Post by Philadelphia GM on May 22, 2012 12:03:19 GMT -6
If you are like me, then attending sporting events can be bittersweet. I love the atmosphere of the games, the sound of the music blaring, and the excitement you feel at a live game that can't be felt when watching it on TV. However, oftentimes your trip can be dampened by being surrounded by idiot fans. I myself am a magnet for fan retardary. Every sporting event I attend, I am lucky enough to sit directly in front or behind the biggest dbag in the joint.
Whilst sitting at the Red's game last weekend, I couldn't help but hear the misguided conversation of the family behind me. When a player hit a foulball straight back over the backstop, the kid exclaimed, "That's a homerun, right dad? It went over the fence." The wife then replied, "I always wondered why more players don't hit it that direction, there are no fielders there." I mustered all my might to not turn around and ask them to not speak the rest of the game. Instead I went on eating my Penn Station and enjoying my $8 beer.
This event along with a little help from a Bleacher Report article, got me thinking about the list of the most annoying things fans do. Below is my Top 20 List of Annoying Things Fans Do. Please feel free to add anything you wish.
Top 20 List of Annoying Things Fans Do
20. Talk About Fantasy Team Guy
Obviously, like all of you, I love fantasy sports. But fantasy sports are kind of like pictures of someone’s family or pets, if it doesn't directly involve me, I really don't care. I care about my league and my team.
19. Stand the whole game guy
So you've finally reached your seats, you're excited for the game to begin, everyone's on their feet as the first pitch is thrown. After the pitch, everyone in the crowd sits down, as people who are about to embark on watching a 3 hour baseball game tend to do. However, you come to the sad reality that the dispshit in front of you feels compelled to stand. Is there any greater feeling?
18. Red Sox and Sweet Caroline
Traditions in baseball are what make the sport so interesting; and every team has them. However, some can be quite annoying. For instance, the Red Sox inferred ownership of Sweet Caroline. Sing whatever you have to, to get the taste of last September's collapse out of your mouth, I guess.
17. "What I Would've Done" Guy
Sports are full of bang-bang plays. It is easy to sit back in hindsight and boast about how you would've handled a certain play. Most of the time, I'm assuming the world class athlete reacted to a split-second decision about as well as it can be.
16. Getting a Mascot's autograph
I don't think anything reeks of desperation more than this. This is the equivalent of a girl hooking up the merch guy because she likes the band he sells t-shirts for. Congrats, you just got the autograph of a stoned college kid, whose career path landed him in a mascot costume.
15. Steal the Ball From a Little Kid Guy
14. Freak out over Free T-Shirt Guy
These two go together. Everyone loves free stuff, that's understandable. However, is it really that important to barrell into a little kid, so you can take a baseball or XXL t-shirt home? It just makes you look like a jabroni.
13. Heckle Guy
Gotta love the fan that takes pride in making fun of the opposing teams players. Do you really think some fat slob stuttering half-whitted insults is really affecting the millionaire athlete on the field? Give me that much money and I'll listen to you make fun of me all day long. Hell, my friends do it for free all the time.
12. Fighting Guy
This gentlemen more than likely got ready after a long day of watching UFC, and was excited to put on his Tap-Out t-shirt, stiffen up his faux-hawk, strapp on his leather wristlits, and go to the game hoping that one fan will bump into him so he can muscle up and square up for a fight. If I wanted to see a roided-up goon prove his worth, I’ll watch the sporting event.
11. The I Used to Play Guy
Playing Little League baseball up to the age of 12, does not necessarily translate to the MLB. However, there is always the guy in the crowd that criticizes every player, while trying to correlate it to his brief playing days. (I can't believe he struck out, I always made contact in Little League, it can't be that different) I'm sure you did really good playing Left-Centerfield on Economy Fine Painting Little League team, but let's leave the playing to the pros.
10. Guess the Play Before It Happens Guy
“I betcha he hits a double to the rightfield gap here.” Oh really? Fine, I’ll take every other possible play that could happen. How confident are you feeling about that guess now?
9. The fan that talks confidently about which he knows nothing about.
About 5 years ago me, New Orleans, and Milwaukee were once at a game when we heard a fan ask where Scott Hatteberg played before joining the Reds. The fan’s friend quickly and confidently replied he’s definitely a rookie….Hatteberg was 37 when the Red’s signed him.
8. When fans stand up in excitement only to realize that fly ball is a pop up to the secondbaseman.
Just because the ball is in the air, doesn’t mean it has a chance to leave the yard.
7. The Wave
It’s not 1976, so no, I’m not in awe of people standing up in synchronization. Plus, me moving so much increases me spilling my $8 beer by 80% according to a study that I made up for the sake of this post. Sit down so I can watch Bronson Arroyo’s mullet give up some homeruns.
6. Standing by the field until the game starts trying to snag an autograph
I never really noticed how annoying this was until last week when I went to watch the Reds and the Nationals. I was lucky enough to have second row seats down the third base line. However, I couldn’t see anything until the first pitch because I was surrounded by 45 year jabroni’s pushing their way through a crowd of people to have a 19 year old kid sign their fanny pack.
5. Wearing a shirt of a team not playing that day.
As annoying as it is to see a Cubs or Cardinals fan rocking their team’s shirt at a Reds game, I understand, so I don’t get too mad. I’d still wear Reds in Wrigley, so they should be able to support their team in Great American Ball Park. What really makes me laugh is the dbag that wears a Red Sox shirt to the game where the Red Sox aren’t playing. You can tell what his though process was getting dressed. I’m going to a baseball game. I’ll demonstrate that I know what baseball is by wearing a baseball shirt. Yeah, that’ll show that I’m not clueless. (Note: Oddly, wearing a hat of a team not playing isn't as lame.)
4. Cubs Fans
Enough said. (Disclaimer: New Orleans and Minneapolis do not fit the stereotype I’m about to convey). Cubs games are the Dave Matthews Band concerts of baseball. It is full of Chi-Town yuppies who attend because it’s the cool thing to do. Much like the drunk frat guy who goes to a “Dave” concert to party and doesn’t know a single song on the setlist; much of the Wrigley fans (and I know not all) can’t name half the lineup, but are they go to drink some Old Style and sing Go Cubs Go. (If you are a real fan of the team, I can stomach it a little more. I don’t condone it, but I can respect any person who is a true fan of any team through the good and bad.)
3. Booing the Ump on Ball/Strike Calls
Really guy? Really? You mean to tell me that you can see that 95 mph pitch, through your beer goggles from 400 feet away, much better than the professionally trained, and more importantly, sober umpire that is standing directly behind the plate.
2. People that show up late
Show up to the game on time. I don’t want to miss the entire 2nd inning because I can’t see because you are a dumbass and couldn’t show up to the game on time and now you are searching for your seat.
1. People
After making this list, it occurred to me that the reason I hate going to games, is PEOPLE. I hate dealing with people. People are dumb, illogical, clueless, and in-general just irritate me. When watching the games at home, I don't have to deal with any of the aformentioned shenanigans. And if the announcers get to annoying, at least the Mute button can take care of that.
Whilst sitting at the Red's game last weekend, I couldn't help but hear the misguided conversation of the family behind me. When a player hit a foulball straight back over the backstop, the kid exclaimed, "That's a homerun, right dad? It went over the fence." The wife then replied, "I always wondered why more players don't hit it that direction, there are no fielders there." I mustered all my might to not turn around and ask them to not speak the rest of the game. Instead I went on eating my Penn Station and enjoying my $8 beer.
This event along with a little help from a Bleacher Report article, got me thinking about the list of the most annoying things fans do. Below is my Top 20 List of Annoying Things Fans Do. Please feel free to add anything you wish.
Top 20 List of Annoying Things Fans Do
20. Talk About Fantasy Team Guy
Obviously, like all of you, I love fantasy sports. But fantasy sports are kind of like pictures of someone’s family or pets, if it doesn't directly involve me, I really don't care. I care about my league and my team.
19. Stand the whole game guy
So you've finally reached your seats, you're excited for the game to begin, everyone's on their feet as the first pitch is thrown. After the pitch, everyone in the crowd sits down, as people who are about to embark on watching a 3 hour baseball game tend to do. However, you come to the sad reality that the dispshit in front of you feels compelled to stand. Is there any greater feeling?
18. Red Sox and Sweet Caroline
Traditions in baseball are what make the sport so interesting; and every team has them. However, some can be quite annoying. For instance, the Red Sox inferred ownership of Sweet Caroline. Sing whatever you have to, to get the taste of last September's collapse out of your mouth, I guess.
17. "What I Would've Done" Guy
Sports are full of bang-bang plays. It is easy to sit back in hindsight and boast about how you would've handled a certain play. Most of the time, I'm assuming the world class athlete reacted to a split-second decision about as well as it can be.
16. Getting a Mascot's autograph
I don't think anything reeks of desperation more than this. This is the equivalent of a girl hooking up the merch guy because she likes the band he sells t-shirts for. Congrats, you just got the autograph of a stoned college kid, whose career path landed him in a mascot costume.
15. Steal the Ball From a Little Kid Guy
14. Freak out over Free T-Shirt Guy
These two go together. Everyone loves free stuff, that's understandable. However, is it really that important to barrell into a little kid, so you can take a baseball or XXL t-shirt home? It just makes you look like a jabroni.
13. Heckle Guy
Gotta love the fan that takes pride in making fun of the opposing teams players. Do you really think some fat slob stuttering half-whitted insults is really affecting the millionaire athlete on the field? Give me that much money and I'll listen to you make fun of me all day long. Hell, my friends do it for free all the time.
12. Fighting Guy
This gentlemen more than likely got ready after a long day of watching UFC, and was excited to put on his Tap-Out t-shirt, stiffen up his faux-hawk, strapp on his leather wristlits, and go to the game hoping that one fan will bump into him so he can muscle up and square up for a fight. If I wanted to see a roided-up goon prove his worth, I’ll watch the sporting event.
11. The I Used to Play Guy
Playing Little League baseball up to the age of 12, does not necessarily translate to the MLB. However, there is always the guy in the crowd that criticizes every player, while trying to correlate it to his brief playing days. (I can't believe he struck out, I always made contact in Little League, it can't be that different) I'm sure you did really good playing Left-Centerfield on Economy Fine Painting Little League team, but let's leave the playing to the pros.
10. Guess the Play Before It Happens Guy
“I betcha he hits a double to the rightfield gap here.” Oh really? Fine, I’ll take every other possible play that could happen. How confident are you feeling about that guess now?
9. The fan that talks confidently about which he knows nothing about.
About 5 years ago me, New Orleans, and Milwaukee were once at a game when we heard a fan ask where Scott Hatteberg played before joining the Reds. The fan’s friend quickly and confidently replied he’s definitely a rookie….Hatteberg was 37 when the Red’s signed him.
8. When fans stand up in excitement only to realize that fly ball is a pop up to the secondbaseman.
Just because the ball is in the air, doesn’t mean it has a chance to leave the yard.
7. The Wave
It’s not 1976, so no, I’m not in awe of people standing up in synchronization. Plus, me moving so much increases me spilling my $8 beer by 80% according to a study that I made up for the sake of this post. Sit down so I can watch Bronson Arroyo’s mullet give up some homeruns.
6. Standing by the field until the game starts trying to snag an autograph
I never really noticed how annoying this was until last week when I went to watch the Reds and the Nationals. I was lucky enough to have second row seats down the third base line. However, I couldn’t see anything until the first pitch because I was surrounded by 45 year jabroni’s pushing their way through a crowd of people to have a 19 year old kid sign their fanny pack.
5. Wearing a shirt of a team not playing that day.
As annoying as it is to see a Cubs or Cardinals fan rocking their team’s shirt at a Reds game, I understand, so I don’t get too mad. I’d still wear Reds in Wrigley, so they should be able to support their team in Great American Ball Park. What really makes me laugh is the dbag that wears a Red Sox shirt to the game where the Red Sox aren’t playing. You can tell what his though process was getting dressed. I’m going to a baseball game. I’ll demonstrate that I know what baseball is by wearing a baseball shirt. Yeah, that’ll show that I’m not clueless. (Note: Oddly, wearing a hat of a team not playing isn't as lame.)
4. Cubs Fans
Enough said. (Disclaimer: New Orleans and Minneapolis do not fit the stereotype I’m about to convey). Cubs games are the Dave Matthews Band concerts of baseball. It is full of Chi-Town yuppies who attend because it’s the cool thing to do. Much like the drunk frat guy who goes to a “Dave” concert to party and doesn’t know a single song on the setlist; much of the Wrigley fans (and I know not all) can’t name half the lineup, but are they go to drink some Old Style and sing Go Cubs Go. (If you are a real fan of the team, I can stomach it a little more. I don’t condone it, but I can respect any person who is a true fan of any team through the good and bad.)
3. Booing the Ump on Ball/Strike Calls
Really guy? Really? You mean to tell me that you can see that 95 mph pitch, through your beer goggles from 400 feet away, much better than the professionally trained, and more importantly, sober umpire that is standing directly behind the plate.
2. People that show up late
Show up to the game on time. I don’t want to miss the entire 2nd inning because I can’t see because you are a dumbass and couldn’t show up to the game on time and now you are searching for your seat.
1. People
After making this list, it occurred to me that the reason I hate going to games, is PEOPLE. I hate dealing with people. People are dumb, illogical, clueless, and in-general just irritate me. When watching the games at home, I don't have to deal with any of the aformentioned shenanigans. And if the announcers get to annoying, at least the Mute button can take care of that.
