Image by Vincent J. Brown via FlickrCase in point, (a tip of the cap to Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk) a post today on GQ.com that reveals the top 15 worst sports fans in America. Some aren't to difficult to figure. Some may leave you a tad bit shocked. Others just make you shake your head and say "Go fig".
I always find articles of this ilk a little eye-opening for a couple of reasons. First, I used to be one of the worst fans myself. It was never beyond me to go to sporting events and spew a profanity or two. It was usually directed at an opposing player or the team in general. Once in awhile, an ump or ref or official. Even going so far as to attempt to talk trash to opposing players if I was within distance. Yes, I have changed in my years.
Apparently, some fans have not received a memo from someone somewhere down the line. You can go to any sporting event and you will always, without fail, find a fan that you cannot believe would act in the manner in which they are acting. You know what I'm referring to here. It almost makes you nauseous to every be within sight and/or earshot of this one individual. That's especially true if you have children among your party. Yep, I did make a family or two move back in my day.
I know it's a manner of showing respect. I've learned that along the way. Others could care less as long as their team is winning and they think your team sucks.
That list...
As I said, some surprises and some far from being such. Here they are in reverse order:
15. Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
This one did surprise me...a bit. Once you think about it, it makes sense. Lakers fans are rather boisterous when Kobe and the boys are winning. Quite the opposite if they're losing. You could define a fair-weather fan as being a Laker fan.
14. Oregon (NCAABB)
Another somewhat of a shocker to me. I say that because I'm wondering what the hoops team has really done.
13. Wisconsin (NCAAFB)
For the point in the calendar where we're at, I would have thought the basketball crowd would've received this honor. Ask Jerod Sullinger.
12. Dallas Cowboys (NFL)
No surprise here. I've known a few Cowboys fans in my day. Hardcore Cowboys fans. Defeat is not an option and they think no other franchise is better. Question: When were the Cowboys last in a Super Bowl? Follow-up: How many times sonce then have they been predicted to do so.
11. Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
Wow. This caught me off guard. I can honeslty say I've never encountered a Habs fan. No comment.
10. LSU (NCAAFB)
One thing I have learned over the years is that you don't want to be in Baton Rogue for a Saturday night game. You'll lose the game, but it goes beyond that. To get a sense of this, read this excerpt for the GQ piece (warning: there is some harsh language in this excerpt. Words I would never utter in front of my mother!)
For a story on how hostile LSU tailgaters were to opposing fans, female staffers from the university's student newspaper roamed their school's notorious daylong drinkathon disguised in Alabama gear. "We were groped and squeezed by just about every guy we interviewed," they reported. "The women called us 'bitches' and the men called us 'cunts.' " Anything else? "The amount of times we were spit on also struck a nerve."Enough said.
9. New York Yankees (MLB)
The first entrant from the baseball world. This I can completely understand. It's a bit similar to the Cowboys, but the Yankees can win titles still. But they feel it's a rite of pasage that they win every season. Get's to be excessively obnoxious after so long.
8. Duke (NCAABB)
I'm a Duke fan. I'm not that freakin' crazy though. One of the reason I believe the fans are despised is because the program is so despised. But the fans do have their own annoying way of going about things.
7. Penn State (NCAAFB)
I don't know what JoePa is putting in the water there, but he needs to stop. Again, I must use an excerpt to comprehend such. And it's not pretty.
And let's not forget the notorious 2007 incident in which a crowd of onlookers cheered as a student chased down two OSU fans and threw a full can of beer at their heads. Video of that assault was proudly posted on YouTube, tagged as "comedy."Actually, it's tragic. There is also a mention of folks tossing urine filled bottles. Simply gross.
6. Boston Red Sox (MLB)
I get this one as I have witnessed it first hand. Talk about the trash being spewed from mouths. I was attending in Red Sox-Reds game a couple of years ago. Red Sox fans acted like they owned the damn park. The constant "Let's Go Red Sox" cheer. When you encountered one walking toward you, they made absolutely no effort to get out of your way. You had to yield to them. They would plow through you if presented the chance. Then again, maybe it was because I was seated (not by choice) amongst them wearing my Reds stuff. Didn't matter as the Reds won...and we started a chant of "Read the scoreboard". Yes, it was clean.
5. Maryland (NCAABB)
They love their hoops at Maryland, mens and womens. Victories by both (regular season or tourney win) have spurred a few moments of creating bonfires. I should see if Scott Van Pelt of ESPN is all right by this...
4. Oakland Raiders (NFL)
Black hole. Need more be said? But I know a couple of Raiders fans and they are not bad people. They are actually very good people. I suppose the Black Hole has the effect on some.
3. West Virginia (NCAABB)
Just last season, I wrote about how horrific the fans in Morgantown can be. A Pitt assistant was struck in his face by a quarter. By far not the first time fans have been an issue. They've had their fair share of burning incidents as well. Actually, it seems like that's all they know. Read the GQ piece and you'll see why.
1 (Tie) Philadelphia Phillies (MLB) and Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)
We've all heard of booing Santa. We heard about the gentleman vomiting on the 11 year old girl. There was also an incident last season of a Redskins fan having his car vandalized after attending a Redskins-Eagles game in Philly.
Also encountered a Phillies fan or two. One older Phillies fans (had to be mid-50's at least) was walking around with a familiar refrain..."Let's go Phillies". It was like he made it point to stand by us with his taunts. My older brother proceeded to ask this fan from Philly "Who won the World Series last year?" He shut up and left.
In reviewing the list, here's the breakdown of the list by sport:
- NCAABB - 4
- NCAAFB -3
- MLB -3
- NFL - 3
- NBA - 1
- NHL - 1
What I find disturbing, but not so surprising, is that 7 of the 15 listed were college sports related. It's disturbing because I thought college was for an education. having a good time is all right as well. You know, parties and such. But to be included on this list would seem to either be an embarrassment or an honor. Most will wear it as an honor.
Some of the acts that I've placed in this piece and others in the GQ article will simply amaze you. It is a worthy, but somewhat distasteful, read. And when I say distasteful, I'm talking about the stories within it.
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