NFL New to NFL - Looking for a Team to Follow

[Exe Gesis]

The Cardinals will likely have a down-cycle of 2-3 years as they will look to rebuild their entire team with youth in the next few drafts, and also then build chemistry and a winning culture with that group of young'uns. But I don't know for sure their average age, they appear to be an old squad.

 

[Tonche]

If you were upset by the game we put up last MNF, then I think that suggests that you've subconsciously picked your team already

Thanks for the summary - just watched the Cardinals v Ravens replay and I think I'm sorted with the Ravens.

Suggs and Pollard are absolute machines!

 

[drd23]

Welcome to the fanbase then! The BF Ravens thread is here. If you want to talk more about the Ravens I'd suggest you google for Ravens forums as its generally pretty dead in there .

If you find one where I'm a mod (same username) for the Ravens section, then you've found the most knowledgeable Ravens forum

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Great thread.

I've always like American Football but found it hard to follow due to a lack of coverage in Australia and my own lack of understanding of the rules. I started watching late 90's-early 2000's on Foxtel but even then the coverage was still limited and due to the games being on when I was at work or uni it made it hard to maintain a following.

Over the last couple of seasons I've started following pretty intently trying to watch as many games on Foxtel/OneHD I can every week. The problem I had though was picking a team to get a bit more involved and have some emotional investment. I decided to pick a team or two to follow for a season and then re-evaluate and after a couple fo seasons see if one of them stuck.

At the start of the 2009 season I saw a Colts game and was blown away by Manning so decided to follow them for the season. I was barracking for them in the SB against the Saints but found myself actually happy afterwards that the Saints had won so I scratched the Colts off the list as I didn't feel that emotional attachment.

Some of the criteria I had was I wanted a team who had some history but not heaps of success. I also wanted someone on the rise who might be able to create their own history over the coming seasons. I'd also prefer a team from one of the northern states.

Some of the teams I thought of following at the beginning of 2010 were Philly, Jets, Bears, Lions, Raiders or Vikings. I narrowed it down to Eagles & Jets and then the Jets and followed them through 2010. I liked them because they seemed on the verge of being able to crack a SB for the first time in decades and they had a young QB who should be around for a while. They also have some other players I love watching particularly Cromartie, Holmes & LT. By the end of the post-season I was pretty much a Jet as I was stoked when they beat the Pats and it hurt when they lost the AFC Champs Game against the Steelers.

So the start of this season I've continued to follow the Jets and made them officially my team though I also have an interest in the Lions as they have a pretty young and exciting team and can hopefully have some success after years of heartbreak, particularly after going 0-16 a couple of seasons back.

One team I never really considered was the Packers - they won the first SB I ever watched in the mid-90's and for some reason I didn't like them then (Favre?). I also thought their fans were stupid cos of the cheese-head thing. After watching a couple of games last season I was impressed by Rogers and I started to follow them a bit but not support them. After their SB victory I wrote them off completely because I didn't want to jump on a bandwagon. However I then was told that they are the only team in the NFL that is owned by the members and not a franchise owner - if this were the case they will be one team I continue to follow and I figure with so many teams having one in the NFC (or two with the Lions) to follow will allow me to keep an eye on that conference. But the Jets will be my team now for better or worse.

BTW my girlfriend started watching some games as well last season and decided to cheer on the Pats because of Brady. I told her all the reasons why she shouldn't follow them but she now does probably more to spite me than anything else. So when the Jets beat the Pats in the playoffs last season it made me pretty happy, hopefully they can do it again in a couple of weeks.

 

[Tonche]

Welcome to the fanbase then! The BF Ravens thread is here. If you want to talk more about the Ravens I'd suggest you google for Ravens forums as its generally pretty dead in there .

If you find one where I'm a mod (same username) for the Ravens section, then you've found the most knowledgeable Ravens forum

What a way to cement a team choice - last gasp comeback when all hope seemed lost.

 

[trueblue_91]

What a way to cement a team choice - last gasp comeback when all hope seemed lost.

happy with your choice then?

 

[haggis823]

Im stuck i Like the Jets, Patriots, Ravens and the Saints

drd23 whats your thoughts on those nfl teams



i go for these teams in other sports

Fremantle, Newcastle, Rangers, Red Sox, Bruins, okc Thunder, LSU

 

[drd23]

I'll just list some positives and negatives about supporting each team

Jets - You'd be seen as a bandwagoner for a while (at least until you could prove that you have sufficient knowledge about NFL). You'd constantly have your QB ridiculed and have to try to stand up for him. The coach is loud and brash (which can be annoying to opposition fans), but players love to play for him. Whether that remains the case is to be seen though, as players can get tired of that sort of act. Darrelle Revis is one of the best defensive players in the league. Good defense, bad offense - you'd have to like seeing defensive struggles. Only team without recent SB success. Assuming "Rangers" are the NY NHL team, you'd have another NY team to support. Shown on FTA TV here regularly.

Pats - You'd be seen as a bandwagoner for a while (at least until you could prove that you have sufficient knowledge about NFL). Tom Brady is one of the best QBs in the league and leads one of the best offenses in the league. Has plenty of recent success (3 SB wins in the last 11 years) but are likely to decline somewhat once Brady retires. Have one of the best coaches in the game. Suck at defense, so you'd be watching shoot-outs. Fits with the two other Boston teams. Shown on FTA TV here regularly.

Ravens - See this post for why I became a Ravens fan 3+ years ago. Most of the reasons still apply. Purple fits with Fremantle. Shown on FTA TV here regularly.

Saints - Reasons to follow the Saints are pretty similar to why you would follow the Pats, except you wouldn't be known as much of a bandwagoner. Offense > Defense. Good coach. Fits with LSU.

A lot of the decision would come down to what you would want to watch - offense or defense.

In order of teams I like (and therefore would support) - Ravens, Saints, Pats, Jets


Also, why me specifically?

 

[Exe Gesis]

You'd be seen as a bandwagoner for a while (at least until you could prove that you have sufficient knowledge about NFL)

Lol, an all-purpose disclaimer.

Disagree with saying Saints would not be a bandwagoner. As shown in that analysis link from another thread, the Saints support has risen more than any team since the SB win. They're a perennial playoff caliber team now, one of the best offenses, very exciting to watch, and will remain in the hunt for a few more years. Before Drew Brees and Sean Payton, the Saints were like a Browns supporters list of long-time suffering fans with apparently little prediction of becoming the next hot young team on the rise. Now, they're like the Patriots supporters list.

 

[drd23]

Lol, an all-purpose disclaimer.

Not if you started following the Cardinals/Jags/Panthers/Browns, or some other crap team like that

 

[Exe Gesis]

Cardinals won a SB recently, they've picked up some support on BF NFL board since.

The rest for sure....until something similar happens to them.

 

[drd23]

Cardinals won a SB recently, they've picked up some support on BF NFL board since.

The rest for sure....until something similar happens to them.

Really? When?

 

[Exe Gesis]

Lol, facepalm, sorry im tired. I meant SB appearance.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Don't go Jets or Saints - We have some pretty moronic fellow fans here, and you'd get tired dealing with them.

Patriots vs Ravens.
Too close to call.

May I recommend checking out Adam Vinateri and Randy Moss highlights at New England to try and pursuade you?

Watch the tuck rule game?
Watch Superbowl 36, 38 and 39?
Watch 16-0?

 

[Galileo9]

not much love for 49ers, successful team, some good players on the way up. new stadium to be built soon. crazy coach.

 

[Galactic]

Regardless of who you end up following, I promise you this...A wild ride.

Stick around long enough and there will be incredible highs and unbearable lows no matter your teams W/L record.Any team in the NFL can become good/bad over time no matter what the status is now.

Hell,just take a look at the Bengals....Now if this was last year I would have told you they (The Bungles) would never amount to anything and this year..out come the BENGALS... a few changes and they are playing great D, an O with a better looking future and have a real shot of playing in the post season THIS YEAR. I remember not that long ago NO DET SF CIN and others I cant think of off the top of my head were most certainly not what they are now.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Yeah NFL is not like AFL. An AFL team needs 5 or 6 years to build up via drafting and youth and it's pretty much impossible to win a flag by trading. In the NFL a team can turn around their woes in a couple of years with good drafts and free agent/trades.

 

[Oakland Raider]

I'll just list some positives and negatives about supporting each team

You'd be seen as a bandwagoner

You'd be seen as a bandwagoner for a while .

except you wouldn't be known as much of a bandwagoner.

Why people worry about the bandwagoner thing is funny to me.

Watched Ice Cube's excellent doco Straight Outta LA, he says' after watching the Raiders win their 2nd SB they were the team for him . Just warms the heart and put's that 'knowing you chose the right team' feeling.

 

[drd23]

Why people worry about the bandwagoner thing is funny to me.

Watched Ice Cube's excellent doco Straight Outta LA, he says' after watching the Raiders win their 2nd SB they were the team for him . Just warms the heart and put's that 'knowing you chose the right team' feeling.

Ordinarily I wouldnt care, but there are a few prominent posters here that like to make a point of it. Plus it can be seen as being a bit of a front runner.

Im all for people picking to follow a successful team as long as they stick with them when they arent as successful

 

[haggis823]

Who's got the better future out of these team's

Bears
Raves
Saints

 

[Primetime Pricey]

Why people worry about the bandwagoner thing is funny to me.

Watched Ice Cube's excellent doco Straight Outta LA, he says' after watching the Raiders win their 2nd SB they were the team for him . Just warms the heart and put's that 'knowing you chose the right team' feeling.

Loved that doco

I remember when i was in the states back in early 90's locals told me not to buy or wear Raiders gear and i was in Texas

 

[drd23]

Who's got the better future out of these team's

Bears
Raves
Saints

Probably the Saints if you are talking about the next 5 years or so because Brees is clearly the best QB of the 3.

I'd say that the Ravens are the best drafters of the 3, so they are more likely to keep getting good young players (except at QB and WR where our FO seems to struggle at identifying and developing talent)

 

[SA1NTER]

Why people worry about the bandwagoner thing is funny to me.

Watched Ice Cube's excellent doco Straight Outta LA, he says' after watching the Raiders win their 2nd SB they were the team for him . Just warms the heart and put's that 'knowing you chose the right team' feeling.

I saw that doco. 30 for 30 I think it was.

 

[Chadwiko]

Get on board a team like the Redskins, Dolphins, Seahawks etc who will likely draft a new franchise rookie QB in April 2011, and begin the journey at the bottom with them.

I've been a Skins fan for a couple of years now, and have loved all the ups and downs (mostly downs) - but I can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel, knowing that we'll finish low this year but draft high.

 

[Chris25]

Haha, the Redskins.