We've all read the articles, viewership is down, radio listeners have fallen off a cliff.....and then I see crap videos like this.
All this does is further confirm my hatred for pink hats (especially the first girl) and fake fans. I'm dragging ass today, and have been since last week because of this West Coast trip, while these women call themselves fans and walk around all motivated and energetic.
Boston.com should have interviewed me (post coffee this morning of course). Unfortunately, it's people like those in this video who buy tickets, go to the game in order to socialize and leave after the 7th inning to go home and watch the Bachelorette.
Bunch of Sallies.
Hump day anger? Possibly.
7 comments:
It must truly be exhausting, being the arbiter of what constitutes true fandom, and maintaining the eternal vigilance necessary to police the ranks for the team. In fact, I know it is, because I used to try to do it myself. I can't tell you what to do, obviously, but I find I'm much happier when I just follow the team on my own terms, and worry less about whether other people share my level of devotion.
I'm also a lot happier when I don't force myself to stay up for every West Coast game, because missing a game or two here and there because I'm gainfully employed really doesn't make me less of a fan. Nobody's come to revoke my membership or registered a gag order in which I am legally prohibited from claiming to be a Sox fan just yet, anyway. Just like nobody's giving me a trophy if I do stay up to watch.
And honestly, at the end of the day, there's not anything actually wrong with attending a sporting event in order to socialize. It's just a different type and level of appreciation -- in fact, the one most people attending sporting events live at. It's still perfectly legal.
For me, the bottom line is this. There's always somebody who knows more about the game than me, always someone who could easily term me a 'pink hat' for any number of reasons, depending on their criteria for "true fans". I don't literally wear a pink hat, but do I know the name and numbers of every Sox prospect in the minor league system? Do I personally run a fantasy team? Do I call WEEI and yell about trades Theo should be making? Do I conduct complex SABR analyses? Have I ever played the game myself? Depending on who you ask, answering no to these questions makes you not a true fan, or not truly knowledgeable about the game. It never ends. You can never hope to meet everybody's little rules for what constitutes true devotion / acceptable behavior at the ballpark or in general, and it's kinda egotistical to expect others to conform to yours. So why not just be a fan in the way that makes you happy, in the way that has meaning to you, and move on with life?
Just my $0.02. I promise I mean all of the above in the friendliest possible way. I also understand the urge to respond to the glib interpretations being floated around about the whole 'the ratings are down' thing, that tars everyone with the same brush. But if it doesn't apply to you, if you are not a fickle, shallow fan and you take pride in that, then just know who you are and what your devotion is. That's all you can really do, ya know?
Have to admit it, Vicino, (not to gang up on you - I think you know my stance on this) but I'm pretty much on girlanachronism's side here. I've never had a problem with the 'pink hats'. I might not choose to talk Sox in-depth with people who don't follow as closely as us, but I don't begrudge them whatever pleasure they get out of it, however they get it. The more revenue, interest, attention to the team, the better. And if people need to take July and August off, I'm okay with it. As long as people don't start going to the minor league complex at spring training. That's all ours.
Finally, a coherent comment that brings up good points (not you Joe Murph...)
The two cents on this topic is appreciated. Obviously everyone is more than welcome to their own opinion on this topic. In no way am I claiming to know everything about the Sox or "police the fans"...merely stating my frustration via a blog the same way you comment with your thoughts.
The pink hats drive me nuts, I've said it before and I'll say it again. Are they good for the team from a revenue perspective? For the most part.
I guess for me (again, my opinion on this), a fan should at least have a working knowledge of the team, the game of baseball, and maybe even watch a game or two....not just think that "Jacoby is hot". Clearly, I’m not putting girlanachronism in that category, but we all know there are lots of people like that out there.
At times, I wish I could not care about the Sox as much as I do, but there are varying levels of fandom and it bothers me to a fault.
In all seriousness, thanks for the comments, keep em coming.
And Joe, I totally agree on the minor league complex...we need to claim our permanent spots now.
Something tells me the pink hats won't be running to the minor league complex though....
There is nothing I hate more than a Pink Hat sitting in front of me at a Sox game, not paying attention and only cheering when they hear Jacoby's name.
Their money may be just as green as the rest of ours, but their level of annoyance is WAY TOO HIGH.
Soxin10' - you'd rather have a worse baseball team than sit behind a person who's not paying attention to the game? It's valid, I guess, but it strikes me as over-sentimentalizing baseball and what role the fans - hard-core or not - play.
Soxin10' - you'd rather have a worse baseball team than sit behind a person who's not paying attention to the game? It's valid, I guess, but it strikes me as over-sentimentalizing baseball and what role the fans - hard-core or not - play.
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