What is it like to be stranded in a sea of green and blue? Pressure from all sides to conform, humiliation when the game is lost. Fighting against all odds to maintain loyalty to one’s team. Or is it all for the attention?
While the vast majority of Shorewood students may be fans of Seattle sports, there is a small yet vocal minority of students who support teams outside the state of Washington. Here is a look into Shorewood High School’s loud and proud non Seattle sports fans.
Lorenzo Jaramillo, sophomore, is a long time fan of the Dodgers, one of the most successful baseball teams in Major League Baseball. “I’ve been a Dodgers fan since I was born,” Jaramillo said, “My family is from L.A, around that area”. Most non seattle sports fans either came from somewhere else or have family ties to that team. “I got it from my Dad, we’re both Dodgers fans.” While it can be hard to support a non-Seattle team if they are constantly beaten by a Seattle team, that is not the case for the Dodgers fans. “They’re like the best team,” Jaramillo said, proudly. Jaramillo himself is a baseball player, and one of his main inspirations is a player from the Dodgers. “Mookie Betts. He’s super talented, a great hitter. He’s a nice guy, he can do everything”.
Aaron Spiro, senior, has a much more controversial preference when it comes to sports teams. “My favorite college team is the Oregon Ducks, my second favorite is Michigan,” Spiro said, boldly, especially considering the outcome of the last championship. “The main reason is my mom went to Oregon, and my dad went to Michigan,” Spiro said. Family ties is a common theme amongst non seattle sports fans. “Both teams are good. Oregon this year is not as good as they could have been.” Spiro also is perceived differently at school because of his ties to Oregon and Michigan: “I consider myself unique when I go to this school, you know I’m just out there,” Spiro said, “I appreciate all the attention I get for being an Oregon fan, I appreciate all the hate.”
“The Packers sort of own the Seahawks,” senior Amelia Severn said. The die hard Packers fan has family from Green Bay, and has been to two games herself. “I’d say we have a lot of potential,” Severn said, “This was more of a year to see the future, we have the youngest team right now, and we made it to the playoffs.” The Packers had a major comeback this season going from a rather mediocre season to a promising one with Jordan Love beginning to look more and more like a star every game. “I think next year they’ll be one of the best teams in the NFL,” Severn said. “You just have to know deep down that the Packers will always be better than the Seahawks.”
Despite a looming swarm of seattleites, the occasional Packers fan is important. After all, it is this spirit of competition that makes sports and life enjoyable.
