Why Do We Love the Teams We Love?

I got in a discussion the other night with a friend while we were watching the Super Bowl. She was curious about how I became a Chicago Bears fan while living in Dallas. I had mentioned the cities I had lived in a previous conversation but forget to say that I spent part of my childhood living an hour west of Chicago.

My family lived there until the fall of 1986, which just happened to be a few months after the 1985 Chicago Bears destroyed the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. That Bears team had big personalities like Jim McMahon, memorable nicknames like Refrigerator Perry, a larger than life coach in Mike Ditka, and a dominant running back in Walter Payton. How could you not be a Bears fan living so close to the action of that team?

That conversation also made me think that our allegiances to our sports teams have very little to do with who we choose to root for. We mostly end up being fans of the teams we’re close to or our families follow. It’s rare that we actually just choose a team to root for, but I do know at least one person who did that very thing.

I’ll stay true to my Bears, though. The team was greatness and they’re still living large. Did you see the Boost Mobile commercial they were in during the Super Bowl on Sunday? If not, here it is below:

VIDEO REMOVED

I’d like to hear from you. What team(s) are you a fan of and why?

My Top 5 Super Bowl Commercials

Let’s face it. Even though the actual football being played last night was really compelling, the real reason to watch the Super Bowl is for the commercials. The early to mid 2000s saw a slump in the quality of the commercials (mostly website, beer, and movie commercials), but the last few years have seen a jump in really good commercials.

Here are my Top 5 from last night:

#5 – Snickers Game

REMOVED ON YOUTUBE

Anytime you see Betty White and Abe Vigoda getting tackled in the same commercial is comedy genius!

#4 – Vizio Forge

This commercial made me immediately regret buying a tv less than six months ago. Lots of really cool ideas/features packed into a sleek looking TV.

# 3 – E*Trade Baby Girlfriend

“Milk-a-what????”

#2 – Doritios Gym

I laughed so hard when the dude used the Dorito as a ninja star. Funny, funny stuff! Doritos made a big splash with their commercials.

#1 – Google Parisian Love

Google did an outstanding job with this spot. It was simple, yet told a story that drew you in. It showcased their products. It was true to who they are as a company. Oh, and this was their VERY FIRST TV AD EVER!!! Great job Google!

Did I leave out your favorite?