Yahoo News asked big-time fans of the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens to send in photos that show the wacky and fanatic side of sports fandom. Here's one.
Living on the East Coast, no matter if the NFL is in full swing or it is the offseason, people see me wearing 49ers gear and ask me, "How are you a 49ers fan?" I get it: San Francisco is far away and there are a bevy of great NFL teams that are closer to where I live. Yet since they ask, I answer everyone the same way and now you get to know the story as well.
I was born in South Bend, Ind., in 1979. At that time a quarterback named Joe Montana was playing for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. My dad enjoyed watching Montana played and when Joe was drafted by the 49ers, my dad became a Niners fan. My dad and I watched the 49ers play every Sunday and I grew up following the team.
If the 49ers had a losing season, I would still watch and cheer them on. I have been lucky enough to remember watching the team win four out of their five Super Bowls, go to a game in San Francisco, and best yet I have interviewed Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Ronnie Lott. Life as a 49ers fan has been good to me!