What's up with fans being fans of players first, franchises second?

[QUOTE=Magic Vinsanity]I'm an Orlando Magic fan. If Howard leaves, I'll be an Orlando Magic fan, I dont follow players to other teams. Thats band wagon bullshit![/QUOTE]
While for me, I'm a Laker fan and my favorite player is Kobe so I'll still follow Kobe if he goes to a different team but my heart will belong to the Lakers if he retires. :">:lol

Quite frankly I understand what the OP is stating , but I am happy to have a forum with fans that appreciate the game , just by following a few players or player.

I stated yesterday , that more posters on this forum , need to follow about 5 players in a few game span and just watch them.

You can then see how versatile or out of balance they look to the game it's self or to their team.

Obviously it is great to follow a team or teams , but to thoroughly understand the game as well as SUPER STARS - watch them play with , without the ball , and defense , besides all transitions of the game.
(Including inbounds passes and free throws)

MJ was a thief at picking pockets during inbounds passes as well as free throws missed.. it helped me to see his genius.

I always put teams before players. Jumping from one player to another reeks of shiny new toy syndrome and just following the crowd when they all bandwagon some new player that comes in the league and is expected to be great. In the case of Lebron, its like a bunch of groupies following a rockstar all over the country and its rather pathetic.

It's easy for the player fans. They followed Jordan then he retired so they followed Kobe. Kobe bacame a b!tch so they followed Lebron, or if they were b!tches themselves they kept following Kobe. In 10 years they will switch to somebody else.

Begs the question, where will the Kobe b!tches be in 3 years?

[IMG]http://i45.tinypic.com/al4shi.gif[/IMG]

the NBA is a players league

[QUOTE=G-train]It's easy for the player fans. They followed Jordan then he retired so they followed Kobe. [b]Kobe bacame a b!tch so they followed Lebron[/b], or if they were b!tches themselves they kept following Kobe. In 10 years they will switch to somebody else.

Begs the question, where will the Kobe b!tches be in 3 years?

[IMG]http://i45.tinypic.com/al4shi.gif[/IMG][/QUOTE]
wut

[QUOTE=NuggetsFan]Fans being fans of players first, franchises second?. Seems like there's tons of people who follow players first and only blame stuff on there teammates and really only care how that player does. Kobe with L.A fans. LeBron with all the people who followed him from Cleveland to Miami. Even with not as popular players like Melo who alot of people switched from Denver to NY. On the internet seems to be guy's who simply just follow around young stars such as Beasley(only a few lol) and Mayo(not so much anymore but when he first entered the league).

Not hating on it, but I just don't understand it. For the most part franchises are around for your entire life. Clearly some exceptions with relocation but for the most part. Players get traded, sign elsewhere, retire. Just don't understand why you'd only want to root for one player in a team sport, where tons of things effect it. Even when your a fan of a team first, player second it can cloud things(Ex. Me with Lawson, not becoming to keen on Felton) so couldn't imagine how much it would it would effect your judgement if you only really wanted one player to succeed first and foremost.

So guess my questions to fans that just root for a player first, team second would be

- What do you do when said player get's hurt or retires? Just pick a new one?
- If he get's traded or signs elsewhere is it just as simple as picking a new favorite player and becoming a fan of the team he plays on?.
- What made you decide to do it?
- Are you loyal to that player no matter what? Like that StroShow guy. Or do you wait for a good player, that's legit?

Once again, not hating on it. Just can't understand the concept really.[/QUOTE]

I like players that bring something that I've never seen before. that's why I love Shaq.

It really makes more sense to like a player opposed to a team (especially cuz most fans of teams live in the same area.) At least by liking a player you are being an individual instead of going along with everyone else's cheering for the hometown team. I think you're more of a bandwagon fan to jump on the local bandwagon than you are to, say, enjoy LeBron's game and follow him around.

-Smak

I'm a fan of the game. I'll root for the Lakers over any team, but there's a lot of players I love watching. Back in the mid 90's when the Lakers were at their worst I was still a die hard fan, but Shaq and Kemp were my favorite players, and I wished they were on the Lakers.

Sometimes a fan's favorite team makes the playoffs once every decade and never has a shot of winning the title, but he/she still watches the playoffs.

The playoffs a lot more fun when one has something to cheer for... ie favorite players and/or storylines. Oh, and the NBA loves to sell their stars... I hope none of this is news to you.

Why are people fans of franchises to begin with? How do they become fans of franchises? Millions of people don't live in LA or Pittsburgh, yet they are fans of franchises currently located in those areas.

[QUOTE]No, you're stupid. We are not sitting around a table at some american bar having a few drinks talking about basketball.

we're on the internet and that gets into the BILLIONS around the world.[/QUOTE]

what? american bar or the internet? ur a idiot. either way... plain n simple

I'm from the mountains, so I like random teams- like the early 2000's Kings, the run n' gun Steve Nash Suns, and this years Clippers. For me, it's all about the players, both individually and with compelling groups.

Ask LeBron23. Dude has the nerve to call out kobe stans :lol

[QUOTE=Mr. Jabbar]Cant think of a laker/kobe fan that would switch teams if kobe is gone from the lakers.[/QUOTE]

You're right, I won't switch teams, just will no longer bother with the league.

:lol [QUOTE=d.bball.guy]While for me, I'm a Laker fan and my favorite player is Kobe so I'll still follow Kobe if he goes to a different team but my heart will belong to the Lakers if he retires. :">:lol[/QUOTE]

I'm a laker fan first when, Kobe wanted that traded I was hoping that mitch sent his ass too Toronto (even tho I knew it wasnt gonna happen) even still until this day it still annoys. My thing is if you don't wanna play on my te Deuces. Same goes with shaq thanks for the 3 rings but after he wanted out he became the enemy.

I'm just a huge laker fan 2nd generation so after Kobe I will still be a laker fan. Even if we get swept by dallas lol

I don't get that either. My favorite players are Wade, Zo, and Haslem. :lol

[QUOTE=wakencdukest]I'm a fan of the game. I'll root for the Lakers over any team, but there's a lot of players I love watching. Back in the mid 90's when the Lakers were at their worst I was still a die hard fan, but Shaq and Kemp were my favorite players, and I wished they were on the Lakers.[/QUOTE]
Right on. It is interesting to see different poster's takes on what a basketball fan [i]should[/i] be. Some even seem offended that others may attempt to like the game without suffering through low points and drudgery. I feel there are a million reasons to be a fan of basketball. Seeing players do out-of-this-world things on the court never gets old. I say being a fan of teams, players, performances, whatever. It's all good.

I've been a Bulls fan since I was a kid. I was a Jordan fan before he came to the Bulls because I am a UNC fan and I loved his play at the Olympics in 84. I was happy when he was drafted to the Bulls because I was sick of Reggie Theus and Orlando Woolridge, etc.

I was a Bulls fan then and I was Bulls fan after the second three peat (during the Artest, Brand, Crawford, Mercer, Rose - Jalen -, Duhon, Curry, Chandler, Starks, years.), I love my team and still root for former Bulls to do well no matter where they end up (except for Gordon).

The only player I'm a fan of is Dwyane Wade, partially because I think he's one of the best in the league, and the other part because I grew up with his family.

I'm a Derrick Rose fan because he's from where I'm from (Englewwod), and he made it out of there to be MVP of the league. That's an awesome accomplishment and if you've ever been to Englewood, you'd know why it's such a big deal.

If he leaves the Bulls, I'd still be a fan, but I'm still going to be a Bulls fan.

Period.

I rode with the Pistons through the teal days, stuck with them through the Glory Years, and I will continue to support them during the "JOE D MUST GO" years. Other than the Tigers (first ever pro game was a Sox game at Fenway, there is no experience like it), I will support Detroit and Michigan teams before all others, even when they are laughingstocks. It makes me sad that so few others do as well. Makes it difficult for real rivalries to form. The Kobe vs. LeBron bullshit is... well, bullshit. I want to see someone do something that sparks a rivalry like the Claude Lemieux hit on Kris Draper in the mid 90's sparked the greatest pro sports rivalry - Avs and Wings.

Until we get people who actually like teams, there is no way this will happen. As soon as the one player leaves, the rivalry ends. The Avs-Wings rivalry survived for years after Lemieux left Colorado. Such a rivalry now is just... unlikely.

The thing with these Player-fans slowly started with the Jordan-hype. Nike helped to bulid a hero to an unbelievabel extend so many guys (often those are younger people) think that Jordan won those championships alone. I think fans who grew up in the 80s you wouldn't find such thing as Player-fans. It started with the idolizing of Jordan and has gone on with Kobe and Lebron. Many guys on this board forget that Basketball is a team-sport.

[QUOTE=Semi]The thing with these Player-fans slowly started with the Jordan-hype. Nike helped to bulid a hero to an unbelievabel extend so many guys (often those are younger people) think that Jordan won those championships alone. I think fans who grew up in the 80s you wouldn't find such thing as Player-fans. It started with the idolizing of Jordan and has gone on with Kobe and Lebron. Many guys on this board forget that Basketball is a team-sport.[/QUOTE]
Yeah. People blame LeBron for quiting last playoffs even though it was not his fault. People think Shaq is the only one who won the Lakers 3 peat but Kobe was an important second option. They say it's a fluke ring because he's a second option which makes everybody else on the team has a fluke ring. Remember, there is no I in TEAM.

Because great players attract fans, not the franchises themselves.

[QUOTE=Mr. Jabbar]Cant think of a laker/kobe fan that would switch teams if kobe is gone from the lakers.[/QUOTE]

Thats because Kobe never left L.A. Had he left L.a you bet your bottom dollar fans would follow him to his new destination and cheer the new teams on. I've seen it with the Sixers fanbase when Barkley and AI were traded.

Now chances of those fans following Kobe will still be Lakers fans. But on hold.

I've been a Florida fan since I was a kid. I lived across from Miami now and root for the Heat, but I'll root for the Magic whenever the Heat get knocked out.

In my band we have one Lakers fan and one Celtics fan. The Lakers fan hasn't ever lived in LA, and the Boston fan hasn't ever even been to Boston. Don't get it......

[QUOTE=Snicklefritz]I've been a Florida fan since I was a kid. I lived across from Miami now and root for the Heat, but I'll root for the Magic whenever the Heat get knocked out.

In my band we have one Lakers fan and one Celtics fan. The Lakers fan hasn't ever lived in LA, and the Boston fan hasn't ever even been to Boston. Don't get it......[/QUOTE]

And Miami fans living in Florida hardly pay attention to their basketball and baseball franchises. Dont get that.

[QUOTE=BarberSchool]Please don't let Donald Tokowitz rain on your parade. He will ruin the Clippers' current potential (and his own long term profitability), with his own short term selfishness and short term greed. Please continue to love the game even after that piece of Scum squanders everything Blake Griffin has gifted to him.[/QUOTE]Didn't think it would end this way....but glad to see I was right back in 2011.

It's the way the NBA model is set up, that's why it's so globalized now. The real fans of a franchise would know the general history of the franchise itself. People like seeing one or two special players rather than five average guys. People like seeing one or two individuals dominate a whole squad tbh, it's the nature of things.
[IMG]http://p.twimg.com/Avhp0csCQAIBDTw.jpg:large[/IMG]

Fvck bandwagoners

Lebron fans are BETA human beings. That is all.

Let's bring the party in hereeeeee

LeBeta stans, come in.

[QUOTE=InfiniteBaskets]I guarantee there are more posters here who are fans of teams than of players. It's just due to the heavy amount of player VS player comparison threads and posts that skews the perspective.[/QUOTE]

qft

Player-first fans mostly sit around looking for the next superstar they think is going to win a lot of titles, and when they find him, they cling to his nuts until he retires. That is the LeBron homer personified.

Why does it matter? A fan is a fan. No merits of being one make one person better than the other. Why is rooting for a logo, no matter how it's run better than being a fan of a particular skill set, or bond with an individual player?

Collusion.


/thread

because it beats being a fan of a crappy franchise like the nuggets :coleman:

It can happen many ways...

I was a Dallas fan in the 80's...a season ticket holder through the dreadful 90's...

But I'm currently a bigger Dirk fan than a Mavs fan...don't see anything wrong with it.

[QUOTE=SamuraiSWISH]Why does it matter? A fan is a fan. No merits of being one make one person better than the other. Why is rooting for a logo, no matter how it's run better than being a fan of a particular skill set, or bond with an individual player?[/QUOTE]

Old thread, and read the OP. I said I didn't understand it. I don't see why it's so popular. There's no "better" way to watch sports, it's your choice. I've had favorite players, cheered for Melo for a long ass time. Players come and go, teams are around forever.

It's just crazy to me to see Laker fans or Miami fans or whatever team shit on there own players to prop up an individual. To see grown men be so dedicated to another dude and only him like there 14 years old again. You can't deny that alot of NBA fans have a different kinda dedication to individual players.

NFL doesn't happen anywhere near as much, NHL doesn't happen much at all. Don't follow the MLB but would guess it doesn't happen. People shit on there favorite players when they choke in those sports, with the NBA it's all about the player for some people.

Just think it's interesting. Guess the NBA markets the sport different and to see how effective it's been is kinda crazy. They've had alot of success doing it. Seems it started with Jordan. Once again I'm not saying it's worse or I'm not immune or better for it just something I always wondered, well 3 years ago :oldlol: I just don't get it past a certain age. I never understood the Nuggets fans who watched Denver for 7+ years and left with Melo.

[QUOTE=NuggetsFan]Seems it started with Jordan.[/QUOTE]
It didn't. Magic, Bird, and Doctor J.

[QUOTE=DMAVS41]

But I'm currently a bigger Dirk fan than a Mavs fan...don't see anything wrong with it.[/QUOTE]

So do you root for Dirk accomplishments above the team? Would you rather Dirk average 35-12-3 for the finals and lose, or him average 13-7-3 and have a team effort and win? While

I'm NOT saying anything about favorite players. I have those too obviously. What I'm talking about is when somebody cheers for an individual above the team in the sense that they'd rather see them succeed more so than the team, the people who attack teammates, franchises etc.

Not talking about you really. I'm going on a limb that you've followed them for 20+ years and when Dirk retires you'll continue to do so. That 6 years ago if Dirk was traded you would have remained a Mavericks fan and just followed Dirk/cheered for him as well.

[QUOTE=Mr. Jabbar]players come and go Franchises are forever. [COLOR=white](no pun intended Seattle fans)[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

supersonics

[QUOTE=SamuraiSWISH]It didn't. Magic, Bird, and Doctor J.[/QUOTE]

Nowhere near the same media push, it wasn't available. Jordan had his brand EVERYWHERE. As a kid when I didn't know anything about the NBA really, or could watch games I had tons of Jordan stuff, seen him on everything. The marketing/media MJ push may be the biggest thing we've ever seen in sports. It skyrocketed the NBA.