Teams

For some reason or other I have accumulated an ecclectic assortment of loyalties to sports teams around the country and around the world. Here they are with a brief explanation as to why.

Manchester United - My favourite soccer club, located in England. This was a result of a school friend who landed in Canada from Manchester. Since I liked him, I adopted his club. It is only coincidental that they are now a very decorated club in world soccer. I have been close to getting their team crest as a tatoo but have always decided against it.

Arizona State Sun Devils - While living in Phoenix, I exercised my love of College Football by holding seasons tickets to this school team. It was a great year for them and I follow them to this day, although they are not very good.

Chicago White Sox - This is the team that demands my closest allegiance. Canada did not have a baseball team until I was six years old, although I was not a baseball fan at that point. When I finally got around to being a fan, the upstart Blue Jays did nothing for me. I happened to attend a game in Chicago with some relatives, and decided at that point that the Sox were my team, come whatever. I have held true, through many lean years. In fact, the Sox sealed the deal on which graduate school I would attend.

Buffalo Sabres - An obvious choice for me. This is the closest professional hockey team to where I grew up. In fact, my father had seasons tickets to the Sabres from their initial year in the NHL. To boot, I was at a game two days before I was born. There is a hockey stick in my parents basement with the entire team's signatures from the 1976 season.

Other, less fanatical alliances:

Michigan State Spartans - I almost enrolled there after quitting school at Moody.

University of North Carolina Tar Heels - I could not live around Bill and Earl for three years and not form an attachment to this basketball powerhouse.

Chicago Bulls - I was primarily a Michael Jordan fan as a young basketball afficionado, but I refuse to change teams because they now stink.

Buffalo Bills - Yes, they lost four Super Bowls in a row, but most teams wish they could get there more than once every 15-20 years.

Arizona Cardinals - I got suckered into following this team while living in Phoenix. It became easier when they chose Jake "The Snake" Plummer from Arizona State.

Teams that should drop off the face of the earth:

Team USA Hockey - I have to pull loyalty to my birthplace and say I have nothing to do with these hockey wannabees. Bret Hull can be the traitor that he is and finish life having earned no trophies of any significance.

Nebraska Cornhuskers - The only tribute I'll give them is typing their name in the right color. The real red is in Norman.

Chicago Cubs - They are cursed worse than the Red Sox, but scores of people get sucked into their vortex of losing. On top of that, they take all of the good tickets to the great White Sox games.