[whitney777]

I thought it would be interesting to hear why everyone collects their favorites. Or it may be weird, but I'm bored, so this gave me something to do.

I'm from the Cleveland area, so I'm a fan of all of the below average local teams. I collect all of them.
When I was kid, Bo Jackson was my favorite player. I recently began collecting his cards again.
My football favorites are Adrian Peterson, Calvin Johnson and A.J. Green. I seem to fall in love with the players on my dynasty football team and I "scouted" these guys since they were high school seniors, planning on getting them on my team.

[jsab4807]

The only non-Clevelanders/Buckeyes (home teams) I collect are Bob Sanders and Jamaal Charles.

Bob Sanders because I went to high school with him and I'm good friends with his brother, and Jamaal Charles because he was a throw-in in a 2009 fantasy football money league trade who ended up being the reason I won the league lol

[ucffans]

I collect the Nationals b/c my sister-in-law lives in DC and we go see a game every year, but more importantly, my mother-in-law lives in Melbourne, FL where they have spring training. I go down there with my sons and we either make it to practice (my favorite) or go to spring training games.

I collect the Phillies b/c I started watching baseball in 1983. The Phillies were a good team and Pete Rose was the person I gravitated to.

I collect the Broncos b/c during John Elway's rookie year, my mom went on a business trip to Denver and brought me back a bunch of stuff (shirt, hat, wrist bands).

I was born in Buffalo, so I have to root for Boy I Love Losing Superbowls.

Tyler Colvin b/c he is from North Augusta (where I live) and my son and his little sister are very good friends.

[key2win]

Mine is basketball, mainly Lakers. When I was a kid, I just always watched the Lakers game on television and loved the way Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Byron Scott, etc played. I became an instant fan.

[sanjosefuji]

Great post... here are a list of my teams and favorite players:

Oakland A's - Grew up going to their games.

San Diego Padres - Didn't like the Giants and needed a NL team. Plus Gwynn has been my favorite player since the mid 80's.

Greg Maddux - He didn't need to overpower hitters or even strike them out to be one of the most dominant pitchers in recent years.

Jackie Robinson - Before my time... but a legend I admire.

Steve Carlton - One of the pitching greats from my childhood... plus he's a lefty like myself.

Golden State Warriors - I grew up a Los Angeles Lakers fan... but it became frustrating that they always have championship caliber teams. It sounds funny, but for me... it takes the fun out of it, if your team is expected to go deep into the playoffs every season. Plus, I love the energy at Warriors games... and they might not be a contender, but they're fun to watch.

Kobe Bryant - Like I previously mentioned... I was a huge Lakers fan. Plus he's one of the hardest working players in the game... and one of the all-time greats.

Michael Jordan - He is the greatest of all-time.

Seattle Seahawks - I went to visit my cousin Keith who was attending the University of Washington at the time (early 80's)... I looked up to him and his favorite team was the Seahawks. So I haven't looked back since.

Green Bay Packers - I grew up in the Bay Area watching the 49ers win the Super Bowl every other year. My parents are huge 49er fans... which bugged me and drove me crazy. Before they moved to California, they lived in Wisconsin (where they met & married) and were huge Packers fans. So in terms of football, cheering for the Packers was sort of something we could have in common.

Ray Lewis & Ed Reed - I'm not a Ravens fan by any means... but these two guys are fun to watch (& collect).

San Jose Sharks - Hometown team.

Devin Setoguchi - My favorite hockey player of all-time... it's a shame he was traded last Summer.

[cornwellfamily]

Not much into Hockey or NBA as being from a small midwest state (IOWA) and no pro teams I just never got into those two sports.
Now Baseball, I love the Cubs as that was passed down from my Grandfather who played semi pro ball in the 20's and 30's. He even played against some pros. His Hobby besides trying to teach me how to field and hit (neither of which I mastered) was sitting in a lawn chair on the deck and listening to his AM radio to the Cubbies (Only home day games then).
In football I just decided to stay with the Chicago theme and gravitated to the BEARS. I also got lucky to be stationed at Great Lakes Naval station (84-87) and part of the perks then was cheap tickets at the Naval Exchange in North Chicago to the Bears games, so I got to see a couple of the 85 Bears SuperBowl games!
So, I collect HOF Baseball and Cubs because of my Gramps, Bears because of ease and any players from the great state of Iowa. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Dabber]

Hello,
Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons cause I'm a homer and think you should support your local teams.
My Step Dad was a Cardinals baseball fan so I root for them (unless it's against the Tigers) as well as the 90's Braves because my friend had TBS when we were kids.
Lions have broken my heart into a million pieces but I am legitimately optimistic for the first time in years.
All Time Favorite Player(s) ?
Otto Graham because he was very generous with an autograph request many years ago. The man played 10 years and played in the Championship Game all 10 years. Nuff Said !

#1 is and will always be Slingin' Sammy Baugh. Until I was 10 years old I thought my last name was Meyer. My dad broke out of prison and got my mom pregnant before being apprehended. My Mother never talked about him and I used my Step Dads name in school because as my Mom put it, "it was easier". I didn't know my real name until their divorce and my older brother told me our "Dad" wasn't our real dad anyway. He had found our birth certificates showing our real fathers name: William Edward Baugh. I never met or interacted with my real father or any of his relatives. The only Baugh "I knew" was Sammy Baugh through highlights and commentary. Whenever I saw footage of him I tried to see if I bore a resemblance to him in hope I was connected somehow. Never found out if there is that connection but I wrote to him for an autograph when he was alive and he graciously returned the two items I sent and I have admired him for over 40 years now. My favorite card I have of him is a 2000 Donruss All Time Gridiron Kings auto #9/10 from the Hawaii trade conference. I am awestruck every time I look at it. What a great player !

[whitney777]

Good stuff guys. Thanks for the replies. Very interesting.


Chris

[azdbacks1998]

One player I collect is Mike Bibby because my high school team played his team (Shadow Mountain HS) my Junior year in the 1st round of the state playoffs. WE GOT SMOKED!!! He had like 8 dunks in the game, probably about 30 points, .....we lost by like 40 points. There we're wispers in our locker room that he was being scouted by U of A to play for the Wildcats the next year...which he did....and helped win the NCAA championship in 97' against Kentucky (the year I graduated high school). We were pushing each other to go ask for his autograph, but none of us wanted to give him the glory after getting our "you know what's" handed to us...lol

I've collected him and other U of A wildcat alum ever since!!