Belly of the Whale: Picking Teams
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A blogumn by Howard Leder
This New Year, I’ve decided to shake it up a little in the resolutions department. Sure, I have the same typical burning desire to lose some weight & completely renovate my life, but I’m keeping those to myself.
This year, the resolution I’m making public is this: I’m picking teams.
I’ve decided to pick a team in each of the three big American sports: football, basketball and baseball – with an added team for college football – and then follow them for a year.
I’ve never really followed sports at all. Truth to tell, I’ve always been rather horrified by them. As a youngster, my involvement in sports tended to be kind of grudging – grudging on the part of the other kids. They would allow me to play positions like deep, deep left field, safely shielded behind someone else who was actually covering the left field duties. Once deployed to my position, I felt less than useless – I couldn’t catch, I couldn’t throw – so I would feign maladies typically reserved for Victorian ladies, like migraine headaches or a severe case of the vapors. “I think I need to spend this inning on the bench,” I’d gasp, fanning myself with my baseball glove.
But the past couple months, I watched the complete Season One of the show Friday Night Lights…and I loved it. And not just the soap opera, family drama aspect of it, but the football as well. To my surprise, I found myself getting into the competitive, nail biting tension of team, spectator sports.
Part of my difficulty with these games is I have no idea what’s going on.
I once went to a Seattle Mariners game with someone who actually understood the inner game of baseball & kept up a running commentary the whole time. It was a revelation & I found myself really following it for the first time with the eyes of a fan, beyond just he hits the ball with the bat – or in my case: he swings and misses.
This past summer as I watched the Olympics – shouting along at home the whole time – I realized maybe I could learn to like sports if I just knew who & what I was cheering.
Everyone I work with seems to have a favorite team. My boss follows the Detroit Lions. “Endless heartbreak,” he says, but he stays with them. They’re his way in, his window on the whole game. So I decided I needed a team too.
Since I don’t really know anything about the various teams, I’m basing my picks on purely arbitrary factors, like which team has the coolest uniform or the foxiest players. I’ve also decided they need to have a kind of old-guard charm to them: no expansion teams & no nouveau cities like Denver or Seattle. So Philly could work, Tampa Bay would not.
I’ve decided to solicit suggestions for teams from the Fierce & Nerdy readership. If you have an idea for which teams I should pick, please post them in the comments below. After the New Year, I’ll follow up with the final results.
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This has got to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard of in my entire life. It's like some douche bag buying a bunch Bergman films just because the barista working at the Bourgeois Pig keeps blabbing about how she gets an existential orgasm with every repeat viewing of Cries and Whispers. You're the type of moron who gets a face smashing at a football game because you don't know anything about anything. You can't blog yourself into fanship. You prick. It's insulting to those of us who have stuck with a team through thick and thin for legitimate reasons like… childhood zip codes and prepubescent, homo-erotic fantasies involving Lynn Swann. You motherfucker. Rep where you live. Rep what you know. Rep what's in your heart. You faker. You flip little wannabe fucko. Get a life and a real interest. You can go collect 70s porn, you can go watch a play or you can go listen to some emo — you suicide-reject — but you had better stay out of our sporting arenas if you know what's good for you.
This has got to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard of in my entire life. It's like some douche bag buying a bunch Bergman films just because the barista working at the Bourgeois Pig keeps blabbing about how she gets an existential orgasm with every repeat viewing of Cries and Whispers. You're the type of moron who gets a face smashing at a football game because you don't know anything about anything. You can't blog yourself into fanship. You prick. It's insulting to those of us who have stuck with a team through thick and thin for legitimate reasons like… childhood zip codes and prepubescent, homo-erotic fantasies involving Lynn Swann. You motherfucker. Rep where you live. Rep what you know. Rep what's in your heart. You faker. You flip little wannabe fucko. Get a life and a real interest. You can go collect 70s porn, you can go watch a play or you can go listen to some emo — you suicide-reject — but you had better stay out of our sporting arenas if you know what's good for you.
the celtics are where it's at!
the celtics are where it's at!
I'm actually a zip code girl myself. I still cheer for The Rams first and foremost, even though all they do is break your heart these days. But while I lived in Pittsburgh for 3 years I picked up some serious affection for The Steelers, which in my opin are the best team to cheer for even if you're not from The Burgh, as they come with clever songs and The Terrible Towel, perhaps the best accessory in all of football fandom. Also there are Steeler fans everywhere you go. Seriously, if you were in China, you could probably find Steelers fans and a bar to watch the games in. Go Stillers!
I'm actually a zip code girl myself. I still cheer for The Rams first and foremost, even though all they do is break your heart these days. But while I lived in Pittsburgh for 3 years I picked up some serious affection for The Steelers, which in my opin are the best team to cheer for even if you're not from The Burgh, as they come with clever songs and The Terrible Towel, perhaps the best accessory in all of football fandom. Also there are Steeler fans everywhere you go. Seriously, if you were in China, you could probably find Steelers fans and a bar to watch the games in. Go Stillers!
Who's Lynn Swann? I've been reading Football for Dummies, and they don't mention her in there.
Who's Lynn Swann? I've been reading Football for Dummies, and they don't mention her in there.
1st: google Lynn Swan + Steelers
2nd: etc- rams didn't make it to the Lou till our senior yrs of high school, so if you're gonna waste your cheering on a bad team under the home-town thing, why not the cardinals?
3rd: GO STEELERS!!!!!
1st: google Lynn Swan + Steelers
2nd: etc- rams didn't make it to the Lou till our senior yrs of high school, so if you're gonna waste your cheering on a bad team under the home-town thing, why not the cardinals?
3rd: GO STEELERS!!!!!
Angry needs to change his/her name to Funny.
I follow the Milwaukee Brewers, but I don't watch games on tv — live is the only way I can really get into it. I also follow the World and Euro tournaments (soccer/football) when they are happening — I don't know all that much about the sport but the drama! the foxy players!
Does your search for a college football team mean the Yeomen are out of contention?
Angry needs to change his/her name to Funny.
I follow the Milwaukee Brewers, but I don't watch games on tv — live is the only way I can really get into it. I also follow the World and Euro tournaments (soccer/football) when they are happening — I don't know all that much about the sport but the drama! the foxy players!
Does your search for a college football team mean the Yeomen are out of contention?
First I need to say that it's Angry who needs to get a life, or at least calm down…have you ever heard the phrase "it's only a game"..sheesh! That said, I have another way for you to pick teams, although a smart uniform is always a good choice but there is also the personalities. For instance I'm a fan of the Colts because I like Peyton Manning, he's fun in the commercials. I like the Giants because Eli Manning is Peyton's brother. You see how this works?! On another note, football is the only one worth watching (for me personally, no offense to all those "other" sports lovers). I've never been into those lanky boys in baggy shorts, and baseball is just excruciatingly boring, but football there's a true spectator sport!
Good luck in your quest!!
First I need to say that it's Angry who needs to get a life, or at least calm down…have you ever heard the phrase "it's only a game"..sheesh! That said, I have another way for you to pick teams, although a smart uniform is always a good choice but there is also the personalities. For instance I'm a fan of the Colts because I like Peyton Manning, he's fun in the commercials. I like the Giants because Eli Manning is Peyton's brother. You see how this works?! On another note, football is the only one worth watching (for me personally, no offense to all those "other" sports lovers). I've never been into those lanky boys in baggy shorts, and baseball is just excruciatingly boring, but football there's a true spectator sport!
Good luck in your quest!!
Howard
You need to be a Dodger fan for baseball. Going to a baseball game in the summer is one of the best things to do in Los Angeles.
Football, how about the Saints? I love them because they are always the underdog and it's New Orleans so if you ever want to go to a game it's a great city to party in. I also believe you need to have one of your teams be a looser so it doesn't look like you just route for that years winning team.
With basketball In Los Angeles everyone loves the Lakers but I would recommend the Clipers. You can always get good seats at the game and one of these years they are going to win it all.
If you want to be a true sports fan you should think about having some other sports you like to talk about. Think Hockey or Soccer. Some of my best sports experiences have been at English pubs watching soccer.
Have Fun with it it's only a game.
Howard
You need to be a Dodger fan for baseball. Going to a baseball game in the summer is one of the best things to do in Los Angeles.
Football, how about the Saints? I love them because they are always the underdog and it's New Orleans so if you ever want to go to a game it's a great city to party in. I also believe you need to have one of your teams be a looser so it doesn't look like you just route for that years winning team.
With basketball In Los Angeles everyone loves the Lakers but I would recommend the Clipers. You can always get good seats at the game and one of these years they are going to win it all.
If you want to be a true sports fan you should think about having some other sports you like to talk about. Think Hockey or Soccer. Some of my best sports experiences have been at English pubs watching soccer.
Have Fun with it it's only a game.
Angry – get a frakking life. Howard, follow the Chicago Bears – nothing beats football when its 200,000 degrees below zero.
Angry – get a frakking life. Howard, follow the Chicago Bears – nothing beats football when its 200,000 degrees below zero.
Angry makes me laugh in an uncomfortable way.
I love being a Chicago Cubs fan. You can follow them and be excited when it seems they are doing well, but experience that thrill of loss EVERY season. If you like drama and curses, follow the Cubs. Plus Wrigley is a fantastic ballpark, & being a Cubbies fan will give you an excuse to visit Chicago!
In the NFL, I am a Broncos fan, but that's only cause I grew up in CO. My only advice for you is to avoid Raider fans. They scare me. (Sorry Raider fans, please don't key my car)
Angry makes me laugh in an uncomfortable way.
I love being a Chicago Cubs fan. You can follow them and be excited when it seems they are doing well, but experience that thrill of loss EVERY season. If you like drama and curses, follow the Cubs. Plus Wrigley is a fantastic ballpark, & being a Cubbies fan will give you an excuse to visit Chicago!
In the NFL, I am a Broncos fan, but that's only cause I grew up in CO. My only advice for you is to avoid Raider fans. They scare me. (Sorry Raider fans, please don't key my car)
Howard, I think it's really cool that you're doing this. Partly because I've sort of been there;. I used to have an intellectual's disdain for sports. Actually started getting into basketball though when I was a kid in East Lansing. My step-bro Ray, who was really into it, and I would go see the MSU basketball team with Magic Johnson. He was so great he was my in to the game.
Later, out here, I followed his Lakers. And have followed them at one level or another since. One year, though, I'd been without a TV for years. I got a TV with the mission of watching every single Laker game for a whole season–82 games plus the playoffs. And I got books and I really studied the game.
Howard, I think it's really cool that you're doing this. Partly because I've sort of been there;. I used to have an intellectual's disdain for sports. Actually started getting into basketball though when I was a kid in East Lansing. My step-bro Ray, who was really into it, and I would go see the MSU basketball team with Magic Johnson. He was so great he was my in to the game.
Later, out here, I followed his Lakers. And have followed them at one level or another since. One year, though, I'd been without a TV for years. I got a TV with the mission of watching every single Laker game for a whole season–82 games plus the playoffs. And I got books and I really studied the game.
So for basketball I recommend the Lakers. Not just because they're good this year, which is a lot more fun than watching a team that's bad–including, you can learn more about how a game should be played if you're watching a great team. Phil Jackson's also one of the great coaches. And it's such a storied team, with such great history, tradition, etc. Including being bad andcoming back to great more times than almost any other team. Most teams get to be great once and then they endlessly "rebuild" but never make it. Not the Lakes. Also, because of the great rivaly with the Celtics that was renewed last year, with those two teams on a collision course again for a great finals, it's a prime opportunity.
so it's not just that I'm a Laker fan, I think I can objectively say you couldn't pick a better basketball team to folow this year.
I know nothing of football and baseball, so I can't help you there.
So for basketball I recommend the Lakers. Not just because they're good this year, which is a lot more fun than watching a team that's bad–including, you can learn more about how a game should be played if you're watching a great team. Phil Jackson's also one of the great coaches. And it's such a storied team, with such great history, tradition, etc. Including being bad andcoming back to great more times than almost any other team. Most teams get to be great once and then they endlessly "rebuild" but never make it. Not the Lakes. Also, because of the great rivaly with the Celtics that was renewed last year, with those two teams on a collision course again for a great finals, it's a prime opportunity.
so it's not just that I'm a Laker fan, I think I can objectively say you couldn't pick a better basketball team to folow this year.
I know nothing of football and baseball, so I can't help you there.