An interesting thing about living in Myrtle Beach is that when it comes to the NFL, pretty much every single team in the league has a contingent of fans in our area.

There are a couple main reasons for this. First, South Carolina doesn’t have its own NFL franchise. Back when I lived in Montana, a state that also doesn’t have a team, there was a hodgepodge of teams that received support from citizens. 

But what makes Myrtle Beach so different is not just our status as a tourist town but as a transplant destination. Sometimes it seems as if my wife is the only local left (and technically she isn’t a local – she is from Marion). People relocate here from all over the country, with an especially high concentration of folks “from up North.”

Mix these factors with the overwhelming popularity of the NFL (well, at least before this year) and you have a city that looks like it is hosting the league’s all-star game each year. Go to an area Walmart on a late Sunday morning and you will witness a jersey convention.

Although I like the synergy that is generated in a city or town that is united by its support for the local pro team, living in a place with fans from every conference and division within the NFL is cool too. You get to observe the tendencies of different fanbases and find out who the true hardcore supporters are.

The best part, however, about the diverse NFL rooting interests is that you will always have friends who have a team in the Super Bowl. If my Seattle Seahawks aren’t going to be in the big game, I at least want to see teams make it that are supported by people I actually like.

As you can imagine, once “This Is Us” starts on Sunday night I will know people who are crying for reasons not relating to Jack’s death and people with the audacity to skip the show altogether because they want to celebrate with people other than Randall and Kate.

Hope my Patriots and Eagles friends enjoy the game on Sunday. Although I love them both, hopefully my Philly friends will be the ones taking a raincheck on “This Is Us.” Don’t Blink.