Football is a game, and by definition, should be fun. I am happy to share opinions with any sane person. It is all part of the fun. And this last year has turned me from a so-so Chargers fan to a much bigger Chargers fan, but also a fan of the league as a whole and all teams (well, almost all teams).
Interesting point. I have found that as I grow older, I tend to root for teams more based on their behavior and ownership than on their flash.
I can't root for T.O. And I can't root for Dan Snyder's Redskins.
I can't root for Ray Lewis. And I can't root for the Irsay Colts (I now live too close to Baltimore, but even if I didn't, what that ownership did to that fanbase is unforgivable - and to keep the name - there's no major horse racing in Indiana - it's like the LA Lakers or Utah Jazz - just another example of a corporate insult to the public).
I can't root for any team with Bill Polian as GM.
I can't root for the Detroit Lions who are continuing to defecate on their fanbase with their support of Matt Millen. They are actively insulting their fans. Another good reason not to buy a Ford.
I do root for LT (except for tomorrow). I can't root for Jerry Jones' Cowboys
I root for Jefferie Lurie's Eagles. I can't root for Al Davis' Raiders.
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As I grow older, I find my loyalty to the New England Patriots is not centered on the superficial fact that they have the name of my native region. When I was younger, I guess that's all I needed. But I see life differently now.
I love this team because of the class and decency of so many in that organization. The QB, so many of the players. They act differently than so much of the league. I am uncomfortable with the frequent behavior of the HC. I discount the personal rumors until they are proven or disproven, so I won't even get into that. The ownership is second to none in it's philanthropy and contributions to the region and its fanbase. I challenge anybody to name any other major league stadium built in the U.S. in the past 10 years with a higher percentage of private funds from the owner.
I guess the Patriots mean more to me than simply a "cool team" with "cool unis". They stand for something in my eyes.
Other teams and players do, too. And I salute them.