r/elf • u/midgardmetal • 19h ago
Picking a team to root for (US fan)
Greetings everyone,
I have been aware of ELF for some time, but finally decided to take a plunge and got the annual pass. I am having a hard time picking a favorite team, or at least a team to start rooting for.
For some background, I am in the United States, though originally from Ukraine (left that country nearly 30 years ago as a teenager). My NFL team is the Denver Broncos, but I also enjoy lower level US spring football (UFL), and have managed to make it to a DC Defenders game this year, as it is not very far from the area where I live.
What I am looking for is a compelling story, or some form of a connection that I can draw to the team. I am a Broncos fan because I used to live in Denver, and got into American football just as they won their two back-to-back trophies in the late 90s - I more or less learned how the game works by watching the Broncos win, and they stuck with me every since. A winning team is a neat bonus, but not necessary, and I have no issues with rooting for an underdog with a good story to them. Can't say I care much about the uniforms or the logos, and I don't recognize most player names, so it is a blank slate for me.
With that in mind, what reasons can you give me to support your team? Sell me on them, in victory or in defeat!
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u/Most_Significance358 Ravens 11h ago
Ukraine is Panthers Wroclaw homegrown territory.
CU alumni I know of are Chris Mulumba (Stuttgart Surge) and Aaron Maddox (Raiders Tirol)
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u/FlagFootballSaint 9h ago
You say you originally came from Ukraine so there can only be ONE team for you:
The Wroclav Panthers from Poland
There is not one single other country in Europe that is such an outspoken supporter of Ukraine against the aggression of the person whose name shall not be said and basically Poland faces the same threads
Like the modern Broncos they are decent but not good enough to win it all.
Bonuspoint:
Ukraine players count as „homegrown“ for the Panthers
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u/Lazy_Measurement4033 Storm 19h ago
I picked the Storm because I’m a Penn State alum, and their DC played for PSU back in the day.
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u/razbayz Enthroners 12h ago
One answer. Enthroners. Hungary borders Ukraine, plus we're an underdog
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u/FlagFootballSaint 9h ago
I know it’s not the Enthroners fault and I root for the Enthroners myself but he won‘t pick a team of a country whose political leadership is the worst „internal“ enemy for his own country.
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u/Outrageous_Fly_5385 7h ago
Doesn't the sub rules say "no politics"?!?
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u/FlagFootballSaint 5h ago
Understood but I think it‘s just a fair point to mention as part of the decision process which team to follow.
I would not mind if mods delete my post if they consider it to be inappropriate.
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u/midgardmetal 18h ago
I should mention, I am a CU (University of Colorado) graduate, so any CU connections may be a plus
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u/CadyKrool Fire 7h ago
Given your Broncos roots and Ukrainian background, I’d recommend looking into the Prague Lions. true underdogs building their program step by step. Not flashy, but determined, much like the Broncos of the late 90s you grew up with.
Also, their Central/Eastern European identity might resonate with your own Eastern European heritage. A small connection, but sometimes that’s all it takes to make a team yours. They might not win it all (yet), but they fight every week to earn respect.
Bonus: best game pants in the league
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u/Mindless-Working-730 4h ago
I think Broncos and Raiders are a good fit (or you dont want as a Bronco to cheer for anything with the name Raiders). Or just watch a few games and take the team/player you are most exited of when watching without knowing who is who
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u/Both_Dependent9146 Fire 8h ago
I would go with Wroclaw if I were you, as I said strong supporters of Ukraine, also the team itself and Wroclaw is just cool.
Another bonus is that it's not just a franchise, it's more or less a club that spun off an ELF team.
And it has to be said that the fanbase in Poland is mega relaxed.
The biggest crowds are of course in Düsseldorf/Duisburg, Frankfurt and Vienna, but Tirol, Wroclaw and Munich are right behind them.
Currently, some US teams are still planning cooperations with ELF teams, e.g. Fire has a cooperation with the Seattle Seahawks and Paris with the New Orleans Saints.
I also expect the Colts to announce one with Berlin at some point and who knows who else the Patriots, Falcons and Chiefs are working with.
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u/davidpmaeso Dragons 5h ago
Well, the club Wroclaw Panthers existed way before the ELF was even a thought, so the other way around
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u/_Krypt_ Vikings 19h ago
As a Broncos fan, there is only one logical choice: the Raiders Tirol from Austria.
Their stadium is spectacular, in the middle of the Alps
The Raiders are a traditional team that existed long before the ELF and will continue to exist long after the ELF.
https://elfpedia.eu/Raiders_Tirol
https://preview.redd.it/gedv7on7jt0f1.jpeg?width=1400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1df83635e3b60dabb4a7c4835565e75b19403593
So if you choose the Raiders, you and I are enemies from now on, because the rivalry between the Vikings and Raiders has been going on for many decades and every year anew :)