Need help picking an NFL team

[joeprogressive]

OK, here's the situation; ever since the Texans became a franchise I have had difficulty getting excited about them. For one, they suck and very boring to watch because of their anemic offense. Also, I have been planning to move in the next couple of years so don't have much allegiance to Houston. I was very excited to have the opportunity to either go watch Reggie Bush or Vince Young in action but since that is not happening, that has soured me more on a team that has made all the wrong moves.

I would like to follow a team that has potential, is owned by a liberal or progressive, and has character. Is there such a team? If not I'm sticking to college ball and I'll have to root for my alma mater.

I don't think I'm being a fair weathered fan because I never was a Texans fan. I just want to pick someone and stick with them. Any ideas?

[joeprogressive]

1. I realize this probably belongs somewhere else

but I am so used to posting in this forum. apologies

[Robbie Michaels]

2. The Raiders

I don't know if Al Davis is a progressive, but he's certainly a maverick that has character. They might stink right now but at least they try to improve every year. Since I was a kid, they've been the NFL's version of Ellis Island. They take in everyone's misfits and turn them into productive players. What's not to like about that?

They just picked Michael Huff of the Texas Longhorns with their first round pick! :woohoo:

Don't pick the San Diego Chargers. The Spanos family (A.G. Spanos Construction) is one of the biggest GOP donors in California.

[fooj]

3. Raiders...all the way!

Peace.

[joeprogressive]

5. Yeah, and Huff was a good pick

I always liked the Raider mystique and the enthusiasm of their fans. I don't think I'm ready to wear body armor but Oakland is a possibility.

[trotsky]

4. The Vikings' new owner, Zygi Wilf, is a Democrat.

Or at least gives generously to Democrats:
http://www.newsmeat.com/sports_political_donations/Zygmunt_Wilf.php

He's also the son of Holocaust survivors.

Try to look past their 0-4 record in Super Bowls - they have the coolest helmets (and now uniforms, I think) in the NFL. A brand new coach this year, with lots of "working class" talent like the Patriots teams of recent years.

[joeprogressive]

6. If Al Franken becomes the Senator there, that is definitely a possibility

n/t

[joeprogressive]

8. plus you gotta like a guy named Zygi

I like the idea of finding a working class team. Packers, Raiders, Browns, etc. I like to look in the stands and see ordinary people. Unlike sports in Dallas where it is yuppieville. More corporate wives than fathers and sons.

[acmejack]

14. I've been a Dallas fan since Eddie Lebaron was the QB

Dallas=yuppieville? you must be smoking the good stuff this weekend. You must be an Aggie, Joe, that would explain everything!

[joeprogressive]

15. correct on Aggie, escaped without being brainwashed

Dallas isn't yuppieville? It is home of the $100,000 millionaire. 25 year olds in beamers.

[acmejack]

23. There are 1,210,390 people in Dallas might you be generalizing a bit?

There are probably more kids in BMWs in my neighborhood(Westlake Hills) than there. Incidentally, my neighbor sent his young Aggette off to College Station in a, you guessed it, BMW 525!

[joeprogressive]

33. Sorry I don't play the PC game

Dallas is yuppieville. I've been around it enough to know and I have worked in Austin and there is a difference. You almost sound as if you are upset because I am not referring to Austin as a yuppie town. And yes there are pockets of yuppie areas in Austin like there are in any big city. Overall, in general, Dallas is a much more yuppie town. Young professionals flock there out of college because they have a pretty diverse economy of business headquarters there. Austin does not. Austin is much more liberal which makes them less yuppie. Houston is much more blue collar than either city. If you look at the definition of yuppie it refers to materialism that was born out of the 80's. The Reagan generation. It doesn't even apply to spoiled kids going off to college in a car bought by daddy. It refers to young professionals in their 20's and 30's.

If you are going to try to criticize someone for making generalizations you shouldn't throw the "you must be an Aggie" argument in there. It kind of loses credibility at that point. Notice I didn't say how can you generalize Aggies? I will be the first to admit it is a the bastion of conservative values and narrow mindedness. Does that make me Conservative? Hell no. Am I offended when people generalize A&M? Once again.....no. As Bill Maher said, stereotypes are necessary. Be secure with your personal being.

[Berserker]

27. thanks for the link trotsky

It looks like he is a Democrat and that makes me even more happy about him as the owner of the Vikings.

[mtnsnake]

7. If you're gonna let politics interfere with who you root for, then you

might as well give up sports. Maybe you could just pick a certain city you love and root for their team if you can't get into rooting for you home team. Either that or maybe you have a certain player who you love so much you just have to root for his team? Or just skip the politics and go with your heart.

[joeprogressive]

9. That's the thing, I have no favorite player

I love the bay area but have not seen many other areas so I don't want to write them off. Like buying blue, I want to root for blue if that is possible.

[joeprogressive]

11. Kind of why I blew NE off

I love their team play. They seem to get the most out of their talent but I couldn't get past Brady's Bush infatuation.

[mtnsnake]

12. This is what Bush has done to us all. By very nature of his divisiveness,

he's diminished so many of our favorite pastimes. Bush is so vile and divisive that whenever a player speaks out on his behalf, that player represents something we could never pull for. Brady and anyone like him should simply STFU about Bush, do what they're getting paid obscene amounts of money to do, and keep their neocon political preference in the back of their minds where it belongs.

Years ago, if we found out a high profile player was a Republican or Democrat, it would've mattered little. Bush has changed that perception altogether and it's sad. This is just one example of many of how he's divided this country.

[joeprogressive]

13. totally agree

If I had found out Brady voted for Bush it would have been one thing. But he has been an outspoken supporter. Just like Kurt Schilling. I loved the team camraderie of the Bosox but was very disappointed when Schilling started opening his trap. I can't root for them anymore.

[babylonsister]

10. NY Giants. 'Nuf said. nt

[NJ Democrats]

29. Yes, Go Giants!!!

Seriously though, don't pick on politics at all. That is a terrible way to pick a favorite team/player.

[wallwriter]

16. Steelers. No question. n/t

[Doctor_J]

17. Steelers are Limpballs' team

and Jerome Bettis and Lynn Swann and Terry Bradshaw are right-wing GOP. go somewhere else.

[joeprogressive]

18. agree, wrote them off years ago

I had dinner w/ Lynn Swann once. He used to be my favorite player. Can't stand him now.

[joeprogressive]

19. What's the Steeler/Limball connnection?

n/t

[Poppyseedman]

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Best defense in the league. Still a very competitive team despite some age on the team. Some very good younger players.

Cadillac Williams is going to be one exciting player

Tony Dungy is a class act who built the team, Gruden continues that tradition.

[joeprogressive]

21. I completely agee about Dungy and Gruden

however, can't stand Simms for some reason and it doesn't have to do with his UT connection. Just seems like a primadonna.

[Poppyseedman]

22. I was very disappointed when Greise went down last year

and Simms took over. My wife had to lock the upstairs windows for fear I'd jump. (Just kidding, sort of) :crazy:

Simms did however bring his game after a little bit of a rough start. It must be in the genes or something.

[Poiuyt]

24. Green Bay Packers

The only team that's owned by the community rather than a billionaire. The Packers also have tons of have tradition.

[TahitiNut]

28. Yep. They've been one of my top 3 favorite teams for 50 years.

Not only because they're municipally-owned, but because any fans that'll sell out a stadium in THAT WEATHER deserve a winning team. (That's why I often like the Bills, too.)

At the very bottom of my list is the Lions - a shithead owner and fans that just ask to get screwed again every year. Two domed stadiums (much paid for by taxes) in 30 years and still a shitty team.

[alcuno]

30. The Green Bay Packers are THE symbol of the working class

in the NFL. And Brett Favre will be back? Inconceivable!

[Blue_Tires]

31. that's what i instantly thought

[WFF]

32. The Packers are the quintessential small town, working class team

They are unique to all of professional sports

[joeprogressive]

35. All good points for GB

Blue state, fan owned, working class fans, etc. Plus AJ Hawk was a great pick. I am now leaning the cheese head route. Since I will be a living room fan, the cold won't even bother me either. I can drink cold ones while it is 10 degrees in Lambeau.

[Emendator]

25. Eagles, named after New Deal

The Philadelphia Eagles were named in honor of the symbol of FDR's National Recovery Act. The owner, Jeff Lurie, is probably more liberal than not. So you can go with them for that reason.

Ed Rendell is a big (in more ways than one, LOL) Eagles fan. He once led a section of fans at the Vet to throw snowballs at the Cowboys. If you hate the Cowboys, as all good Americans do, this is a good team to pick.

[AngryAmish]

26. Chicago Bears

The only team that counts.

[Droopy]

34. Cincinnati has the potential to be a great team in the coming years

That is if their star QB is able to make it back after knee surgery. I don't know the politics of the owner, though.

[joeprogressive]

36. I know, it sounds petty to consider that

but that's where I'm at in life now. If it isn't blue I don't want to support it at all. I will check into the Bengals owner. thanks

[Droopy]

37. I can understand that