  I've picked my favorite sports teams over the years mostly because of the players that played on those teams that I had heard about or that I thought we great players. No, I didn't just pick the hometown teams because they were the ones close to home, I can't be blamed for my parents living in Ohio and not another state that is better. I do have to admit though that Ohio is one of the most sports crazed states in the U.S., but the problem is, most of the teams suck ass horribly. The bengals haven't had a good team in 15 years, although they are getting better. The Cleveland Cavs suck and have done so for a decade now, yes, they have Lebron James but one player doesn't make a great team. The Blue Jackets are one of the worst teams in all of hockey, and the Browns suck worse than the bengals starting last season. The only decent college teams are the Cincinnati Bearcats in basketball, they suck in football and the Ohio State Buckeyes, they suck in basketball.
The teams I chose to follow when I was 8 or 9 years old aren't all that great but as anyone knows me knows that I like tradition and all of my teams have a good tradition, consequently a lot of people hate the teams I like. I did stay with one ohio team, the Reds because they have a great tradition of winning. I can't help the fact that kids my age don't appreciate the tradition of excellence of teams but it's normal and I'm abnormal when it comes to sports.
I picked my favorite college teams because of great players that played on those teams, Joe Montana, ND Football and Michael Jordan, North Carolina basketball. I never thought it a big deal that I liked two different college teams since I didn't attend either college so I don't have any ties to either one.
I would have no trouble giving up North Carolina basketball if I could go to Notre Dame because I think it's such a cool place and everyone that has gone there has talked about how special it was to them to go there, but I don't think I'm going to Notre Dame, but I'll still follow the team forever because I've become a crazed ND football fan in the last year or so with the more I've learned about the team's history and the university's history. Take it for what it is to you, because I'm not trying to make everyone love the teams I like, that this is even an issue that pops up from time to time is rediculous to me because I've explained it over and over again. 
