Dear “Boston” Fans
Dear “Boston” fans,
As many of you pointed out this past weekend, the New England Patriots are essentially the greatest team ever assembled and you have definitely been rooting for them since before they got good. In fact, you love Boston. Your uncle Joey grew up there and you once spent a summer in Southie. Oh, and Good Will Hunting is probably your favorite movie. You go to all the Red Sox games in Seattle because “the Mariners suck and can’t even fill their own stadium”. You make sure everyone knows you are there by wearing your David Ortiz jersey and your alternate Red Sox cap. You named your first son Tom after the best quarterback ever. You are a true fan. A diehard.
What was that? You grew up in Seattle, attended Nathan Hale High School and just fell in love with the ’04 Sox because of Johnny Damon? What was that? You jumped on the Patriots bandwagon because they win all the time? What was that? You bailed on your hometown teams because “they never win”? Of course you did.
So are you?
But that’s right, Richard Sherman of the Seahawks is the idiot/jerk/insert word here for tweeting a picture of him taunting Tom Brady. Leave the “golden boy” alone. Let’s ignore the fact that Brady told Sherman and safety Earl Thomas “to find him after that game”. I think Sherman should have responded, “will Gisele be there?” That would make me show up win or lose.
Speaking of showing up whether win or lose, how about those “Boston” fans? Don’t die hard fans show up even if there team is a losing squad? Yep, I realize that the Mariners have dwindling attendance. In fact, the M’s were last in MLB in home capacity this year at 44.4% for the season of potential attendance. But you do realize that this town has suffered through nine years of mediocrity and even pitiful performance including five seasons over 90 losses? How many bad years have the Red Sox suffered through? Oh this was the first one since the magical 2004 season? And what happened? That’s right – no one came to Seattle this time.
Monday, September 3 – 21,641 fans
Tuesday, September 4 – 12,754 fans
Wednesday, September 5 – 13,037 fans
Those last two rank in the bottom ten of games in Seattle Mariners history. Where did all the “Boston” fans go that fill up Safeco Field? They moved since last season?
But they still come to the Patriots game at Century Link Field because they are “real fans”. They come to a stadium where Seahawks fans have sold out the place 80 consecutive times despite not having a winning season since 2007. See, the fans in Seattle will still go just as long as their ownership shows a little hope and a little connection to the ones who buy tickets. See, Seattle fans are Seattle fans. They aren’t “Boston” fans. They aren’t those who grew up somewhere else and adopted the Sox or Pats because they won. That isn’t being a fan. That is being a front runner. That isn’t the point of watching sports.
And it is getting worse. One Boston fan – maybe from Boston or maybe not – tweeted this to Sherman after the Hawks win over the Pats last Sunday:
Who cares? You will be 8-8 at the end of the year and we will be in the Super Bowl.
Guess what “Boston” fans? You know who you sound like? Yankee fans. Yep, the ones you supposedly hate the most. This summer my Yankee “friend” told me that Felix Hernandez would be a Yankee in a year or so after I texted him about a dominant performance over New York. Just like Boston fans. Don’t believe me?
Wow
This picture was tweeted by @ThePatriotWay. Love the profile – “I don’t have followers…I have fans”. Place of residence? “Your mom’s bed”. You can’t make this stuff up. There is no way this dude grew up in Boston.
For all the real Boston fans out there, we respect you. We wish our teams would win as much as yours. But for those of you who are “Boston” fans. Those who live in our communities and tweet at Richard Sherman. Those who only rooted for the Sox and Pats after they started winning. On behalf of Seattle fans….
2012 Seattle Mariners 75-87
2012 Boston Red Sox 69-93Sunday, October 14 – Seattle Seahawks 24, New England Patriots 23
2012 Seattle Seahawks 4-2
2012 New England Patriots 3-3
Sincerely,
Real Fans from Seattle
You’re blog is pretty spot on. However, your stats on the attendance at the M’s game may be a bit flawed. I only say this because Monday was a day off (Labor Day 21k) then Tues and Wed were games where people HAD to be back at work cause they just had a long weekend. But still pretty accurate in the point you make.
congrats on your Seahawks win. Well played.
Attendance for previous series (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun) 20k, 23k, 31k, 34k.
I thought about that and unfortunately could not access enough information via the old internet to find attendance at Safeco/Kingdome pre-2004. I think that would tell the story even better.
2003 – Fri Sat Sun series – 46k, 46k, 46k
2002 – Fri Sat Sun series – 45k, 45k, 45k
2002 – Tues Wed Thurs – 45k, 45k, 45k
2001 – Tues Wed Thurs – 30k, 40k, 42k
2000 – Opening Series Tues Wed Thurs 45k, 29k, 25k
2000 – Mon Tues Wed 36k, 37k, 45k
i can keep going.
I probably didn’t explain well. These numbers are skewed. Look at M’s attendance in those years and their record. Playoffs in 2000 and 2001. 93 wins in both 2002 and 2003. The attendance is reflection of M’s play as much as anything. Versus this year – M’s still not good. What is he difference? Boston sucked and Tues/Wed games. Posers didn’t show.
oh yeah, I was just providing stats that’s all. I totally agree with your statement and this blog. I consider myself a pretty hearty Sox fan, and I despise these types of “fans.” The last time I was at SafeCo, another Sox “fan” and his pink hat wearing girlfriend were buying me shots. When they asked my favorite player and I replied with DP, the girl looked at me and said, who’s that?!? I about lost my ish.
Of course, I looked over and two Seattle “fans” were enjoying the game with some smoked salmon and some Pinot Gris, so I felt a little better. But this blog is spot on.
Touché
I find “Boston” fans to be irritating in the same way “Oregon” fans are irritating. I get that when your team was a perennial doormat for 80 years, or suffering under a mythical 86-year “curse,” you get excited when your team is good. If you suffered through those awful years and still rooted for your squad, you get to be as arrogant and pompous as you want. You earned it. If you jumped on the wagon once success arrived, just shut up and enjoy the ride.