"Your" NFL Team

[Spectral]

Don't have an NFL team but I can contribute to the whole "our" team deal. I support an English football team, to the point where I will express myself as a part of the team. "Arsenal did well against us, but we'll get em back next time."

And I get flack for that sometimes, almost always by people that do not support a sports team. But I live and die for the team, the love is to the death.

Yep, fuck 'em. The whole, "you're not on the team" meme is pedantic douchebaggery at it's finest. Any time someone says that, I'm tempted to argue and insist that I'm on the team. If we're going to go down that idiotic road, let's go all the way down it!

[Vetali]

I've lived in Washington all my life, and my parents the same. My dad wasn't a fan of any NFL team till the Seahawks came around. I started watching the Seahawks after the Mariners got 1 and doned in like 2001 or whatever. Football to me at the time was really overwhelming. All I could do is root for my team. My first real Seahawk memory is the "we want the ball and we're going to score" moment.

The 2005 season I remember a lot of, though I don't resent the super bowl outcome. I still feel like the Steelers were a better team at the time.

2006 I bought my first jersey, Darrell Jackson, who left the team after that season. I remember the Romo botched snap in the playoffs. 2007 I picked up WoW, so I drifted away from sports for a few years. However I did attend my first Seahawks game in 2007. Then I picked back up the Seahawks in 2009 where I watched the Jim Morra season and becoming depressed and angry. Wanting to bandwagon another team, I chose the Vikings. I really started liking Sidney Rice that season.

2010 came along, I was pretty hype about Paul Allen completely clearing the entire coaching staff. The season overall was very underwhelming and I felt like losing hope again and turning to the Vikings once again, but somehow it came down to a win vs the Rams, with a backup QB to win the division. Somehow we won, and went to the playoffs. I didn't even know what running back we had at the time. Couldn't tell you his name. I got tired of the mediocre backs after Shaun Alexander. Obviously the beastquake changed that.

2011 was the first season where I told myself to watch every single game. We pretty much absorbed the Vikings, getting Tjack, Sidney Rice, and Darrell Bevell. I thought this would be the season. Obviously that didn't work out at all.

2012 came along, and this was the first season where I really nailed down and watched the NFL as a whole. I was totally #TeamFlynn and questioned picking up Bruce Irvin and Russell Wilson. I hated the T.O. move and was glad he was dropped. I still had lots of hype for the team and could see them being very successful despite the 49ers having a hold on the West. By week 5 I was saying that Wilson needed to be benched for Flynn to have any chance in beating the Patriots. Then Wilson completely spat in my face and lit up the Patriots. After the Bears game, I invested in my second ever Seahawks jersey, a Russell Wilson jersey.

Honestly, when you spend hundreds of dollars, and hours sitting in front of your TV for decades... nobody should criticize your thought of the team being "yours." Obviously you don't own it, but you own the countless memories that the team has provided to you. Thats really what makes any sport good, when it can effect you like that.

[draynay]

I like the history on how you became a fan, I didn't do that yet.

I'm half Cajun with family from Louisiana, and there is no team in LA, so there was some sense in leaning that direction, I was also born on All Saints Day.

Also I really hated the Rams for leaving, the Raiders I didn't mind as much, they went back to Oakland, but the Rams were always an LA team and they left town just as I was starting to get into the sport and I was not happy about it. I was a pretty casual fan in the second half of the 90s didn't follow things much but was aware of the sport, and then those damned Rams had to go win the Superbowl, not for LA, but for St. Louis.
The next year I latched on to the plucky division rival that was trying to knock them off, the Saints played them for the third time that year and knocked off the reigning champs and I really fell in love with that team. I had already been interested in them for other reasons but defeating my enemy sealed the deal.

I still have my Aaron Brooks jersey in case anyone accuses me of jumping on the bandwagon in the Payton/Brees era. I managed to nab him in just about every fantasy draft I ever did while he was with New Orleans.
I also used to live in San Diego and remember how great it was when they drafted LT and Brees in the same draft, it was exciting to be coming off some bad years and have hope, and to get to see those guys start out and shine, and for Brees to end up with the Saints was just as good as it could get for me. I knew it would be special but even I had no idea, its been a great ride.

Plenty people have been fans longer than me, suffered longer than me, but I feel like I got to share plenty of that suffering too, I haven't managed to get back to New Orleans since Katrina, I was last there the summer before. I've never gotten to see my team play live, they went to fucking London the last time the Chargers would've hosted them, I have to be patient and hope I get my chance to see them in the Superdome some day soon.

[Sky High]

Denver fan for as long as I've known football. growing up in the Elway years helped with that.

[Grapefruitsnz]

Daaaaa Lions.

[dyinglobster]

Falcons fan in New York. Became a fan towards the end of the 2006 season because I played Madden (wasn't a football fan yet), and Michael Vick was dominant. Decided to get into the game for the 2007 season and Michael Vick went away obviously before that got going..but I stuck with'em for whatever reason. 2007 was predictably bad, but been pretty good so far with Matt Ryan (this season not withstanding). Really glad I stuck with the team and love them even though they're doing really bad this season!

Also, using "us" or "we" is just easier in conversation when I'm talking to someone about the Falcons. I've also purchased quite a bit of merch so..there's that argument.

[Deleted]

I'm from the UK, and I've loved the sitcom Frasier for a long time now. When I got in to American Football, I decided to choose a team, and for some reason, Seattle just stood out. So I chose the Seahawks. I've watched every game since, bought merchandise and tried to spread the word on anything NFL to my friends and family.

The Real Rob report (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtblLfYa5QmFUndxGGdp24g) Gave me a really good glimpse at the team on a personal level, and allowed me to get to know the team a bit better. And a 10-1 record this year is just amazing. We're all about the 12th man, and although I can't be apart of the support inside the C-Link Field Stadium, I'm certainly loud enough at home. Yes I feel like I'm part of the team, but perhaps the guy who gives out the gatorade :P

[Jinne]

Rams, Dont care if they are bad this season. They will always be my team.

[SL1200]

I'm a Bears fan of course. I really don't enjoy football. I just find it impossible not to get sucked into it whenever they win a couple games. I don't consider myself part of the team. I go out of my way not to say "we" when I talk about them. I say, the Bears or they never we. I think it's dumb when people say we unless they are on the team, or were on the team at one point.

[itzdish30]

New York Giants! Been a great couple years. (not this year though)

[Budong]

Pittsburgh Steelers. Started off horrible this year but never say die...we're 5-6 and if the playoffs started today the Steelers would have the final wild card spot. Absolutely nuts

[Vvhooya]

Eli at its best on Giants team.

[Strakha]

I don't think I am on a NFL team. Would be nice though, minus the traumatic injury, shortened life and future of depression and possible suicide.

[Balazaar]

2012 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens!

The Steelers won't have that last playoff spot after Thursday.

[Dsfunctional]

I like the history on how you became a fan, I didn't do that yet.

I'm half Cajun with family from Louisiana, and there is no team in LA, so there was some sense in leaning that direction, I was also born on All Saints Day.

Also I really hated the Rams for leaving, the Raiders I didn't mind as much, they went back to Oakland, but the Rams were always an LA team and they left town just as I was starting to get into the sport and I was not happy about it. I was a pretty casual fan in the second half of the 90s didn't follow things much but was aware of the sport, and then those damned Rams had to go win the Superbowl, not for LA, but for St. Louis.
The next year I latched on to the plucky division rival that was trying to knock them off, the Saints played them for the third time that year and knocked off the reigning champs and I really fell in love with that team. I had already been interested in them for other reasons but defeating my enemy sealed the deal.

I still have my Aaron Brooks jersey in case anyone accuses me of jumping on the bandwagon in the Payton/Brees era. I managed to nab him in just about every fantasy draft I ever did while he was with New Orleans.
I also used to live in San Diego and remember how great it was when they drafted LT and Brees in the same draft, it was exciting to be coming off some bad years and have hope, and to get to see those guys start out and shine, and for Brees to end up with the Saints was just as good as it could get for me. I knew it would be special but even I had no idea, its been a great ride.

Plenty people have been fans longer than me, suffered longer than me, but I feel like I got to share plenty of that suffering too, I haven't managed to get back to New Orleans since Katrina, I was last there the summer before. I've never gotten to see my team play live, they went to fucking London the last time the Chargers would've hosted them, I have to be patient and hope I get my chance to see them in the Superdome some day soon.

WHO DAT! (also a Saints fan, nice post)

[SoleAwesome]

Titans fan here!
Well bye now :P