Fair Weather Fans

[Tighthead420]

OK....someone needs to summarize all the rules set out under this topic.

If I go to games, not a FWF unless I go after they have been winning. Must keep going even if they lose several times in a row or I will be relegated to FWF status. (does the price of the ticket count for anything...I mean if I get box seats versus noseblead that means I must not be a fwf...right?)

If I buy merchandise it must be purchased during a losing streak. It is acceptable to purchase gear during good times so long as 1) you have previously bought gear during a bad streak or 2) you continue to buy or wear the gear throughout a bad streak. Buying any gear after a major win or SB is grounds for a permanent tattoo on the forehead of the offender reading "fairweather fan."

I will be labelled a FWF whenever a team does poorly and I call them out for it. Unless I have been following them for quite some time, in which case I must never use the term "suck" or anything like that.

I will be labelled a FWF if I dare start to like another team; regardless if I moved to a city and enjoy watching the local sports. (I moved to FL a while back and started to follow Marlins, Heat etc and was called a FWF...i wasn't even a fan really just like following it).

Since I currently have no season tickets (working on it) I am not a true fan. I shall try harder to appease the so called hard cores. Perhaps a ravens tattoo, or painting my car purple will pass for fandom in lieu of no tix.

Anything I missed?

It's gotten to the point that people cannot complain about their favorite team without some bonehead saying you're not a true fan for saying that stuff.

[flynismo]

[quote name='Tighthead420' post='197051' date='Jun 3 2009, 11:12 AM']OK....someone needs to summarize all the rules set out under this topic.

If I go to games, not a FWF unless I go after they have been winning. Must keep going even if they lose several times in a row or I will be relegated to FWF status. (does the price of the ticket count for anything...I mean if I get box seats versus noseblead that means I must not be a fwf...right?)

If I buy merchandise it must be purchased during a losing streak. It is acceptable to purchase gear during good times so long as 1) you have previously bought gear during a bad streak or 2) you continue to buy or wear the gear throughout a bad streak. Buying any gear after a major win or SB is grounds for a permanent tattoo on the forehead of the offender reading "fairweather fan."

I will be labelled a FWF whenever a team does poorly and I call them out for it. Unless I have been following them for quite some time, in which case I must never use the term "suck" or anything like that.

I will be labelled a FWF if I dare start to like another team; regardless if I moved to a city and enjoy watching the local sports. (I moved to FL a while back and started to follow Marlins, Heat etc and was called a FWF...i wasn't even a fan really just like following it).

Since I currently have no season tickets (working on it) I am not a true fan. I shall try harder to appease the so called hard cores. Perhaps a ravens tattoo, or painting my car purple will pass for fandom in lieu of no tix.

Anything I missed?
[b]
It's gotten to the point that people cannot complain about their favorite team without some bonehead saying you're not a true fan for saying that stuff.[/b][/quote]


Yup...

A true fan is often the first to blast their team. I think a good way to seperate them from the FWF is to see if they have sound reasoning (or at least sound knowledge of the team) for doing so.

Example..

True fan: Heap sux!
someone else: Why?
True fan: He only seems to be able to make a catch when he's running a fade or cross pattern, and doesn't get YAC anymore.


FWF: Heap sux!
someone else: Why?
FWF: Cuz I cant believe his drop cost us the game. We'll never beat the Steelers now!
[i]
*note
A good indication that you are a fairweather Ravens fan is if you ever refer to the Steelers as anything other than Pissburgh, Squealers, Stealers, etc...[/i]

[plesiosaur]

Well what if a fan never goes to games, has minimal team gear, like, for instance, just a hat and a shirt and a crappy purple t-shirt for Fridays, and doesn't know any stats by heart?

What if this purely hypothetica fan, though, informed his girlfriend (and future wife) that "my right to watch and talk football every Sunday during the season (plus preseason, Monday nights, and the occasional Saturday and Thursday) shall not be infringed!" What if, instead of going to games, this hypothetical fan would rather hang out with a few friends in the garage and watch the games on Channel 13, where the beer is cheap and there are no lines at the head?

True fan or FWF?

Totally hypothetical situation, of course.

[Alexir]

Basically it has nothing to do with going to the games, its more of if we aren't going to win the game do you still watch it. Or if we aren't gonna make the playoffs are you going to watch the rest of the season anyway.

[plesiosaur]

[quote name='Alexir' post='197120' date='Jun 3 2009, 02:52 PM']Basically it has nothing to do with going to the games, its more of if we aren't going to win the game do you still watch it. Or if we aren't gonna make the playoffs are you going to watch the rest of the season anyway.[/quote]

I loved watching the last (Steelers) game ofthe 2007 season. I really loved the [i]Sun's[/i] sports page headline the day after: "Steelers kicked to the Curb." Now the guy who wrote that headline is a really die hard fan.

[Alexir]

[quote name='plesiosaur' post='197124' date='Jun 3 2009, 03:15 PM']I loved watching the last (Steelers) game ofthe 2007 season. I really loved the [i]Sun's[/i] sports page headline the day after: "Steelers kicked to the Curb." Now the guy who wrote that headline is a really die hard fan.[/quote]


I was there and security had to escort a steelers fan cuz i kept laughing at him everytime Troy, Cory, or Musa would make a big play. I know Ben wasn't starting and other starters were out but we were playing with our 3rd string QB, 4th string TE, and 2 RBs no longer with the team that had a huge game.

[Beninato]

I don't really have a problem with fair weather fans. I have a problem with bandwagon fans. The ones who disown the Ravens when we win seven game and then a year later proudly proclaim their love for the team when we win 11.

[plesiosaur]

[quote name='Beninato' post='197152' date='Jun 3 2009, 04:10 PM']I don't really have a problem with fair weather fans. I have a problem with bandwagon fans. The ones who disown the Ravens when we win seven game and then a year later proudly proclaim their love for the team when we win 11.[/quote]

I drive around a lot for my job, and I take public transportation about every day and I have to say that there are a lot of people wearing ravens gear just on a day-to-day basis. Of course, they're a very good team, but I really think that football is pretty much engrained in people in and around Baltimore. I've even noticed Ravens stickers on the fare boxes on some of the MTA busses.

Hey! check it out! I made it to Veteran without posting on the Dump Thread!

[Shadowalker]

[quote name='Beninato' post='197152' date='Jun 3 2009, 04:10 PM']I don't really have a problem with fair weather fans. I have a problem with bandwagon fans. The ones who disown the Ravens when we win seven game and then a year later proudly proclaim their love for the team when we win 11.[/quote]

Exactly.

[jfc13]

[quote name='Beninato' post='197152' date='Jun 3 2009, 04:10 PM']I don't really have a problem with fair weather fans. I have a problem with bandwagon fans. The ones who disown the Ravens when we win seven game and then a year later proudly proclaim their love for the team when we win 11.[/quote]
I think you have the terms backwards. A fair-weather fan is the one that is for the team when they are winning and "disown" them when they are losing. They are only there during the "fair-weather" times and leave during the "rainy" periods.

A bandwagon fan is one that joins when a team is doing well. If they then leave when the team isn't doing well, they become a fair-weather fan, but if they stick around during the lean times, they become a regular fan, even though when they joined the fandom, it was as a bandwagoner.

Bandwagon fans aren't that bad, because, really, unless it is your hometown team, why would someone start following a mediocre team? You pretty much have to be doing well to pull out-of-area fans into your fandom. Most out-of-area fans start as bandwagon fans and that is okay because that is how you get those fans. If they stick around and become "regular" fans, all the better. If they leave when things go bad, like I said, they are bandwagon fans that are also fair-weather fans.

In conclusion,
Bandwagon fans: okay.
Fair-weather fans: bad.

[Tighthead420]

[quote name='jfc13' post='197337' date='Jun 4 2009, 09:43 AM']I think you have the terms backwards. A fair-weather fan is the one that is for the team when they are winning and "disown" them when they are losing. They are only there during the "fair-weather" times and leave during the "rainy" periods.

A bandwagon fan is one that joins when a team is doing well. If they then leave when the team isn't doing well, they become a fair-weather fan, but if they stick around during the lean times, they become a regular fan, even though when they joined the fandom, it was as a bandwagoner.

Bandwagon fans aren't that bad, because, really, unless it is your hometown team, why would someone start following a mediocre team? You pretty much have to be doing well to pull out-of-area fans into your fandom. Most out-of-area fans start as bandwagon fans and that is okay because that is how you get those fans. If they stick around and become "regular" fans, all the better. If they leave when things go bad, like I said, they are bandwagon fans that are also fair-weather fans.

In conclusion,
Bandwagon fans: okay.
Fair-weather fans: bad.[/quote]


Got that. I will add it to the rules list I am compiling.

[Beninato]

[quote name='jfc13' post='197337' date='Jun 4 2009, 09:43 AM']I think you have the terms backwards. A fair-weather fan is the one that is for the team when they are winning and "disown" them when they are losing. They are only there during the "fair-weather" times and leave during the "rainy" periods.

A bandwagon fan is one that joins when a team is doing well. If they then leave when the team isn't doing well, they become a fair-weather fan, but if they stick around during the lean times, they become a regular fan, even though when they joined the fandom, it was as a bandwagoner.

Bandwagon fans aren't that bad, because, really, unless it is your hometown team, why would someone start following a mediocre team? You pretty much have to be doing well to pull out-of-area fans into your fandom. Most out-of-area fans start as bandwagon fans and that is okay because that is how you get those fans. If they stick around and become "regular" fans, all the better. If they leave when things go bad, like I said, they are bandwagon fans that are also fair-weather fans.

In conclusion,
Bandwagon fans: okay.
Fair-weather fans: bad.[/quote]

That is the most confusing thing I have ever read

[jfc13]

[quote name='Beninato' post='197377' date='Jun 4 2009, 01:04 PM']That is the most confusing thing I have ever read [/quote]
Wait until you are sober and try again.

[flynismo]

[quote name='Tighthead420' post='197345' date='Jun 4 2009, 10:31 AM']Got that. I will add it to the rules list I am compiling. [/quote]

lol...
well, he had a good point, because I was confused on the terminology people were using too.

[BuckWilds]

I have friends who are Cowboys 'fans' and I give them the fan quiz...

1) Were you born within 100 miles of Dallas and did you inherit the fandom (parents, uncle, etc.)?

2) Have you been to one of your team's home games?

3) Can you name any 11 players, and tell me their position, time on team and a little bit about them?

If you can't answer, "yes" to one of these, you don't even meet the basic criteria of being a fan - and most Cowboys fans do not. That's tier-1 of being a fan. There are many tiers, but that's the easiest one.

I need to put together the rest of the Fandom Tiers and publish them...

[NissanGTR05]

I have been a ravens fan since I started watching football. The only two questions I would not have known was when the ravens first came to Baltimore and who the running back was before lewis. Lets see I'm almost 20 so I probably started watching football maybe 8-10+years ago. I'm orignally born in baltimore but my parents moved up to pennsylvania, so I have to deal with alot of loud mouth steelers fans here in Lancaster. Kind of funny but my department manager at the grocery store I work at is a steeler fan, but hes a cool one that doesnt talk smack like half the other ones I've met, or at least he isnt as obnoxious and loud mouthed.

You also forgot the bandwagoners that have jumped on the steelers bandwaon just cause they won a superbowl last season and who still know nothing about the team.

[kash96ravenstotalfan]

[quote name='Tighthead420' post='197051' date='Jun 3 2009, 11:12 AM']OK....someone needs to summarize all the rules set out under this topic.

If I go to games, not a FWF unless I go after they have been winning. Must keep going even if they lose several times in a row or I will be relegated to FWF status. (does the price of the ticket count for anything...I mean if I get box seats versus noseblead that means I must not be a fwf...right?)

If I buy merchandise it must be purchased during a losing streak. It is acceptable to purchase gear during good times so long as 1) you have previously bought gear during a bad streak or 2) you continue to buy or wear the gear throughout a bad streak. Buying any gear after a major win or SB is grounds for a permanent tattoo on the forehead of the offender reading "fairweather fan."

I will be labelled a FWF whenever a team does poorly and I call them out for it. Unless I have been following them for quite some time, in which case I must never use the term "suck" or anything like that.

I will be labelled a FWF if I dare start to like another team; regardless if I moved to a city and enjoy watching the local sports. (I moved to FL a while back and started to follow Marlins, Heat etc and was called a FWF...i wasn't even a fan really just like following it).

Since I currently have no season tickets (working on it) I am not a true fan. I shall try harder to appease the so called hard cores. Perhaps a ravens tattoo, or painting my car purple will pass for fandom in lieu of no tix.

Anything I missed?

It's gotten to the point that people cannot complain about their favorite team without some bonehead saying you're not a true fan for saying that stuff.[/quote]
Doesn't matter if you go to the game or not, just support the team if they are winning or losing
Doesn;t matter if you purchase merchandise or not, just support the team
You can call them out, but never say they suck
Yeah, you will be called a FWF if you dare to root for another team, regardless of the circumstances. You can watch the other teams
You don;t have to be a seasons ticket holder to be a true fan, I don;t have season tickets. What I do have is a total commitment to the Ravens - I bleed purple and I will always support them, regardless of their win record. They are my team

[TheRavenouseD2008]

[quote name='kash96ravenstotalfan' post='198069' date='Jun 7 2009, 07:42 PM']Doesn't matter if you go to the game or not, just support the team if they are winning or losing
Doesn;t matter if you purchase merchandise or not, just support the team
You can call them out, but never say they suck
Yeah, you will be called a FWF if you dare to root for another team, regardless of the circumstances. You can watch the other teams
You don;t have to be a seasons ticket holder to be a true fan, I don;t have season tickets. What I do have is a total commitment to the Ravens - I bleed purple and I will always support them, regardless of their win record. They are my team[/quote]
I agree man I have been a fan since inception when they announced in 95 , heck I sent in names when wjz announced the competion , then I sat and waited I knew Ravens would be the name in my gut but I will admit the baltimore shield logo was not the best choice , but still supported them, am I a fair weather fan no some times I say I wont watch another game in a bad season not because I am ashamed but it more lack of faith in anything , now different story I think with a healthy line last year our 5 major losses would have been wins and that whole mess with must own tickets I am in pa , I have no car and have no ability to finacialy afford tickets , but I told myself some day I will make it to camp and this year I am . last year a bud of mine cause my dad is not in my life and my friend is in his late 50s took me to a game for my birthday I saw the Ravens vs the Falcons, please dont judge a fan in the stadium if its thier first time ask them how long they been following the team if not long offer them the chance to learn with help , you might make a friend !

[#1 D]

[quote name='kash96ravenstotalfan' post='198069' date='Jun 7 2009, 07:42 PM']Doesn't matter if you go to the game or not, just support the team if they are winning or losing
Doesn;t matter if you purchase merchandise or not, just support the team
You can call them out, but never say they suck
Yeah, you will be called a FWF if you dare to root for another team, regardless of the circumstances. You can watch the other teams
You don;t have to be a seasons ticket holder to be a true fan, I don;t have season tickets. What I do have is a total commitment to the Ravens - I bleed purple and I will always support them, regardless of their win record. They are my team[/quote]
bravo, well said. Ive never gone to a ravens' game before and i also like other teams like the broncos and eagles, but my first and only team is the ravens above all of em and i know them like the back of my hand. (or at least i'd like to think i do )

[slugz1]

before i saw the ravens play i wasnt even a football fan hell im not a football fan. I dont like football i like raven's football. I have never seen a leader nor a team with so much passion or desire to win. I became a fan because i my personality matched the ravens mentality. I love defense any sport, I dont like to see nobody score whether its basketball or what. The Ravens dont like to get scored on and they will hit the piss out you. Just seeing ray lewis hit somebody make me feel good. On sundays or when ever we play im all round the living room jumpimg and screaming for the ravens. In the offseason the only thing is getting me by is watching Behind The Bench,Wired and Playbook about the ravens. Im lloking up our new talent like Fox and birk, its easy to look at birk cause of AD and all the clips and fox cause of all the exposure ryan and the falcons is getting. but anyway. (sarcasm) the only thing that keep me alive is to see purple and black layout a player wearing black and yellow esp. Worthlessburger/HInez ketchup.Thats why im a fan i dont like to watch no other team unless im looking up new additions to the team.

[jfc13]

[quote name='kash96ravenstotalfan' post='198069' date='Jun 7 2009, 07:42 PM']Doesn't matter if you go to the game or not, just support the team if they are winning or losing
Doesn;t matter if you purchase merchandise or not, just support the team
You can call them out, but never say they suck
Yeah, you will be called a FWF if you dare to root for another team, regardless of the circumstances. You can watch the other teams
You don;t have to be a seasons ticket holder to be a true fan, I don;t have season tickets. What I do have is a total commitment to the Ravens - I bleed purple and I will always support them, regardless of their win record. They are my team[/quote]
I agree with everything except not being able to root for other teams, too. It's kind of hard watching non-Raven games without picking one team that you want to win - or one that you want to lose. I also don't see anything wrong with liking another team - that doesn't mean that you don't want your number one team to win above all else.

But I totally agree that being a fan has nothing to do with whether you have the ability/funds to get to a game or buy a bunch of merchandise or to answer arbitrary questions that another fan decides to ask.

[wolfzie06]

I have been to almost every Ravens home game since they have been here, including the preseason. I have been to training camp. I flew to Tampa in 2006 to watch them play, and I drove 9 hours to Cincinnati and 11 hours to Nashville this past season to watch them. I follow them every day and I love the Ravens completely. I don't mind fair weather Ravens fans that much. The more support we have, the better. If you think about it, some of those fair weather fans will stick with the team if we have a bad year, which means more true fans. My opinion is even if you aren't a big football fan, support the Ravens when it comes down to it since they are the home team.

[Alexir]

Yeah thats another think. I hate how people wont cheer for their home team. That's what I respect about Ohio fans because for the most part they remain loyal to Browns or Bengals. Than you got fans in MD that either like the Ravens, Like the Redskins (which is fine) but than there are the fans that like Pittsburgh or Dallas. You know what I think about that? Why don't you freakin move there!

[TheRavenouseD2008]

at least we dont have a team with quirky gimmick the the steel curtain or earth wind and fire or slash and dash or I could keep going on and the fans we are the important piece you know you go to philly or pitt as a fan of an opposing team they get rude and if you win you might not leave unhurt so think we are key you can tell a fair weather baltimore fan by the way they act at a home loss violent - not a true fan accepting and saying lets move forward and fix what went wrong - True Fan

[wolfzie06]

[quote name='TheRavenouseD2008' post='198262' date='Jun 8 2009, 08:28 PM']at least we dont have a team with quirky gimmick the the steel curtain or earth wind and fire or slash and dash or I could keep going on and the fans we are the important piece you know you go to philly or pitt as a fan of an opposing team they get rude and if you win you might not leave unhurt so think we are key you can tell a fair weather baltimore fan by the way they act at a home loss violent - not a true fan accepting and saying lets move forward and fix what went wrong - True Fan[/quote]

Haha really? I am a true fan and sometimes I can take home losses to heart....especially the one against Pittsburgh last year . I don't get violent, but I can be in a bad mood. I didn't post a lot on here after the season was over because I was so pissed off that Pittsburgh beat us 3 times and won the Super Bowl I needed a mental break. Good thing I have the Orioles to drive me right back to football .

[Mahatma_Sloth]

[quote name='Alexir' post='196723' date='Jun 2 2009, 02:17 AM']My friends and I were talking about the Ravens at a bonfire this evening and I was arguing with them how "fair weather fans" don't belong in Baltimore sports (we were also debating the Orioles)).

How do you guys feel about the topic of new fans following the Ravens (or Orioles) after having a great year (more on the Ravens part than the Orioles).

My arguement was that I don't as much mind it but I hate how when we lose a game they trash that given team. My particular arguement in the debate was that I am a Capitals fan and a lot of my friends kind of jumped on the bandwagon when we were in the post season but were soon to diss the team when we didn't make the conference title.

Basically my friends were saying any fan support is welcome but I felt that it really takes something away from the fans, like you and I who really follow the team and have been there for the lows and the highs and everything in between.

My friend brought up a point how he started watching the Ravens in 2006 (before the season started) and what makes him different between the fans who jumped on board when we were in the playoffs. I basically told him that it was acceptable because the season hadn't started begun and he was being a fan of a new hope instead of a fan who just cares when we are winning games.

What is your guys/gals take on this?

I for one, like I mentioned, get really ticked when someone jumps on board who wasn't there for the lows and who don't know the personnel of the team like the rest of us. But does it really matter though if they are willing to buy tickets and merchandise?

You guys being the most die hard fans that I know (since you post about the dumbest crap ever ) should have some input on this.[/quote]
we couldn't all be there from the start.... ya gotta start somewhere

[Mahatma_Sloth]

[quote name='wolfzie06' post='198281' date='Jun 8 2009, 08:37 PM']Haha really? I am a true fan and sometimes I can take home losses to heart....especially the one against Pittsburgh last year . I don't get violent, but I can be in a bad mood. I didn't post a lot on here after the season was over because I was so pissed off that Pittsburgh beat us 3 times and won the Super Bowl I needed a mental break. Good thing I have the Orioles to drive me right back to football .[/quote]
they should replace baseball with lacross

[Mahatma_Sloth]

[quote name='jfc13' post='198133' date='Jun 8 2009, 08:31 AM']I agree with everything except not being able to root for other teams, too. It's kind of hard watching non-Raven games without picking one team that you want to win - or one that you want to lose. I also don't see anything wrong with liking another team - that doesn't mean that you don't want your number one team to win above all else.

But I totally agree that being a fan has nothing to do with whether you have the ability/funds to get to a game or buy a bunch of merchandise or to answer arbitrary questions that another fan decides to ask.[/quote]
i try to watch broncos games but cant really get into em and in general i can not watch(or get into at all) a non-Ravens game

[smashmouth]

[quote name='kash96ravenstotalfan' post='198069' date='Jun 7 2009, 07:42 PM']Doesn't matter if you go to the game or not, just support the team if they are winning or losing
Doesn;t matter if you purchase merchandise or not, just support the team
You can call them out, but never say they suck
[font="Arial Black"]Yeah, you will be called a FWF if you dare to root for another team[/font], regardless of the circumstances. You can watch the other teams
You don;t have to be a seasons ticket holder to be a true fan, I don;t have season tickets. What I do have is a total commitment to the Ravens - I bleed purple and I will always support them, regardless of their win record. They are my team[/quote]
Thats not true at all, accually its backwards, if your watching a Steelers game and you dont root for the other team to win.. you might be a redneck, i mean fair weather fan.

[Marc2k6]

[quote name='Alexir' post='198222' date='Jun 8 2009, 06:03 PM']Yeah thats another think. I hate how people wont cheer for their home team. That's what I respect about Ohio fans because for the most part they remain loyal to Browns or Bengals. Than you got fans in MD that either like the Ravens, Like the Redskins (which is fine) but than there are the fans that like Pittsburgh or Dallas. You know what I think about that? Why don't you freakin move there! [/quote]

I was a Dallas fan before The Raven's came to town. Now I could careless what they do, it is all about the RAVEN'S!