As a young lad living in Peoria IL (at the time) I bonded with my dad one way and one way only.... WATCHING FOOTBALL!! Whilst these bonding sessions took place I learned two things early on root for the Hawkeyes and NEVER EVER root for Penn State. Paul Brown once famously said "when you have a hero when you are 12 years old, he is the hero for the rest of your life"; I was 6 years old at the time and my two heroes were hands down Tavian Banks and Tim Dwight of the Iowa Hawkeyes. In fact my first memory of watching a football game with my dad was Dwight's punt return which is still infamous to this day. Then one day I went downstairs to join my dad watching football, I asked "Dad is Iowa playing? "No, these are the pros" I inquired "What are pros?" He replied "Its where Tim Dwight will go after he leaves Iowa" Then along comes January 1997 and every adult is talking about the SUPER BOWL! I still remember earlier that year my dad bought me my first football and it had a big green 'G' on it with yellow and white, of course, it was a Green Bay Packers football. Then comes Super Bowl XXXI and its the Packers v Patriots ( since my mother was from New England I early on decided that I would NEVER EVER root for them...I saw it as a girls team) The Packers went on to win that game and I was ecstatic the very first game that I sat down and watched every play... was the SUPER BOWL and my team won!!
Later that spring football was a long distant memory to a young kid like myself, we ended up moving that sleep suburb in Peoria, all the way down south to Greensboro, NC! Just in time for a new school year and more football. The next season came and went, all the while I claimed allegiance to the Green Bay Packers, while still rooting for my heroes Tim Dwight and Tavian Banks, finally it was time... Another Super Bowl! And my team was in it again!! I remember pretending to be Brett Favre and tossing the ball to my self in the backyard, imagining to be catching the game-winning pass or tossing the game-winning throw ( however you want to look at it) This time the Packers would be playing...the Denver Broncos. I could not wait for the game to start, I was so excited. Finally, I sat down with my dad and watched the Super Bowl...waiting for the Packers to take control and win the game... after all... isn't that what they did? But it never came, it was John Elway's day, and I cried like a little 7 year old does (for hours).
Once again spring came, and I was busy catching frogs and fighting with friends to decide who got to be Michael Jordan in pick up games. Then, the news came... Tim Dwight was an Atlanta Falcon and Tavaian Banks was a Jacksonville Jaguar!!!! Since the Packers lost it was very easy for a young wee lad like me to switch allegiance very quickly and lucky for me I had two teams to root for that year! As the year progressed Tavian Banks was clearly outclassed by fellow running back Fred Taylor, however, Tim Dwight was excelling at returning punts.. as he always had. I watched the Falcons all season, and remember very vividly the phenomenon of the "Dirty Bird Dance". Once again the playoffs came and both of my teams were in the race, I had to win!! Unfortunately, the Jaguars would stumble to the Jets... But the Falcons beat the invincible Vikings! And they were going to the Super Bowl!! The Falcons with Tim Dwight were going to the Superbowl!! It was a blowout by the end of the first half... But I still remember that Kickoff Return!
Once again, the Broncos broke my little kid heart. As time went on I followed the Falcons as much as I could... Then....Tim Dwight was traded to the Chargers and since he later went to the Patriots (girls team) I was sticking to my guns and my team ever since. In 2006 Tomlinson broke the touchdown record against who?
DAMN RIGHT!! The Denver Donkeys!! Oh, revenge is best served on a cold dish.... I loved it and over the next few years, I watched my team absolutely embarrass my childhood demons! I remember Jay Cutler being mocked by Rivers and Phillips on a Monday Night Game and so many, too many blowouts. But along the way, two familiar foes from my football past returned to spoil the mood... The New York Jets and the New England Patriots (girls team).. but all was still well... because the Bolts had had the Colts number in the playoffs, or another way of putting it... Rivers and the Chargers had Peyton's number. Over the next few years a few bolts shamed themselves and converted to the Broncos (Jamal Williams, Shaun Phillips, and Quentin Jammer)... Then a Colt made his way to Denver.... Peyton Manning... It was no big deal though... after all Peyton had never beaten Phillip Rivers Head to head...I guess the Chargers just have two extra wins each year now.... nope!!! That S.O.B Managed to get his revenge on Rivers in the playoffs during the divisional round.... Son of a bitch... Luckily that dork ran into a buzzsaw out of Seattle... I had no sympathy. But two years later, the Broncos managed to pull a hat trick and defeat the 15-1 Panthers... it was enough that they had broken my heart my entire childhood... But to beat the team from my home state was just too much. I Hate Them, and now all who read know why. Luckily the Chargers got theirs this year and handed the Broncos their first shutout since the 90's, I think the tables are turning once again... but if you don't have a team to hate... how much can you really love your team?
What is the story of your love or hate for a team? If you feel like writing the story or just sharing briefly be sure to include me, I love reading and hearing about such things...
