Two things:
First, in the unwritten rule book of fandom, is it acceptable (in your opinion) for someone to be a fan of one school's football team and another school's basketball team?
I have a friend that is a big-time Michigan football fan, but he is a big UNC fan in basketball.
This is not a matter of being a student at either school, nor a situation where he grew up in one area and moved to the other. To me, this is him jumping on a bandwagon at some point early in his life. I don't support it. What do you think?
Secondly, are there any schools/teams that you root for on a secondary basis other than your main team? Is there a reason?
For me, I'm obviously a big Michigan fan, but have always kind of liked Baylor and Stanford. Absolutely no reason behind it.
Others for me would be:
Cubs --- Tigers
Dolphins --- Lions
No, and not really.
I agree that liking teams outside of some regional or otherwise concrete reason is purely being either a bandwagoner, or a fan at random which makes zero sense.
I root for University of Akron sports outside of OSU, because I have family and friends affiliated with the school and I grew up with UA sports.
I'd fall in line with your buddy's school of thought. I've always considered myself a big UNC fan. Its easy to call an NC fan a bandwaggoner but I lived through the Ed Cota years and absolutely despise Tyler Hansborogh.
As far as other teams-I grew up infatuated with with 90's Seminoles. I loved the fact that they were college football's bad boys (well them and the U-who I will always despise) and Bobby ran an absolute NFL factory. In the same vein, I've always liked the Oakland Raiders for being the NFL's outlaws-I just wish they were better because lets face it, they are a comical lot of fellas.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
I agree with this. I don't think that being a fan of a team requires any relationship with the area, attendance of school or any other parameter. You can be a fan of whatever team you want to. I was born and live in Michigan, but I've always loved, support and cheer for Ohio State.
I have an NL and an AL team for baseball, Reds-Tigers.
I like the Cowboys for football because my parents were fans, which was because they grew up in Steelers country wanted to be rebels.
“Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect.” - Woody
Question 1:
First, and let me get this out of the way, there is no instance in which Michigan fanhood can be supported. However, if you jump on multiple team bandwagons while you are still a child and stick to it, I think this is acceptable. Chances are you didn't have someone older heavily influencing your fanhood choices in another direction.
Question 2:
I am a Steelers and Pirates fan. However, I have secondary rooting interest for Chicago professional teams, specifically the Bears and Cubs. This is because I lived in Chicago for a while and have numerous friends with these allegiances including my brother-in-law.
I do have a problem with fans of one school for football and another for basketball. One of my co-workers loves OSU football and Indiana basketball. His family if from the OH/IN border, so he explains it that way, but to me it is all or nothing, despite choosing your father's favorite for one sport and your mother's for another.
With pro teams, I have far less with regard to passionate favorites, largely because I left the Browns when Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore. Having lived in MN for over 25 years, I like the Twins and Vikings, but to be a true fan imo you need to grow up the team, living and dying with them (ok, mostly dying with the Browns), throughout your lifetime.
I think that situation is different. OSU and IU are rivals. Not much of a rivalry between UM and UNC.
I am fine with it if each team is not a rival of the other, even to the point of just being in the same conference. I think being a fan of different teams for each sport is okay in different conferences.
I get this a lot considering I am a graduate of Ohio University but have always loved OSU sports. I still devoutly follow my Bobcats but also always love the Buckeyes. Pro teams are where I always have problems because I never grew up devoted to a single team. My dad likes Cincy teams so I have always been partial to the Reds and Bengals but all my college roommates were from Cleveland so I was slightly forced to follow the Browns, Cavs and Tribe for years. Now though I have a family member who plays for the Steelers so I am all over the place. However my hierarchy goes 1. Buckeyes 2. Bobcats 3. Everyone else.
I love Texas Tech because I have a Master's from there.
I love Notre Dame because I was raised on ND since my dad went there.
Otherwise, it's generally the underdog.
I'm just not sure how you can be a true fan from which you have more than one degree of separation. And for someone like me being from Cleveland, I'm from the medieval belief system that says since I spent the bulk of my life there, I'm locked in, no matter how much it hurts. You can't be a lifer from Cleveland and be a 49ers fan. Fake!
I've always followed the 49'ers because the owners are from Youngstown which is near my hometown and we actually know John York. (Present owner). Also, I've been following Youngstown State since the Tressel days.
I have degrees from Pitt, my daughters from Notre Dame and NDSU, but there is only one university's teams that I root for. And one in particular that I root against.
I've been rooting for Oklahoma City for a couple years now, I love watching durant play. I've found among my friends that when it comes to the nba, a lot of us like specific players more than specific teams, outside of Cavs of course
IMO, Pro teams don't matter, as long as you pick one and stick with it. (no Steeler/Cowboy fans depending on who's in the playoffs) and secondary teams are no problem, as long as you root for your team when they play each other. (I'm a Browns fan, but lived in Nashville for 4 years so I have a soft spot for the Titans)
College should be different. I think you should root for the school you attended. If your school doesn't have football (my undergrad didn't, and I now attend OSU for grad school) or you didn't attend any college, pro rules apply. Pick one and stick with it for everything (all sports, good and bad years etc.)
edit- there's other schools I enjoy watching/root for (Oregon in football, UNC in the UNC/Duke rivalry etc, ) but I don't consider myself a fan of those schools. I don't buy any gear or anything like that.
I'm a secondary fan of Cincinnati because a lot of my family went there. Ill root for them when they don't play the Buckeyes, which is pretty much always outside of last years Sweet Sixteen. I don't see a problem with it.
I'm the same way with Cincinnati. I grew up in southern Ohio when the Bearcats made the final four with Huggins - they were the cool team to root for then and it's always kind of stuck. It's always Buckeyes 1 with Bearcats a distant 2. However, it only applies in basketball. I hope the Bearcats lose every game in football.
Grew up a huge buckeye fan and the bucks will forever be number one, but I also root for K-State since it is my alma mater.
I suppose its possible, but it seems that the person in question is cherry picking a bit. Its probably more likely for someone without deep ties to either school. Not saying that person is less of a fan, but, IMO, just a bit harder to have multiple teams if you attended the school, grew up around it, etc.
We moved to Ohio in 1970, my dad worked at OSU and I started attending games shortly thereafter. And I got my undergrad degree at OSU, so my allegiance to OSU is very strong and I couldnt imagine supporting another team. In fact, I started young enough that I never watched college football without being a buckeye fan.
Having said that, when OSU basketball was down in the 80s, if I wanted to enjoy the tournament, i needed to root for someone, so have rooted for other teams at various times. And there are certainly football teams I admire and have enjoyed watching play. But i think that falls far short of having one school for football and one for basketball (i assume the person in your example roots for NC basketball if they are playing Michigan?). I do know people who attended different schools for undergrad/grad and, accordingly, have multiple teams (I attended Law School in NY and it doesnt have a football team!)
With respect to pro sports - Ive been a Yankees fan for 40 years and I dont care about any other baseball team. Having spent a significant time in Ohio, i do have some affinity for the Cleveland teams and think it would be good for the sport to see the Tribe win the WS.
I did know a guy who was a die-hard Browns fan and also a die-hard Reds fan. His explanation was that his family had rooted for the Browns at a time when the Bengals didnt exist, so the Browns were the only Ohio team, but he lived in Cincy, so was always a Reds fan. So i can certainly understand it when things like that happen, or you grew up in one area, but attended school in another.
I hate all other college football teams but root for OSU, Dayton, and Butler in basketball.
Fan of bacon since 1981
Yes, it is fine to be a fan of different teams in sports.
I grew up in Cincinnati, and watched OSU football and only OSU football when it came to college. I've been a Bucks football fan since 1981. In fact, with the exception of only a few years when I was in the Army, I have not missed an OSU game since 1981. I have found a way to watch every single game on tv or in person. And trust me, it has not been easy. I've lived in the DC area since 1993.
Growing up in Cincy though, I watched Cincinnati basketball the same way I watched OSU football. Over the years I've become less of a bball fan, but I still am a Cincy bball fan. I literally never watched an OSU basketball game growing up.
In recent years, i've begun to watch more OSU bball (went to the Kansas game this year with my Dad too), but I'm still Cincinnati 1, Ohio State 2. I root for OSU to win unless they play Cincy.
Both my parents went to Arizona, and I attended a whole host of schools that don't have football teams. The consequence of that is that I root for Arizona too. In football, Cincy has never entered into the equation so its OSU 1, OSU 2-150, Arizona 151.
I guarantee that as a Bucks football fan, you would be very, very hard pressed to find someone who is more of a fan than me.
Does my Cincy basketball rooting and the fact that I never went to OSU make my OSU football fandom somehow not valid? Of course not. Ridiculous.
i root for appalachian state
GIFSoup
I forgot to answer the second question:
I'm a Giants fan in football, but as a kid, i thought the Raiders were cool, so i still root for the Raiders if not playing the Giants.
My allegiance to the Yankees is too strong to have a secondary team
Im a Rangers fan, so usually have to find another Hockey team to follow once the Rangers lose in the playoffs (usually Ill pick the team that i have in the Hockey pool, other than the Flyers, devils or Islanders)
I like the Knicks but dont care too much about basketball. The Cavs were probably my secondary team.
I liked florida state because of their sweet chant and always played as them on NCAA football as a kid. Now, I am all OSU and whatever team is playing michigan/bama fan
Dammit I had a lot typed out and accidently hit a key that sent me back a page and all my shit was erased. But I would say no, just depends on when he became a fan. For all my teams I was 6/7 years old when I started liking them, far too young to even know what a bandwagon was but yet people outside of those who have known me forever call me a bandwagon for liking The Ohio State, SF Giants and Cowboys, even though I've like them all since I was really young and it had been 60 years since the Giants won the WS they just so happened to have won 2 outta the last 3. I've always loved Barry Bonds, even in his Pitt days, although I can't really remember those too well. I've always loved tOSU, ever since Eddie George and made it a priority to watch every game since then (I would have been 7) and for the Cowboys, Texas born and raised. My whole family are Cowboys fans. I had a lot to brag about in the 90s, now not so much however.
Anyways, I think it just depends when your friend became a fan of those schools whether or not he's a bandwagon. I used to love Duke basketball too (Bucks have always been #1 though) when Jay(Jason) Williams was there, but now I can't stand em. I wouldn't say I was a bandwagon then either, I just liked him and a few of their other players and would only root for them once it was clear OSU had no shot at a title, which was pretty early on back then. So if your friend recently became a UNC fan (once Roy Williams came too town) then I could see him being a bandwagon, but then again, everyones got too start liking someone, somehow. I only call people bandwagons if they recently become a fan of a certian team and don't know anything about them or their history but yet gloat/brag/annoy when they're winning.
**I can somewhat be a bandwagon for my NBA team(s). That's the only sport I don't have a set team, it's whoever my favorite player plays for... First the Bulls, then the Kings, then the Cavs and now the Heat.
1. No problem as long as they are not rival schools. I have been a die hard buckeyes football fan since I was 10 and my older brother went there. Eddie George was my hero growing up and was almost a Tennessee Titans fan because of it. but....basketball was Kentucky when Pitino was there. I admit I was like that until Pitino left, then I started to become more of a buckeye basketball fan (about the time Matta came on board). I still followed UK for a bit but then Calipari showed up and I just can't be a fan of him at all. Sorry, I am all buckeye now. Although I do have a degree from UofL now so I kind of root for them a bit, but #1 is OSU still.
2. I don't have multiple favorites in sports. Its either my favorite team or I tend to not watch much anymore. I keep an eye out for most major sports but I bide my free time for my favorite teams as much as I can. For example, I watch buckeyes on Saturdays and Chiefs on Sundays. I also have hunnydo's that need to get done. I make the deal that I will get my things done if the wife leaves me alone during my favorite teams playing. She complies. It works for me.
I also have no issue if someone sticks with the team whether it is different teams or not. To me, a bandwagon fan is someone who changes every few years and acts like they are lifelong fans. My buddy does that and since I known him he has been a Notre Dame fan, FSU fan and now a Gators fan (his ex-wife converted him). He also roots for UM because of me, but I bust his chops on the FSU/UF switch. Just can't do that!
Now my situation is funny though. I grew up in south Florida and when I started to follow sports, I did not like any and I mean ANY of the Florida teams. The whole state was a waste on me. So my teams allegiance where bred from picking the ones I wanted. but even at a young age, I understood you pick and stick with it. That is how I ended up with KC Chiefs and the Toronto Raptors. KC is where my mother was from and Toronto was where my step father was from, plus they were a new team so I didn't want to bandwagon a previous team. Based on that, they both lose a lot. Hence why I love that my buckeyes win so often.
I root for all other State of Ohio college teams except when they're playing my beloved Buckeyes. The hell with the rest.
Pros don't matter if you are loyal to one team.
"It's just another case of there you are". ~ Doc (1918-2012)
No and Yes.
IMO, if you root for one school in one sport, you should root for that school in all sports. It is pretty nice to root for a school like Ohio State that is good at both football and basketball. But if one school is good at one and bad at the other - if you want to root for that school in the sport that they're good at, then you should also root for them in the sport they're bad it. Switching schools based on sport and how good they are at said sport is a little fair-weatherish to me, depending on how you do it.
It's certainly OK to have 2nd favorite teams. I'm a Bengals fan first and foremost, but I've always liked the Giants as a sort of secondary team. In college, I like OSU, but I sort of have a soft spot for Nebraska. It used to be bigger until they joined the B1G.
Class of 2010.
I typically have 2 in each sport, different divisions though
NFL is Browns and Panthers, when the browns left in 95 I needed a new team. have family in the Carolinas and they bought me a Kerry Collins jersey, hence my attachment to the panthers. If it comes down to a matchup, I go with Browns. Everything else depends on fantasy matchups :)
NBA Cavs and Pacers, really enjoyed Reggie and went to a couple pacers games growing up. Cavs get my vote if they play each other though
MLB is Reds and Indians. My dad is from Cleveland and the 90's teams were way too cool not to like. As i got older, I started going to a lot more reds games(I live in cincy) so developed a liking for them as well. If they play each other, I go Tribe.
NCAA Ohio State and UNC, in 6th grade my favorite player was Joe Forte for the Tar Heels, even followed his bust of a NBA career. I really did not become a OSU fan until I decided to go to college there, was always a casual fan but nothing crazy since I had no ties to it, my dad is from Cleveland and mom Cincy. Now, its 100% OSU and if they were to ever play UNC in anything i would cheer for OSU, but I still follow UNC pretty well, especially bball. Also have a soft spot for Gonzaga, but they are #3 on my list for bball teams to cheer for.
quality forum topic hail
For me, no and no.
I'm an Ohio native, moved to Virginia as a kid, but was in Ohio long enough to become a lifelong Buckeye fan. I went to small schools for undergrad and grad degrees, so I really never gave other schools much interest.
For pro sports I became a Redskin and Oriole fan, now live on the D.C. area, so I've pretty much been set in who I root for.
My sister, on the other hand, roots for OSU football, Duke basketball, Steeler (via her husband) pro football and Phillies (also her husband) baseball. Just too bandwagonish.
After a stint in the military, I iived in south central PA while pursuing my undergrad. Went to school with mostly PSU fans. My freshman year was in '94.....the 63-14 shellacking OSU took. We beat 'em the rest of my time there thankfully.
I followed Maryland basketball, especially when they won the NC in 2002, but I root for tOSU and no one else on the collegiate level.
"Success - it's what you do with what you got" - Woody Hayes
Yes, it absolutely is acceptable, but you might take a ribbing or two. It happens everywhere. Just as an example, there are a lot of Ohio State students that don't follow Ohio State basketball that closely because they grew up in Cincinnati and are the sons and daughters of people who went to Xavier or UC. Doesn't apply to everyone, some people leave it behind. But there are those who don't. I still root for UC basketball even though I follow Ohio State, too...it's important for me to have that with my dad. Now, my brother doesn't follow UC as closely anymore, and he went to both schools. So, it just depends on who you are. When I was at Ohio State I had a bunch of friends from Cincinnati who would all go to BW3s on High St. to watch UC basketball, and it was packed during the Crosstown Shootout. We had other friends who told us we suck, so there's that.
Universities are huge places that boast students from all sorts of different backgrounds. There are plenty of people at one school that root for a team from another school where they grew up. It's not a big deal.
I just want to know if it is acceptable to be a fan of more than one icon.
I keed, I keed
"Because the rules won't let you go for three." - Woody Hayes
THE Ohio State University
Icon promiscuity is not only acceptable, it is encouraged.
Football......Buckeyes and Bengals
Basketball.....Bearcats
I root for Buckeye hoops unless they play UC but I don't feel any attachment to them.
I think it stems from growing up in Cincy in the 70's-80's when UC football wasn't relevant and UC hoops was strong!
I think that it's acceptable in my situation because that is where I am from, but for the OP's friend it is NOT acceptable to be a bandwagon UNC fan!
"Because I couldn't go for 3"
I think the first point is absolutely acceptable. When I was younger I have no problem saying I LOVED UK basketball. I live in Kentucky, it's hard not to be beat over the head with it. I've been to at least 30 games at Rupp and probably more. At the same time I loved Ohio State football more so. Now, as I've grown older, I've fell completely out of favor with UK. It's probably because of people taking the program WAY to seriously. ON more than one occasion someone tried to get physical with me because, while I was a fan, I gave my opinion that was negative about the coach and direction of the team. Now I just want them to lose all the time. I still respect what the program has done and can recognize where they stand historically.
I don't have a secondary team that I would say I love, but I do enjoy for Iowa football to play well. I've been out there for a game and their fans are awesome. I had a blast tailgating there. Other teams I always root for a lesser in stature than the Buckeyes. I really do enjoy Louisville basketball a lot too. I always like to see WKU do well when they make the tournament. I have been to a few games there and it's actually an awesome place to watch a basketball game. I don't have a college though, that I am as passionate about as Ohio State.
Here's where it's a problem with me. I know a guy who loves Texas and UK. Being a UK fan, though, means in football he cheers for the whole SEC. Then when Urban came to Ohio State he said well now that they got rid of Tressel I may become a fan.
He always talks shit about how awesome UK is and how much UofL sucks, but when they played in the final four last year, he said win or lose it'll be a great day for the state of Kentucky, then he talked about how awesome of a tournament run UofL had. That's the difference to me, it's one thing to gain an appreciation for other programs whether they are great or otherwise, but it's a totally different thing to jump on a bandwagon.