I need a new NFL team to root for

[downtown]

So, in the offseason thread, I have renounced my fan ties to the Cincinnati Bengals, and have declared myself a fan free agent. I think you're allowed to do this if you've suffered at least a decade in NFL purgatory, which I certainly have.

The question is, who do I root for now? Here are my rules

1) No teams in the AFC North. To matter who I root for, I will hate Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Its in my genes...I just can't change it. Switching to Cleveland is too convenient.

2) No teams that are awesome right now. I don't want this to look like bandwagon jumping (many Ohioians have jumped on the Colts, for example). A playoff team is fine, but no NFL top-tier teams. I think this eliminates Indy, New England, NY Football Giants, Cowboys and the Chargers.

3) New team should have some likeable players, be fun to watch, maybe have some history, and most importantly, real hope that they aren't going to suck forever.

I am currently *leaning* towards Carolina, with Arizona, Jacksonville, Miami and Detroit also in the running. I can totally be convinced to something else though, if one can present a compelling argument.

Convince me. Why should I like your team?

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Well, I don't know if you consider Green Bay to be top tier - they did get farther in the playoffs than the Colts or Cowboys, and should do well this year.

I think you would have to be a masochist to root for Detroit.

 

[downtown]

Well, I don't know if you consider Green Bay to be top tier - they did get farther in the playoffs than the Colts or Cowboys, and should do well this year.

I think you would have to be a masochist to root for Detroit.

I wouldn't, because of the unvcertainity at QB. I dont think people really know how good Aaron Rogers is going to be, and Brett Farve is a big question mark. If he plays again, does he play like 2007, or 2005? If Rogers don't pain out, then they're in trouble.

They do have an amazing history, and AJ Hawk, who might have been my favorite Buckeye ever though.

 

[Red Door]

The Washington Redskins:

We hate the Baltimore Ravens.
We're not top tier, but we've been making the playoffs.
Likeable players: Chris Cooley, Mike Sellers, Clinton Portis, London Fletcher, and Rock Cartwright.
Fun To Watch: Maybe, all our games are close.
History: 3 Super Bowls, the greatest rivalry in the NFL, Joe Gibbs, The Hogs, etc.
Real Hope They Aren't Going To Suck Before: An owner who will spend money to make sure of that fact, an exciting new coach, a promising QB, a damn good defense

 

[holy king]

the bucaneers!
i love their stadium

btw. if you do something like that in european football just because your team is bad, you'll never be taken serious again

 

[Darkness]

St. Louis Rams

You can hate Pittsburgh all you like. Will Witherspoons' tackle on Willie Parker broke Parkers ankle last year, which pretty much . .. .. .. .ed up the Steelers' 1-2 punch in the running game...

We're definately not top tier, but hey, we're in the NFC west, so there's still some hope for us.

Likable players: Torry Holt, Steven Jackson, O.J. Atogwe

Fun to watch: We once were the "Greatest Show on Turf", and Marc Bulger likes to throw it a lot...

History: 2 Superbowl appearances in the last 8 years, winning 1. Nice rivalries with the 49ers and the Seahawks.

Real hope: When healthy we have a pro bowl QB, WR, RB and LT, which should see some pretty nice offense (if the other parts of the OL ever get fixed).

Bottom line: When healthy: Nice, explosive offense, crappy defense. Seems just like the Bengals, you'll feel right at home. And the front office isn't too bright either, just like in Cincy...

 

[bigdog5994]

I think the vikes are gonna be pretty strong this upcoming season

 

[downtown]

St. Louis Rams

You can hate Pittsburgh all you like. Will Witherspoons' tackle on Willie Parker broke Parkers ankle last year, which pretty much . .. .. .. .ed up the Steelers' 1-2 punch in the running game...

We're definately not top tier, but hey, we're in the NFC west, so there's still some hope for us.

Likable players: Torry Holt, Steven Jackson, O.J. Atogwe

Fun to watch: We once were the "Greatest Show on Turf", and Marc Bulger likes to throw it a lot...

History: 2 Superbowl appearances in the last 8 years, winning 1. Nice rivalries with the 49ers and the Seahawks.

Real hope: When healthy we have a pro bowl QB, WR, RB and LT, which should see some pretty nice offense (if the other parts of the OL ever get fixed).

Bottom line: When healthy: Nice, explosive offense, crappy defense. Seems just like the Bengals, you'll feel right at home. And the front office isn't too bright either, just like in Cincy...

Wow, you're really right. The similarities are erie...maybe what I really want is something *different* from the Bengals. Cincinnati and St.Louis are almost the same team, only your players aren't in jail...

 

[RedFusion]

The Detroit Lions.

What could be more exciting than knowing that every year with your first round pick, you will be taking the best receiver available! Just look at the likable receivers they've nabbed in recent years, from Roy Williams to Calvin Johnson.

You also know that if one of the players starts to perform too well and gets to the pro bowl, you'll know his tenure as a Lion is just about up. It happened to Shaun Rogers and Pro Bowl wideout Roy Williams is likely gone after this upcoming season.

The incompetent management is also there for you, as only the lowly lions can make the case for being the MOST Incompetent franchise over the past 8 years. You'll get a GM paid as if he were one of the best, when in fact he is probably the worst. You'll get the crazy overpaying of players like Cory Redding and Jeff Backus. And last but not least, you'll get an owner you doesn't really care if the team wins or losses, as long as he makes money.

In summary, you'll feel right at home with the Detroit Lions.

 

[dgfred]

DOLPHINS! That way you start out at the bottom rung, and things can only
get better .

 

[downtown]

The Detroit Lions.

What could be more exciting than knowing that every year with your first round pick, you will be taking the best receiver available! Just look at the likable receivers they've nabbed in recent years, from Roy Williams to Calvin Johnson.

You also know that if one of the players starts to perform too well and gets to the pro bowl, you'll know his tenure as a Lion is just about up. It happened to Shaun Rogers and Pro Bowl wideout Roy Williams is likely gone after this upcoming season.

The incompetent management is also there for you, as only the lowly lions can make the case for being the MOST Incompetent franchise over the past 8 years. You'll get a GM paid as if he were one of the best, when in fact he is probably the worst. You'll get the crazy overpaying of players like Cory Redding and Jeff Backus. And last but not least, you'll get an owner you doesn't really care if the team wins or losses, as long as he makes money.

In summary, you'll feel right at home with the Detroit Lions.

I've debating the Lions because...
a) Jon Kitna is a compelling sports story I think, and I have fond memories of his tenure as a Bengal
b) Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams are both pretty good. Its not really fair to compare CJ with somebody like Carlos Rogers.
c) I am 90% sure that Matt Millin will get killed by an angry Lion's fan lynch mob in the next 3 years, and then they get can get back on track. Even Mike Brown changed a few things when he could see the pitchforks from his house.

I hope.

 

[cubsfan6506]

Da bears.

You get to say da bears.

It's fun to watch Devin Hester run back Kicks.

The defense will most likely be a monster again next year.

Whomps a bear's fan.

 

[LendMeYourTeeth]

Now, I know this is an American football thread (where I usually am too nonplussed to comment) but this seems just a bit too mental.

Support your local team. Or don't. Don't spend a decade supporting one team and then just go "ah, these are bobbins, I'm going to support someone a thousand miles away." Is this really acceptable in the US? I don't want to have a go at anyone here, it's just that this is totally alien to me.

 

[downtown]

Now, I know this is an American football thread (where I usually am too nonplussed to comment) but this seems just a bit too mental.

Support your local team. Or don't. Don't spend a decade supporting one team and then just go "ah, these are bobbins, I'm going to support someone a thousand miles away." Is this really acceptable in the US? I don't want to have a go at anyone here, it's just that this is totally alien to me.

Its typically frowned upon. Cincinnati isn't exactly my local team. There are actually 4 pro football teams roughly the same distance from me. I picked the Bengals when I was maybe 7 years old, for totally arbitrary reasons, and supported them.

I think I ought to be granted an exception, because professional sports teams in Ohio tend to be very bad, no matter what. Cleveland is the most cursed sports city in America...and all that heartbreak kind of builds up and bleeds into each other, and I just can't take it. There isn't even any hope for the Cincinnati Bengals. They are not going to be good again in the near future.

 

[Fifty]

The Denver Broncos

Reason 1: They are always at least pretty good, and often enough they are awesome.

Reason 2: They just came off a crap year so you won't be a bandwagon jumper

Reason 3: A lot of people think Jay Cutler is going to be molded into something really good.

Reason 4: They have a lot of rivalries, or at least a lot of people hate them, which makes for more fun sports watching (wtf is the point when your team is just completely benign and everyone is neutral toward them)

Reason 5: They are different than the Bengels.

Reason 6: They also feature the color orange, thus lessening the transitional confusion as your eyes strain to learn to recognize new colors (ok maybe this reason is a bit of a stretch )

Reason 7: Fifty is a fan of them, and Fifty has never and will never steer you wrong on anything.

And the biggest most overriding reason of all:

Spoiler :

JOHN ELWAY!!

There are so many reasons that the mere fact that John Elway was a Bronco should make you a Bronco fan, it is almost unfair to other teams. He is indisputably the coolest football player ever. Why?

1. He is one of the best quarterbacks ever.
2. He is smart as hell (econ degree from Stanford)
3. He looks like a horse and he played for a team that's mascot is horse.
4. He's ugly in general. Great quarterbacks should be ugly (which is why Tom Brady is not a great quarterback and never will be unless someone pours acid on his face or something).
5. Instead of sitting on his ass being a jerk for his post-retirement life, he owns like 23503252 car dealerships.
6. According to those commercials for the Vortex football, he is the furthest throwing quarterback ever. Remember what impressed you about quarterbacks when you were a little boy before you actually knew anything about football? That's right: how far they can throw. Go back to your kiddish roots.
7. He won them some Superbowls, so the team in general has a legit legacy.
8. He's so freaking good at everything that when he was drafted by the Colts, he just told them to trade him or go to hell because he didn't want to play with them. If they had said no, he would have just become a professional baseball player. HE DOESN'T TAKE NO GUFF FROM NOBODY.
9. FIFTY LOVES HIM.

 

[Azale]

I would say the Dolphins, but Fifty made a pretty compelling case for the Broncos.


But you know what's going to happen. The Bengals are going 12-4 next year

 

[jeps]

3) New team should have some likeable players, be fun to watch, maybe have some history, and most importantly, real hope that they aren't going to suck forever.

Broncos and Jags.

I am now 100% a jags fan, before the season I wasnt. Difference from me and all BW jumpers is I never get off (*).

Broncos: Have potential. Brandon Marshall can do very well as a receiver. Jay Cutler is getting better all the time. Champ Bailey is THE best CB in the NFL. Jason Elam singlehandedly won at least 3 games for us last season (that scramble was amazing.). We had MAJOR injury problems last year (Walker, Henry especially), but have potential. We have history: 6 super bowls, 2 victories, JOHN ELWAY, TERRELL DAVIS, etc.

We are in the AFC West, where EVERY division game is intense and very hard. and from 2002-2005, each team won the division once, showing that they ALL have a chance.

Also, fifty tells you to join us and support them. Go for it.

 

[Bestbank Tiger]

Here's one you might want to consider: the New Orleans Saints.

No bandwagon, because they've only won 2 playoff games in their 40-plus year history. Fun to watch--Drew Brees, Reggie Bush (marquee players), Marques Colston (seventh round draft pick who made the team and became one of the league's top rookies), carrying the hopes of a devastated city.

Hope for the future--their one glaring weakness was their secondary, and that's being addressed in free agency.

Now, you should be rooting for the other black and gold team, but you already said they were out of the question.

 

[illram]

Personally, there needs to be some sort of connection with the team and my history to find it interesting. Where you might have lived in the past, your families teams, favorite teams of friends. Something to make it interesting and make you emotionally invested, as opposed to something like trying to pick a new car. That way when you win it really means something.

My best advice would be: don't give up on your hometown team! The more you lose, the sweeter it is when you win.

 

[Darkness]

Support your local team.

Difficult for me, considering Rotterdam doesn't have an NFL team...


@Downtown: Change is over-rated, really...