Althouse: Aaron Rodgers will pull for any team he wants.

March 30, 2015

Aaron Rodgers will pull for any team he wants.

"Rodgers... fired back at critics who questioned his fandom and his being on the court following Wisconsin’s Final Four-clinching victory over Arizona on Saturday night...."

37 comments:

Anonymous said...: Rogers is a home town boy (Chico).

We're both University of California grads, him Cal, me Davis, UCLA and Irvine (though I do have 12 Cal credits (German)).

There is no shame in not rooting for Arizona. The only thing worse than rooting for Arizona would be USC or God forbid (for a Cal Grad), Stanford...; 3/30/15, 9:21 AM
tim maguire said...: Cleveland had a similar problem with Lebron James rooting for the Yankees. Yes, he's an individual and can root for who he wants, but he's also an extremely well paid ambassador for his city and openly cheering for some other city's team is disrespectful to his employers.; 3/30/15, 9:22 AM
Ann Althouse said...: I like the expression "pull for."

Much sexier than "root for."; 3/30/15, 9:27 AM
MayBee said...: He lives in Wisconsin and is rooting for Wisconsin. I don't get the problem.; 3/30/15, 9:29 AM
Curious George said...: "Yes, Rodgers went to Cal and is a California native, but he’s spent nearly a third of his life in Wisconsin."

Bullshit. I get why he was cheering for Wisconsin, but he doesn't live in WI other than football months. He lives in California.

I see the beard was at the game too.; 3/30/15, 9:29 AM
Fen said...: He's rooting for a team in the NCAA tournament? The NCAA is based in Indiana. Why does Aaron Rogers hate gays?!

Time to boycott the NFL.

Oh wait, we already were? Oh yah, Ray Rice. Damn. Its so hard to keep my Social Justice Warrior schedule straight.

And why is Ann writing about the NCAA? Does she hate gays too? Should we boycott Wisconsin? Huh? Oh yah, forgot we already were over that Scott Walker guy.; 3/30/15, 9:30 AM
bleh said...: @ Curious George

What's it with the rampant speculation about Rodgers? Sure, there's a disgruntled former assistant who's saying salacious things about Aaron, but why should anyone believe him?

I remember how weird it was when people speculated about Troy Aikman and Steve Young. Is it something about NFL quarterbacks that makes people imagine they're gay?; 3/30/15, 9:47 AM
dreams said...: Spoiled children, Colin Cowherd is talking about them on his ESPN show this morning. Those who complained about John Calipari's post game comments after beating Notre Dame.; 3/30/15, 9:50 AM
Joe Schmoe said...: The haters are just jealous that he's taking advantage of his status. Most of us will never get to sit almost courtside at an NCAA regional championship game, let alone walk the court after the win. And do it all with his hot actress girlfriend who may or may not have known anything about basketball prior to this event.

Yes, they fit the description of bandwagon fans. Ann, you are probably now familiar with the credo of people who believe themselves to be "true" sports fans. They think you have to be all in on a team, all the time, and suffering with your team is part of your duty as a "true" sports fan. So when Rogers shows up and is given preferential treatment over some "true" fans, it rankles. It might not be fair, but it's how the world works.

Seems like he's a good luck charm. Hopefully he'll be going to the Final Four. Now that the Fighting Irish are out, I'm all in on Wisconsin.; 3/30/15, 9:57 AM
bleh said...: Aaron Rodgers does not need to pander. He isn't a politician begging for votes.

He's a sports professional who either produces results or doesn't. He's arguably the best quarterback in the NFL.

He could film himself taking a dump on a Badgers pennant, post the video to youtube, go on ESPN to laugh about it and still keep his job.; 3/30/15, 9:58 AM
Joe Schmoe said...: Jeff Garcia; now there was a gay NFL quarterback. In San Francisco, no less.; 3/30/15, 9:59 AM
AllenS said...: I hear that Aaron Rodgers rides his Harley with Scott Walker.; 3/30/15, 10:02 AM
MadisonMan said...: It's not like he can root for a Pac-12 team. Or Big-12. At least not anymore.

Maybe he just like's rooting for winners.; 3/30/15, 10:08 AM
MadisonMan said...: Why did I put that apostrophe there?

I wrote an email to a student this morning chock full of errors.

Age. smh.; 3/30/15, 10:10 AM
robother said...: The basic trope of being an NCAA fan (football or basketball) is that of the alma mater: current residence is irrelevant, your "home (coming)" is your college, that is the tribe you are either loyal (or a traitor) to. Baseball is the only professional sport that sort of shares that primitive sense of loyalty (if you're born in Chicago or Cleveland, you can never be a Yankee fan).; 3/30/15, 10:10 AM
MadisonMan said...: The news here has noted the twitter conversations between Sam Dekker and Aaron Rodgers, that go way back (though maybe not all the way back to this shot -- note SL also has green and gold for colors though).

Maybe he likes watching a friend play in person.; 3/30/15, 10:14 AM
Anonymous said...: MadisonMan said...
It's not like he can root for a Pac-12 team. Or Big-12. At least not anymore.

My point was that a PAC-12 Alum would not root for some of the PAC 12. evah. In Rogers case, Stanford for certain, followed by USC...

PS: Doesn't wear red could be a slam against both WI and Stanford.

Cal, like all the UC schools is Blue and Gold. Sort of like Ann Arbor and whatever school is located there...; 3/30/15, 10:19 AM
Curious George said...: "BDNYC said...
@ Curious George

What's it with the rampant speculation about Rodgers?"

Well, if the linked story is true, being a 32 year old man with 20 year old male college "friends" ain't going to quell many rumors.; 3/30/15, 10:29 AM
bleh said...: I have noticed a peculiar tendency among PAC-12 fans to pull for conference rivals against teams from other conferences. It reeks of insecurity.

It's rooting from a position of weakness. They are happy if an in-conference rival wins a championship if it means adding prestige to the conference and making those nasty East Coast media types cover their games instead of the SEC.

You won't see Michigan fans pulling for Ohio State simply because Ohio State is playing a team from another conference.; 3/30/15, 10:32 AM
Wilbur said...: "What's the difference between a dentist and a Yankee fan?

One roots for the Yanks. The other yanks for the roots."

Boys Life, circa 1964.; 3/30/15, 10:36 AM
MadisonMan said...: Curious George:

You're being Odious George, not Curious. Not all mentors are sexual predators. I realize you think Aaron Rodgers can do no good, but sheesh.; 3/30/15, 10:40 AM
Jaq said...: I was rooting for the Badgers for the few seconds I could look at the screen and not be disgusted at the flops and fouls that were called for invisible infractions and realized that, even though I played basketball practically every day after school for a lot of years, and with friends, at the part after that, I don't really understand the game I see on TV at all whatsoever. Not to mention that it is largely played by freaks of nature. Oops, can't use that word... the preternaturally tall, then.

I just don't enjoy it is the main point, I guess, of what I was saying, but Rogers can certainly root for Wisconsin, though maybe he should be more circumspect about stealing the spotlight.; 3/30/15, 10:43 AM
Curious George said...: "MadisonMan said...
Curious George:

You're being Odious George, not Curious. Not all mentors are sexual predators. I realize you think Aaron Rodgers can do no good, but sheesh."

Who said anything bout mentors? Or sexual predation?

Sheesh.; 3/30/15, 10:47 AM
AllenS said...: Rodgers was there with his girlfriend Olivia Munn.; 3/30/15, 10:47 AM
MadisonMan said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/30/15, 11:02 AM
MadisonMan said...: NVM. That was mean.; 3/30/15, 11:03 AM
Patrick said...: Ms. Munn is quite attractive.; 3/30/15, 11:05 AM
MayBee said...: You won't see Michigan fans pulling for Ohio State simply because Ohio State is playing a team from another conference.

Well, there's nothing that makes Michigan look very good these days.

But I disagree with you. I'm a Spartan and I've been rooting for all the B1G teams in the tournament. I'm thrilled to have our conference look so good. And all my B1G friends are doing the same thing.; 3/30/15, 11:11 AM
Known Unknown said...: Age. smh

So true. I make more typing mistakes now than ever before, and only notice them after I re-read it. My brain is working fine, but the connection between it and my fingers is sometimes compromised.; 3/30/15, 12:00 PM
Known Unknown said...: But I disagree with you. I'm a Spartan and I've been rooting for all the B1G teams in the tournament. I'm thrilled to have our conference look so good. And all my B1G friends are doing the same thing.

This is true to a degree. I love watching Wisconsin win. However, I'm not sure how enthused my friends would be if it were Michigan* headed to the Final Four.

* - more of a football rivalry, and I am a late-to-life Buckeye fan, so my level of vitriol is very shallow.; 3/30/15, 12:01 PM
MayBee said...: EMD- only Michigan fans like Michigan.; 3/30/15, 12:02 PM
MadisonMan said...: And all my B1G friends are doing the same thing.

Agreed. UW-MSU would be a great final (I don't know if the NCAA/TV would like it, but I would). UW-Duke would be #2 on my list. KY-MSU is #3. Boring old Ky/Duke same old same old :) is last.; 3/30/15, 12:05 PM
kjbe said...: ...but he doesn't live in WI other than football months. He lives in California.

He's a Wisconsin resident. He votes here.; 3/30/15, 12:30 PM
Wilbur said...: My father liked to tell me of a Cubs radio announcer (Bert Wilson or Jack Quinlan) who used to say "We don't care who wins as long as it's the Cubs".

I think most Big Ten fans don't care who wins as long as it isn't Michigan.; 3/30/15, 12:37 PM
Headless Blogger said...: They don't call him "Hollywood" for nothing. I didn't see the AZ team or the Tar Heels hanging with Will Farrell or the Entourage.; 3/30/15, 1:40 PM
MadisonMan said...: For example: From Ohio State.; 3/30/15, 2:58 PM
Gusty Winds said...: Rodgers was rooting with the people of Wisconsin, who root for, and support him.

Total class. He obviously feels a coonection to the fans in the Great State of Wisconsin.

I was watching the game at a bar in Butler, and everyone loved that he was there.; 3/30/15, 6:41 PM