Have you ever quit following a sports team?

[Royale with Cheese]

Grew up a Yankees fan.  I stopped following them simply because I don’t like watching baseball anymore.  
 

When I was a kid, I could read off the starting lineup/batting order, all the stats, standings, the All Stars from both leagues….

After my freshman year in college, I wanted to quit.  I played this sport since I was 5 and now I am 19.  But I stayed because it paid for my school.  

Burnout is real…I now can’t watch an inning of baseball.

[muppy]

for me unfollowing the Buffalo Sabres after I left the WNY area in the 70's occured for sheer lack of visibility.   At the time there were nowhere near the number of viewing options available on TV.  I always loved the sport especially live games at the Aud back in the day

 

Now since I have access to ESPN Plus I am fully back on the Buffalo Sabres train woooooot woooooot 🙂

[Toomstone.Part.Duex]

I watched every Celtics game I could in the late 80's early 90's.   I loved Larry Bird.   After he retired I followed the Pacers when he was a coach.  After that I haven't watch NBA at all.  I watched some of the finals this year since the Celts were in it but before that I couldn't tell you one player on the Celtics.    NBA isn't for me anymore.  

[DD4Bills]

I usually vow to quit the Bills 3 or 4 times a season...generally lasts about a day.

[Savage]

I grew up in the 70’s.

 

the Montreal Canadiens were the best of the best.

 

the best that ever were, the best that ever will be.

 

for decades now, they have been the poster boys of mediocrity.

 

the standard has gone from excellence, to just being good enough, to just be good enough.

 

 

for the above reasons, I have not been a Canadiens fan for a very, very long time.

 

 

 

[Augie]

On 9/24/2024 at 8:16 AM, Royale with Cheese said:

Grew up a Yankees fan.  I stopped following them simply because I don’t like watching baseball anymore.  
 

When I was a kid, I could read off the starting lineup/batting order, all the stats, standings, the All Stars from both leagues….

After my freshman year in college, I wanted to quit.  I played this sport since I was 5 and now I am 19.  But I stayed because it paid for my school.  

Burnout is real…I now can’t watch an inning of baseball.

 

In baseball they push HARD to make it your 12 month sport, especially where we were in FL and where weather allows. They would say your kid will fall behind! When they called about All Stars one year to play 2nd base and be the leadoff hitter my son asked “Do I have to? Half the guys are standing around, and the other half are sitting.” 

 

He went on to more soccer, football, basketball, golf, tennis, weight lifting and all kinds of other things, and the baseball folks would have taken him back in a skinny minute if he wanted to play baseball again. 

 

It’s an environment that could be VERY easy to burn out in. It’s more than a sport, it’s like it’s own culture, from my experience. And at times it’s cult-like. I guess AAU sports of every type are similar, but grass roots youth baseball was wearing with the pressure to get more deeply involved. They were like they were on a damn Mission!  

[US Egg]

On 9/24/2024 at 8:16 AM, Royale with Cheese said:

Burnout is real…I now can’t watch an inning of baseball.

We have ways:

 

[Just Jack]

Not about me, but I was working in Rhode Island this week, first day onsite was Tuesday, and someone made a comment about my Bills hard hat.  I pointed out that I had not seen any Pats* gear on any workers at the job site.  They tried to come back with all the championships they'd won.  I said we were building a new stadium to fit all the championship we were going to win.  

[CoudyBills]

On 9/20/2024 at 4:33 PM, May Day 10 said:

In a way, I have done that with the Sabres.  

 

They used to be my top team, even over the Bills.  I was probably known as "that Sabres guy" by acquaintances, and would watch 100% of maybe 98% of all games between about 1987 and 2015 or so.  

 

Present-day, I barely watch at all, a few of these seasons probably not a complete period.  I still "follow" them, as I know when their games are and if they win or lose.  I know who most of their players are.  I used to know the entire league, but now have a familiarity with about 10% of the players.  The league overall bores me for a few reasons, but mainly the irrelevancy of the Sabres. 

I actually still own Sabres ST, had cancelled around 2020, they talked me into returning, and I thought Id want to take my kids, but I dont enjoy it.  When Im there, the team is boring and I want to leave early.  I tried to cancel last year, but they trapped me on small print.  I won't make that mistake again.

 

This ownership has destroyed the franchise.  Once they go back to the red and black uniforms full-time, I am going to cut that thread that still binds me to the team and be gone forever.  

 

 

I actually returned to baseball big-time to fill the void.  I was way into it as a kid, and love it again.  Plus NFL and NCAA football interest me.  I have fun watching the Bandits too

I'm with you on the Sabres.  I was always a Sabres then Bills fan.  They are just unwatchable now.  

[BillsPride12]

3 hours ago, CoudyBills said:

I'm with you on the Sabres.  I was always a Sabres then Bills fan.  They are just unwatchable now.  

If this Lindy Ruff experiment flops...and so far that's how it is looking..I'm afraid the Sabres are about to lose the entire fanbase.  I mean it's already pretty bad but it's scary to think about what could happen if they cannot get into the playoffs with this group and have to start all over yet again 

[Royale with Cheese]

On 9/25/2024 at 5:54 PM, Augie said:

 

In baseball they push HARD to make it your 12 month sport, especially where we were in FL and where weather allows. They would say your kid will fall behind! When they called about All Stars one year to play 2nd base and be the leadoff hitter my son asked “Do I have to? Half the guys are standing around, and the other half are sitting.” 

 

He went on to more soccer, football, basketball, golf, tennis, weight lifting and all kinds of other things, and the baseball folks would have taken him back in a skinny minute if he wanted to play baseball again. 

 

It’s an environment that could be VERY easy to burn out in. It’s more than a sport, it’s like it’s own culture, from my experience. And at times it’s cult-like. I guess AAU sports of every type are similar, but grass roots youth baseball was wearing with the pressure to get more deeply involved. They were like they were on a damn Mission!  

I just learned that the travel league I grew up playing in….is now a $4,000 registration fee!

 

My friend used to coach in that league but quit because the parents have become insufferable.  On one hand, the parents of the kids who sit the bench get very upset because they paid $4,000 to see no playing time.

 

The other hand, the parents of the kids who do play, want their kid to play every inning and showcased because they paid $4,000.  These kids start getting recruited by high schools now by age 12.  Private schools will give these kids free tuition to play…like colleges.

 

These are competitive leagues so they don’t have rules in which every kid has to play.  And all these kids were the #3 or clean up hitter growing up…now they’re hitting 8th or 9th….or now a pinch hitter.  Having to deal with those parents…nightmare.

[Augie]

29 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

I just learned that the travel league I grew up playing in….is now a $4,000 registration fee!

 

My friend used to coach in that league but quit because the parents have become insufferable.  On one hand, the parents of the kids who sit the bench get very upset because they paid $4,000 to see no playing time.

 

The other hand, the parents of the kids who do play, want their kid to play every inning and showcased because they paid $4,000.  These kids start getting recruited by high schools now by age 12.  Private schools will give these kids free tuition to play…like colleges.

 

These are competitive leagues so they don’t have rules in which every kid has to play.  And all these kids were the #3 or clean up hitter growing up…now they’re hitting 8th or 9th….or now a pinch hitter.  Having to deal with those parents…nightmare.

 

Otherwise rational adults turn into delusional fools when it comes to youth sports. My high school age kids would ref little kids hoops and at times would have to eject the 45 year old Dads who were coaching the games. Adults making damn fools of themselves displaying their delusions of grandeur. 

[boater]

Sabres.

 

No playoffs since 2011. At least when the Bills had a drought, there were flashes of competitiveness. But the Sabres are just bad. I don't think Lindy has it in him to raise the team a level.

[YoloinOhio]

No but I’m actively considering it 

[JoeF]

Usually follow the MLB team in the market where we live.  Have stopped following the Braves, Astros, Nationals, Rays and Twins over time.  Since we are back in MN, following the Twins again.  Will continue to follow the Bills and Sabres no matter how putrid, pathetic or pituresque they are.....this weekend has been difficult to say the least, thus far.

[Success]

I'm Knicks first, but when they were bad, I started following the Suns w/ Steve Nash, and loved some of those teams.  I was pretty into them for quite a few years there.  As soon as Nash moved on, I lost interest.

 

I'm a 'Cuse grad, and don't follow the football or hoops teams much anymore.  We never got too into the football regardless, but for a pretty good stretch I knew all of the players on the hoops team and watched avidly.

 

[Bad Things]

There are quite a few posters here, that I wish gave up on the Bills.

[BillsPride12]

10 hours ago, Success said:

I'm Knicks first, but when they were bad, I started following the Suns w/ Steve Nash, and loved some of those teams.  I was pretty into them for quite a few years there.  As soon as Nash moved on, I lost interest.

 

I'm a 'Cuse grad, and don't follow the football or hoops teams much anymore.  We never got too into the football regardless, but for a pretty good stretch I knew all of the players on the hoops team and watched avidly.

 

I didn't go to Cuse but I followed the Basketball team for quite awhile but eventually lost interest.  But I also don't really watch any basketball these days

[Ned Flanders]

11 hours ago, Success said:

I'm a 'Cuse grad, and don't follow the football or hoops teams much anymore.  We never got too into the football regardless, but for a pretty good stretch I knew all of the players on the hoops team and watched avidly.

 

I follow SU hoops, but like you, not as much as I once did, especially in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s during the Big East salad days.  I never missed an SU game on TV during that time and, living in the DC area, always went to the SU-Georgetown game.  Last year, when SU played GT here in DC, I didn't know of it until the morning of the game...thought of going for about three minutes, and ended up passing.  During the Big East glory years, I would have had tickets the minute they went on sale.

 

There's a great ESPN 30 for 30 called "Requiem for the Big East," great show, check it out if you already haven't.

Edited October 7 by Ned Flanders

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

On 10/6/2024 at 10:08 PM, Success said:

I'm Knicks first, but when they were bad, I started following the Suns w/ Steve Nash, and loved some of those teams.  I was pretty into them for quite a few years there.  As soon as Nash moved on, I lost interest.

 

I'm a 'Cuse grad, and don't follow the football or hoops teams much anymore.  We never got too into the football regardless, but for a pretty good stretch I knew all of the players on the hoops team and watched avidly.

 

 

On 10/7/2024 at 9:32 AM, Ned Flanders said:

I follow SU hoops, but like you, not as much as I once did, especially in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s during the Big East salad days.  I never missed an SU game on TV during that time and, living in the DC area, always went to the SU-Georgetown game.  Last year, when SU played GT here in DC, I didn't know of it until the morning of the game...thought of going for about three minutes, and ended up passing.  During the Big East glory years, I would have had tickets the minute they went on sale.

 

There's a great ESPN 30 for 30 called "Requiem for the Big East," great show, check it out if you already haven't.

I love Syracuse hoops, but my interest has waned. I think it is a combination of the move to the ACC, and the transfer portal. It’s basically like watching AAU ball now— a bunch of random guys every year who will likely be gone after one year.