too picky about seats, and a high school kid could afford an occasional game.
Of course I hate the Yankees. It's sort of required.
For the better fans, the rivalry is just that. The Yankees have had a load of great teams, and back then were usually just a bit better late in the year. Lots of great debates over the years, Fisk or Munson? (They were pretty evenly matched, Munson was a bit more durable. I really wish we'd gotten to compare them both over a long career. ) Nomar or Jeter - (In his prime Nomar was a bit better I think, but wasn't the same after a broken wrist and faded pretty fast. Jeter is obviously the better of the two, and while I rarely bought the hype that came with some of his great plays he was just too good to actually hate. )
Since I like the crazier aspects of baseball that are sadly gone now, I always liked the Brewers home run slide. Not the new one, but the old beer barrel and mug.

Football it's been the patriots since the early 80's. They usually looked like they'd be a good team but just weren't. Lately though.... at least now I know how Yankee fans feel.

I don't really follow Basketball or Hockey much anymore. But I was a Celtics/bruins fan, and like those teams most of the time.

In all sports I don't really dislike most teams. I've had some favorites that have come and gone, more certain players I liked than teams.