Major Applewhite out at U of H ?

[Mr Tulip]

Yep. Being a fan isn't a yes/no thing. It's a spectrum, and the only way to move up on that spectrum is to be tested, like rolltidefan said.

I fell into college football in general and the Texas Longhorns in particular in 1990 as a freshman. Before that, I had other things to do. Of course, I didn't know it at the time, but the 1990 season was a bright point in an otherwise long stretch of relative mediocrity. However, I identified with my tribe, and felt a loyalty. I raged at the bad and reveled in the good. I was working when Dawson made his 98 yard FG into a fresh gale to beat UVa, but I ran outta my hole yelling. I stood there through every second of Route-66. I met the team after James Brown rolled left. I tried not to break the TV when the Sooners tossed TD passes at will for, like, 5 years in a row.

Even so, I'm a relative late comer and I know it. There's many Longhorn fans that have seen better and worse. That's just the way that is.

Jerry Jones ruined the NFL for me by pulling back the covers and showing me that no one really cares about records as long as the bank account is bigger at the end.

[Gigem]

Myself I have a much more radical view of the whole thing.  You see, I don't believe in rooting for any team at all until they are winning.  Why would you waste all your time rooting for somebody like the Browns or Lions year after year while they're spinning their wheels stuck at 2-4 wins per season for decades?  You don't buy a stock low and wait around for it to go lower do you?  Eventually, even though the stock looks like a winner with potential, you realize you made a horrible mistake and you need to dump it to recoup at least some of your money.  

I feel the same way about PRO sports teams.  All the players are being paid millions of dollars (most of them), they aren't loyal to any one team (why should they be?), and sometimes it seems as if the team isn't even in step with their own fanbase.  Oh of course then you get called a bandwagon fan or fair weather fan but damn how many of you guys want to play golf on a 100* deg day or 45 deg day?  

Why should some sucky, mediocre team benefit from your support when they are terrible year after year?  By not following or rooting for a team you're actually doing them a favor, forcing them to change.  

[TexasFan]

How about Vince Young?     Another bad decision. Will he still be employed by the LHN after this? 

 https://www.tmz.com/2019/02/05/vince-young-arrested-drunk-driving/

[FearlessF]

So, I have a friend who cheers for the Pats because in his own words, he "likes to support a winner" ... 
So, for me, despite my friend otherwise being a pretty decent fellow, I can't respect this Pats thing he has.

But, am I being too hard on the guy?  

he's obviously a bandwagon fan, he jumped on when the Pats started winning
now, he could redeem himself by continuing to root for the Pats after Brady and Belichick retire and the Pats struggle
I hope he stays with the Pats after the glory years and redeems himself, but I'd bet money that he bails on them and picks up another "winner"

[utee94]

My nephew became a Ravens fan when they won the Superbowl.  He also briefly liked Tampa Bay.  He went through a couple of Giants phases, too.  You draw the conclusion.

But really for NFL teams (and other pro teams) I don't hold people too accountable for their allegiance.  Pro sports are laundry leagues anyway.  Does it make sense to like a team simply because of geographical proximity?  Or similarly, to dislike one for the same reason?

College affiliation is a lot more deeply rooted and important in my observation and opinion.  

[TexasFan]

Lose another three or four games and Texas won't be ncaa tournament bound. 

https://texassports.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball