Comments on: The Pathology of NBA Fandom And How I Became A Memphis Grizzlies Fan On January 5th, 2010

By: The Mid-Afternoon Milk Mustache, featuring Matt Moore declaring his fandom | Stacheketball, an NBA Blog

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:26:10 +0000

[...] The Chevron: If you’ve been around the NBA blogosphere, you’ll know that this is big news. Matt Moore, lifelong NBA guru paradoxically without a favorite team, has officially declared himself a fan of the Memphis Grizzlies. [Hardwood Paroxysm] [...]

By: Basketball for Breakfast, Jan. 12

Basketball for Breakfast, Jan. 12 — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:26:15 +0000

[...] they had lost in Utah by 23 points just two days earlier. Zach Randolph, most improved player and team leader, had 29 points, 15 rebounds, and a [...]

By: Ruben

Ruben — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 03:20:35 +0000

Matt,

I agree with your assessment on fandom of the NBA. In football and baseball I have followed one team my entire life, through the bad times and the worst time (Mets & Bills.) Basketball for me however is different. I first started watching basketball in the mid 90s and for some reason the team from my home town (Knicks) did not draw me in. They were a great team, but I just did not like them. I was always more of a fan of players in basketball. I was a fan of the Magic (loved Penny) and Pacers (loved Reggie Miller repeadetly embarassing the Knicks. While Miller’s career dwindled and Penny injured his way out of a Hall of Fame career. I started rooting for the Blazers (loved Sabonis, ‘Sheed and Steve Smith). That team however was cheated out of championship and was dismantled.

This was when I started rooting for the Grizzlies. I liked Gasol and J-Will. I bought League Pass and watched them every night watching them go 20-62. The team grew on me, the players grew on me. I liked something about every player on Hubie Brown’s 10 man rotation. The next season came, and like any true fan, I purchased League Pass with the belief that it could be the year that they would make the playoffs and they did. Watching them play was a joy. They made the playoffs and I enjoyed the season more than any other. Watching your team rise up against all odds is almost as exciting if not more than a championship. The following year they made the playoffs again, but for the second consecutive year they did not win a game. The team was dismantled the NBA’s gambling scandal was in the news. The NBA lost a fan. I stopped watching. I tried to enjoy J-Will winning a championship and I did to an extent, but it was not the same. I couldn’t be a Heat fan. I tried to enjoy my fellow countryman winning the ring and I did to an extent, but I couldn’t be a Laker fan. I grew up hating Shaq and Kobe! They were gifted two championships.
This year I’ve started to follow the NBA more. What team would be the right one for me to turn to. I love Rudy Fernandez, Roy and the Blazers and I used to enjoy watching the Blazers. I couldn’t do it. Those three years making sure that I got home to watch the Grizzlies played are a part of me. So, I turned to the Griz. I looked at their roster on opening day. I thought they had the talent to make the playoffs. I told friends that they could possibly win 50 games this year if they play to their potential. Then they started of 1-8, A.I. was a mess. But, I still believed. I thought that this team should win games with the talent they have in their starting 5. I think Conley is a weakness and they don’t have any shooters on their bench. But I thought they should be able to win some games. So I watched them whenever I could on NBA TV, not having reached the level of fandom of prior years and they’ve made a turn around. If they are within playoff range by the all-star break I think I’ll make that investment.

My name is Ruben Seoane, and I too am a fan of the Memphis Grizzlies.

By: Mark Pereira

Mark Pereira — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:38:02 +0000

Dear Mr. Moore,

I hope Memphis comes through for you. Every great fan deserves a few W’s in their belt.

I have a little point that I was wondering your thoughts on. Your statements on bandwagoners are exactly what I would write–if I had an NBA blog to devote lots of my time to. However, I have always held the notion that bandwagoners are also a part (although somewhat minor) of what makes good NBA teams become great. If you sell tickets to only casual fans and hardcore basketball fans, you’re still only lucky to fill 75% of the arena. The bandwagoners help create noise, anticipation, and–ultimately–excitement for the team as they push towards greatness. Their cocky attitude and ill-conceived devotion pisses the likes of us “true” fans off, but they are not completely worthless.

Your take?

M. Pereira

By: Mike B

Mike B — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 04:02:29 +0000

I know where you’re coming from, as a kid growing up in Memphis in the pre-Grizz years, my adolescence was almost entirely spent trying to find NBA/NFL teams to support (oddly, my preferred method of showing my allegiance was by buying a giant tin trash can of my current team from a local sports collectibles store, as if to say, it’s official, I bought the trash can!) Needless to say, I went through a lot of different trash cans over the years. It can be a compulsive thing, this team-searching. Hope it sticks, and also I hope the Grizz never move! At least after living in Denver and Chicago over the last few years, I’ll have some fallback options.

By: MC Welk

MC Welk — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:09:22 +0000

Good timing, as you can watch the despicable Jazz sweep a home and home from them, in what otherwise has been a lost season.

By: Maciej

Maciej — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:41:07 +0000

Matt,

that was just awesome. A wonderful piece. You already got a comment from a German guy who’s not a fan of Mavs, well, here I am, a Polish guy, who by no means is a Magic fan.

My situation is the same as Yours was, and I’m still waiting for that defining moment that will surely come when I’m half asleep in the middle of some Wednesday night. Can’t wait.

Best wishes to You and the Grizzlies!

By: Shari Valentine

Shari Valentine — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:54:34 +0000

Really great read. I always enjoy your stuff for its love of the game. I have been a Houston Rockets fan since they came from San Diego. Of course, I am a native Houstonian, so that was sort of a gimme :) But I always have a backup team, usually in the Eastern Conference. It changes periodically, probably in the line of that 5 year cycle you noted. I have enjoyed watching the Griz this year. I will still never forgive them for the gift of Pau to the Lakers, but like you I like the way they are becoming something. And I should know how to spot that, after all, I have been a Houston fan since Calvin and Rudy surprised themselves by being in the finals with the Celtics and then Ralph and Akeem did the same. Of course I loved those Heart of a Champion years, but I also love the team the last couple of years, pretty much since Memphis gave us Battier come to think of it.
Enjoy being a fan, to quote another great writer, it is the best of times and the worst of times, the summer of joy and winter of discontent.
Again, great read, thanks.

By: THE Big Sexy

THE Big Sexy — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:44:46 +0000

Great article. I agree with the above posts that this reads like a movie script especially with the crescendo at the end. Really nicely keeps you hooked. Who knew there was more than 1 Memphis grizzle fan??

By: arrytus

arrytus — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:08:22 +0000

great article. one quibble though; tyronne lue won rings with the lakers, perhaps you were thinking of the smush parker era or the van exel era, although the latter was pretty exciting at times with eddie jones and del harris who could not control n.v.e. and f%$#% the yankees and everyone from new york excluding my family