My Team Colors

I'm a horrible football fan...specifically a horrible NFL football fan.  As a matter of fact, if you are a serious fan of the big professional football league - I irritate you.  Truth is, you & I don't understand each other when it comes to team loyalty.

Why?  Because I am not loyal to a team at all.  You are loyal to a team - no matter...I'm not.  Well, that's not exactly true - I WAS loyal to the Colts, but ONLY while Tony Dungy was their coach.  When he left, my Colts days were over.  Which I guess, is part of why I'm not a good fan - it's hard to follow a team for me - I follow individuals instead.

I have had 2 other teams I liked in my life - Steelers & Raiders.  But, I'm talking Old School for both.

I liked the Steelers, but again, not the team, it was the people on the team.  Like Bradshaw, Swann, Stallworth, Greene, Blount, Harris, Bleier, Ham, Greenewood...etc.  Guys that were awesome...who happened to be on the same team.

Then the Raiders... Guys like Biletnikoff, Shell, Upshaw, Guy, Hayes, Matuszak, Sistrunk, Stabler...etc. Guys that were awesome...who happened to be on the same team.

A few other players along the way (mostly Da Bears): McMahon...Singletary, Payton, Urlacher...I'm sure there are a few others I'm not thinking of.

You see, liking players is a lot harder than liking a team.

Then there were coaches like Madden...Ditka...Noll...and lastly Dungy.

See - it's individuals that I have followed over time...not teams.  So, when a player, or coach, is no longer a on a team - my dilemma is even worse, for where the player, or coach, is or isn't, I am there too...or not.

I tried liking the Jets this year.  I like them because they are trash talkers...like the Old Raiders.  But, they are not good enough to talk smack this year - so I'm done with them.  If I can't stick with a team, I really can't stick with a losing team.  It's all about "winning...duh".

Then, to make it even worse...they took the tough & fun out of the game.  You can't tackle the QB, they are all sissies now...you can't celebrate without a penalty...you can't hide pens in your socks...or make any "I rocked you" gestures...blah blah blah.  It's just not what it used to be - IMO.

So, I don't have a NFL team hat...I have an old Colts Jersey (it's Harris - who ended up messing his career up with a gun - go figure).  For baseball, I have a few Sox hats...a few T shirts & I have an old Manny Ramirez jersey from his time on the Indians (my favorite jersey of all)...and that's about it.

So, if you have both a hat & a jersey of the same team - in my book - you are a REAL fan.

For me, I don't have a hat or jersey for the same team...but if I get one...then it's on.  Well, that is, until some particular player leaves...

Anyway...

Go team...hat or no hat.