Too many #$%# Northerners in this town...

[jd77]

By the way, that Primeau guy sounds like a jackass.  Telling someone they have enough fans so they don't need him?  He's a moron.  Very rude.

As for the fan -- sounds like he can't think for himself.  He started to like the Lightning because someone told him to.

You could look at it like that or you could say he came to his senses and learned a lesson in civic pride.  Put yourself in the player's shoes for a minute.  How would you like to play baseball in a town that your neighbors show up to root against you in mass.  The players don't like seeing it in visiting stadiums either. At least not in mass.  A few fans scattered here and there and a few family members is one thing.

But, when you are playing baseball for the Rays and hear "Lets go Red Sox" in the Trop that has got to eat at you.  I have even seen interviews with Red Sox and Yankees players saying while they appreciate the support they shouldn't be playing home games in a visiting stadium and actually feel akward about it.

Put in reverse for just a second.  Imagine if the roles were reversed and everyone from Florida was flocking to the northeast. When we got there we told them the way they live is stupid, their teams are stupid, and their economy wouldn't be the same without us so they should be glad we are there.  Then when the Devil Rays, Lightning, or Bucs came to town we all ran out to buy up the tickets and just acted like obnoxious jerks in their stadium. Told them how bad their team sucked and started chants for the Tampa area teams in their stadiums.  Just imagine if the roles were reversed for a minute.  Doesn't seem quite as cool now does it?

The players want their respective leagues to be strong and in order to do that each market needs to be strong. Hence the reason the NFL is so great.  If people rejected their home teams when they were granted expansion teams or teams relocated there would be no pro sports.  At least not to the extent that we have them now  We would have like 10 teams in each league and they would only play in the traditional markets in this country.

Do you think living in Florida would be as great as it is if we didn't have pro sports?  If everyone followed this logic the Bucs, Bolts, Rays, and every other expansion team would have failed.

Are Houston Texans, Tennesse Titans, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, etc fans less of a fan compared to a Yankees fan, because they have followed that team their whole life?  I don't think so.  People need to learn to stop living in the past and live in the present and the future.

[jd77]

And just a side note.  I have season tickets to all 3 local teams or at least a partial plan.

I can tell you the people that sit in my section at Lightning games, the season ticket holders I see every game and talk to, not one of them is originally from Florida.  I sit next to people from MD, which is where I am from, NY, Detroit, Boston, etc. They are at every game screaming their head off and paying thousands of dollars for the right to do it. Are they not true fans, because they are now Lightning fans and used to be fans of a different team?

Same with my Rays seats. The majority of the people I sit near are from NY and are former Mets/Yankees fans.  Are they not "real" fans anymore?

My Bucs seats, I don't know where the people are from. I don't tend to talk to people at Bucs games like I do at Lightning and Rays games. Football games aren't condusive to conversations and they are much less frequent so you don't develop that bond with you "neighbors." At least I haven't.

[BigShoop]

You could look at it like that or you could say he came to his senses and learned a lesson in civic pride.  Put yourself in the player's shoes for a minute.  How would you like to play baseball in a town that your neighbors show up to root against you in mass.  The players don't like seeing it in visiting stadiums either. At least not in mass.  A few fans scattered here and there and a few family members is one thing.

But, when you are playing baseball for the Rays and hear "Lets go Red Sox" in the Trop that has got to eat at you.  I have even seen interviews with Red Sox and Yankees players saying while they appreciate the support they shouldn't be playing home games in a visiting stadium and actually feel akward about it.

Put in reverse for just a second.  Imagine if the roles were reversed and everyone from Florida was flocking to the northeast. When we got there we told them the way they live is stupid, their teams are stupid, and their economy wouldn't be the same without us so they should be glad we are there.  Then when the Devil Rays, Lightning, or Bucs came to town we all ran out to buy up the tickets and just acted like obnoxious jerks in their stadium. Told them how bad their team sucked and started chants for the Tampa area teams in their stadiums.  Just imagine if the roles were reversed for a minute.  Doesn't seem quite as cool now does it?

The players want their respective leagues to be strong and in order to do that each market needs to be strong. Hence the reason the NFL is so great.  If people rejected their home teams when they were granted expansion teams or teams relocated there would be no pro sports.  At least not to the extent that we have them now  We would have like 10 teams in each league and they would only play in the traditional markets in this country.

Do you think living in Florida would be as great as it is if we didn't have pro sports?  If everyone followed this logic the Bucs, Bolts, Rays, and every other expansion team would have failed.

Are Houston Texans, Tennesse Titans, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, etc fans less of a fan compared to a Yankees fan, because they have followed that team their whole life?  I don't think so.  People need to learn to stop living in the past and live in the present and the future.

jd77, between your signature pic and the quoted statement, you're my new best friend.  8-)

[WoolyBully]

It's interesting how this thread has swerved from USF centric to a general discussion on professional sports.

Maybe pro sports means something to you - if you grew up with it. I didn't. The closest

teams growing up were the Falcons/Braves in Atlanta and the 'Skins in DC. Today, the

Bucs, Drays & Lightnin' exist in Tampa, but I don't attend. I don't root against them, but

they mean very little to me personally.

Which explains my allegiance to USF. Even if I did move to Greenville, there's no rational

reason for me to support ECU. I wouldn't root against them - but I cerainly wouldn't buy

season tickets or donate to the school.

[jd77]

;D Nice to make friends with you Shoop.

And if you haven't found it already, Raysbaseball.com is a great forum for Rays fans.  Stop by the forums sometime and say hi.

Some of the most knowledgeable people I have talked to about baseball post there.  Discussions go all the way down to every level of the minor leagues.

I am a huge Rays fan and I learn a lot there.  

[Guest r_to_the_izzo]

By the way, that Primeau guy sounds like a jackass.  Telling someone they have enough fans so they don't need him?  He's a moron.  Very rude.

As for the fan -- sounds like he can't think for himself.  He started to like the Lightning because someone told him to.

You could look at it like that or you could say he came to his senses and learned a lesson in civic pride.  Put yourself in the player's shoes for a minute.  How would you like to play baseball in a town that your neighbors show up to root against you in mass.  The players don't like seeing it in visiting stadiums either. At least not in mass.  A few fans scattered here and there and a few family members is one thing.

But, when you are playing baseball for the Rays and hear "Lets go Red Sox" in the Trop that has got to eat at you.  I have even seen interviews with Red Sox and Yankees players saying while they appreciate the support they shouldn't be playing home games in a visiting stadium and actually feel akward about it.

Put in reverse for just a second.  Imagine if the roles were reversed and everyone from Florida was flocking to the northeast. When we got there we told them the way they live is stupid, their teams are stupid, and their economy wouldn't be the same without us so they should be glad we are there.  Then when the Devil Rays, Lightning, or Bucs came to town we all ran out to buy up the tickets and just acted like obnoxious jerks in their stadium. Told them how bad their team sucked and started chants for the Tampa area teams in their stadiums.  Just imagine if the roles were reversed for a minute.  Doesn't seem quite as cool now does it?

The players want their respective leagues to be strong and in order to do that each market needs to be strong. Hence the reason the NFL is so great.  If people rejected their home teams when they were granted expansion teams or teams relocated there would be no pro sports.  At least not to the extent that we have them now  We would have like 10 teams in each league and they would only play in the traditional markets in this country.

Do you think living in Florida would be as great as it is if we didn't have pro sports?  If everyone followed this logic the Bucs, Bolts, Rays, and every other expansion team would have failed.

Are Houston Texans, Tennesse Titans, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, etc fans less of a fan compared to a Yankees fan, because they have followed that team their whole life?  I don't think so.  People need to learn to stop living in the past and live in the present and the future.

You sound like a ucf fan. You have a huge case of program envy.

Stop living in the past? Your a moron. Just because a person doesnt want to stop rooting for the team they grew up rooting for doesnt mean they need to stop living in the past.

[Joe]

You could look at it like that or you could say he came to his senses and learned a lesson in civic pride.  Put yourself in the player's shoes for a minute.  How would you like to play baseball in a town that your neighbors show up to root against you in mass.  The players don't like seeing it in visiting stadiums either. At least not in mass.  A few fans scattered here and there and a few family members is one thing.

But, when you are playing baseball for the Rays and hear "Lets go Red Sox" in the Trop that has got to eat at you.  I have even seen interviews with Red Sox and Yankees players saying while they appreciate the support they shouldn't be playing home games in a visiting stadium and actually feel akward about it.

Put in reverse for just a second.  Imagine if the roles were reversed and everyone from Florida was flocking to the northeast. When we got there we told them the way they live is stupid, their teams are stupid, and their economy wouldn't be the same without us so they should be glad we are there.  Then when the Devil Rays, Lightning, or Bucs came to town we all ran out to buy up the tickets and just acted like obnoxious jerks in their stadium. Told them how bad their team sucked and started chants for the Tampa area teams in their stadiums.  Just imagine if the roles were reversed for a minute.  Doesn't seem quite as cool now does it?

The players want their respective leagues to be strong and in order to do that each market needs to be strong. Hence the reason the NFL is so great.  If people rejected their home teams when they were granted expansion teams or teams relocated there would be no pro sports.  At least not to the extent that we have them now  We would have like 10 teams in each league and they would only play in the traditional markets in this country.

Do you think living in Florida would be as great as it is if we didn't have pro sports?  If everyone followed this logic the Bucs, Bolts, Rays, and every other expansion team would have failed.

Are Houston Texans, Tennesse Titans, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, etc fans less of a fan compared to a Yankees fan, because they have followed that team their whole life?  I don't think so.  People need to learn to stop living in the past and live in the present and the future.

Nothing in this answer really states why someone can or cannot be a fan of certain teams professional or college. No one is saying that being a D-Rays fan makes you less of a fan than a Yankees fan, it just seems that way to you because of the number games.

Your not going to get someone who might have lived in the NE for 20+ years to switch their alligences to the Devil Rays because they happened to move to Tampa for a job, to retire, or even because they felt like a change of pace. You might not even get their kids to change alligences either because they grew up in that culture.

Really, please explain to me why supporting your team through thick and thin does not qualify as a definition of fan for you. When it all comes down to it you can have civic pride and still love the Detroit Red Wings...

[Guest r_to_the_izzo]

There is no logic to it Joe. You choose who you want to root for. There is no requirement to root for the home team. The only people who get pissed about it are the penis envy losers like the ones we have seen on this thread.

[Herman_Momart]

Wow, i am now dumber from reading this thread in entirety.  I cant believe i even commented on it.  My head now hurts  

[Mag Pie]

People only see things in the way that is going to help them.  Never did I, or anyone else mention that Yankees fans or whoever fans are better than D-Rays or whoever fans.

And do me a favor people, stop calling Northeners obnoxious, not everyone is like that.  You all know for a fact all schools, and professional teams have jackass fans.