NFL fans claiming to be a loyal fan of a team but switch teams, your thoughts

[frostbitmic]

My first favorite team when I started watching football at age 7 or 8 was the Baltimore Colts. When the Colts moved from Baltimore when I was 13, I abandoned them like they did the city of Baltimore. For the next 10 years I followed the Steelers for a bit, then the Air Coryell Chargers for a few years, then switched to the Saints, and still root for them every game they play except when they play the team I've been a fan of for the last 40 years, the Bills.

 

If others want to abandon their team and jump on the Bills bandwagon there's plenty of room and it just proves you can teach old dogs new tricks. Anybody that quits being a Bills fan for another team though is a bleeping moron.

[jaybills]

On 5/23/2023 at 12:13 PM, Patrick Duffy said:

 

I have to think this has happened to quite a few ppl here before at some point or other.....

 

Anyways, to quickly set the scene for you just a bit, stopped for gas while I was out running some errands and have one of my many Bills shirts etc, and have a smaller 3-4in tattoo of Bills charging buffalo on the back of my neck people notice sometimes that often is the first thing they comment on getting my attention starting a little football talk....

 

Told him I was a loyal die hard Bills fan for almost 40 years now and he was a die hard fan of the Packers for however many years, but at some point is now a die hard Raiders fan lol 

 

So how can one be a "loyal die hard" fan when you switch teams like that? I could never do it, I can't imagine myself being a fan of any other team besides Buffalo. 

 

 

 

 

It's not possible. It makes no sense. 

[Rebel101]

On 5/23/2023 at 1:13 PM, Patrick Duffy said:

 

I have to think this has happened to quite a few ppl here before at some point or other.....

 

Anyways, to quickly set the scene for you just a bit, stopped for gas while I was out running some errands and have one of my many Bills shirts etc, and have a smaller 3-4in tattoo of Bills charging buffalo on the back of my neck people notice sometimes that often is the first thing they comment on getting my attention starting a little football talk....

 

Told him I was a loyal die hard Bills fan for almost 40 years now and he was a die hard fan of the Packers for however many years, but at some point is now a die hard Raiders fan lol 

 

So how can one be a "loyal die hard" fan when you switch teams like that? I could never do it, I can't imagine myself being a fan of any other team besides Buffalo. 

 

 

 

 

Yeah honestly, people who tell me they’ve switched fan bases throughout their life I can’t trust they have no loyalty I usually walk away 🤷🏻‍♂️

[ndirish1978]

OP - those are not diehard fans. They can do what they want, but I'm not messing with them. 

[below]

Here in Charlotte it seems everybody has two teams that they root for. 

 

Having a "second team" to fall back on. Must be nice. I could never do that. 

 

I always had a soft spot for Carolina due to their Polian/Buffalo roots but very quickly began actively rooting against the Panthers due to their fake, fair-weather fans. 

[Behindenemylines]

Living near Boston I have many “transplant” friends from all over.  Most have lived here for 20+ years.  It’s the same story from almost all of them-being surrounded by such a good sports city in general you start to get into the local teams because it’s ”what” is being discussed and you slowly assimilate.   They still cheer on their former teams but are now Boston sports fans-from really serious to casual.
 

im sure if they had moved to Dallas or NYC they’d be in the same position but probably not if they moved to Montana or Idaho.  
 

I also think Bills fans are a different kind of Diehard than most teams so our definition is a bit skewed😁
 

 

[Don Otreply]

From what I have read here on this forum being a die hard sports team fan is much like being in a unhealthy relationship for the most part, folks aren’t clever enough to move on 😁🤣😂

[PatsFanNH]

On 5/23/2023 at 1:23 PM, BillsFooteball said:

More so I will never understand those that say they have a second favorite team. Once again I heard all reasons and cases and whatever makes you happy. But no die hard is ever rooting for another team unless it benefits their #1 team in a particular week.  Everyone was a “diehard” bengal fan then when they beat the ravens which ended bills drought

I understand people who have a second favorite team. In the late80’s and early 90’s I still loved my Pat but I had the 49ers as my second favorite team. Why? Because I loved watching Rice, Montana and Young.  Mind you I wasn’t a die hard fan yet either, I just started watching and caring about football in 1986. So maybe fans that do that haven’t found their team yet? I don’t understand the ones choose 1 player over the team.. I cheer for the laundry not the individual player lol

[Dopey]

On 5/23/2023 at 2:07 PM, JerseyBills said:

I've known a couple of these types. I couldn't change teams if I tried. 

 

I'm a Bills fan 1st by far more than these other sports , Knicks and Yankees forever.  Nothing could change that. These are my teams til I die, always found those type of ppl as not true sport fans

Grew up a fan of the Bills, Yankees and Knicks, but when Dolan brought in Isiah and Starberry and the rest of the sorry ass team I dropped them. Isiah, was charged with sexual harassment and the Knicks had to pay over $10 million. Dolan still kept him as gm. Would never support anything Dolan does. I still consider myself a true sports fan. Just not a loyal sucker. 

[Peace Frog]

On 5/23/2023 at 10:29 AM, Logic said:

I generally agree with you about fandom, and I, too have trouble relating to people like the one you mentioned in your post.

With that said...

To play devil's advocate, I think it can be tough for people born and raised in or near a passionate football city like Buffalo to understand what fandom is like for fans who don't.

For instance, was born and raised in Rochester, NY -- solidly Bills country. Nowadays I live in Portland, OR. No football team here, obviously, and not a very passionate football town. When it comes to football fandom, it's a mixed bag. People either like the Seahawks, some other random team, or don't follow the NFL at all, and are instead Oregon Ducks or Oregon State Beavers fans.

Perhaps when one's fandom is not innately related to the region in which they were raised, it's easier to switch allegiances. I've met people over the years who particularly liked one specific player, and would follow that player from team to team, and thus switch allegiances. So a Tom Brady fan goes from being a Pats fan to a Bucs fan to....God knows what, once the player retires.

Along these lines, having been raised in western NY, I don't have any passionate college football allegiances. I could root for Buffalo, or Syracuse, or maybe Ohio State, but...meh. I don't feel passionate about any of them. I could see, then, rooting for different college teams over the years based on players, coaches, play style, etc.

Same here. Was born in Cheektowaga, moved to TX at age 12, back to Buffalo at age 25, now living in Camas, WA.

[BillsFooteball]

1 hour ago, PatsFanNH said:

I understand people who have a second favorite team. In the late80’s and early 90’s I still loved my Pat but I had the 49ers as my second favorite team. Why? Because I loved watching Rice, Montana and Young.  Mind you I wasn’t a die hard fan yet either, I just started watching and caring about football in 1986. So maybe fans that do that haven’t found their team yet? I don’t understand the ones choose 1 player over the team.. I cheer for the laundry not the individual player lol

I would attribute large part of that to fantasy football. Which again is great in so many ways but one thing with doesn't go well with me.  I have read from fans that have Henry on their team comment I hope bills win 42-35 but Henry goes for 200 and 4tds. I know I’m not alone on this, I’m never rooting for any individual vs bills 

[Robert Paulson]

die hard Bills/Sabres/Syracuse fan since I was a kid-hate all Boston teams in those sports

 

MLB-Cubs are #1 but not die hard (couldn't name the starting lineup or rotation right now), also follow the Blue Jays/Brewers/Yankees for different family/location reasons- hate the red sox

 

NBA- jump from team to team-not die hard for anyone-can't name more than 3-5 players on any one team at a time -actually liked the Celtics when Bird was there-now not so much

 

will never drink Sam Adams beer because it is from Boston

 

Premier League/Bundesliga/the rest of UEFA soccer- follow players more than teams for the most part-not die hard for anyone but sometimes follow the champs, sometimes follow the lovable losers

 

Serie A-Lazio was my Dad's team-so it is my team-die hard since Domenica Sportiva came in on Sunday mornings from Toronto

 

My point is if you pick your team between 8-12 years of age you can't change it-you are a lifer

 

anything after that and the older your get it is difficult to become a die hard fan