Better fans. :p

You call fans that go to a game just because the ball park they play in are better fans?

Peace

Of course they would be better fans for A-rod.

They won't ever have to watch him play in October.

:shrug:

As far as him coming to the Cubs, I agree that there may not be enough for them to give up. Also, if Ramirez is at 3rd, and a former All-Star Izturis is at shortstop, where do they put A-Rod? As of now, it doesn't make sense for the Cubs as well. Now, if there's some issue with Ramirez's contract, then there's an opening.

How about him ending up in St. Louis? With the on-going "feud" between LaRussa and Rolen, there might be an opening at 3rd base there next season.

Better fans than the ones in NY that go to a game just to yell, "Hey, _______, you suck!"?

Yep.

Where were the all the White Sox fans before 2005? In fact, weren't there games not sold out at the Cell late in the season last year? According to ESPN.com, the Cubs still averaged more than 2,500 per game more than the White Sox in 2006. And they averaged almost 10,000 fans more per game in the year the White Sox won the World Series. And it isn't because Wrigley holds more than the Cell. And it certainly isn't because it's easier to get to Wrigley, or easier to park, etc. Sure, it's easy to be a fan when your team's winning. So what does that say about White Sox fans?

I will give St. Louis fans their due. They seem to have a good reputation of support, although I would like to see how their support would stay if they had the same record as the Cubs. However, they're trying - there are a few members of this forum <font size =-2>..ahem...tjones1...</font size> who can practically say they have not seen the Cardinals win a W.S. in their lifetime.

Hmm, yes, true! :D

At least the Yankee fans get on their team and manager for the right reasons. Cubs fans get on their manager when most of the players that he is given cannot play part of the season. Also the Yankee fans are used to winning. I expect a little arrogance and bravado.

This is why a lot of people hate Cubs fans. You are talking about attendance right now. Now Championships or actual success is not the factor, meaningless attendance numbers are what are key in the bigger picture. I went to a Cubs game about 4 years ago and I was amazed how little anyone was paying attention to the actual game. The only people watching the game and talking baseball were some Cards fans that were sitting behind me. Everyone one else was on the cell phone or concerned about the beer in their hand. The game was not the attraction, the ball park was.

The Cards have had bad years and the fans do not support a team that is terrible. They will support good baseball but not a team that is just bad. Usually the Cardinals are rather successful (considering they have been to about 4 World Series in my lifetime). Just because you show up to a game does not make you a good fan. I live in Chicago and I listen to local radio sports radio all the time and the last thing Cubs fans hold on to is what their attendance figures are. It just makes the point of all those that want a successful team. The Cubs were horrible and the stands were packed for a team that was out of the race since July.

Peace

God <b>Him</b>self couldn't have won with the pitching staff that the Cubs G.M. assembled. Hendry wasn't gonna fire himself though, so the Rev. Johnny B. got the boot. That's the way it works, unfortunately.

Baker will end up somewhere. He's a good baseball man.

Ok, here goes:


I know this fan didn't put the blame on Dusty because of that. I did put the blame on him when I saw players that <B>were</B> playing doing things like not hustling out ground balls, making bad decisions out in the field, being last or next to last in advancing runners and hitting w/runners in scoring position.
I think it's more of a NY attitude, rather than a Yankee fan attitude. According to a friend who watched a game at Yankee Stadium last year, he made the comment about how he wasn't sure he would feel comfortable about taking his daughter there to watch a game, just because of some of the things fans were yelling. Is that an issue everywhere? Perhaps, but he said it was more noticeable there.
Which people are you talking about? White Sox fans? Certainly not people outside the city of Chicago. White Sox fans have always had an inferiority complex when it comes to dealing with Cub fans.
Meaningless?? The number of people that go to a team's games is meaningless when it comes to determining a fan base? What criteria do you use to determine fan base?

How many games have you been to since that particular game? I've been to 5 baseball games this past season - 2 at Wrigley, 1 at the Cell, 1 in Cleveland, and 1 in St. Louis. I've noticed that at every game I've been to, so I'm not sure that's a "Wrigley" phenomenon as much as a society issue. There were any number of people talking on cell phones, talking about their job, telling their kids they had enough cotton candy, etc, etc. Heck, in Cleveland there was a group of guys that spent an inning and a half discussing whether Steve Perry from Journey was the greatest rock-n-roll singer ever. :eek: Can I extrapolate that Cleveland fans really are the dumber than Cub fans???
Again, I contend anyone can be a fair-weather fan. A real fan supports their team even when the team is horrible. Cub fans show up, buy merchandise, and support the team. How else do you measure how good a team's fans are than during the down years (yea, yea, centuries...)?

Yoohoo...Juulie...

And Chuck.

He's one of them left-wing, PC, libber, PETA, tree-hugging, shave-the-whales types too.

I didn't realize left-wingers liked clean-shaven whales.

Dogbert does.....

The <i>intelligentsia</i> will understand the reference.

Yeah, he's good to get fired another 3 or 4 more times before hangin' 'em up.

Nah, I don't fight for God. I'll let God take care of it Godself!

Dang it, I was hoping to listen in on a good hellfire and damnation speach.

I guess I'll have to watch baseball tonight instead.

btw, God tells me that's damn good of you.

I'm not good on hellfire and damnation speeches. But I do a great sermon on Why God is Not Like a Referee. It was a huge hit at my church a couple of years ago.

Little pun, there, Dan? cute, very cute...

What? God doesn't have a sense of humor?

God does have. But I'm not sure how funny that pun really was...

God tells me it's not exactly His best work but He's kinda wrapped up in other stuff right now.

Well, I know if God is using you for a mouthpiece, God's got a handful!!

I'm not perfect, that's for sure.

But what's your point again?

Geez, now I'm getting all flippant and glib and off-topic. I apologize most humbly to the various esteemed members who get annoyed with off-topic posts, and especially to those who resent references to an ultimate being.

Everyone go back to your off-topic thread...

We all thank you for your indulgence.

Thank you, Dan, for taking over as Mr. Annoying Neanderthal Guy while I went for a whiz.

I left the seat up too.

That'll show 'em who the boss is!

Just wanted to show M&M that NYers can be a little more diverse than "Hey, ______, you suck!"

btw...you suck.

Shut up, but please do so in a Christian way, if it isn't too much bother.

So, Mrs. JR is away on a trip, eh? ;)

Mets get 2 in the 4th on a 2-run double, but Pujols just hit a solo shot off Glavine. He makes it looks so easy, too!

And, with the bad hammy (or is hammie?) he uses all arms.

I would be extremely annoyed by now seeing all those Spiezio 'staches, except he is a U of I grad, so I guess I have to cut him a little slack.

Is that sort of display characteristic of U of I (whatever the "I" stands for) ?
I would have thought Northwestern was more likely to produce the free-thinking creativity.

Cards up 3-2. Weaver's doing a pretty good job. Nice to see the promo for the "Treehouse of Terror" for the 18,000th time. :rolleyes:

Nah, I heard Northwestern just produces those left-wing, commie, tree-hugging PETA types, like Chuck.

The I stands for Illinois, so you had the right state.

Padgett doesn't usually post in this thread, so I'll do it for him:

PETA = People Eating Tasty Animals.

Weaver's still cruising. Glavine's done for the night.

I gotta go to bed. But the Cardinals have this one all wrapped up now, I think. Of course, that's what I thought about the other Cardinals last night when I went to bed. . . :eek:

Unless you see Urlacher pinch-hitting... :eek:

I agree with you. Just understand I live in this area and the types of comments I would hear from fans when interviewed or calling into shows, it seemed very fashionable to blame Dusty for damn near everything.

I cannot speak for everywhere. I have not attended many pro baseball games in my lifetime. You are probably right.

I am a Cards fans. It is not like my only experience is what goes on here. Even Cards fans across the state think Cubs fans are more concerned with the tourist attraction called Wrigley Field.

Fans can watch games at home too. How many people attend the games is not a direct reflection on the fan base. That just shows who is going to spend money. If my team was terrible and not doing what I think is best for the team, I would not give them money until they show some signs of effort to make the team better. I hear fans that do nothing but complain about management and all the decisions and still go to games. If you honestly think the Tribune Company only cares about money that comes into the stadium and you are not winning, why would you spend your hard earned money and keep giving it to them?

Understand I am not a Cubs fan. I am not going to attend Cubs game unless the Cards are in town. The time I went I got free tickets and the game was against the Pirates. I just went because my roommate's cousin wanted to go and I went with him. I have had a couple of other opportunities but it is hard to attend any ball game when you have other things going on. Usually Spring Baseball and Summer Basketball keep me away from any MLB game.

I agree to a point, but most fans when the team is that bad and they are not happy with management do not keep attending games and bad games at that. I guess if you think that makes Cubs fans good fans, you have a right to your opinion.

Peace

Of course he does, did you see the Cardinals/Bears game?

If Jeff Weaver can win a play-off game, He must have a <b>helluva</b> sense of humor.

If the Cards make it, the Leyland-La Russa relationship will be one of the more poignant sidebars. Except that Leyland doesn't plan on discussing it.
"If it happens -- and I don't know that it will -- I am not going to discuss Jim Leyland and Tony La Russa with anybody," he said. "Don't ask me any questions about that because it's not going to happen. I am not getting into any of that (garbage)." - detnews.com

Well, I was at Yankee Stadium in '04 for a Yankee/Red Sox game. I had those same apprehensions. But I have to be honest, we didn't see any of it. We didn't hear any vulgarity, other than what you'd hear in normal conversation; along with the occasional "_________ suck" chant by fans of each team. And we sat in the center field bleachers, wearing our Red Sox hats. Maybe b/c the Sox got blown out that day, we only heard good-natured ribbing and no hostility or vulgarity. (And one obnoxious call on my cell phone. . .)

In fact, I think this is a direct by-product of the pace of the game itself. For better or worse, baseball is not non-stop action, like hockey or basketball. The game lends itself to leisurely conversation and minor distractions. I think that's what made it the "national pastime". When baseball first became popular, I think that's more like what the pace of everyday life was.

As for Steve Perry, well, I've got a couple Journey CD's like any other child of the 80's. But the greatest rock singer ever? :confused:

Obnoxious? I think the call would be better characterized as cordial and very welcoming to a visitor. In fact, I recall the first thing you were asked was "enjoying the game?"...I recall also you were advised to take your sox hat off before you visited the restroom...

Maybe that's just as much "reputation" as it is reality. I wondered if being at Yankee Stadium is really any different than sitting next to a bunch of drunken frat boys at any stadium.
Good point. You must remember those days fondly?
Absolutley not. And it wasn't our group that was doing the arguing, it was a group of local, drunken frat boys.

Shut up.<font>

I assume you mean that in a non-bothersome, Christian way?

:D

Game 7 is a few hours away. Predictions?

Of course, I've got the Redbirds...5-3.

5-3; isn't that Eckstein's height?

My prediction: the winner of this game will play the Tigers on Sat. It will not go to a game 8.

(Vegas never returns my calls?...)

No it's Chu ....ahhh nevermind, too easy :rolleyes: I'm tempted to agree but I'll wait for Mr Big Dawg to chime in before giving my final answer Regis.

Ahh...the short answer.

Woddy sez "If it's Chuck, take the under."

Turned out to be an interesting game. Bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th and the Mets struck out. Cards win 3-1. I'm still pulling for the Tigers.

I thought the catch would be the moment that "Endy's" the series. Oh, well.

At least I got a little satisfaction in seeing New Yorkers, after the Molina home run and at the end of the game, sitting there in stunned silence.

I wonder how LaRussa looks in ear muffs? Sounds like they might need that over the weekend...

Just

Shut

Up!!

Ahhh how about them Cardinals! What a game, certainly was a barn burner. Probably like most of you who watched the game, I thought Rolen got enough...oh well, Molina came through. Currently, I'm waiting in line online (sounds funny) to buy World Series tickets. Go Cards!

Yup, JR's favorite manager came through again! :D

Ha Ha... that's right! Any comments JR? :D

Chuck! You're here! We thought we had drove you away for good. Welcome back. Thank goodness you decided to come back.

We were afraid we would have to retire the squirrel picture. That would've been a shame.

Go dblref !

Well my wait in line failed, tickets are now sold out. I guess I didn't get in line early enough. Guess if I want to go I'll have to look on eBay. Oh well.... Go Cards!

Yup, congratulation Cardinals! You certainly deserved the win and you are worthy National League champions. When you go into the other team's house and win a seventh game like that, you deserve all the ups in the world.

I really don't have anything against the players and the team, Tanner. It's just that if there was a Hall-of-Fame for dickheads, LaRussa would be a unanimous first-round pick and a charter member. I didn't like him when he was in Chicago and I liked him even less when he was screwing up the "Greatest Team Ever" in Oakland. If St. Louis does win the World Series this year, it'll be despite LaRussa , not because of him.

Personally, I gotta like those underdog Tiggers though. It's Rudy vs. the World again. C'mon Rudy!

Well, if you hadn't before now, that might just have done it!!! :D

We is trying. :D

(Come to think of it, my wife considers me very trying as well...)

Go, JR ! <Font>

Go Gremlins!

#1 in the U.P.!!!!!

And still undefeated........

I'm very excited for the start of the Series tonight. Really curious to see how the Tigers handle the long layoff and how the Cards pitching staff holds up after a 7-game series.

To the point of orgasm?

You really need to get out more.

I agree, Chuck. I'm looking forward to tonight's action too. Should be interesting, no one has given the Cards a chance in either series yet (NLDS or NLCS). Should be interesting, I've gotta pick the Redbirds in 6. Go Cards!

Are you trying to kill me?

You must have misspelled something very badly. I have no idea what that word means.

Nope, but my headache is trying to kill me!

It means <i>"intense or unrestrained excitement".</i> Iow, it's what BoSox fans experience every 85 years or so.

Have a long life, my friend.

Pujols comes up big early. Cards seem to have Verlander figgered out. :(

Jeez, Inge bobbles the grounder, throws wild to home and gets called for interference all in the same play. I gotta trust the umps, but Inge didn't seem to be anywhere near the basepath. He was practically in the coaching box. What's the rule on interference?

Orgasm?

Check with Tanner. He just had another one.

7-1. :rolleyes:

Ok, I'm not a baseball umpire, but I believe the "baseline" is considered the natural path of the runner, not necessarily the straight line between bases. It looked like the right call to me.

Reyes is still in there for the ninth. If he finishes it out, he'll be the first rookie since '83 to throw a complete game in the WS. That was Mike Boddiker.

Oops!! HR to start the ninth. He gone!

Cards really dominated. Under 3 hours, too. Leyland will get them straightened out for Game 2.

Yup, sure did! Certainly happy with the outcome.

Although the call went in the Cardinals favor, it was the correct call. Good call by Randy Marsh and Mike Winters on the obstruction. If it was interference, Rolen would have been out.

Edit: Just read the baseball forum, looks like it's already been explained to Chuck!

By the way, if you missed or couldn't hear Bob Seger's performance because you were in a bar ;), it's certainly worth watching or worth watching again. Very moving, in my opinion.

Seger sings America the Beautiful
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/ps...=ws&type=video

I've watched it twice, there seems to be an error for about 10 seconds. Somewhere around 1:35-1:45, I think.

Game 2, bottom of the first: Big BIG fly from Monroe. Good start, but didn't it start the same way last night? Better finish tonight, I hope.

What's with Polanco's ski cap? I bet everybody else in the dugout makes fun of him for it. :)

Nice catch by Monroe to end the 2nd! He's fun to watch. Looks like Kenny Rogers got caught cheating!!

I'm sure it was just tobacco juice.

Can you imagine how quickly Gaylord Perry's career would've ended if these cameras were around back then?

A little hairy in the ninth inning. Jones gives up a run, and Molina gets to the plate, but holds on to tie up the Series at 1-1.

Perry often claimed, after he retired, that the rumors about him cheating were mostly just rumors. He never disputed them, and even encouraged them, simply for the psychological effect on hitters. Who knows?

I was a little baffled when Leyland said later that he didn't know the ump had talked to Rogers. Is that how they do it? Don't say anything to the head coach, errr, I mean manager?

Yup, I'd say so too. He claims it's dirt, however whenever they show two previous pictures from the ALDS and the ALCS with the same looking substance on the same spot, it's a little fishy.

Since he wasn't ejected, I doubt anyhting happens to him. But, it could be interesting come tomorrow. Time will tell.

Cardinals had a few chances and for only having a few and only getting beat by two runs, I've got to be somewhat happy with that. Back at it Tuesday!

..."Smudge to Pudge" :o

A Major League pitcher applying a little dirt/resin/vaseline to the ball?

Nope, never happen.:D

"I've seen some Michigan plates here," said Erich Smith, general manager of the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark in downtown St. Louis. "But I couldn't make out the numbers because of the pine tar on them," .... -detnews.com

See what I mean? St. Louis fans are all smartazzes! :)

mick - what can you tell about Trammell? Since he's now part of Lou's staff with my Cubbies, I'm worried about the whole 119-loss season karma being transfered over, but I heard he's a good guy?

Good way to start the morning! :D

I've told this story before, M&M.

Before Trammell retired, he was snowmobiling in the U.P. and stopped at a hotel where I was staying. I saw him, Gibson, and Tommy Brookens (3B) eating dinner, but didn't want to bother them. [Nobody did, in fact]

At one point Trammell and I were alone in the lobby and I went over and introduced myself and I thanked him for doing what he did.

That evening my wife and I were shooting cribbage in the lobby and Gibson sat down and beat my wife by 6 points.

The next morning, I was in the lobby having some coffee, their crew was down there when Trammell came down the steps and said, "Good morning, Mick."
How he remembered my name is beyond me, but I am forever impressed.

The Tigers players indicated that he did not enforce discipline in the clubhouse, but I imagine he didn't think he should have to discipline players because he had self-discipline and figgered that his players had the same. He is loyal to his players and by golly knows the game. He will be the bench coach, I understand, and will help infielder. Trammell's bench coach was Gibson. Maybe he failed in Detroit because he was too nice.

I think he's very nice and the City of Detroit gave him a fine welcome on Sunday. ...Wrong manager at the wrong time.

:eek: Don't you need a special license for that??

Thanks for the info. I know he's a respected figure U.P. there, but I hadn't followed the team and situation too closely. Maybe he and Lou will do the "good cop/bad cop" thing with the team?

Got my Tigers cap on tonight. Come on, Tigers!!

Take it off, ... or wear it inside-out ! ...Quickly !
And get the gum ! :)

Backbreaking error by Zumaya. Too bad. Good idea, I guess, but rushed it.

I'm not sure it was a good idea. I still play softball, and it's been a couple of years (:eek:) since I played baseball, but even I know to start the DP from 2nd to 1st. But the way Carpenter was pitching, it didn't mean much in the end anyway.

Now, I'm still amazed how they find these things out - but right after that happened, they came up with a stat that said the last time a 1-5-3 double play happened in the W.S. was in 1923.

I think he was simply going for the lead runner.
Share the error with:

• Inge for not covering his bag
• Zumaya for not double-clutching
• Monroe for allowing runner from first to score.

...Kids.

Well until last night, Carpenter hadn't had a solid outting in the postseason. He was certainly due. I except Suppan to give the Redbirds another good start as well. But, you never know, that's why they play the games! Go Cards!