How does one BECOME a bandwagoneer?

In light of losing our poor Matte to Steeler Nation I need to know something:

How does one start to climb aboard the so-called bandwagon, how does it begin to fester in someones mind to get on board with the "next best thing"?

What drives a person to this lemming culture? What kinds of excuses fill the band wagoner's mind to convince them that it is fact "OK" to do so?

I love you Matte but we can still save you! THIS is an intervention!!!!

They were even playing on your old fave's field...I can understand routing for them for the 1 game...but to overturn to the dark side of the black and gold? So wrong!

I think the office or school you attend has a lot to do with it. KDKA is as "Yinzer" as it comes. The only way to save Matte is to get him fired. Davey and M I K E Y, that's your cue.

Ko le nd a, send the porn to his inbox.. none of that Jessica Alba / Tara Reid nip slip or anything... send the stuff you can only get in Mexico!

thebunja wrote:

I think the office or school you attend has a lot to do with it. KDKA is as "Yinzer" as it comes. The only way to save Matte is to get him fired. Davey and M I K E Y, that's your cue.

On a serious note though:

I grew up with all Steeler fans. I knew one or two Browns fans, a Raider Fan that defected to the Steeler Third Reich (sp), my brother was a Chicgo fan and HE defected to the Nazi Nation... I knew maybe two Bills fans. And a Denver fan.

Other than that.. Steelers.

When the Bills were doing well this year (5-1 before tanking) there were a bunch of Bills fans in Erie at the mall wearing their jerseys, jackets, etc. WHen they tanked it went back to a sea of black and "yellow".

Is it a social status? If youre a bandee do you get better treatment?

Yank, you just summed up my entire problem with the Yankees, Red Sox, Raiders, Dallas, and the Steelers. Its a classic problem...I will not argue with the fact that the Steelers are probably the most stable franchise ever. It isn't the team I have a problem with....it's the fans. A player tends to play the same way no matter what colors they wear, to them it is business. It is the fans that define a team. In particular bullies and bandwagoneers. Fan bullies are the guys you work with everyday and force their fandom in your face like a fat forces in the last donut... You have two choices, especially if you are low on friends, you either start to take up an interest or you hang out alone. Then there are the Bandwagoneers....these folks usually start out with a team, put they are not passionate enough about the game to really stick with one team. They change team more often than Davey has to put on that special cream..... I think that if you grow up in a town, you do reserve the right to root for that team at any given time. I even say that if you move to a city, you do have the opportunity to cheer from that team, after a signifigant amount of time passes...you cannot become a Ravens fan after 1 month in Baltimore....if after 5 years, they grow on you, fine....but at no time can you completely dissassociate yourself from your previous team...it's like a tattoo or sex with K O L E NDA, it will haunt you forever....

Well said Jack.

I can't believe I have to defend myself against this kind of abuse all the time. Davey, as I have stated a thousand times: I grew up in Pittsburgh. Therefore, I reserve the right to cheer on the Steelers at any time of my choosing.

I'm happy they won the Super Bowl...mostly because I know how much my Dad and other members of my family love the Steelers (honestly, more than I do). I do not own a Terrible Towel, but my co-workers in George bought me the Roethlisberger jersey as a gift when I got the job here at KDKA. I like to wear it because it upsets Jen.

Proximity has everything to do with it. When I lived in Erie, I couldn't help but get a little attached to the Bills. When I moved to Georgia, my love for the Buccaneers really grew. Now that I'm back in Pittsburgh..well, you get the idea.

I will also go back to my theory on sports fandom. There is really only room in your heart for one team. Everything else is negotiable. My team is the Pirates...probably always will be. Thus ends the closing argument...send this one to the jury.

Matte.. Just trade in that Bucs hat... Darth Vader (6-Burgh) has claimed your soul....

that being said:

AND IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-e-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII WILLLLL ALWAYYYYYYYYSS LOVVVVEEEEE YOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUU-UUUU-uUUUUUUU!

Of course, Carlins, this doesn't mean you are forgiven for cheering for Pittsburgh....I'm still gonna kick you in the shins when I see you next.

And I will just put the smack down on him the next time we play madden..

When 2k10 comes out... hes history and he HAS to be the Steelers.. none of this Buccaneers crap!

I KNOW WHERE YOUR LOYALTIES LIE CARLINS!

And when I beat you.. Im-a gunna GLOAT!

So Matte, I did get a little confused (doesn't take much I know). But from your explanation of how you feel attached to teams in that surrounding area where you live...(ie Pittsburgh = Steelers, Erie = Bills) so why in Georgia did you not cheer for Jaguars? That's closer than Tampa...other than that I saw the correlation.

Technically he should have been a HOT-Lanta fan if we are doing Georgia..

tml163 wrote:

so why in Georgia did you not cheer for Jaguars? That's closer than Tampa...other than that I saw the correlation.

Yank, Matte did say proximity. So, I will have to agree with Tina.

Jacksonville = 139
Atlanta = 249

One of the many Yinzer fallacies is that you have to cheer for a team in your own state. Don't follow their rules.

Tampa (Gulf) is even on the wrong coast as Savannah (Atlantic).

Tampa is also over 300 miles from Savannah. Hell, if you want to go that far why not cheer Miami (480)?

Not even close, but then again that's what makes hin a bandwagoner.

Heck!!!!

Even the Carolina Panthers (250) are in closer proximity than Tampa.

I followed proximity unknowingly..

Torontalo 88 miles to Clevelands 97 miles to pittsburghs 120 miles

dspyank wrote:

Torontalo 88 miles to Clevelands 97 miles to pittsburghs 120 miles

Ok.. its LESS funny now that the season is over Matte

Yay I was right! and about sports (well it was more about distance than sports) but i will take what i can get!

You are all a sorry bunch of losers. Why do I have to defend myself? Do you want me to put up the Pirates logo as my avatar again? Will that make you all feel more secure?

Matte Pfinisch wrote:

You are all a sorry bunch of losers. Why do I have to defend myself? Do you want me to put up the Pirates logo as my avatar again? Will that make you all feel more secure?

LOSER.

Maybe i should change mine? It could be the bills! Who is going to be the first with the new transformer avatar?

Hun, Not me! Im staying away until the movie comes out.

Go Pirates!

dspyank wrote:

Hun, Not me! Im staying away until the movie comes out.

Go Pirates!

Dave, did I mentioned I wallpapered the house in Transformer movie promos?