Who I Root For-Team Edition

There are certain teams that it is completely clear who I root for. However, you’d be surprised how often I get asked who my favorite teams are in each sport. For the most part I can stay pretty unbiased on a lot of things in the sports world. Some of that is I’ve been a player, some of it is because I’ve called football and basketball games on the radio and I’ve learned to take emotion out of it and stay impartial, and the other reason is I just think it’s my nature nowadays. So, I decided to put it out there which TEAMS I root for in each sport.

College Football – THE Ohio State Buckeyes – I have been my entire life. As a matter of fact, for 99% of my life, they’ve been the best sports team in the state of Ohio. Then I had some High School classmates and friends end up winning a National Title for the Buckeyes on that 2002 team that broke the Miami Hurricanes. This one is the no-doubter and if you follow me at all, you know this one through and through.

NFL – Indianapolis Colts – At least in my adulthood there are very few times I’ve actually rooted for an NFL team. I could never get into the hometown Cleveland Browns for obvious reasons. I was a New Orleans Saints fan for years, but found my fandom fall off after Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, and Marques Colston left. I at least enjoyed a Super Bowl and their resurgence after Hurricane Katrina. It’s always been really hard for me to root for just one team exclusively and one set of players. I love the game too much and just want to see good football and brilliance on the field. I also don’t hate any team. However, I was told while trying to argue sports with fans, you need a team. So, I decided to come back to NFL fandom this season and originally months before the season I was going to settle on the Buffalo Bills, but got a lot of push back because I was evidently starting near the top of the mountain with a team that could potentially be a Super Bowl contender and at times is the favorite and that would just be like jumping on a bandwagon just to win. So, I went back to an old goodie that was rebuilding themselves and their quarterback position. I chose Indy because they are somewhat close to me, I love Peyton Manning, and a high school classmate won a Super Bowl playing with them and I still had his jersey in my memorabilia. Not to mention I like their simple colors and history. So, I’m all in on the Indianapolis Colts and I chose before the draft and was happy to start back up with either Anthony Richardson, CJ Stroud, or Bryce Young, and I got Richardson and love what I’ve seen so far.

MLB – Cleveland Guardians – That 1995 squad made me fall in love right off the rip! Hometown team with some big names over the years. I go to many games at Progressive Field!

NBA – Cleveland Cavaliers – As a child it was always the Chicago Bulls simply because of Michael Jeffrey Jordan, but the longer he was gone the more I came back to my hometown and started rooting for the Cavs. Once the hometown kid burst onto the scene it was solidified to root for the entire home landscape with the Cavaliers and LeBron James. It was special rooting for and seeing the end of the championship drought.

WNBA – Las Vegas Aces – I had to latch on to this star-studded affair. Especially since a former McKinley Bulldog like myself is on the squad in Kierstan Bell whom I covered during her time in High School Basketball at my alma mater.

Men’s College Basketball – Ohio State Buckeyes & North Carolina Tar Heels – The Heels have been since childhood because that’s where Jordan went, then fell in love with the program and the star power they bring. So many players in history I loved and followed all the way to retirement. The Buckeyes because it is simply the Buckeyes and I am Buckeye born, Buckeye bred, Buckeye till I’m dead.

Women’s College Basketball – Ohio State Buckeyes – The same thing applies here as above! O-H-I-O!!!

NHL – Columbus Blue Jackets – When I first fully got into hockey I was living in Columbus and the Blue Jackets were the fresh face of the league, so right up the road I had something to latch onto, and as I learned the game, and experienced their fan experience in person, it was shown to be something special and it stuck. I try to go to a few games a year still.

Soccer – Columbus Crew & Manchester United – The Crew because it is the closest one to home and it’s easier to follow and go to games, and oh yeah, they are pretty damn good. Manchester United was the first soccer love for me and I’d get up EARLY and root hard for the Red Devils with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie, Rio Ferdinand, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and David de Gea.