The_Admiral Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 But does the Cardinals organization itself push the holier-than-thou thing, or is it just the fans? Fox Sports Midwest had billboards around town saying "You Are The Best Fans In Baseball," which, while not directly from the team itself, is close enough to presumably have the team's imprimatur -- they certainly didn't say "okay, guys, let's reel it back in a little." If nothing else, it was a little creepy to have that looming over the city like some sort of affirmation. ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOldRoman Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 But does the Cardinals organization itself push the holier-than-thou thing, or is it just the fans?Fox Sports Midwest had billboards around town saying "You Are The Best Fans In Baseball," which, while not directly from the team itself, is close enough to presumably have the team's imprimatur -- they certainly didn't say "okay, guys, let's reel it back in a little." If nothing else, it was a little creepy to have that looming over the city like some sort of affirmation.Eh. I mean, every team and player says "We've got the best fans in the world," so I don't see that as such a big deal. And even if the Cards preach to their players about "the Cardinal Way," I don't think that's grating unless all the players are personnel go on boasting in the press about how the Cardinal Way is better than every other way (I don't know if they do).That being said, it seems like the Cardinal Way is better than every other way. Even if it involved suffocating smugness, I'd love my team to follow the Cardinal Way. The White Sox Way is essentially: 1) Don't practice fielding or baserunning; 2) It's okay if you don't hit in April because nobody ever does; 3) If you can hit for two months in AA, welcome to the majors; 4) Nothing is ever anybody's fault; 5) Don't rock the boat; and 5) We don't fire anybody, we just let them retire at their leisure." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL FANATIC Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 But does the Cardinals organization itself push the holier-than-thou thing, or is it just the fans? Fox Sports Midwest had billboards around town saying "You Are The Best Fans In Baseball," which, while not directly from the team itself, is close enough to presumably have the team's imprimatur -- they certainly didn't say "okay, guys, let's reel it back in a little." If nothing else, it was a little creepy to have that looming over the city like some sort of affirmation. And the Cardinals used to (and maybe still do?) heavily market Busch Stadium as "baseball heaven." But, it's marketing. The problem is multi-faceted, of course. 1. Everyone hates a winner unless it's their own. That's not universally true, but it's pretty true. And the Cardinals have won in some particularly crazy ways at times—that always makes it worse if you're rooting against them. 2. While the Cardinals absolutey have, had, and will have a very strong fan base regardless, winners always carry a bandwagon with them. And a high percentage of bandwagon fans are annoying as hell. And with a fanbase that big to begin with and a team that successful, it means there are a ton of bandwagon fans, even though they might not represent the majority of fans. 3. The Cardinals really are a well run organization that does do most things with class. And the media loves a good fluff piece. So it gets rubbed in your face. And that's how a term like "The Cardinal Way" which is as much or more about baseball fundamentals as it is about the manner one carries themself (though both are components) gets twisted into the pretentious meaning people think of. (And the annoying bandwagon fans take all of this fluff and rub it in your face even more). 4. There's some truth to it. And much like point one, nobody likes when someone else gets called the best. When I say there's some truth to it, I don't mean it's definitively true. I mean what a silly judgement to make, right? Fan bases are made up of thousands to millions of fans. Every fan sure can't be good. And how do you really judge one against 29 others? But despite the bad ones, despite the pretentiousness, despite some of the over-the-top actions trying to live up to the expectation (a standing ovation for Shane Robinson?), Cardinals fans are largely good and largely very knowledgable about the game. It is a big part of the culture here, they do largely treat the sport with a special reverence. And it's often stated and recognized by outsiders including the media and player surveys. 5. But then some take the title and repeat it. And someone that brags about something that might even be true is often more annoying than a straight up liar. Have some modesty. If others want to call St. Louis the best fans, that's neat. I'll let them. I can't stand when St. Louis says it about itself. And that concludes my 5-point theory on why the Cardinals and their fans are hated despite actually being a really good franchise and a really good fan base. If your gag reflex to it is over the top and equally bad then I don't think you're any better. If you're just annoyed by it and root against them because of it—hey, that's sports! (And if you're a rival fan, you a little extra freedom when it comes to being a bit irrational. Again, sports!) JUSTIN STRIEBEL | PORTFOLIO | RESUME | CONTACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Hey, I've always maintained that St. Louis is a great baseball town and their status as such is great for baseball as a whole. They just bought their own hype. Happens to the best of us. 4) Nothing is ever anybody's faultThat's not true, they blame it on the fans for not showing up. ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-kj Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 6. The fan base has become more and more conservative as Missouri keeps trying to go back to the Dark Ages, and they do really embarrassing things. </bias> Buy some t-shirts and stuff at KJ Shop! KJ Branded | Behance portfolio POTD 2013-08-22 On 7/14/2012 at 2:20 AM, tajmccall said: When it comes to style, ya'll really should listen to Kev. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2001mark Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 The Simpsons. @2001mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothamite Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 6. The fan base has become more and more conservative as Missouri keeps trying to go back to the Dark Ages, and they do really embarrassing things.</bias>I have to say, I'm getting close to rooting for them to lose the Rams because of this. The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Missouri keeps trying to go back to the Dark AgesShort trip. ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEAD! Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I saw, I came, I left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2001mark Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 We should do a fav/least fav provincial &/or state welcome road signage thread over in general design... yay or nay? @2001mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sc49erfan15 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 We should do a fav/least fav provincial &/or state welcome road signage thread over in general design... yay or nay?South Dakota. You have Mount Rushmore. WE GET IT, ALREADY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sec19Row53 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Poking fun at my own fandom, let's not forget that Ron Wolf wrote a book called "The Packer Way" back in the mid-90s. http://www.amazon.com/The-Packer-Way-Stepping-Organization/dp/0312193122Anything that Cardinal fans are charged with, Packer fans are just as guilty of, Your Honor. It's where I sit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DG_ThenNowForever Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Poking fun at my own fandom, let's not forget that Ron Wolf wrote a book called "The Packer Way" back in the mid-90s. http://www.amazon.com/The-Packer-Way-Stepping-Organization/dp/0312193122Anything that Cardinal fans are charged with, Packer fans are just as guilty of, Your Honor.Except for the interleague espionage, of course. 1 hour ago, ShutUpLutz! said: and the drunken doodoobags jumping off the tops of SUV's/vans/RV's onto tables because, oh yeah, they are drunken drug abusing doodoobags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnWis97 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Poking fun at my own fandom, let's not forget that Ron Wolf wrote a book called "The Packer Way" back in the mid-90s. http://www.amazon.com/The-Packer-Way-Stepping-Organization/dp/0312193122Anything that Cardinal fans are charged with, Packer fans are just as guilty of, Your Honor.Thanks for acknowledging that. Disclaimer: If this comment is about an NBA uniform from 2017-2018 or later, do not constitute a lack of acknowledgement of the corporate logo to mean anything other than "the corporate logo is terrible and makes the uniform significantly worse." BADGERS TWINS VIKINGS TIMBERWOLVES WILD POTD (Shared) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL FANATIC Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Poking fun at my own fandom, let's not forget that Ron Wolf wrote a book called "The Packer Way" back in the mid-90s. http://www.amazon.com/The-Packer-Way-Stepping-Organization/dp/0312193122 Anything that Cardinal fans are charged with, Packer fans are just as guilty of, Your Honor. The Cardinals and Packers are actually pretty similar organizations across the board. It's not a connection I'd really made much, but it's there. Massive success, massive tradition, and a massive fanbase despite their market size. That'd be the overview, but I'm sure there's even more similarities if you dig in. JUSTIN STRIEBEL | PORTFOLIO | RESUME | CONTACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Both excellent drafting/development teams. I don't think Packers fans have the same sanctimony going, though. Really, I find Wisconsinites to be sympathetic figures as long as Scott Walker is in office, as long as they're not the ones who voted him in. ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rams80 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Both excellent drafting/development teams. I don't think Packers fans have the same sanctimony going, though. Really, I find Wisconsinites to be sympathetic figures as long as Scott Walker is in office, as long as they're not the ones who voted him in. BTW Walker won Brown County by nearly 18,000 votes. On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said: You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now. On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said: Today, we are all otaku. "The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010 The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothamite Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Nobody's perfect. The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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