For Duval, It Was (and Always Will Be) the Jags

jaguarsAs someone who’s always had ties to Jacksonville, but didn’t grow up here (born and raised New Yorker, but I’ve been a First Coast resident for almost 9 years), I have a unique viewpoint of knowing Jax as both an insider and an outsider. As a kid telling friends I was going to visit family in Jacksonville every summer vacation, I was used to the blank stares I would get back. Jacksonville? Where is that? Prior to the addition of our NFL team in the mid-1990s, Jax’s biggest claim to fame was being the “Murder Capital of Florida.” Charming. Let’s be honest: The Jaguars put Jacksonville on the map.

But to Duval, Jaguars pride is way bigger than football. Sure, we love wearing our black and teal, cheering at The Bank on a Sunday, but it’s really about the pride we have for our community. Jacksonville may not have all the glitz and glamor of New York, LA, and some of the other big metropolitan areas, but it is OUR city and we love it!

We’re used to people ragging on us for being the perpetual laughingstock of the NFL. Doesn’t phase us. We may not have a Lombardi trophy, but damn it, we’ve got swimming pools in our stadium, and our video screens are among the largest in the world! Seasonal Affective Disorder? LOL, you can find us at the beach in December. Add in affordable living, the largest urban park system in the country, a thriving foodie scene, and the most shoreline of any U.S. city, and it’s not hard to see why we are proud to call Jacksonville home.

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And Jags fans are loyal! You have to be with our track record. No matter how much of a disappointment the prior season was, come August we are once again filled with all the excitement and hope that THIS will finally be our year. Of course, that kind of year is few and far between for us Jags fans, but that’s what makes seasons like this one so exhilarating.

Growing up in the Tri-State Area during an era of New York sports dominance, making the playoffs was not only a frequent occurrence but almost expected. It’s easy to get jaded by success when it’s commonplace, but Jaguars fans know better than to ever take it for granted. So when we do make the playoffs, or heck, even win a game, we live it UP! You may have even caught yours truly acting a fool on the local news after the Jags won the AFC South title. Hey, moms need to let loose, too, right?

With all there is in this world to divide us, when the Jaguars score a touchdown, you don’t care whether the person you’re high-fiving in the Bud Zone is a Democrat or Republican, whether they’re gay, straight, white, or Black. First and foremost, they’re a fellow Jags fan. On game day, we are united by our pride for our team and our city, and I just think that’s really beautiful.

So, until next season, let me get a DUUUVAL!!! Go Jags!

Jess Dinney
Jess Dinney is a Florida transplant who grew up in New York but has been living in Jacksonville for 8 years. After working as a corporate event planner and conference manager for 14 years, Jess is now a full-time stay-at-home mom to her 1-year-old twins. In her free time (wait, twin toddlers, what is free time?) Jess loves spending time outdoors with her wife and kids, going to Jags games, and trying out new restaurants around town. Follow her on Instagram @doublethedinneys for the low-down on twin mom life, LGBTQ advocacy, local food tours, and more!

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