On Rooting For Different Teams

We do not have to love the same baseball teams to love each other. 

Did anyone watch last night’s exciting football games? We camped out in front of the TV around 3:00 to watch the Patriots (Yay! They won!) and then the 49ers. Sadly, only one of our teams came out on top. I was really rooting for a 49ers/Patriots Super Bowl because I knew my husband wanted to see his team win. Between us, I would have been happy to see the 49ers win the Super Bowl, even if it meant my team losing. Does that mean that I would root against the Patriots? No way. Never. I grew up rooting for the Patriots and I strongly believe in team loyalties. My husband has been a lifelong 49ers fan and I admire that about him.

Now let me tell you about a little pet peeve I have. I get so annoyed when people think that because I’m a girl my sports loyalties are not deeply rooted. After living in New York City for five years, someone actually assumed that I had become a Yankees fan. What?! Are you serious? And several people have suggested that I become a 49ers fan now that I’m married to one. Now I’m all for rooting for the 49ers because if I don’t than I really would not be able to talk to my husband at all on a Sunday. But if you think I would trade in the Pats for the 49ers you are crazy. Crazy! I do no like explaining over and over that I like these teams all the time, not just when they are on a hot streak. All those doubters obviously did not spend any summer nights or snowy Sunday afternoons with my family while we were growing up.

Now I am married to someone who has different sports loyalties than me. After living in New York for so long, I imagined that I would marry a Yankees fan and I was ok with that. It’s only a game, right? That’s pretty much true, but I miss how exciting it was to watch games in a room full of people all rooting for my team. And it makes me a little sad to think that when our kids are babies they will not wear little Tom Brady shirts (yes they will) or worse, someone will stick them in a Yankees outfit if I turn my back for too long! (The horror!)

In the end, I think it makes our lives more exciting. We get to follow two teams. And we’ve learned how to grow thicker skin when our teams are playing each other. While I may never get my kids to root for the Red Sox or the Pats, I think they will grow up with the same sense of team loyalty and I hope they see whichever team they root for win championships and, of course, lose in nail biting playoff games. (It only makes the victories sweeter!) Who knows, maybe our kids will even surprise us and become Mets fans.

Do any other ladies out there have husbands that root for different sports teams? How do you deal? If you are both fans of the same team, I am jealous! Share what that is like, please.