How Did You Become A Fan???

[Fins4ever]

How old? Which sports and teams? Ever change and why?

Here is my story.

Born in Southern Ohio  and was raised on a farm in the early 60's (am currently 53). The Cincy Reds became my first sports team love and wanted to play pro baseball. Never even got a scholarship despite being a decent LH pitcher.

Father got emphysema from working in the WV coal mines and Doc said get out of the snow. Moved to South FL. in 1971 where he had a sister (my Aunt). Uncle was a big sports fan and a big shot. Owned 3 Chevron stations. Got primo season Dolphin tickets every year.

Yes, got to see the glory days. Dad died, got tired of the crowd and moved to Merritt Island (near Kennedy Space Center to finish college and work on The Shuttle Program.

After all these years, still love my Reds and Fins! Also support a local hockey team called the AZ. Sundogs (cool logo). They are a minor team that serves as a feeder for the PHX. Coyotes.       

[tubba marxxx]

Miami Dolphins - Born into it.  Even though I have lived in NJ all of my life (Jets country).  The legend goes like this:  My father growing up hated Joe Namath and the Jets and rooted for the Dolphins out of spite.  Miami had the perfect season, rest was history as they say.

New York Mets - Also born into.  Same kinda deal expect replace Jets with Yankees.

New Jersey Devils - As mentioned earlier, I've lived in NJ all my life. Pretty simple there.

Boston Celtics - Was a huge fan of Larry Bird growing up and (as lame as it sounds), my favorite color is green so it was something to just literally appealed to me. 

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Grew up in Mass, so I root for all the locals - Pats, Sox, Celtics, B's.

[el diablo]

Born in NJ, raised on the Space Coast.
Miami Dolphins: Dad was a Dolphins fan. So, I become one in '84. The year after we moved down here. I was 8. Been a fan ever since. Will be one until I die. Unless they move, then I become an unrestricted free agent.

Atlanta Braves: Started out as a Phillies fan in '83. Because that year we lived in eastern PA. The following summer in '84, my grandma decided that no grandson of hers was going to be anything but a Braves fan. Will be until the day I die.

Philadelphia 76ers/Orlando Magic: Became a Sixers fan in '83. Stayed one until Barkley left. Pretty much stayed a fan of his until '94. Then, I decided to root for the home area Magic. Its tough being a fan of their's now. But what can you do?

N.J. Devils: Became a fan in '83. Only N.J. team that I root for.

The U: Became a fan the infamous night of The Doug Flute Affair. Stayed with them ever since.

[Thundergod]

Born in Puerto Rico

Miami Dolphins: My father was a huge Dolphins fan from the 70's. So when I started following the NFL in '85, I naturally chose Miami.

Since I latched on to one Miami team, and there were no pro sports in Miami/S.FL at the time, I always said I would become a fan of their teams if it ever happened. A few years later it was easy.

Miami Heat: '88 came around, became a fan.

Florida/Miami Marlins: Casually followed the Mets until '93

Florida Panthers: Casually followed the N.Y. Rangers until '93

I'm big on supporting hometown teams (born). Since I wasn't born in a U.S. city, this was the best I could do.

[BigDaddyFin]

Baseball:  I saw the orignal Bad News Bears for the first time in 1987.  It put the love of baseball in my gullet until I watched steroids ruin the game.

Football:  The neighborhood kids played it and I was terrible at it for a year or so.  1989.  Then I found out I had better hands than just about all of them but I wasn't as fast and if I made up my mind that I didn't want to go down, I usually didn't.  Then in 1990 Dan Marino opened the season against the Patriots in a night game.  I'd heard about the Miami Dolphins and it seemed like being a Bills fan was a copout because everybody else already in the family was a Bills fan.  I was watching Marino and somebody (I don't remember who) said watch Dan Marino because you're going to see some shit you're never going to see from a quarterback again.  And they're right.  I've yet to see anybody play the game like that ever again, although Kurt Warner at the top of his game was close.

[Pappy13]

I was born in central Illinois in '63. I started watching football at maybe the age of 8 or 10 and I vaguely remember the '72 Dolphins, but was not a fan of the Dolphins then. You have to remember that although the '72 Dolphins are considered legend now, in '72 the NFL wasn't what it is now. The NFL wasn't an instituition in America, Baseball was America's game then. No one knew at that time that an undefeated NFL season would even be that big of a deal, everyone thought it would happen multiple times in the next decade or so, so the Dolphins weren't really even on my radar, I was a Bears fan then.

The problem with being a Bears fan growing up was that they SUCKED! You think the Dolphins suck now and have no QB, go back and see who the Bears had playing QB in the 70's. The Bears idea of a balanced attack back then was Walter Payton left, Payton right, Payton up the middle. So somewhere around the late 70's I started to root for the Dolphins, mostly because they were just so much more enjoyable to watch. They NEVER got called for stupid penalties. They always came up with innovative plays and found ways to win games that they probably should have lost. They had cool nick names like the "no name" defense and the "Killer Bee" defense. They had Shula. They had Griese. Who wouldn't root for them? In '82 they made it the SuperBowl in a strike shortened year mostly because they were just better prepared to play then most of the other teams. They lost the game, but it was still fun to watch them play.

Then in '83 they drafted this kid named Marino and I couldn't have cared less. No one watched the NFL draft back then, in fact I don't think it was even on TV. I guess a few people probably read in the paper the next day who the Dolphins drafted, but I sure as heck didn't. Then I remember watching a game on TV (Miami was on TV a lot back then even in Illinois) where this rookie comes off the bench and throws a couple of TD's and I'm like "Who the HECK is this kid and where have we been hiding him"? I watched in awe the rest of that year as Marino became rookie of the year. Then in '84 he just goes crazy and Dolphins fans are thinking that we are gonna win at least 3 or 4 superbowls over the next 10 years. That was an exciting time and even though all the Superbowls didn't come, I was still quite satisfied with watching Marino play week after week and my love of the Dolphins grew.

I still rooted for the Bears too though up till around '84 when I moved away from Illinois and moved to Texas and became only a Dolphin fan then and I was pissed that they ended up getting good in '85 and winning the SuperBowl when they never came close when I was a fan, but I loved the Dolphins then and the Monday night game where the Dolphins beat the Bears to keep their undefeated record in tact was especially fun. I had a bet aginst my brother for that game because he was a huge Bears fan and that too was especially sweet to collect on.

So I've been through the good times and the difficult times with the Dolphins. I know for some of you Dolphins fans that have only become fans lately it's been tough to watch and difficult not to be extremely negative, but have a little faith. At some point the Dolphins will return to the glory years, it's just gonna take a little longer then we all would like.

[bsfins]

Born in Des Moines Iowa August of 1975...Not sure what that has to do with anything....

Spent most of my life in Southern Missouri.

Both Dolphins,and Cubs overlap a bit...

Miami Dolphins - When I was like 6 or 7 my Cousin by marriage,that was a few years older than I am was the coolest kid I knew.He was a Dolphins fan,still is...He told me last year,the reason was he was found the logo on something and thought it was cooll.He was debating between the Dolphins and the Falcons...While the Cool cousin can only take you to about 6th grade till someone calls you out.The problem is living in Chiefs and Cowboys country (Cardinals were already heading to Arizona,Jerry Jones is from the area bought the T.V. rights in this area for the NFC team) You don't see many Dolphins games...So I mainly fell in love with them through the very few games I got to see,magazines,sportscenter,box scores,and the few highlights.

I've been told I've been to Florida,but I don't remember...So I've never been to Florida,nor seen a game in Florida...My First game to see the Dolphins was against the Rams in 2008...

Chicago Cubs - My whole family was born and raised in Chicago,My parents my Brother and two sisters.Most of my descendants came to this country through Louisiana up the Mississippi then over to Chicago.They're Bears fans,My Mom's family is mainly southsiders,south suburbs they're Football,Basketball,and Baseball...My Dads family North side of Chicago Football,Football,more football,and Hockey...My Step dad's family was football Chiefs,Raiders,and the lone wolf Dolphins fan...I wasn't close with my Chicago family,but every week my Mom would talk to her parents on the phone.Which lead to "Here Talk to your Grandfather....." I didn't really didn't have anything to say to him,I had remembered meeting him once when I 8 or 9 years old.We didn't have lot to say,How are you,how is school,the weather...Here's Mom...He was the only Cubs fan in his family,they were all White Sox fans..So He started Complaining about the Cubs...Eventually we got cable,and I watched Cubs games On WGN...Fell in love with the Bozo Show also...Wanted to go see Grandpa,and Grandma,go to the Museums,the Bozo show (play the Grand Prize Game!),and go to a Cubs game...It gave me something to get to know my grandfather...

Still haven't made it to Wrigley to see a game...

Colorado Avalanche - Fell hard for a woman that lived in Colorado,and was a hard core Avalanche fan...06-07ish...I like watching Hockey,but mainly casually...

Not a basketball fan really...I liked watching the Lakers in the 80's with Magic,Loved watching David Robinson of the Spurs play...

[Brian Fein]

I like this thread.  Nice job!

When I was a kid, my dad was a Dolphins and Hurricanes fan.  Thus so was I.  I remember going with him to see the Dolphins in the Orange Bowl.  In the upper deck, with seats with no backs.  It was a game against the Colts.  I was probably 7 or 8 years old.  Then I remember he took me to the first ever game at Joe Robbie Stadium, preseason against the Bears.  I was already hooked since I was a kid.

Outside of the Canes and Fins, there were no other pro sports teams down here until the Heat.  I never really liked basketball before the Heat, but I got really into it when they came about.  I loved the Heat ever since Rony Seikaly and Glen Rice.  But, I got kinda disillusioned with the NBA in general in '98 or '99 and completely lost interest in the sport as a whole around the early 2000's.  At this point, I watch NBA during the postseason but not much else.  I still consider myself a Heat fan (albeit casually), even though these days everyone calls me a bandwagon jumper (even my wife).

For Hockey, I never cared growing up.  Hockey was something people played up north, so I didn't care.  But in 1993 the Florida Panthers came to be, and I was all in.  It took me about 1 or 2 seasons to get fully up to speed with the rules and understanding the game, but by 95 or 96, I was all-in.  Haven't looked back since (obviously).

Baseball is a weird animal.  I was a fan of the Oakland A's as a kid.  No particular reason.  I remember rooting for them when they were in the World Series and the earthquake hit the bay area during the game (I think 1989).  After that, I decided that it needs to be the closest geographically and became a Braves fans.  After 2 seasons of casually rooting for the Braves, it became Marlins and never looked back.

[Dave Gray]

I liked the Boston teams as a kid because my sister's boyfriend (now husband) had a buddy that came over and was trying to convert me (to piss off my sister's boyfriend).  At the time, the Celtics and Red Sox were good (Larry Bird and Roger Clemens era).  They had TV coverage and Florida didn't have teams yet.  So, I kinda considered myself a fan.  That grew as I started to play sports.

For the Dolphins, my family is in to it and it just evolved naturally, as my neighborhood friends all got into it at the same time.

As we got the HEAT and Marlins, I jumped sides, but I still like the Red Sox and Celtics some, as well.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

Growing up in AZ we did not have Hockey, Football, or Baseball teams.

Dolphins - When I started getting into football at a young age I had and older cousin in California who was a huge Dolphins/Marino fan and always told me of them. I watched a couple of games with him and he gave me a Dolphins pin, I have never looked back and been hooked for life. Up until that point I claimed the Raiders as my team because that is who my Step-Father loved.  My Cousin passed unexpectedly in 1999 while I was on vacation. I returned to find out about his death and had missed the funeral. Later that year I went to see his gravesite and met up with his wife who in turn had saved a bunch of his Dolphins stuff in a box and gave it to me. I still have that stuff to this day. He was buried in a Marino Jersey.

Dodgers - The only teams I got to see regularly on TV as a kid was the Dodger as they were the closest team to AZ, the Cubs because of WGN, and the Braves because of TBS. Having family in California I naturally selected the Dodgers watched them win the pennant in 88 and suck ever since.

Lakers - Sure we had the Suns growing up here but the Lakers were always on TV and I loved showtime basketball with Magic, Kareem, Worthy and the gang. I claimed them as my team and saw them live for the first time against the Suns in 1989. Since about 1993 I have seen them live at least once every year here in Phoenix and I am a die hard to this day.

Redwings - Didn't really know that much about Hockey as it wasn't on TV much except for the playoffs when I saw a few Kings games. They had Gretzky at the time but I didn't know much about the sport. In High School I became friends with someone who is still one of my best friends to this day that moved here from Michigan and was a huge Red Wings fan. He watched Hockey non-stop and started to introduce me to the sport and teach me about it. We still did not have a hockey team here at the time so naturally I watched the Red Wings and have claimed them as my team ever since.

I do love the local teams and always root and support them unless they are playing the teams mentioned above. As many know I am a 12 year season ticket holder for the Cardinals.

[Fins4ever]

Interesting responses. Thanks for all the stories. I feel like I know you!

This ironically sort of proves a theory of mine, and that is we are at least partly a product of our environment. The doc told dad to move to either FL. or AZ. Had we moved to AZ. when I was 11, I could have turned out much differently.

I really respect the heck out of the Fin fan that has never been to FL. or been to a game. In those cases it  is usually because of Shula, Marino or 1972.

Keep em coming!!!

PS. On a sad note.....When my son was about 10 I started taking him to Fin games and watching them on TV. We even cooked pre-game meals together. I was molding a new Fin fan. I will be damn if he did not become best friends with a kid who moved to FL. from Buffalo. My KID BECAME A BILLS FAN!!!! Worse, it was in the era when Kelly, Thurman Thomas and the rest of them went to the SB 4 yrs. in a row. How sad!

I have a photo of us at a Fin game and everyone is holding out their index finger (Fins #1). My son, is showing the peace sign (Fins #2).   

[Pappy13]

PS. On a sad note.....When my son was about 10 I started taking him to Fin games and watching them on TV. We even cooked pre-game meals together. I was molding a new Fin fan. I will be damn if he did not become best friends with a kid who moved to FL. from Buffalo. My KID BECAME A BILLS FAN!!!! Worse, it was in the era when Kelly, Thurman Thomas and the rest of them went to the SB 4 yrs. in a row. How sad!

I have a photo of us at a Fin game and everyone is holding out their index finger (Fins #1). My son, is showing the peace sign (Fins #2).   

Unfortunately no one in my family is a Dolphins fan other than me. I think this mostly stems from the fact that I've been known to be in a very bad mood when the Dolphins have a bad game which lately has occurred far too often. They don't root against them, they just all leave the house when the Dolphins are going to be on. Guess I really can't blame them.

[Thundergod]

PS. On a sad note.....When my son was about 10 I started taking him to Fin games and watching them on TV. We even cooked pre-game meals together. I was molding a new Fin fan. I will be damn if he did not become best friends with a kid who moved to FL. from Buffalo. My KID BECAME A BILLS FAN!!!! Worse, it was in the era when Kelly, Thurman Thomas and the rest of them went to the SB 4 yrs. in a row. How sad!

I have a photo of us at a Fin game and everyone is holding out their index finger (Fins #1). My son, is showing the peace sign (Fins #2).   

A LOT of people become fans when that particular team is winning/popular and always on T.V. (How many F'in Cowboys fans do I know... sigh.) Permanent bandwagon jumpers. Hell, my dad is a fan of teams from around the country all because they were "good" at the time he started enjoying the sport. Unless there aren't teams where I live, I don't think I could ever do that.

[Fins4ever]

A LOT of people become fans when that particular team is winning/popular and always on T.V. (How many F'in Cowboys fans do I know... sigh.) Permanent bandwagon jumpers.
G

Excellent point. Look at all the Cubs and Braves fans they got for being on Turner Network and WGN out of Chicago practically every game.