When did being realistic or logical

[OMMF]

"All you Sonics haters..." "All you Eagles haters..." "All you (any team name here) haters..."

So looking at facts and numbers and basing an opinion on that, if I don't choose your team, I'm automatically a hater? Perhaps you should spend more time reading a book rather than the lyrics sheet of the latest Eminem album and not take on the world thinking its against your team, which you aren't even a part of.

[See Red]

Couldn't agree more. And equally important... why do fans care if other fans are "hating" their team?

[Korkie]

"All you Sonics haters..." "All you Eagles haters..." "All you (any team name here) haters..."

So looking at facts and numbers and basing an opinion on that, if I don't choose your team, I'm automatically a hater? Perhaps you should spend more time reading a book rather than the lyrics sheet of the latest Eminem album and not take on the world thinking its against your team, which you aren't even a part of.

I agree with this in theory, but all of this is opinions and interpretations which are fair game for an open debate, but our society has become one where most people are so quick to anger. Their anger stems from a passion for their home or its teams, but so often deteriorates into nothing more than petty attacks which do nothing to help the situation or discussion, which is sad quite frankly.

I am a Philly fan and I think with us, we are just so defensive because for reasons just and others inflated out of proportion we are, more times than not, being attacked not the actual teams and in cases where the teams are being chastised we immediatly take it personally. Why? Its that same over-aggressive passion mentioned earlier. We do a fine job of "hating on" our teams when they suck (Ed Wade and the Phillies), are cheap (Harold Katz & Norman Braman), don't give us max effort (Todd Pinkston) or don't give us 100% trying to win (see all above and more). So when someone points out legit negatives about one of my favorite teams I am fine with it; but when a group of fans are constantly bashed (fairly or un-fairly) by national media or other fans they are just naturally going to get defensive and I feel that they are perfectly entitled to that feeling, in my opinion. All I ask when it comes to Philly and its teams, bash us when its due, but praise us when its also due because thats the part of the equation we never seem to recieve and quite frankely its damn frustrating.

[OMMF]

"All you Sonics haters..." "All you Eagles haters..." "All you (any team name here) haters..."

So looking at facts and numbers and basing an opinion on that, if I don't choose your team, I'm automatically a hater? Perhaps you should spend more time reading a book rather than the lyrics sheet of the latest Eminem album and not take on the world thinking its against your team, which you aren't even a part of.

I agree with this in theory, but all of this is opinions and interpretations which are fair game for an open debate, but our society has become one where most people are so quick to anger. Their anger stems from a passion for their home or its teams, but so often deteriorates into nothing more than petty attacks which do nothing to help the situation or discussion, which is sad quite frankly.

I am a Philly fan and I think with us, we are just so defensive because for reasons just and others inflated out of proportion we are, more times than not, being attacked not the actual teams and in cases where the teams are being chastised we immediatly take it personally. Why? Its that same over-aggressive passion mentioned earlier. We do a fine job of "hating on" our teams when they suck (Ed Wade and the Phillies), are cheap (Harold Katz & Norman Braman), don't give us max effort (Todd Pinkston) or don't give us 100% trying to win (see all above and more). So when someone points out legit negatives about one of my favorite teams I am fine with it; but when a group of fans are constantly bashed (fairly or un-fairly) by national media or other fans they are just naturally going to get defensive and I feel that they are perfectly entitled to that feeling, in my opinion. All I ask when it comes to Philly and its teams, bash us when its due, but praise us when its also due because thats the part of the equation we never seem to recieve and quite frankely its damn frustrating.

But I'm not even talking about the fans. I'm talking about people, for instance, picking the Pats in the game and then being labeled a hater just for not picking the Eagles. Where's the logic in that?

One or the other, but if I pick other, that's the wrong choice.

[Korkie]

"All you Sonics haters..." "All you Eagles haters..." "All you (any team name here) haters..."

So looking at facts and numbers and basing an opinion on that, if I don't choose your team, I'm automatically a hater? Perhaps you should spend more time reading a book rather than the lyrics sheet of the latest Eminem album and not take on the world thinking its against your team, which you aren't even a part of.

I agree with this in theory, but all of this is opinions and interpretations which are fair game for an open debate, but our society has become one where most people are so quick to anger. Their anger stems from a passion for their home or its teams, but so often deteriorates into nothing more than petty attacks which do nothing to help the situation or discussion, which is sad quite frankly.

I am a Philly fan and I think with us, we are just so defensive because for reasons just and others inflated out of proportion we are, more times than not, being attacked not the actual teams and in cases where the teams are being chastised we immediatly take it personally. Why? Its that same over-aggressive passion mentioned earlier. We do a fine job of "hating on" our teams when they suck (Ed Wade and the Phillies), are cheap (Harold Katz & Norman Braman), don't give us max effort (Todd Pinkston) or don't give us 100% trying to win (see all above and more). So when someone points out legit negatives about one of my favorite teams I am fine with it; but when a group of fans are constantly bashed (fairly or un-fairly) by national media or other fans they are just naturally going to get defensive and I feel that they are perfectly entitled to that feeling, in my opinion. All I ask when it comes to Philly and its teams, bash us when its due, but praise us when its also due because thats the part of the equation we never seem to recieve and quite frankely its damn frustrating.

But I'm not even talking about the fans. I'm talking about people, for instance, picking the Pats in the game and then being labeled a hater just for not picking the Eagles. Where's the logic in that?

One or the other, but if I pick other, that's the wrong choice.

I know, you are right. I read the thread you were referring to and all I was trying in my post was why that happens, at least for Eagles fans and i can only talk about Philly since thats all I really know. There is just this overly passionate defensiveness for our team that comes from this inherient inferiority complex due to the fans being bashed, the city being bashed, plus well.... our not so great track record of success. Combine that with this blind rabid loyalty that exists, which is sometimes way overdone. All of that gets intertwind at this point and somehow it all gets internalized and gets spit back at you in stupid off-topic responses.... oh wait... lemme quit while I am ahead.

[Magus]

i follow the thrashers, i could careless who likes them or doesn't. if some one doesn't, i don't call thema hater. i don't get that passionate over sporting events. its just something to watch when nothing else is on. but i don't start hating others because they follow a different team than i follow.

its like the yankees, all i hear is they are the "evil empire" or something along those lines, which is absurd, i don't think of teams as evil. i reserve that for our real enemy the islamic radicals. people get in to this hate the yankees, hate the red sox, hate this team. i don't hate the yankees, i don't hate the red sox.

or you get those that will go near riot if the logo is subtly modified. maybe we as a society get over passionate over a game that kids play at recess in elementary school.

[DEAD!]

i follow the thrashers, i could careless who likes them or doesn't. if some one doesn't, i don't call thema hater. i don't get that passionate over sporting events. its just something to watch when nothing else is on. but i don't start hating others because they follow a different team than i follow.

its like the yankees, all i hear is they are the "evil empire" or something along those lines, which is absurd, i don't think of teams as evil. i reserve that for our real enemy the islamic radicals. people get in to this hate the yankees, hate the red sox, hate this team. i don't hate the yankees, i don't hate the red sox.

or you get those that will go near riot if the logo is subtly modified. maybe we as a society get over passionate over a game that kids play at recess in elementary school.

That is well put magus. Some people are so sensitive when a negative comment is made about their favourite sports team (I won't mention names.....) I cringe whenever I hear a person dying at a sporting event or because of a sporting event because to me it's an unnecessary death.

[Saintsfan]

Hmm well hatred is as much a part of sports as love is. Do we really love our teams? I am not sure. Sure as well we like them a lot, have a real emotional bond to some of them, but most sports gfans loyalty has its limits. I think the otgher side is true as well though. The teams we dislike we dislike, but m'eh life goes on if they win.

[CaolinaJoe]

With today's constant movement of players, I find it hard to understand how people can form such a strong feeling as hate. I mean most teams rollover every 5 years or so.

A kid comes up, turns into a Superstar, and hits the road. Now more than likely, in the process of becoming a superstar he developed alot of fans. When he moves, most of those fans now become partial fans of his new team. Then he moves agian. Again his fans from the first team move with him, plus now they are fans of the team he just left.

Most peopel are fans of the players on the team, not necessarily the team. Even in society in general, many people move from city to city. Cities like Philly, NY, Boston, LA, SF, Chicago, and the DC/Baltimore have huge numbers of transplants. I would guess this is true for Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver also. It's not like it was 50 or 75 years ago where someone was born in one house and probably lived and died in a house just a few blocks away. Stable populations and stable teams cause deep affection, not transients.

The thing I like best is when people start using "WE" when they post about teams. Like, "WE need to do this..", "WE'RE just misunderstood..". I find most of todays sports fans are simply BANDWAGON, FAIR WEATHER fans. How else do explain the fact that most people don't post any sort of allegiance till the Playoffs start? Because there is nothing better, on a sports board, than to be able to say "Hey that's my team that just won the Championship!" How else can you explain the Lightning, Patriot, RedSox, Pistons, USC, Connecticut, Smart Jones, Manchester United fan from (insert any city here)?

Sports doesn't hold the place in American Culture in once did. No Longer are we only treated to the game of the week on Saturady, MNF, the playoffs, World Series, Super Bowl, Stanley Cup Finals, Sweet 16, New Years Day games, and the Olympics. We are subjected to almost every game in every sport. From the Tigers vs. Royals, 49ers vs. Cards, Bobcats vs. Hawks, to the play-in game for the smallest conference. Inundated day in and day out with some game, no matter how insignificant it is.

Sports has lost it's romance. It used to be an escape from the everyday mundane things we do, now it is just part of it. ESPN is the greatest and worst thing to ever happen to sports.

The Bandwagon loads up early in the season, make sure you chose the right one.