Unlikely Following...

If you know me, you know I am a sport fanatic. While I follow most sports, there are just some that I follow more than others. And in those sports there are the teams I love and the teams I hate. I have always had this sort of "Top 5" list of sports teams I hate. And as I reflect on those teams, I have a very good reason for each team on the list except one. In case you are wondering my list includes (in no particular order):

1. Texas Longhorns
2. Texas Tech Red Raiders
3. Dallas Cowboys
4. LSU Tigers
5. New York Yankees

So are you wondering which team I am referring to that is on the list but in reality maybe should no longer be on the list? I can easily move the L.A. Lakers into this team's spot.

I had a realization yesterday and that made me reflect on my list and why each team earned a spot on this list. That is when I knew one team should come off the list.

So I feel I must digress a little in order for all of this to make sense. I grew up south of Houston. I watched a lot of Astros baseball with my dad as a kid. So while I am not necessarily an Astros fan today, I am not a Rangers fan. Similar situation with football. I felt loyalty to the Houston Oilers even though I was not a huge football fan as a kid. When they left Houston for Tennessee, the team just died to me. I cannot follow the Texans either, it is not the same. But because of my geographical location and family upbringing, I can never, ever follow the Cowboys. My hatred of the Cowboys increased when we moved to central Texas where EVERYONE is a Cowboys fan. It continued to grow as I got older and I feel they are a team that I could never, under any circumstance root for or follow.

So, back to my original story. The Rangers won their first playoff series EVER the other night. Their next opponent is the Yankees. A team I have on my list. However, as I was driving to work, listening to Mike & Mike talk about the Rangers and the upcoming series with the Yankees, I could not help but feel like I wanted the Yankees to win no matter what. I can't root for the Rangers....but wait, I can't root for the Yankees, they are on my hate list.

I realized then that over the past year and a half, I have slowly become a Yankees fan without realizing it. One of my co-workers is from New York and is a HUGE Yankees fan. I think our discussions about the team over the past year and a half have changed my outlook on this team. I have never met a true Yankees fan before. You know, someone that is actually from New York and grew up with the team. Not someone that chose to follow the Yankees because they win...ALOT.

I have always disliked the Yankees because I felt they "bought" their championships, but through my discussions, I have changed my opinion. Yes, they may have bought their championship, but that is the way MLB is currently set up. They have the means to take advantage of the current system and I have to say any good business person would do that.

And before I go, I will give you a brief justification for the other teams that are deservedly on my list.

Texas Longhorns: I am a Texas Aggie. Do I need to say anything else? I will never, under any circumstance root for this team.

Texas Tech Red Raiders: I went to this school my freshman year and while it was not for me, that is not why this school is on this list. It is also not on the list because they have beat us in football many more times recently than we have beat them. It is because of their fans, students and alumni. And I know that is a broad generalization, but it is the more recent students/alumni. While I was there, the "hatred" for A&M and UT was really beginning and it has continued since then. I have never been flipped off, cussed at or given grief by any school's fans more than Tech. Baylor is a close second....and they are the religious school. The "hatred" I speak of is the numerous students that are attending Tech because they were not granted admission to A&M or UT. I encountered this with over 75% of the people I met while there my freshman year.

Dallas Cowboys: already discussed, see above.

LSU Tiger: They have always been a big rival with A&M, especially when the SWC was still intact. They also have bad fans...maybe it is the hot-headed cajuns, but they are fairly unfriendly. And right now, they have Les Miles as their coach. Oh and they also had Nick Saban at one point.

I have blabbed on way to long, but now you know the craziness that goes on in my head!

Until next time...Gig'em!