I'm a Fan of:

If I were a betting man (I am). I'd wager a good deal of money that most college athletes, and especially baseball players given the nature of college baseball were not fans of the teams they are playing on. And to the ones that were, that's awesome....

I became a UT fan last year and they are my grandson's favorite team.  I loved watching them play.  They seem to have overwhelming talent.  My favorite player was Jordan Beck and the Guardians unfortunately passed on him.  He was taken one pick later after their second pick in the first round.  I believe they will regret that decision.  The young, left handed slugger from California is going to be something as well.  Their pitching is second to none.  I was sure they would win it all last year.  That Notre Dame team was the type of team who could given anyone trouble with older, gritty guys who probably were not intimidated by the mystique.   I love their coach as well.  Fans are created by success.

I am sorry I should have mentioned Kirby as well.  After I googled his name, I remember watching him pitch and he had an outstanding year last year on an outstanding team.  Honestly, they are one of the most loaded teams I have ever seen.  All the best to the young man, UT, and your family in the future!

I guess I became a fan after my son committed to his school. I did buy fan gear but so far only wore it to support the baseball specific family functions as I did not want to jinx it until kid is actually playing on the team in the spring...silly superstition I know but baseball has a lot of them.

I was never a fan of any college baseball team outside interest in how my college team was doing until all my teammates had graduated. When my son got to college ball interest I became a fan of whomever was playing BC. I grew up within walking distance. Instead of becoming a fan of any of their sports I found the smugness of BC people off putting. That said, I have friends who went there.

The only pre college interest my son had was Louisville. He verballed there when he was ten. The thing is, Louisville never knew. My daughter verballed for softball when she was fifteen. My (five years younger) son felt the need to announce his intentions.

My son became a Louisville fan when he got to sit with two pitchers in the stands behind the plate at a Villanova game. They let him hold the gun. They asked him what he thought the pitch was before charting what it actually was.

I'm an Old Blue so California baseball is in my heart. Fond memories of bringing tall boys into Evans Diamond and watching some incredible SC and Stanford teams drub my Bears.

Son grew up with the passion, but is at a very different school very far away. He still has Cal as his #2.  #3-#6 are the schools that his closest HS and club teammates attend and play for.

I'm on the faculty at UC San Diego so I root for my Tritons to take the occasional game off the Gauchos or Dirtbags.

When our boys were young we went to MLB and MiLB baseball games wherever we were, but it never occurred to me to go to college games, except for our local college, but I would not say we particularly followed their team until maybe high school.

All but a few of the players we knew in HS went to in-state schools.  For all the local boys who went to their local school, yes, they were familiar with them - anywhere else, no probably not.

I would think that a school like UT, which presumably recruits nationally, players would not have known the school until they began recruitment.  That was my experience with my son's school, which is far from home.

It turned out I had lots of shirts in the school colors, so I still (after 3 years) haven't actually bought actual school gear (I have a hat, but I look terrible in baseball hats).

PF, are you not a UT football fan this year?

@nycdad posted:

If I were a betting man (I am). I'd wager a good deal of money that most college athletes, and especially baseball players given the nature of college baseball were not fans of the teams they are playing on. And to the ones that were, that's awesome....

Never knew much about Clemson University until son was recruited as a junior in HS. His dream was to attend and play at the University of Miami,  so going to Clemson was not in his plans.

Very often you don't realize until many years later how decisions made as a young 17 or 18 yo  can make a huge impact on where you will be years later.

Go Gators!

@anotherparent posted:

When our boys were young we went to MLB and MiLB baseball games wherever we were, but it never occurred to me to go to college games, except for our local college, but I would not say we particularly followed their team until maybe high school.

All but a few of the players we knew in HS went to in-state schools.  For all the local boys who went to their local school, yes, they were familiar with them - anywhere else, no probably not.

I would think that a school like UT, which presumably recruits nationally, players would not have known the school until they began recruitment.  That was my experience with my son's school, which is far from home.

It turned out I had lots of shirts in the school colors, so I still (after 3 years) haven't actually bought actual school gear (I have a hat, but I look terrible in baseball hats).

PF, are you not a UT football fan this year?

NO.  I’m a Georgia football fan so no.  I think UT fans are too fickle. They will be calling for his head today if Vandy beats them

Toledo “Mud Hens” my first team. 34 miles down the road. Another Century. My 1st game included the Yankees KC team with Mickey.m

Bob

2 P5 commits. Neither to schools they grew up following.

Most of our family are IOWA grads. So of course Seth picked Hated Minnesota.

First time I put on the Gopher gear I had an urge to egg my own house!

I am all in now of course.

Good Knight, I'm still not all in.  I grew up Georgia fan and still pull for Georgia in football.  Can't get to being a UT football fan.  Might if Georgia has a bad year one time 

Ok to be totally honest that applies only for baseball. I still love beating the Gophers 8 years in a row in Football.

Oddly, my son isn't a sports fan at all.  His final choice was in his original top 5, but a not his top choice.  I wouldn't say was ever really a fan of any of the schools but they were all schools that he thought had good programs and facilities.

I think most parents are always a fan of their kids’ team, even if you hated them before they ended up there…  

I’m a bit odd about wearing team gear, I’ve never done it – not even a cap, not in youth sports, HS or juco or pro ball (no window decals or bumper stickers either). The one exception was Arkansas, Trev loved being a Razorback (although he wasn’t a fan growing up) and asked me to represent on game days. I bought a Razorback Columbia fishing shirt, red with a Razorback logo on the pocket – It was about as understated as a cardinal-colored shirt can be I suppose. I think this oddity was an attempt to not inject myself into his thing. Pretty sure it all stems from watching the movie In Search of Bobby Fischer a long time ago…  A good watch for a sports parent, if you’ve not seen it.

I think kids today are more individual athlete focused as opposed to following teams – at least that’s how it worked in my house.

@PitchingFan, It's really cool how your son gives back in this way.

@OskiSD posted:

I'm on the faculty at UC San Diego so I root for my Tritons to take the occasional game off the Gauchos or Dirtbags.

Baseball really is such a small world. I have followed 2017 Triton Jack Larsen's journey in the Mariner's system, just because a close friend of mine is also a good friend of Jack's dad. And coincidentally, Jack has played a lot of his minor league career alongside @joemktg's son Joe Rizzo.