Let's talk about how we pick our favorite teams.
1. What is your favorite team?
2. What is the closest team to you?
3. What was the first match you ever watched?
4. What was the first match you ever attended?
5. If the answer to (1) doesn't appear in (2), (3) or (4), well – how did you get here?
For (3) and (4), I mean very first. This is an informal (unless one of you mugs wants to give me a couple million dollar grant or something) survey about loyalties, and how they were formed. So we're talking about going back to childhood.
HOWEVER, some of us weren't children when our teams were formed, or when we first followed our favorite team. Hey, cheer up! I still want to hear from you! Your opinion counts! You're a wonderful human being and I value your inherent worth and dignity. You can tell me all about your favorite WNBA team if you want.
And it's any team you want – any country, any sport. Hell, you can tell me about your favorite player, if you want – if you have a story about why you're a Real Madrid fan whose favorite player is Pep Guardiola, feel free to explain. I'm not here to judge.
Here, let me give you some examples:
1. Los Angeles Galaxy
2. Columbus Crew, until FC Cincinnati takes the field
3. US vs. Czechoslovakia, 1990 World Cup
4. Sweden v. Bulgaria, 1994 World Cup
5. I was living in LA when …
You know, how about we don't conflate club and country in soccer? That'll make more sense.
1. Los Angeles Galaxy
2. Columbus Crew, until FC Cincinnati takes the field, I guess
3. San Jose v. DC United, 1996 MLS Opener
4. LA v. Metrostars, 1996
5. I was living in LA when MLS started.
Here's another potential example:
1. Germany
2. USMNT
3. US v. Switzerland, 1994 World Cup
4. Never attended a game live
5. Same reason I was a Spain fan from July 2010 to June 2014. Because I'm a front-running, glory-hunting piece of crap.
….I said *I* wouldn't judge. In this example, the respondent is judging him or herself.
Having said that – if your fandom isn't obviously explained, feel free to elaborate. "I grew up across the street from White Hart Lane," "I loved the Rams' helmets," "I married a Giants fan," "Banana slugs are my favorite mollusk's without shells," etc.
I have a theory that over the past few decades, and since the advent of cable and internet media, it's much more common to be a diehard fan of a team that plays hundreds, or even thousands, of miles away. I also have a theory that what are now known as Eurosnobs in American soccer circles has roots in the massive coverage of the Yankees in the 1920's through the 1950's, and the whole "America's Team" business the Cowboys marketed in the 1970's. So it would interesting to track the dynamic these days.
Responses, unfortunately, are mandatory. Non-compliance will result in a $100 fine. Happy writing!
(Because the BigSoccer blog comment system is, um, not the most convenient, I'm going to start threads on a couple of other forums. You can go here or here. Enjoy!)