The Frankish Reich Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 14 hours ago, Bakin said: Pardon the bad grammar....and I know I probably asked this question before... but how in the holy hell can a person root for the Bills (bleeding red white and blue, as one poster suggested) and still have a ‘backup’ or secondary team?? i really don’t get it. Can someone explain? Because I am an adult, not a small child. Because I realize that any major professional sports team is essentially a bunch of ringers, the vast majority of whom have no lasting attachment to Buffalo or whatever other city they may play for this season. In other words, I am a committed Bills fan, but I understand that at some deeper level this is highly irrational. Because I've long lived in another city that traditionally has had a better football team over the last 20 years - a football team that typically played meaningful games in December and January, long after the Bills were playing for draft position only. And because it is fun to watch your adopted home town's team play those types of games after the Bills are out of it. Enough? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeGOATski Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 1 hour ago, The Wiz said: I like to think of it like this. The Bills are my wife. I have a vested interest in everything they do and can either make or break me. Every other team is my side chick where I have no strong feelings about them but are good for the entertainment. And no I don't have a side chick, just making a comparison. Nice save... The Wiz Wife will be none the wiser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bakin Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 6 minutes ago, Seoul_panther said: The fact that you get a kick out of triggering people probably says something about you. My post was not meant to trigger anyone. It was a serious question. How can you be a die hard Bills fan - and still root for another team as your ‘second’ favorite team? It is bewildering. TO ME. I get rooting for a player - that I understand. Being amazed at some RB or WR or whatever. But rooting for another team? Never ever. 9 minutes ago, The Frankish Reich said: Because I am an adult, not a small child. Because I realize that any major professional sports team is essentially a bunch of ringers, the vast majority of whom have no lasting attachment to Buffalo or whatever other city they may play for this season. In other words, I am a committed Bills fan, but I understand that at some deeper level this is highly irrational. Because I've long lived in another city that traditionally has had a better football team over the last 20 years - a football team that typically played meaningful games in December and January, long after the Bills were playing for draft position only. And because it is fun to watch your adopted home town's team play those types of games after the Bills are out of it. Enough? Not really. I have lived in another town too but never faltered or front ran for another team because the Bills were out of it. So no. I don’t get it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Frankish Reich Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 4 minutes ago, Bakin said: My post was not meant to trigger anyone. It was a serious question. How can you be a die hard Bills fan - and still root for another team as your ‘second’ favorite team? It is bewildering. TO ME. I get rooting for a player - that I understand. Being amazed at some RB or WR or whatever. But rooting for another team? Never ever. Not really. I have lived in another town too but never faltered or front ran for another team because the Bills were out of it. So no. I don’t get it. What if the Bills had moved to Toronto? Would you have remained a Bills fan, no 2nd team allowed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Wagon Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Not in NFL, but grew up a fan of an AL baseball team, had a close relative work for a NL team for a long time. I'm a fan of both teams now. AL & NL cross more than they used to with interleague, but the styles feel like two completely different leagues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsSB2020 Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 2 hours ago, Buddy Hix said: Is the glaring exception, Ohio? I hope you have better taste than that, ?. No. The glaring exception is the former Wolverine who now wears number 12 for NE. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4_kidd_4 Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Loves me a “fanhood callout”. It’s entertainment, and in the grand scheme none of this really matters. Root for one team, root for five teams, to quote the wise sage Humpty Hump, “Dowhatchalike”. Do you get a loyalty bonus check from Terry and Kim for your upstanding fanhood, or do you instead get a ticket invoice and the privilege of buying $14 beers at the stadium? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orlando Tim Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 As I read mostly reasonable responses I realize how absurd the premise is- you must have total loyalty to one team. It is built on the concept that the NFL is anything more than an entertainment venture. No one sanely argues you can only like one movie studio or one genre of book. I do not begrudge somone the right to be all in but the argument you must be is absurd. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teddy KGB Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 I’ll root for Trubisky and Rothlesberger if the Bills ain’t in the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsBlue Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Easily afc team Nfc team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky Landing Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 (edited) I live in Los Angeles, and when the Rams moved here, I really tried to make them a second team that I would root for (AFTER the Bills, of course). I joined a few fan forum sites (all of which suck, compared to this one), and tried to engage with some of the fans. And, man, it totally backfired. The level of discourse between the fans was childish, and combative. A very low percentage of fans had any sort of advanced football knowledge, and most of those who did were usually jerks about it. If you think that being a Bills fan has engrained a sense of bitterness, and pessimism into your soul, you should meet a Rams fan. Seriously, they made the Super Bowl, and they're still whining! So now, outside of our division, there is no team that I want to see lose more than the Rams. I don't want to feel that way-- I just can't help it. Edited March 2, 2019 by Rocky Landing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Formerly Allan in MD Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Someone who's a die hard Bills fan may have left Buffalo and has taken a liking to their local team as well. So they root for that team until, of course, they have to play the Bills. Happens all the time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Frankish Reich Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 2 minutes ago, Rocky Landing said: I live in Los Angeles, and when the Rams moved here, I really tried to make them a second team that I would root for (AFTER the Bills, of course). I joined a few fan forum sites (all of which suck, compared to this one), and tried to engage with some of the fans. And, man, it totally backfired. The level of discourse between the fans was childish, and combative. A very low percentage of fans had any sort of advanced football knowledge, and most of those who did were usually jerks about it. If you think that being a Bills fan has engrained a sense of bitterness, and pessimism into your soul, you should meet a Rams fan. Seriously, they made the Super Bowl, and they're still whining! So now, outside of our division, there is no team that I want to see lose more than the Rams. I don't want to feel that way-- I just can't help it. Great comment. I totally get it. One of the fun things about being a sports fan is when I find out that I don't know my own mind. Dial the clock back to the late 70s to early 2000s: my (AL) baseball team was the Red Sox. Nothing was better than finally watching them beat the Yankees! 2007: they swept my Rockies in the World Series, but I still gave them a pass (it was an improbable/fantastic run for the Rockies that had to end some way.) Meanwhile, I hated the Cards. So 2013 rolls around: Cards-Red Sox World Series. I start out telling people I want the Red Sox to win. Then I watch the games and I find myself rooting for the Cards and starting to view the Red Sox like the Yankees of old. Which I still do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsSB2020 Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 I will say this; if you get a little TOO into your second team and passively follow the Bills during the down times, it'll be a bad look when you come back around if/when the Bills have success. In the grand scheme of things, do you. However, there is something unique about those of us who remain loyal through thick and thin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Frankish Reich Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Just now, BillsSB2020 said: I will say this; if you get a little TOO into your second team and passively follow the Bills during the down times, it'll be a bad look when you come back around if/when the Bills have success. In the grand scheme of things, do you. However, there is something unique about those of us who remain loyal through thick and thin. Someone needs to get out of Buffalo every now and then 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsSB2020 Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 1 minute ago, The Frankish Reich said: Someone needs to get out of Buffalo every now and then Location has nothing to do with it. I've lived in Detroit, Philly, Seattle, and Vegas. It's really none of my concern who someone chooses to root for. Just never really respected the fanhood of someone who jumps on bandwaggons. Doesn't mean I don't respect the individual. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous Guy Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 There's a whole lot of this going on in this entire thread: on both sides! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seoulofstone Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Bakin said: My post was not meant to trigger anyone. It was a serious question. Fair enough, I misinterpreted your post as taking pleasure at some of the reactions. I will say this. As an Englishman, many of our club sports were established and historically have been integral to a local community. This is a notion I can support. Links between sporting clubs and their integration and relationship with a local community right down to grass roots projects. The way sports institutions function in England is a huge contrast from a culture of franchises-even when a franchise has been based in one place for a lengthy period of time. However and this is the nerve that I think you have touched in this thread, I believe it’s a thing that people can become overly defensive and tribal about whether you are a ‘true’ fan of a particular club or not. Taken to unhealthy levels this can result as in the 1980s in English soccer in extreme levels of hooliganism and genuinely unpleasant fan environments. For me, sports should always be inclusive not exclusive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 2 minutes ago, Seoul_panther said: Fair enough, I misinterpreted your post as taking pleasure at some of the reactions. I will say this. As an Englishman, many of our club sports were established and historically have been integral to a local community. This is a notion I can support. Links between sporting clubs and their integration and relationship with a local community right down to grass roots projects. The way sports institutions function in England is a huge contrast from a culture of franchises-even when a franchise has been based in one place for a lengthy period of time. However and this is the nerve that I think you have touched in this thread, I believe it’s a thing that people can become overly defensive and tribal about whether you are a ‘true’ fan of a particular club or not. Taken to unhealthy levels this can result as in the 1980s in English soccer in extreme levels of hooliganism and genuinely unpleasant fan environments. For me, sports should always be inclusive not exclusive. That can have its upside too: F you I'm Millwall! Gotta love this guy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltonWaddams Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 I cannot say that I am a fan of any other team than the Bills in the NFL. However, I do go to Seahawks games annually and I am more interested in watching their games than any other team due to proximity and friendships with many Seahawks fans. But, I would never consider myself a fan of the Seahawks, but if I had to have a second team, that would be it. The older I get, the more allegiance I find to the Bills. I’m not sure why, but I don’t consider it a character flaw. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 5 hours ago, vorpma said: The Bills are my team, grew up during the 1960's in a family of original season ticket holders and witnessed some really great AFL games. After the Bills I root for any original AFL team except the Titans or Texans (remember the Oiler's); in 1969 the fans in War Memorial Stadium gave a long standing ovation to the world champion New York Jets in the home opener. I can hold root for the Dolphins when it helps the Bills (still remember the streak) and I don't suffer from the intense hate of the Patriots that many seem to be afflicted with. Great post by Johnny Gold!!! It's only a game, life is too short, enjoy! I was at that game as well. Jill’s carried a banner saluting the Jets. OJ’s 1st game, scored from 5 yards out. We tied them 19 all at the end of the 3rd quarter, but lost 33-19. Great memory! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vorpma Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 9 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said: Also brought the sold out crowd to its feet with a nice 55 yard run off a screen pass; last season for the AFL!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vorpma Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 21 minutes ago, MiltonWaddams said: I cannot say that I am a fan of any other team than the Bills in the NFL. However, I do go to Seahawks games annually and I am more interested in watching their games than any other team due to proximity and friendships with many Seahawks fans. But, I would never consider myself a fan of the Seahawks, but if I had to have a second team, that would be it. The older I get, the more allegiance I find to the Bills. I’m not sure why, but I don’t consider it a character flaw. Maybe because it's not a "character flaw!" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldTimeAFLGuy Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 17 hours ago, Bakin said: Pardon the bad grammar....and I know I probably asked this question before... but how in the holy hell can a person root for the Bills (bleeding red white and blue, as one poster suggested) and still have a ‘backup’ or secondary team?? i really don’t get it. Can someone explain? ..because....fair enough?......slow news day........ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elite Poster Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 The Bills are my first team and then there are a few teams I will "root for" but there really isn't an emotional attachment like with the Bills. I've always liked the Packers and Saints so in the last 25 billion years of making the playoffs twice, it's nice having someone to root for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 (edited) 17 hours ago, Bakin said: Pardon the bad grammar....and I know I probably asked this question before... but how in the holy hell can a person root for the Bills (bleeding red white and blue, as one poster suggested) and still have a ‘backup’ or secondary team?? i really don’t get it. Can someone explain? I don't. In fact if it wasn't for the Bills I wouldn't watch any American football. But it isn't a difficult concept. The Bills have sucked for decades. Someone might have an emotional attachment to the Bills based on family or having grown up in the area. But it's not unreasonable that they might want to also "root" for a team with enough talent to make a deep run into the playoffs every few years. Edited March 2, 2019 by CodeMonkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bakin Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 3 hours ago, The Frankish Reich said: What if the Bills had moved to Toronto? Would you have remained a Bills fan, no 2nd team allowed? It’s a good question and one that I struggled with at the time. As a Canadian who was living In LA I was totally against the Bills moving to Toronto. But I was a bit more warm to the idea of the Bills moving to LA (which was also rumoured), but that’s because I was living there! Naturally, I wanted the Bills to only stay in Buffalo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 I only support the Bills. There are other teams I tend to root for at playoff time generally based on players - Drew Brees is my favourite player in the league so I generally root for the Saints in the playoffs. That said when they lost a game based on an atrocious blown call I shrugged my shoulders and went to bed. If that had been the Bills it would have taken me days to get over it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Being from BUF, there's no question who I'm always rooting for. Having lived in many NFL cities; DC, Chicago, Houston (Oilers time) and Seattle (AFC West), my best memories have been at a local BILLS bar with people who are mostly from WNY too. If you're from a city that does not have a team, I can understand "adopting" another team, but don't see that working for me, ever! When we moved to the Richmond area, i expected to see a lot of Panthers fans but really, it's pretty evenly divided between Redskins & Cowboys fans so people have adopted their respective teams. I'd bet that most of the local Cowboys fans have never been to Dallas, or Texas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris heff Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 (edited) I lived in NYC in the 70s and 80s. I used to root for the Giants, but that ended with Super Bowl XXV. Unless of course they are playing the Patriots. Edited March 2, 2019 by chris heff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man with No Name Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 I was a huge peyton manning fan and routed hard for him with both indy and denver. probably starting around 2006/7. not sure. i did actually hate him before there was a need to direct 100% of my hate towards the pats. i'll admit, there have been chunks of games where my heart was deadened to the bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreggTX Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 It's Bills or never mind, but I do like to see former Bills doing well with their new teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talley56 Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 While I don’t really have a 2nd team myself I believe some people just have a different mindset and decide to have a 2nd team. I am totally fine with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay_Fixit Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 On 3/1/2019 at 8:43 PM, BuffaloBillsGospel said: Grow up kid I am grown up. I don’t pretend to be a Bills fan. Kids pretend. Grown ups don’t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 34 minutes ago, Jay_Fixit said: I am grown up. I don’t pretend to be a Bills fan. Kids pretend. Grown ups don’t. I bet you took gym class really seriously in school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stank_Nasty Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 6 hours ago, Gugny said: I bet you took gym class really seriously in school. How else is someone supposed to take it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stank_Nasty Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 (edited) On 3/1/2019 at 11:39 PM, Jay_Fixit said: Ya, but I’m gross in way that I’m not pretending to be a Bills fan. Like you are. Which is gross. Like beyond gross. I immediately think somebody is 10 yrs old or a middle aged mom that asks too many questions during games when anyone on this board says they have more than one team Edited March 3, 2019 by Stank_Nasty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straight Hucklebuck Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 How? Because the rest of the league has left the Bills behind. For chunks of time between 2000-now the Bills haven’t felt like a real NFL team - From Russ Brandon as GM, to Dick Jauron as Head Coach, to Doug Whaley’s people shouldn’t play football, to our current Head Coach trying to out-culture the league, it has led to a 24 year Playoff win Drought. Due to the Bills out-dated decision making, losing, and constant rules changes, I have cut my consumption of the NFL substantially and have no interest in any other franchise. But I have no issue with other fans looking to smarter, better teams to experience the NFL. To be a fan in Buffalo you have to talk about perpetual 5-year rebuilds and spin 6-10 seasons as “progress”. You have to accept talent equals locker room cancers and that lunchpail is the way to sustained winning. The Bills are like the Atkins Diet. When fat people started telling the rest of the world how to lose weight. A historically inept organization, constantly siphoning good-will from a 5-year window from 1989-1994. Jim Kelly endorses this Coach and QB. Buy your season tickets and merchandise today ?. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vorpma Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 11 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said: How? Because the rest of the league has left the Bills behind. For chunks of time between 2000-now the Bills haven’t felt like a real NFL team - From Russ Brandon as GM, to Dick Jauron as Head Coach, to Doug Whaley’s people shouldn’t play football, to our current Head Coach trying to out-culture the league, it has led to a 24 year Playoff win Drought. Due to the Bills out-dated decision making, losing, and constant rules changes, I have cut my consumption of the NFL substantially and have no interest in any other franchise. But I have no issue with other fans looking to smarter, better teams to experience the NFL. To be a fan in Buffalo you have to talk about perpetual 5-year rebuilds and spin 6-10 seasons as “progress”. You have to accept talent equals locker room cancers and that lunchpail is the way to sustained winning. The Bills are like the Atkins Diet. When fat people started telling the rest of the world how to lose weight. A historically inept organization, constantly siphoning good-will from a 5-year window from 1989-1994. Jim Kelly endorses this Coach and QB. Buy your season tickets and merchandise today ?. Try anger management therapy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts