Quote Originally Posted by [AK]Gunny Highway
I met Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Dwight Clark and Eddie Bebardalo when I was a kid at the Bing Crosby Pro Am. I, unlike fair weather fans don't just like the team but the players as well, say what you will about Rice can you name a receiver with a better career than his? Didn't think so! I did follow Montana's career after the Niner's but he never did much as a Chief. Unlike seahwaks fans seeing players doesn't give me a chubby, cheerleaders on the other hand thats a different story but I do admire some of the greatest players to ever play the game.
I am a hardcore Seahawk fan, and as such I'm a fan of my team first, players second. In this era of free agency, it's a wise move I think. Most players will not be with their team for their entire career, and I got caught up following Joey Galloway or Shawn Springs throughout their post-Seahawks travails I'd be mighty conflicted when the Hawks played the Bucs or Skins now wouldn't I?

Once they leave my team they *don't exist* on my radar again until they retire. They are the ENEMY.

That's not to say that I still don't respect their accomplishments. Rice on his third different team still has all the "skins on the wall", and you have to respect that. Further players of his ilk are rare and rate a different level of fan attachment (like if Largent had played one year with the Steelers or something I imagine I'd still be "fawning" overhim...lol.)