Much of Idaho Knows Jack About Football

NFL training camps open in a few weeks. In some parts of the country, it’s a big deal. My dad was a Buffalo fan, and when he was still alive, I tried to take vacation time and go to training camp with him. Dad had turned down an invitation to camp by the Browns in the early days of the franchise. He was a big man for his era at 6 and a half feet tall. One year at a camp near Buffalo, Bruce Smith looked at my dad, nodded hello, and smiled. It must be a big guy thing.

Over the years I’ve read various surveys about Idaho’s favorite team. Frankly, there doesn’t appear to be a consensus. Claims I’ve seen include the Seahawks, Packers, Broncos, and Cowboys (someone must be warped!)

I came across a map that suggests counties are a better determiner. You can see the link here. Even the Lions have a claim to one county. I’m not surprised, we used to have two women in the office who were Detroit fans. Before the Lions were good. Both Idaho and Montana look like patchwork quilts on the map. Twin Falls County looks to belong to Tampa Bay. What? I’m having trouble figuring out the shade. Owyhee County is Giants territory. They should stick to rodeo.

It even appears that a couple of Idaho counties favor the Cardinals. Do these people admit it in public? Bingham County. It figures!

The Buccaneers look to have a nationally widespread fan base. That surprises me. I get the Cowboys, Packers, and 49ers. Those clubs have national followings, but Tampa Bay? Someone’s puffing on too much ganja.