Tampa Bay Rays choke vs Yankees

[Bruce Blingstein]

I think for someone to change their loyalty from an ex hometown team to a new there would have to be a signifigant change or disappointment in their original team. 

For instance I grew up in Queens/Long Island and was always a huge Mets fan.  Moved here in 97 to attend USF and stayed a Mets fan.  Last years blowup and me convincing myself that their is a conspiracy theory with Omar Minaya and overpaying every latin player (im half cuban, so im not racist) is leading me (not there yet) in completely changing the majority of my loyalties to the Rays.  I dont like or agree in the direction my team is moving in.  It pisses me off and while I dont think I will consider myself a rays fan first, I am defininely turning my tides a little. 

I play fantasy baseball with all my buddies in NY (mostly Yanks fans) and my logo is the Rays sign just to boil the blood.  Its fun, the Rays are the new exciting young team, but like Hank Steinbrenner said "**** can change real quick".  See that post to see the rays september schedule. 

[RicanBull]

College scenarios are different.

I think that once you go to college, you need to throw out all the other garbage you have of other schools and pledge alliegance 100% to YOUR alma mater. If you love another school so much, you should of gone there. I came from MD and rooted for them while i was in school. But after attending USF, i wish we could play them and kick the snot out of them; mostly  so i dont have to listen to my friends give me ****.

Anyway, this thread will never end. Too each is own, that is all.

[Velcro]

I tend to agree with your college scenario... but in the case of USF... it may be different since UF and FSU ARE local teams... just not AS local.  All these people grew up rooting for their local football teams that they loved... and then a new team pops up in tampa and quickly rises to prominence.  They didn't move away from their team they were loyal to, that team is still just as close as ever...

its a tough one, for sure....

but GO BULLS!

[TB Bulls]

College scenarios are different.

I think that once you go to college, you need to throw out all the other garbage you have of other schools and pledge alliegance 100% to YOUR alma mater. If you love another school so much, you should of gone there. I came from MD and rooted for them while i was in school. But after attending USF, i wish we could play them and kick the snot out of them; mostly  so i dont have to listen to my friends give me ****.

Anyway, this thread will never end. Too each is own, that is all.

Exactly.  No one is ever gonna solve this problem.  I've participated in these type of threads before and most of you (I think) have probably read how I feel about it.  After thinking about it though, I've come to realize there is no answer.  You're either a fan of our awesome local teams or you suck.  JK  ;D

[Triple B]

You're either a fan of our awesome local teams or you suck.

Word.

[Mag Pie]

Im sorry but it makes more sense to me to grow up following one team your whole life. That way when that team does win championships, you can say you've been through it all with them. Maybe back in the day you were expected to be a homer, but with advances in technology and easy transportation across the country, you can follow your team from anywhere. Hell I'm flying to NY to catch a game July 31st-Aug 3, before the shrine is torn down.

Just let it be. The only fans I have a problem with are those that are fair-weather or band-wagon. I dont care who your team is as long as you are loyal to them....

unless your a f***ing Red Sux fan, then I just think you need to change the captain of your brain ship cause he's drunk at the wheel  ;D

Why didn't you tell me you were going, punk!

I remember 96-00 like it was just yesterday.  I had started 7th grade that fall, first time I watched them win the WS.  For those 3 WS we would hop on a truck and drive around banging pots and pans, throwing toilet paper strings, yelling our lung out with joy, and skipping school to get lost in the parades....and watching the entire city do it too....I miss 8-12 yrs ago, lol.

Question for the Yankee fans.  How would you feel about someone who was born and raised in the Bronx, yet was a die-hard Sox fan?  Same question could be posed to the Sox fans if someone born and raised in the Boston area was somehow a die-hard Yankee fan.

I don't really pay attention to who other people root for.  I'm sure everyone has their stories as to why they root for a certain team, but it's not my place to judge them about how they should root for a certain team or not.  And your question:  I'd make fun of them, think they are stupid, like I would every Foston fan.  I really dislike that team.  Now if you're talking about some liking Detroit, or the Tigers or something like that....again, I wouldn't care, I'm sure they have their reason.

You don't have to be ok with ANY of it... but it doesn't mean he is wrong... if he grew up rooting for the Yanks, and then another team opens up... he is not obligated to root for the local team.  He chose to root for the yankees for ages before that.  He shouldn't have to change b/c you don't like it and you don't have to like it.  It is just how it is.

You hit the nail on the head.  I'm proud to be a Yankees fan, even if it means nasty stares, getting flipped off by random people while driving and having people tell me I'm stupid for not rooting for the home team.