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Was it the Colours?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Galant, Nov 13, 2020.

  1. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    For those Dolphins fans not born or living in Miami, or having inherited the family fandom, I wonder how much more 'minor' factors play in choosing a football team, specifically, the Dolphins?

    For many it was Marino.

    But for others, could it have been the sunny games in Florida, or perhaps just the bright aqua and orange?

    My connection to the Dolphins came early on watching late night football games in the UK on, I think, Channel 4. I don't remember much but the NFL was so different and exotic - the colours, the helmets and pads, the cheerleaders, etc. and this being the late 80's and early 90's, Marino and the Dolphins got some coverage.

    I always loved the marine world, and dolphins were a favourite animal, so maybe that played a part in their attraction, or could it have been the colours?

    With regards to basketball I'm a Spurs fan. My pull there was David Robinson and they always wore silver and black, but during the 90's they did have the 'fiesta' colour logo - and lo and behold, it's sort of aqua and orange.

    So... maybe it was the colours?

    What spurred all this? New Balance are just dropping some new basketball shoes for Spurs guard, Dejounte Murray, and one variation is in those 'fiesta' colours, and when I saw them, the similarity to Dolphins colours occurred to me.



    So what do you think guys? How much do the 'minor' parts of a team's identity play into their appeal?
     
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  2. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    January 20th, 1985. I'm seven years old, growing up in West Virginia. I'm watching the Super Bowl at my grandfather's house (my mom's dad). At this point, I don't know how much football I've been exposed to, because my dad doesn't like team sports, but this is my earliest memory of watching a game. My grandfather asks me which team I'm going to root for.

    By a huge coincidence, or stroke of luck, this is the easiest possible choice. The color aqua has long been my favorite, and Dolphins had been my favorite animal for a while. Boom! So I root for Miami against San Francisco, I cheer for them when they score, and I'm sad when they lose the game. But as a kid, I now consider myself a Dolphins fan.

    That moment made a huge impression in my young brain, and I later had my mom buy my aqua Dolphins shirts that I would wear all of the time. Many of my gradeschool year books have my picture with one on. Eventually, I became "that kid" and "that guy" who was the only Dolphins fan in town.
     
  3. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    [​IMG]
     
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  4. Finatik

    Finatik Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    When I saw the Dolphin doing flips behind the goal post when they scored I thought that was so cool as a kid. Now with all the political correct BS it would be animal cruelty.
     
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  5. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    The colors had a little bit to do with my fandom as I liked the colors. I enjoyed the fact the Bucs and the Dolphins were the only teams that looked to me to have light color schemes. Bucking the trend. Marino was very fun to watch as well.

    The thing that solidified me becoming a Dolphin fan was seeing NFL Films presentation of the undefeated 1972 team and then the Dolphins beating a team I also loved at the time the 1985 Bears. I thought the amount of pride they played to be the only NFL team to be undefeated was admirable.

    Watching that game on Monday Night Football is the day I became a die hard Dolphin fan.
     
  6. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    I was born in South Florida and I dont believe in choosing a team unless your area doesnt have a franchise.

    My Grandfather was a big Dolphin fan and 1972 season ticket holder. I saw him watching highlights on the news as a little kid, someone made a spectacular catch and my first reaction was "I can do that"

    That's both how I picked the position I'd play growing up, WR, and how I started loving the Dolphins.

    Which is how I started to like
     
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  7. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    When I grew up my 3 main influences for my love of football were my Uncle, Grandfather, and Father. My Uncle was a Raiders fan, my Grandpa was a Broncos fan, and my Father was a Cowboys fan.

    I never associated fandom with area, I just thought you picked the team you liked then became a fan.
     
  8. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    90%+ of people in my home area are Steelers fans, but since my dad doesn't like sports, I was the rare one that didn't have that influence, and discovered it on my own.

    And thus, the colors and the animal made the choice for me, lol.
     
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  9. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    The funny part to me is that the Seahawk fans used to call me a bandwagoner because I liked the Dolphins and the Hurricanes. I liked the Hurricanes because they were fun to watch and they were also in Miami, so I kind of associated them with the Dolphins as a kid.

    For the last 10 years our roles have been reversed. So many bandwagon Seahawk fans. Blue Friday was never a thing before they started winning. Worst fans ever!
     
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  10. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    I should clarify when I say I dont believe in it, I mean that's just how I feel for myself. I dont judge anyone who does.
     
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  11. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    A lot of people have that belief. I remember entire threads in the Herald Talk days of people calling me out for not being a true fan because I lived in the Seattle, WA area.
     
  12. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I think that there's a pretty strong relationship with those who believe that you should only be a fan of your local team, and how old the person is. The older the person is, the more commonly you get it. With younger generations being able to watch any game that they want on TV, the local team becomes far less of a thing.
     
  13. Finatik

    Finatik Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    That and fantasy football, younger gens are player centric and less team centric.
     
  14. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    That's true too. Im in the middle, both age wise and philosophically.
     
  15. ripper1961

    ripper1961 Active Member

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    I always liked their colors but what got me hooked as a fan was the fact that my father hated the Cowboys. So when the Cowboys crushed them in the Super Bowl I was hooked.
     
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  16. TheHighExhaulted

    TheHighExhaulted Well-Known Member

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    You'll be seeing a lot more bandwagon Dolphins fans soon at your local bar.
     
  17. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    I mean, I'm 30 so I'm not sure if I'm old yet lol
     
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  18. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    It was October 1972, I was 7 years old. My grandfather was transferred from Long Beach to Mayport Naval Station. After a weeks drive cross country, we were back at my grandparents home in Jacksonville Beach FL.

    After furniture had been delivered it was Sunday and my grandfather wanted to watch football. I idolized the man, a 3 war veteran in the Navy, I sat and watched with him. The Miami Dolphins we’re playing. The Dolphins, the colors, the innocent little boy in me said “grandpa look, Dolphins” to which my grandfather replied in his raspy voice “that’s the biggest bunch of bull****”. My grandfather, unknown to me at the time was a Redskins fan.

    Well I watched that game and Miami won. Watched again the next week and they won again. Again and again this happened. I was addicted to the game and my Dolphins. My first season ever watching football was the historic undefeated 1972 Super Bowl Champion Miami Dolphins and I’ve been hooked ever since.
     
  19. Fishhead

    Fishhead Well-Known Member

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    Super Bowl VIII. I was 7, so I liked football but was in the beginning stage of fandom. I asked my dad who was playing, and he told me. Much like Unlucky 13, I liked dolphins as well as the colors. Never liked purple and had no idea what a Viking even was, lol, so for me it was an easy choice. They won, and I’ve been a fan ever since.
     
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  20. JJ_79

    JJ_79 Well-Known Member

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    I became a Dolphin because I‘m a homer and I got the same view on sports as Alex above. I had family in Ft. Lauderdale so I like every Miami based Team. My #1 Team is my German soccer team (Eintracht Frankfurt) closely followed by the Dolphins then Heat. Panthers and Marlins are more a side note. :) What I really hate are Bandwagoners, tough time when the Heat had Lebron... Only Sportsteam I picket cause of Jerseys was Juventus Turin at least that played a litte role in liking them.
     
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  21. mlb1399

    mlb1399 Well-Known Member

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    I grew up in Iowa and saw Marino play a game in 1984. I was 7 years old and remember loving his passion, fire and drive to win. Plus he was changing the way QB’s attacked the field. I got grounded after they lost the super bowl because I punched a wall. Lived and died Miami and really chose them because of Dan. That and I didn’t want to be another Vikings, Bears or Packers fan.
     
    Last edited: Nov 14, 2020
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  22. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I didn't get passionate, punching and throwing things, until I was in Jr High, lol.
     
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  23. xphinfanx

    xphinfanx Stay strong my friends.

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    Grew up in a ski resort area close to Denver. We would visit friends in Denver in early 70's who always watched football. One Christmas Mom was going to buy me a football helmet radio (Broncos) and I asked for the Dolphins instead because of the colors and the dolphin was just cool I mean we watched flipper all the time and I was very young.

    Years later married living in New Mexico as an adult my wife's family all die hard Cowboy fans owning bars and restaurants named after Cowboys ect I rooted for the Boys until Jimmy Johnson had the ejection from Jerry Jones. Pissed me off. It just felt natural to go root for the Dolphins from that point on. Hence here I am. I still watch the Cowboys because the TV has the games here but every family member and friend KNOW I'm a Dolphin fan.
    :dolphin:
     
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  24. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    Slightly left of center
    I was born the same day as the team, Jan 13th 1966. Dad was Navy and we transferred to Orlando from San Diego when I was 6 weeks old. Mom found out about the birthday thing and I got my first Dolphins schwag at 2 months old. And I love Dolphins, named my oldest Naia which is Hawaiian for Dolphin. Chics love the colors and I've always strived for perfection. My Dad was a huge Redskins fan and had to clean my room for a month when we beat them in Superbowl 7.
    Last decade has been rough, but I'm still flying the colors. We're on the way back boys and girls. Keep the faith!
     
  25. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I was born in Ft. Lauderdale and growing up, I had this thing about rooting against popular opinion. For instance, my dad got season tickets to the Canes games thru work and I went to all the huge games against Notre Dame, FSU, Boston College, etc. And I'd root for the Noles, the Irish, etc as people around me went ballistic for the Hurricanes....as a little kid I just thought it was funny.

    I also became a Redskins fan back when they had Williams at QB. I want to say I was in 4th or 5th grade when they went to the Super Bowl? Everyone rooted for Miami except me...like I said, I was a strange kid and didn't go with the flow. But as I got older, I had Manny Fernandez as a neighbor and met many of those late 70's/early 80's players in my neighborhood. Who, I couldn't really tell you- all I could tell you was that Manny had massive parties and invited the entire neighborhood plus current/former players, coaches, etc. My dad is too old now to remember who we met, etc. but that sort of bonded me to the Dolphins for life.

    By the time I was 17 or 18, I was a huge fan and I also had a neighbor who was a massive autograph collector. We'd talk with Marino every Thursday night after his radio show to hound him for autographs, and at one point or another I had met most of Miami's prominent players through stalking them for autographs (plus Jordan, Gretsky, Montana, Prince, Madonna, etc...if they were in S. Florida, my neighbor found out where they'd be and used us kids to exploit autographs from them). Shula would flat out start cussing when he saw us coming...so I have a lot of memories of both good and bad experiences (looking back, the bad experiences are much more memorable, lol).

    I also worked the Dolphin games in high school with our baseball team- they had a concession stand in the upper deck and I'd usually end up walking around selling peanuts, sodas or whatever. The school made a little money and I might make $20-30 a game in tips, but it really wasn't about the money. I got to go to every Fins home game for '88-'91 including the Super Bowl with San Fran/Cinci and many of the college bowl games down there. It was a fun way to spend a Sunday and I think I volunteered a few years after I graduated high school as well whenever I could.

    From a pure fan's standpoint- the Orange Bowl was so much better then Joe Robbie Stadium....I've seen dozens of games in both stadiums and the Orange Bowl was just awesome. It's like you could feel the energy thru those seats and when fans got pumped up, the upper deck would sway a few feet in either direction....it was absolutely wild. I'm sure that's why they tore it down, it probably wasn't structurally sound after all those years, but I absolutely loved it and feel sad whenever someone mentions it or shows a picture of where it used to be.

    Anyway, I wrote a lot more than I intended to....but I became a Dolphins fan somewhere around 9-13 years old. They were on our TV every single week in my house growing up and I can't remember when I finally switched over from the dark side, LOL. Eventually I became a huge Canes fans too. Just amazing sports memories growing up in South Florida in the 70's, 80's and 90's.

    By the way, I've told many ultra-cool sports stories on this site from my years growing up with so many connections. I'm not sure the easiest way to do it, but you can look thru my posts from prior years to find some super cool stories about driving a drunk Marino home one night in his Escalade, crashing Shula's daughters wedding, getting into a bar fight with Zach Thomas, etc.
     
    Last edited: Nov 14, 2020
  26. xphinfanx

    xphinfanx Stay strong my friends.

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    Wow I'm envious that is just awsome stuff there .
     
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  27. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    Never lived in Florida or even close (though I did live in Green Bay for about 4-5 years as a young kid).

    I can't really remember specifics, but I always loved dolphins as a kid, so that was appealing. The uniforms were cool, they were actually good and Dan Marino was the F'N man. Aside from the Packers, who largely sucked at the time (pre-Favre) I didn't grow up near any other pro teams, so just ran with Miami and stuck with them.
     
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  28. Finatik

    Finatik Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    No you’re not old.
     
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  29. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I thought I was getting old at 30. I didn't know what was coming later! :chuckle:
     
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  30. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    Yup, you hit 40 and just random things in your body stops working. My friends and I are late 40's and we all joke about it- what do you mean you can only stand up straight from a chair if you lay down flat on the ground first? How does that even work?

    The strange part though is that most of my peers and I still feel like teens...even with all the random health issues.
     
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  31. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    Totally. 40 hit me like a cement truck. I've worn glasses since I was 14, but my vision had been stable since then until I was 40, then it fell off a cliff. My eye doctor said "Yeah, you just had an important birthday", and that was it.

    It suddenly became much harder to keep weight off, I've had to take more insulin every day for my diabetes, and a muscle injury that I sustained when I was about 38 still hurts every day five years later.

    I noticed in my early 30s that people who are otherwise healthy and young looking heading into their 40s come out the other side at 50 as old people, and swore I wasn't going to let that happen......but so far, its been a struggle.
     
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  32. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I've been pretty fortunate compared to the buddies I grew up with, but my vision definitely tanked around 45 and I've learned to wear my reading glasses slid down my nose everywhere in the house....definitely an "old guy" move. The good news is that I no longer care anymore about a lot of stuff that would have bothered me 10 years ago- I think we get more thankful for what we do have in these middle years and stop worrying about the little stuff.
     
  33. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    At some point about a year ago, I stopped being able to look at my cell phone with my glasses on. It drives me crazy to have to take them off and put them back on again.
     
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  34. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I'm the exact opposite. For about two years I would strain my eyes and do everything possible to avoid picking up my glasses to read the cell phone. Now I don't even attempt it unless it's the middle of the night or something like that.
     

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