Royal Reader said:
4283, how did you become an Atleti fan?
After I graduated college in 2006, I moved to Spain to teach English for a year. Upon arrival, I sought to select a team to root for. I bought Marca's "Guia Marca de la Liga", a great guide to each time's chances that year, as well as some information about each time's history, fans, and stadium.
As a lifelong Red Sox fan, I wanted a team with a rich history and a passionate fanbase. Importantly, I did not want to arrive in Spain and immediately latch onto either Real Madrid or Barcelona. To me, it would have been like someone from Spain living in the United States and choosing to support the Yankees -- an uninspired and a bit of a boring choice. At the same time, I wanted a team that would compete, a team that was not stuck in the middle or the bottom of the table each year (that eliminated teams like Getafe and Rayo Vallecano).
On top of those factors, my wife is from Asturias, which influenced the decision (my heart is with Real Oviedo, her family's team, but until they make it back to first, I'm with Atletico). Because of her family's political stance, I decided to stay away from teams from Catalunya, Galicia, and Pais Vasco (that took off Espanyol, Celta, Deportivo, Real Sociedad, and Athletic).
With all this information, I picked Atletico over Valencia. Everyone laughed at me. They mocked the choice, perhaps rightfully so. Up until last year, when Atletico beat Real Madrid, the team was a bit of a running joke in Spain -- they always faltered, never could beat their cross-town rivals, and broke their fans hearts each year. I was immediately hooked. I loved the passion.
