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Can You Be a Fan of a School's Team If You Didn't Attend That School?

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by ima_drummer2k, Sep 21, 2009.

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Is it right to root for a school you didn't actually attend?

  1. yes

    145 vote(s)
    70.4%

  2. no

    61 vote(s)
    29.6%
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  1. ima_drummer2k

    ima_drummer2k Contributing Member

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    This comes up every year and is sort of being debated in the UT thread, but I thought I’d start a new one.

    I was looking on Facebook over the weekend and I can’t tell you how many people I saw that had “Hook em Horns!!” in their statuses. These are people I know for a fact did not go to UT. Most of them have never even BEEN to Austin.

    I usually casually pull for UT because I really love Texas high school football and I think it’s only right that the state that has the best high school football in the country have at least 1 team in NC contention every year. Since UT is the only Texas school that can seem to do that consistently, I root for them.

    But I don’t feel right about talking smack to other schools on behalf of them, or wearing their gear, or posting “HOOK EM!!!” in my Facebook status etc.

    I was talking to a friend of mine over the weekend who graduated from UT and attended every single home game during his time there. But he grew up rooting for Notre Dame. I asked him if UT and Notre Dame played who he would root for and he said Notre Dame without a doubt. I found that really strange. Too each his own, I guess.

    What is your opinion?
     
    #1 ima_drummer2k, Sep 21, 2009
  2. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    Nope, its uber lame and bandwagon-like behavior.
     
    #2 Mr. Clutch, Sep 21, 2009
  3. macalu

    macalu Contributing Member

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    I root for every team to lose except UH. The only other school I wouldn't mind winning is Rice but don't really have a passion for it. I'm not in the "cheer for them because they represent Texas (the state)" crowd.
     
    #3 macalu, Sep 21, 2009
  4. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost be kind. be brave.
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    I think it is pretty lame honestly.
     
    #4 DonnyMost, Sep 21, 2009
  5. juicystream

    juicystream Contributing Member

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    Yes you can. Most people grew up watching college football, but may not have gone to that university. I root for GA Tech, but I went to GA Southern. Since they are in different levels I easily can root for both. My dad went to Mercer and roots for UT(Lived in Austin and where my mom graduated). My brother roots for UT, and never went to college.

    I do think it is wrong to root for a school going against your school.
     
    #5 juicystream, Sep 21, 2009
  6. justtxyank

    justtxyank Contributing Member

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    Not sure why it matters really. You root for who you root for and you root for the reasons that are important to you.

    If a kid was raised watching UT football and loves it, why should going to Rice negate that for him?
     
    #6 justtxyank, Sep 21, 2009
  7. Shaud

    Shaud Member

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    How is it bandwagon like behavior.

    Bandwagon is jumping from winning team to winning team. How is this the same?
     
    #7 Shaud, Sep 21, 2009
  8. noscrusir

    noscrusir Contributing Member

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    I don't see why not. I graduated from UT but still root for the Coogs here in Houston. It's where I grew up and nice to see a hometown team win.
     
    #8 noscrusir, Sep 21, 2009
  9. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost be kind. be brave.
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    You won't see a t-shirt fan flying colors and spouting off when his team sucks.
     
    #9 DonnyMost, Sep 21, 2009
  10. SwoLy-D

    SwoLy-D Contributing Member

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    Yes, just like you can be a fan of another city or country's team even if you weren't born or live there. However, there has to be some sort of tie to the team. :eek:

    In other words, how can I be a UT fan if I don't have any tie to it? If I had an immediate family member going there, I'd probably root for them more. If my state's team is playing some other state's team, I'd root for my own state's team. If my state team is playing my CITY team, I' root for my CITY team.
     
    #10 SwoLy-D, Sep 21, 2009
  11. Coach AI

    Coach AI Contributing Member

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    I would think so. College football is such a huge commercial entity now that the exposure is generating pro sports level interest (some would argue more so). To expect it to be only about the big schools and only their students/alumni is rather limiting and unrealistic.

    And not everyone goes to these big schools, either. Let's be honest here: not everyone goes to a college on the merits of its football program. Lots of people may cheer for their Small school in whatever it does but don't have any kind of football presence to speak of.

    I don't agree with jumping from one winning team to the next, but I don't know that the two can't be mutually exclusive.

    Personally, I think trying to be angry at those folks is just weak and more about bitterness that a team you don't like is successful and has fans.
     
    #11 Coach AI, Sep 21, 2009
  12. meggoleggo

    meggoleggo Contributing Member

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    I've been friends with an "Aggie family" for years now, the siblings all grew up in B/CS, have rooted for the Aggies unfalteringly for ages, but none of the kids could afford to go to A&M. But they'll always be A&M fans until they die.


    I think to a certain extent there needs to be a certain link (geographically, parentally, etc) or a certain level of dedication, but other than that, it's not a huge deal to me.
     
    #12 meggoleggo, Sep 21, 2009
  13. Shaud

    Shaud Member

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    I have seen plenty of people who didn't attend the school but are die hard fans even if the team sucks.

    A lot of people become College Football fans before they even get to college. If you are a big time fan of a school while in middle school and high school it will be pretty hard to stop pulling for that team once you get to College if that is no the University you will attend.
     
    #13 Shaud, Sep 21, 2009
  14. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    How many of these kinds of fans actually follow a bad team? Somehow they always are following the powerhouses.
     
    #14 Mr. Clutch, Sep 21, 2009
  15. thegary

    thegary Contributing Member

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    none of you loosers who not ever went to the greatest university in the known universe can root for longhorns, they are the best. suckit, deez nutz, yeah.
     
    #15 thegary, Sep 21, 2009
  16. Major

    Major Member

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    So by this standard, anyone in the US still in K-12, who didn't attend college, or who attended a college without a football team is either lame or can't be a fan of any team in college football?
     
    #16 Major, Sep 21, 2009
  17. the futants

    the futants Contributing Member

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    I don't think it's a big deal. I root for the Texans, yet I never played professional football. I graduated from Texas, yet I still root for the Sooners and aTm to win every game except when they play "us".


    I root against Notre Dame in every contest in every sport. Always. Period. I have never even been to Indiana.
     
    #17 the futants, Sep 21, 2009
  18. HeyDude

    HeyDude Contributing Member

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    I went to U of H so I cheer for the Coogs, even though they usually stink at every sport :( I cheer for the Horns every now and then cause most my friends went to UT....I'd cheer for them more except their fans are so damn arrogant!
     
    #18 HeyDude, Sep 21, 2009
  19. oomp

    oomp Contributing Member

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    Yes. I grew up going to Iowa games, it was a family tradition. The fact that I attended a different school makes me no less of a fan.

    The whole "t-shirt fan" thing boggles my mind. "Here's a great idea! Let's find a reason to put down fans that support our team."

    How many of you have a legit tie to the Rockets? Live in Houston? Are you still a fan?
     
    #19 oomp, Sep 21, 2009
  20. GRENDEL

    GRENDEL Contributing Member

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    To me it doesn't matter if they didn't go there as long as they've always rooted for that particular team or school. It's the bandwagoners that bug me, like the massive spike in burnt orange after they won the national championship
     
    #20 GRENDEL, Sep 21, 2009
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