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• Wednesday, October 22, 2008 07:31 AM

  @ jamartinjr

  No offense, but I don't understand how people can change teams, or develop enough of a seasonal rooting interest to actually purchase gear...

  I was a baseball fan growing up. I rooted for the Cardinals and the Royals because they were the teams I could hear on the radio. But I never developed a true loyalty to the teams, never developed a real connection with them. I never had any of their gear.

  When I moved to Houston, I had a team in my city for the first time. I regularly went to games. I developed a connection to the team. They are the first team I really connected with.

  That connection will be life-long. Were I to move to another city that has a major league team, I would root for them except when they played the Astros. I would still listen to the Astros over the internet. I would still wear their gear.

  You seem to be saying that you can't understand buying any team's gear. Is that really what you mean? Or are you talking about buying gear for a team you are only supporting for a single season?

  I have not transferred my loyalty to the Rays. I am merely rooting for them in this postseason, since the Astros are not involved. I certainly haven't purchased any Rays gear.

  I am rooting for the Rays for this World Series. After it is over, I will go back to only rooting for them when they play the Yankees or Red Sox. The rest of the time I won't pay that much attention to them, no more than I pay to other teams in the American League.

  But for now, Go Rays.

  —farnsworth Read farnsworth's other letters
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