Single White Fan Seeks NFL Team...

It started with a void, a 26 year old American male without a team to root for in America's biggest sport... 

That led to a letter, a plea for the 31 NFL teams to make their case as to why they were the team for me...

While the letters were in the mail, a system was developed, a blueprint scoring, ranking, and differentiating the contenders...

The ball began to roll.  Teams were scored and ranked on tradition, location, uniforms, fans, the current team, intangibles, and their weekly performances...

Meanwhile, I checked the mail, and checked the mail, and checked the mail...

Then it happened.  An envelope with a logo and the anticipation and mystery of what was inside...

Then another letter came...and another...and another...and they kept coming...

Somewhere along the way, people began to notice...

First it was Sports Illustrated, then it was ESPN, then Rick and Bubba,  then the WJOX Roundtable, then the Times Daily,  then The Birmingham News, and then the Alabama Alumni Magazine...

Then the teams' fans made their cases, some inviting me to join the mayhem, some advising me to run the other way,  and some passionately pleading for respect...

One team went above and beyond to make their case, writing their own letter that capture what this was all about (as well as throwing in some swag for good measure).  They invited me to their place, and I accepted...

Then came the hard part...the cuts.  The first 2 were eliminated, then 2 more,  and so on,  and so on...

Then came the playoffs, and we went from 12...to 8, to 4, and now to 2....

And here we are...Kansas City Chiefs vs. Arizona Cardinals.  Both have made their case, both have survived the cuts, and both have their pros and their cons.  They're alike in some ways, both often struggling more than succeeding, both transitioning toward the future, and both, well, wearing red.  In other ways, they're completely different.  One is the pride its city while the other works to get their city behind them.  One roster has its share of stars while the other is building from youth.  Either team would make a great choice and its a shame I can't just root for both.

Things have gotten a little behind schedule, and for that I apologize.  But, we're close...really close, and by this time next week, I will have an NFL fan to root for.  Can I really just become a die-hard fan overnight?  No, but I can work at it.  I can follow the team, I can cheer for them year in and year out, and eventually the losses are going to start to sting and the victories are going to get sweeter.  I'll get there.

So to anyone who has kept up with the search and visited the site once, occasionally, or regularly, Thank You.  I hope you've enjoyed reading along a fraction as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

To anyone who has commented or e-mailed, Thank You.  I have read every comment, every e-mail, every tweet, every facebook message and I've appreciated every one of them (even if I've failed to respond).  I'd like to think I could write as convincing of cases for my teams as you all have for yours.

This has been a lot of fun and been one of the more memorable experiences I will ever have.  I had no idea if a single team would even respond, and still cannot believe I somehow ended up getting noticed by Sports Illustrated and interviewed by ESPN.  To those of you who have asked "what happens to the blog after you pick your team?", well, I'm not sure yet.  Maybe I'll keep it up and running and share what it's like to be a first year fan of a team.  We'll see...

So now, it's on to the moment of truth.  I hope you'll check back next week as I make the final decision and commit for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to the team I will spend the rest of my life supporting.  It's time to tie the knot...