Favorite sports team...

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Nats/Expos; Caps
...
DC United, Arsenal, USMNT (soccer); Team Canada (hockey), Vancouver Canucks
...
Netherlands (soccer)
...
(big gap)
...
whichever AL team either of my maternal grandparents was a fan of (NYY/Bos) who happens to be on TV playing someone other than the Nats; any team playing in any sport against a team from Philly; any other EPL team playing Man U or Chelski
...
NFL team from a northern city playing outside in January (which rules out Detroit/Minnesota/Indianapolis)

[MarquisDeSade]

I forgot Arsenal.

[MarquisDeSade]

roanoke valley rebels.

Which version?

[hammondsnats]

So:

Red Sox
Yale team sports
NE Pats
Nats
Rays

So the Sawx and Nats meet in WS, you're pulling for Sawx

[houston-nat]

Nationals

(big gap)

Rice baseball
Rangers, Rays

(bigger gap)

The All Blacks
Indianapolis Colts, San Antonio Spurs, Fenerbahce
National football (soccer) teams of: Turkey, Germany, Uruguay

[hammondsnats]

I was a part of a religious group in college.  Every year over Christmas break, we would go to a huge convention.  5000 students from all across the country would gather there and we would have a great time.  In January 2002, Nebraska made it to the National Title game vs. Miami.  Miami was stacked, Nebraska got killed.  We had a group of about 20 of us that skipped the meeting that night to watch the game.  After the demolition was over, we were depressed.  Really upset.  We eventually made our way down to the lobby and there were thousands of students who didn't care about the game and were having a great time, playing games, making new friends, all that stuff.  It just sorta hit me that night that it wasn't worth it.  The game, as disappointing as it was, wasn't worth having a day, or night or weekend ruined.  I'll enjoy and live and die during the game, but once it was over, it was over. 

The closest I've ever come was after Nebraska lost to Texas in the Big XII title game, the one where they put the second back on the clock.  That one can still bring back the emotion.  I'll actually take rec league softball or volleyball games that I actually play in harder than Nebraska or Nats games.  I love my teams.  I love to follow them, I love to get into the daily minutia, but the result of a game will never ruin my day. 

Check back when we lose a game 7...

interesting.  i was on a retreat the last time (and really I think the only time) Maryland got waxed in the NCAA tourney to UCLA.  I couldn't even watch the game, but I snuck out with one of the adults (also a Terps fan) to listen in the car.  B/C it was such a blowout and I was on vaca/retreat, really wasn't so bad.  Plus I didn't have to watch it haha.

Some losses are worse than others ... sometimes I can just go out and forget about it, others, I'm like why the hell does my team have to go through it lol.

[imref]

Which version?

does it really matter?  I used to go to games around 91-92, always some guy beating a frying pan with a spoon sitting near us.  Best game ever was when after a fight, the owner grabbed the house microphone and told police to arrest a player on the other team (i'm not kidding).

[JCA-CrystalCity]

So the Sawx and Nats meet in WS, you're pulling for Sawx

I think so.  It's very hard even when my head says to go for another team to not pull for the Sox when they are head to head. 

In 1997, when the Os were a playoff team going for a high seed, they went head to head with a bad Red Sox team that was between Roger and Pedro.  Complete noncontenders.  I went to OPACY thinking I'd root for the Os, especially since we had playoff tickets that we could get with our full season tickets.  At the park, Mo Vaughn popped a homer, and I started to clap.  I looked at my hands, and realized it was impossible to root against them. It's in my blood. 

Rationally, I might want to root for the Nats, and frankly, they are a much more interesting team for me that I follow more closely.  I just don't think I will.  It may be when I get there and I see JZ pitch out of a jam my hands clap out of habit.  Then I'll know I'm more of a Nats fan than a Sox fan. 

I'm generally not a negative fan.  It's just where I am attitudinally now.  Except for the Jets, I don't get happy when things go badly for other NFL teams.  In football and even in baseball, I just root for my team to take care of its business and figure if they can't, they don't deserve it.  It's how I can like the Rays and the Sox.  Until the head to head, I can do it.

[spidernat]

So the Sawx and Nats meet in WS, you're pulling for Sawx

I can't believe you even had to ask. 

For me it's a no brainer. I have been obsessed with the Redskins since before my balls dropped so they are tops for me. I don't miss games. I've missed all sorts of family gatherings and crap of that nature because they happened during Redskins games. By now, if they want my attendance, things have to be scheduled around games. When I was a kid I was in trouble all the time and nothing my pops did could get me to stop. Then one day he figured that the way to make a statement was to hit me where it hurt and he imposed an alternative grounding. He told me I couldn't watch the Skins game until further notice so I had to listen to TWO games on the radio! I freaking suffered for two weeks (Skins lost both games and had been 6-2 before that ). I was plotting all types of crap because I was determined not to miss the next game. Good thing my pops came to his senses before the next game and he never imposed that punishment again. About five years ago this chick I was beginning to date tried to test my love for the Skins (or perhaps test how I felt about her) by holding out that first "shot" to see if I would stick to my guns when finally offered the holy grail during a Redskins game. She denied the accusation but I cannot believe it was coincidence and I'm certain she knew what the freak she was doing and was testing me. I failed her test and she failed mine. Anyway, she came over and offered the prize in the first quarter of the game. I went the freak off and ripped her because I had been adamant about the sanctity of game time. She apologized and insisted she had forgotten the game was on. I sort of regretted being so harsh with her later since it was only the first preseason game of the season and the first quarter was almost over. I could easily have waited until the first quarter was over and just watched the replay of the rest later. But I felt I had to make a point a set the pace early. Otherwise, I may lived to regret the precedent.

[hammondsnats]

I can't believe you even had to ask. 

i didn't know he felt that way. 

whenever nats play red sox, JCA shouldn't be allowed to post.  or at least we should all put him on ignore. 

[hammondsnats]

spider, i know how you feel.  when the skins lost to the seahawks last time they were in the playoffs, it was the same day as my cousin's pre-wedding party.  everyone there was just doom and gloom, nobody spoke.  all the beer/liquor in the world couldn't help me or my cause.  such a sad day.

[JMUalumni]

Nats
Skins
Wizards
G-Town Hoops
JMU everything
Any team Stephen Curry plays on
ACF Fiorentina

[imref]

I really only obsess over the Nats.  I root for the Giants in football, but nowhere near to the level of passion I have for baseball.   Couldn't really care less about the Wiz or Caps. 

I also root for Radford basketball, hopefully they will win at least 10 games next year.  :-)

[houston-nat]

I'm generally not a negative fan.  It's just where I am attitudinally now.  Except for the Jets, I don't get happy when things go badly for other NFL teams.  In football and even in baseball, I just root for my team to take care of its business and figure if they can't, they don't deserve it.  It's how I can like the Rays and the Sox.  Until the head to head, I can do it.

I'll cosign with this. The only teams I actively root against are the Phillies, Cardinals, and New England Patriots.

[hammondsnats]

I also root for Radford basketball, hopefully they will win at least 10 games next year.  :-)

in college i was a big fan would go to all the home games and some road games ... it was cool going down when they beat VMI to get in the ncaa tourney, awesome stuff.  but again maryland has always been my number one college team.

p.s. RU will be a lot better next year ... i'm talking one of the best teams in the conference.  all of their studs this year were freshmen/sophomores (two frosh made rookie team) and next year's class is very good. 

[MarquisDeSade]

does it really matter?  I used to go to games around 91-92

Wait, was that when they had that guy Moose on the team?  I think I went to some Christian lock-in after a game in 1991 or so.

[Terpfan76]

interesting.  i was on a retreat the last time (and really I think the only time) Maryland got waxed in the NCAA tourney to UCLA.  I couldn't even watch the game, but I snuck out with one of the adults (also a Terps fan) to listen in the car.  B/C it was such a blowout and I was on vaca/retreat, really wasn't so bad.  Plus I didn't have to watch it haha.

Some losses are worse than others ... sometimes I can just go out and forget about it, others, I'm like why the hell does my team have to go through it lol.

Damn, I remember that UCLA game. A bunch of friends and I got together to watch it. UCLA shot the lights out and played way over their heads. Geesh... The bastards couldn't miss behind the arc that night. Oh the anger!


Spider, I'm with you on the Skins. I've been obsessed with them as long as I can remember and I'm 35 now. They'll always hold my #1 spot.

Skins
Nats
Terps (all sports but primarily Football/Basketball)
Caps casual fan

[spidernat]

Spider, I'm with you on the Skins. I've been obsessed with them as long as I can remember and I'm 35 now. They'll always hold my #1 spot.

Yeah I don't foresee that ever changing. However, I love my Nats and they are a close second. Let's face it, we invest more time in baseball than we do in football because of the amount of games played. I figured that by the end of this season I will have watched more Nats games than Redskins games even if I live to be 90 and never miss a Redskins game.

[Terpfan76]

Yeah I don't foresee that ever changing. However, I love my Nats and they are a close second. Let's face it, we invest more time in baseball than we do in football because of the amount of games played. I figured that by the end of this season I will have watched more Nats games than Redskins games even if I live to be 90 and never miss a Redskins game.

No doubt. I watch as many Nats games as I can, but my work schedule limits that. I usually am able to catch about 12 or so Skins games each year either by vacation time, holiday or personal time. Some I get to see at work. I love the Terps, but because they've been a bit sucky lately, few of their games have been televised, at least here anyways. I think both teams are gonna turn it around, but Basketball will recover much sooner than football.

[spidernat]

because they've been a bit sucky lately, few of their games have been televised, at least here anyways.

I thought you were in Maryland. In the DC area all Maryland games are televised.

[Terpfan76]

I thought you were in Maryland. In the DC area all Maryland games are televised.

I live in western Maryland. They don't televise many of their games, only the ESPN ones and some that end up on Fox.

[spidernat]

So how do Nats and Redskins games figure into the TV schedule in your region?

[imref]

in college i was a big fan would go to all the home games and some road games ... it was cool going down when they beat VMI to get in the ncaa tourney, awesome stuff.  but again maryland has always been my number one college team.

p.s. RU will be a lot better next year ... i'm talking one of the best teams in the conference.  all of their studs this year were freshmen/sophomores (two frosh made rookie team) and next year's class is very good. 

i saw your note earlier, fingers crossed.

[NatsFanSince2005]

There's a fan out there that likes the red sox and the nationals? 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

opposite leagues - it's easy.