Times Chaaaaange!

So, I've come upon a couple of older NFL fans over that past couple of months, and I would like to address something to them... Don't get mad, or hostile, at younger fans that are fans of a team that you hated when you grew up..

Examples:

My Co-worker, ( and for the sake of animosity, we'll call him "Kunk") Kunk, is a HUUUUUGE Pittsburgh Steelers fan. To give you guys perspective on how big a fan he is, and to show you I am not lying... This was him on the Thursday Night Football game vs the Tennessee Titans.




Kunk is a 37 year-old Vietnamese-American male from Salinas, CA.

Sooo, to the story... I came to join Kunk on his smoke break from work one day... you know just to shoot the shit, and talk a little sports. Kunk wears a Steelers hat almost every day, so I know that he's a Steelers fan beforehand, and I have nothing against him. I, in fact, kind of like the Steelers. Anyways, I sort of mention that I'm a Raiders fan, and talk about the upcoming Raider/Charger game. And the man goes OFF!

"I Fuckin' hate the Raiders! I try to bash them ANY chance I get! I love giving shit to all the Raider fans! FUCK YOU!"

Soo, I got the vibe that Kunk dislikes me a little bit more, now that he knows that I'm Raider fan... What kind of shit is that?? Just because the Raiders beat one of the best Steelers teams in the '76-'77 Playoffs? Just because we ruined their chance to repeat? Just because we won the Superbowl that year?? Kunk! I WASN'T THERE!!! I'm 18! If you have any beef with the Raiders, please make sure its from '91-2009. If I were a little bit older, I would have absolutely no problem.

Another Example:

I was in Las Vegas, staying in my friends house for about a week. My friend's mom, had a boyfriend named "Jay". Jay is a 35 year-oldish Philadelphia Eagles fan. I got dressed one morning in my some of my Raiders apparel and I entered the living room. I find Jay sitting down on the couch, he sees me, and he screams:

"Get the fuck outta hear maaaann!! Out of all friends, he had to have the Raider fan!! I've hated the Raiders almost ALL MY DAMNED LIFE! I'm GLAD its so dysfunctional down in Oakland, YOU DESERVE IT!!"

Uhhhh, I'm sorry Jay, for the Raiders breaking your little 7 year-old heart back in the '81 Superbowl? What the hell did I do to deserve such hostility?? I WASN'T THERE MAN!!!

I understand why you hate the Raiders, because I've been there with other teams, but just understand when you're talkin' to a younger fan of sports, we have NO personal vendettas over something that happened before we were born. I mean, If 20 years down the road, I meet a 18 year-old Tampa Bay Bucs fan, I'm not gonna get on their case that I fukin' hate him just because the Bucs beat Oakland in the 2003 Superbowl... which gets back to my point... HE WASN'T THERE!.. I would understand...

Since the NFL's popularity didn't really start rising 'till the 1970's, I think that I'm in that 3rd or so generation that really wasn't there. And since American football is still somewhat of a young tradition, The 1st and 2nd generation don't really understand the 3rd generation concept of non-existent vendettas against teams in the 1st and 2nd generation. We REALLY DON'T care what happen before we were born.