Yankee Bashing

[BINGLEBOP]

Well, in the case of the Red Sox now, they're not "popular because they're popular". They are an excellent team. Just like the Yankees used to be. Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are not excellent at anything.

What percentage of fans of the Red Sox are "true fans" now? I don't know, and I don't care. It can only be a good thing if you're a fan of the team. Even if you have a bunch of bandwagon fans for a few years, at least they're buying tickets and memorabilia, which will only help your team. Then when it's not the team of the moment anymore, they leave and you're still there.

[TheNamelessPoet]

When the braves were good i saw people all over the place wearing braves hars (In CT) Now... people look at me like im nuts because I wear mine. Too many people are interested in switching teams. What gets me is when they say for example, I'm a cubs fan now because I liked soriano and when he went to the cubs I switched teams...

You ahve a team and you stand by them no matter if they make dumb moves, like letting glaving walk away 6 years ago, etc. I certainly was not going to start rooting for the mets jsut because he went there... I hear crap like that all the time.

end of rant

[ohms_law]

There are a ton of people who are fans of specific players, though. I don't see what's wrong with that... It's just a different type of fandom.

[filihok]

Why do we even cheer for a team?

Does it really make sense? The players change. The managers change. The owners change. The stadiums change. The uniforms change. Everything changes. What are we rooting for?

I went to a discussion a few months ago held by a group of psychologists/baseball fans and their assertion was rooting for sports teams fills the same psychological need as tribes. It's a way to label ourselves. A way to create a community. It was very interesting. I wish I had taken more copious notes to share.

[ohms_law]

What are we rooting for?

The brand.

[OregonDuck1989]

Why do we even cheer for a team?

Does it really make sense? The players change. The managers change. The owners change. The stadiums change. The uniforms change. Everything changes. What are we rooting for?

I went to a discussion a few months ago held by a group of psychologists/baseball fans and their assertion was rooting for sports teams fills the same psychological need as tribes. It's a way to label ourselves. A way to create a community. It was very interesting. I wish I had taken more copious notes to share.

That is incredibly interesting. I would go to that discussion if they had it in my area. Dang. Now I'm hooked ha.

[ohms_law]

Yea, same here.

[filihok]

It was actually a book they were discussing. I'm looking everywhere trying to remember it or find it. Nothing.

Bobby Thompson was there. That was cool.

[Pavelb1]

When the braves were good i saw people all over the place wearing braves hars (In CT) Now... people look at me like im nuts because I wear mine. Too many people are interested in switching teams. What gets me is when they say for example, I'm a cubs fan now because I liked soriano and when he went to the cubs I switched teams...

You ahve a team and you stand by them no matter if they make dumb moves, like letting glaving walk away 6 years ago, etc. I certainly was not going to start rooting for the mets jsut because he went there... I hear crap like that all the time.

end of rant

Depends. I followed Pavel Bure to Florida because I happened to be moving to Miami also, and the Canucks completly changed their uniforms and colors. They just didn't seem like the same team anymore.

Of course I wasn't about to follow Bure to the Rangers and just gave up following hockey all together when the strike occured.

[oriole^]

It was actually a book they were discussing. I'm looking everywhere trying to remember it or find it. Nothing.

Bobby Thompson was there. That was cool.

It does sound it. And yeah, you are absolutely right to ask the question, too. I know for me, I'm cheering for the city of Baltimore and my state. The sense of community for me is a literal one.

Now I have cheered for out-of-town teams before (Miami Heat, Liverpool FC, etc.) Generally I've done so for them because there's no Marylander team competing, and because the team has a certain character that I identify with...maybe because I see it in myself or I just value it in others.

It's kind of what I'm trying to do with my Ocean City dynasty. I don't really care, initially, how well they do on the field. The idea is to create a quirky, character-filled team that runs things by quick thinking, fancy footwork, and what-the-hell, seat-of-your-pants play. They can't fall back on overwhelming talent because they just don't have enough.

My favorite time at an Orioles game will likely always be the game where Tippy Martinez picked the side off first base in the tenth inning. I was at Memorial Stadium in lower reserved on the first base side...it was the weirdest, wildest game you'll ever see, with that event being only one of the bits of strangeness, and the O's just fell back on pure nutsiness to try to keep the game going. I had absolutely no voice the next day, that's for sure.

[Frijolito]

For me it is about supporting my community and also a source of pride. I have lived in Milwaukee almost my whole life so I root for Bucks, Brewers, & Packers. In soccer I root for Veracruz because that's the state I was born in. Band wagon jumpers do annoy me but I guess I can't expect everyone to have the same passion as me.

[metsguy234]

I root for the camaraderie of rooting along with so many others.