Here is my list.
SF 49'ers - Mostly for sentimental reasons like many have mentioned... needed someone to root for when Pats were out of it.. and they are a CLASS act organization and I think Kraft modeled a lot of what he does after them.
( I remember a story about a 49er O-Lineman getting hurt in a game in NY and the owner taking the team plane back to CA and leaving his private Jet to take back the player when he got out of the hospital.. think it was holidays) - Class act.
Way, way back- really liked Dallas, mostly the "Americas team" stuff and so forth.. hated them for a while,and are kinda optimisitically keeping an eye on them now.
Panthers - Like a lot of folks have already said.. They remind me of the pats in a lot of ways. However, I was soured slightly when Delhomme was pulling some Peyton style whining to refs and pouting, but he seems to be over it.
Bengals - Liked them quite a bit back in the day - kind of an underdog thing. Plus, I have always liked the uniforms... don't know why.. just think they are cool. Though, I don't really like Chad Johnsons antics.... the rest of the team is pretty blue collar.
Teams I hate - I hate the Colts. I really do. Mostly it is Manning and his whole whiner schtick.. plus throwing his line under the bus has to be one of the biggest @$$hole things any player has ever done. Archie should have taught his sons SOMETHING about team and sportsmanship, instead he basically encouraged them to be selfish pricks... JMO - Props to Marvin Harrison though, for being a class act even when surrounded with such idiocy--wish he could get traded here and win a SB.
Teams I kinda dislike - The Jets annoy me... or should I say the media makes me dislike the jets... they get WAY too much hype from the media and always have.... "Oh, I love them.. kissy kissy... the Jets.. Chad Pennington.. Curtis... Oh they are SOOO great!" Christ, give it a rest. I just don't understand it... I wondered if it was because they are in NY.. but then there is this Manning lovefest thing... Anyway, the colts, giants and san diego kinda fall into this category too.. mostly the media annoys me, except for the colts, less so the team.
Players are the real pet peeve for me.. Just can't stand certain players... Peyton and Eli... Chad Johnson for his big mouth, taking away from what is a great team accomplishment.... TO....Ricky Williams... Ray Lewis... etc.. Yup, Ty Law....is on my hate list too. I just can't get behind guys that put themselves above and before the team/game.. I really can't.. I know a lot of all of their Crap is just posturing and such, but if you are willing to PORTRAY yourself as a complete selfish Pr$ck for a few bucks more, than that's exactly what you are. I really root against these kind of players and hope they never win a DAMN thing ever... and they can comfort themselves by spending the "extra" money on drugs/alcohol/etc. to numb the emptiness while they whither away into oblivion.
:singing:
