Who to Root For

Kuff, I think, asks the biggest question of this modern age in which we live: For whom do we root for once our team is out of the picture? Lemme tell ya, as a native and loyal Houstonian, I've had way too many years to sort this out on a variety of different sports levels.

MLB & NFL are pretty basic calls on my part. National League and AFC all the way ... with a few cavaets. My beef with the Steelers remains from the 70s. But I somehow like Bill Cowher and didn't have a problem rooting for them in their latest Super Bowl win. Tennessee is also a team I can't root for despite having some hometown pride in Vince Young. Of course, I rooted for them in their first Super Bowl ... but as a carryover for the players on the team that I still had respect for.

My baseball exceptions are far fewer. My hatred of all things Cincinnati has tapered off. The retirements of Steve Garvey and Gary Carter have only been replaced by more a far more tepid disdain of JD Drew. Normally, it takes a lot to throw me off this decision-set, but the 1986 playoff loss to the Mets was one key distinction. I recall being the biggest southern-born Red Sox fan in all of Houston for that Series. But, generally, National League all the way.

NBA ... I'm pretty fluid here. If the Rockets are out, then it becomes a quest for who the last former UH player in the hunt is. Lacking that, I'm pretty open. I'll root for any team with Steve Nash, I guess. Otherwise, the rule below generally holds.

NCAA Basketball & Hockey ... I want to know that the team that took out my team is the best one on the planet. I'm sure there's an exception or two (beyond my visceral hatred of U.T., even). But as a matter of principle, I kinda like knowing that we were, potentially, the second best if we can't be THE best. Maybe this is one of the lasting effects of watching Celtic fans chanting "Beat LA" as the 76ers cleaned them up in 1981. In a sense, I suppose my NFL & MLB criteria aren't far removed from this one.

So, World Series time makes me a Rockies fan. I'm ok with that.