I REALLY hate people who think someone is just a glory supporter. I am a die hard Red Wings fan and have had that shit thrown at me quite a bit because they assume I just started liking the Red Wings when they started blowing out Stanley Cups.
This year is exactly 19 years since I first supported the Red Wings. 19 years ago, they were eliminated by the Leafs in the first round. 19 years ago, they hadn't won a Stanley Cup since 1955 (and didn't win until the 96/97 season, winning again in 97/98). I have a Red Wings collection worth thousands. Everything from jerseys to earrings to bottle caps to salt and pepper shakers. I literally MISS my team when the season is over. In another forum, someone told me today that we should change our avatars (he is also a Detroit fan). Hell, no, I still support my boys, no matter what. I am not ashamed of their elimination, they had an absolutely amazing post season. A real fan doesn't just shove their team away when they lose.
This is what makes it hard to be a fan sometimes. People who don't know a thing about you just assume you are hopping on a bandwagon because you want to win. I don't like bandwagon hoppers myself, those people are pathetic to me, and I certainly don't like to be thrown in that mix. I love my team to death. Just because they have had some great success doesn't mean I ride their dicks because of it. I had to live through a few years of disappointment before the cups started coming in, and we are now in our rebuilding stages, where we have old vets and young, inexperienced rookies working their way up and learning how to come together as a team and learning from their mistakes. With that, we may not win another cup until these guys get more experience. That doesn't make me want to give up on them.
People ask me 'so who are you going for now?' and my answer is 'no one'. I don't care who wins this year, really, though I prefer if it isn't Chicago or the Pens, but, I don't root for anyone but Detroit.
This year is exactly 19 years since I first supported the Red Wings. 19 years ago, they were eliminated by the Leafs in the first round. 19 years ago, they hadn't won a Stanley Cup since 1955 (and didn't win until the 96/97 season, winning again in 97/98). I have a Red Wings collection worth thousands. Everything from jerseys to earrings to bottle caps to salt and pepper shakers. I literally MISS my team when the season is over. In another forum, someone told me today that we should change our avatars (he is also a Detroit fan). Hell, no, I still support my boys, no matter what. I am not ashamed of their elimination, they had an absolutely amazing post season. A real fan doesn't just shove their team away when they lose.
This is what makes it hard to be a fan sometimes. People who don't know a thing about you just assume you are hopping on a bandwagon because you want to win. I don't like bandwagon hoppers myself, those people are pathetic to me, and I certainly don't like to be thrown in that mix. I love my team to death. Just because they have had some great success doesn't mean I ride their dicks because of it. I had to live through a few years of disappointment before the cups started coming in, and we are now in our rebuilding stages, where we have old vets and young, inexperienced rookies working their way up and learning how to come together as a team and learning from their mistakes. With that, we may not win another cup until these guys get more experience. That doesn't make me want to give up on them.
People ask me 'so who are you going for now?' and my answer is 'no one'. I don't care who wins this year, really, though I prefer if it isn't Chicago or the Pens, but, I don't root for anyone but Detroit.
