[estuapped]

Living here in Indiana I find this to be very true. Most of the folks cheering on the Colts wouldn't think about wearing a Colts hat or shirt if they weren't in the playoffs. It is especially funny considering it was written by a high school student...

Go ahead and cheer during the Super Bowl, but don’t pretend to be something you’re not

While most of Indiana experienced a state of jubilance following the Colts’ victory on Sunday, I was left with a slight sense of rage. The rage was not derived from the fact that the Colts had gained a spot in the Super Bowl, but that I now would have to put up with everything that occurs when the hometown team makes a Super Bowl.
When a team achieves success like that of the Colts, its fan base grows. It is this growth in the fan base that irritates me. As an avid fan of the Chicago Cubs and IU football, I have a deep hatred of the fair-weather fan. To me, the fan and sports share a special bond — one that grows from loyalty and faith. Fans are rewarded for their loyalty with success, and the team’s success is rewarded with continued loyalty.
Before I continue, I think it is important to point out that I am an Eagles fan, not a Colts fan. While it is true that many people are genuine Colts fans, reaching the Super Bowl turns people who have never cared about football into the most hardcore Colts fans overnight. I need no further evidence for this claim than the countless conversations I heard on Monday following the AFC Championship that all fell along these lines:
Jim: “Hey, Bob, did you watch the game?”
Bob: “Yeah, it was awesome.”
Jim: “I know. I watched the whole game, and I hate football … I’m so pumped we’re going to the Super Bowl.”
Bob: “Yeah, no one in my house really watches football, but we’re pumped about this Super Bowl, since we’re going to win.”
Now, I have no problem with a person who doesn’t watch football watching the Super Bowl, and I have no problem with them picking a team to root for, but for a person who never watches the team to associate themselves with a team by saying “we” is the most aggravating thing on the planet.
Not only do these so-called fans associate with a team they have no loyalty to except for hometown affiliation; they also wear Colts paraphernalia they probably did not own until it appeared as if the team was headed for the Super Bowl — and they don’t understand how people could not be Colts fans.
Unlike true blue fans, who understand loyalty to another team even if they don’t agree with it, fair-weather fans try to prove their loyalty by questioning others’.
On top of the aggravation I feel from these fans, I feel a greater animosity toward the media. As if I didn’t already hear enough about the Super Bowl on television networks like ESPN, I now must put up with two weeks of perpetual lead-ins to the local news about the Colts and the Super Bowl.
While more important things happen on a Wednesday afternoon in Indiana than “Indianapolis has Super Bowl fever,” the nightly news will carry this same kind of lede every night until Super Sunday, although bigger events should be getting this sort of publicity.
While some people will call me hypocritical if I cheer for the Colts on Feb. 4, they will have proven that they do not even understand my point. You can root for a team because they are the hometown team, but don’t spend the next two weeks acting like you’re a member of the Blue Crew, when you’re not. Just treat the event as that — an event — and celebrate accordingly.

Source.

[Sanremogirl]

There are bandwagon fans of every team that has such success. If the Bears win on Sunday, you won't believe how many Bear fans suddenly appear. Ima will probably even become a fan.

[nushentelve]

So this is what Cubs fans do when they lose the attendance argument....

[Assauraarguck]

There are bandwagon fans of every team that has such success. If the Bears win on Sunday, you won't believe how many Bear fans suddenly appear. Ima will probably even become a fan.

I'll let the Cubs fans start the "Throw him back" chant.

[AngegepeM]

Replace Colts with Detroit Tigers and its the same thing. In fact, probabaly worse. The Colts have had at least a steady fan base following their success over the past few years. The Tigers had been discarded by just about everybody.

The fact that the season ticket package I bought landed me row L seats, when last year I had the opportunity for row C, shows just how far the bandwagon can travel.

[grofvuri]

What makes me sick is all of the people I hear saying, "I'm having a hard time deciding who to choose." The way I see it, you're either a Colts fan or a Bears fan, no in between.

I guess I have a pretty hardline stance when it comes to cheering for a football team though.

[kjanyeaz1]

What makes me sick is all of the people I hear saying, "I'm having a hard time deciding who to choose." The way I see it, you're either a Colts fan or a Bears fan, no in between.

I guess I have a pretty hardline stance when it comes to cheering for a football team though.

Tell them to jump off the bridge.

[Accecyncphory]

Wait...

An Indiana kid is an Eagles fan, and complains about bandwagoners?

I declare shenanigans!

[zzquo0iR]

What makes me sick is all of the people I hear saying, "I'm having a hard time deciding who to choose." The way I see it, you're either a Colts fan or a Bears fan, no in between.

I guess I have a pretty hardline stance when it comes to cheering for a football team though.

I like the Bears because I'd like to see the NFC (and especially the NFC North) win the Super Bowl. I'd like the Colts to win because I have a high regard for Tony Dungy. It's not an easy choice, but I prefer that the Colts win. I won't lose sleep if the Bears win.

[Infellgedq]

colts all the way. i wanna hear bears fans complain about the refs afterwards.

[maxfieldj1]

Tell them to jump off the bridge.

I was back in my hometown Saturday night, and I was at Aggie's, the bar I like to frequent when I go home. Some random guy came up to me and asked if I'd ever seen a bear fuck a horse. Thinking it was some strange joke, I said, "twice" to which he responded, "well get ready because you're going to see it again next weekend."

[Boripiomi]

There are bandwagon fans of every team that has such success. If the Bears win on Sunday, you won't believe how many Bear fans suddenly appear. Ima will probably even become a fan.

Regardless of who wins, I'll remain a true fan of the Star.

[seosoftseo]

I don't care who wins.

I just want a good game, and if I decide to bet, I want to win that as well.

Otherwise I will just watch and root for noone.