Year in and year out, I am in the Bronx during the World Series. Not because I want to, but because I am a Brave fan and my beautiful, loving, idiotic, dumb, cornball of a girlfriend is a die hard Yankee fan. So, I have no choice but to take the yearly abuse that has become a ritual since our relationship and the Yankees dominance started in 1996. Oh, and it has been fun. NOT... With that being said, I have to ask this question. Am I the only one or does is it true what they say that Houston may have the worse fans in sports? I remember that I went to many, many baseball games in the Astrodome. I flew from New Jersey to Houston to be at game 2 of the 1994 NBA Finals and game 3 of the 1995 NBA Finals. I flew to Houston to watch the game 3 of the 1997 first round playoffs against the Utah Jazz. The crowds were loud. But once or twice during the entire game. Why? Why not the entire game? Last night, I went to the first game of the stupid Subway Series that my girlfriend dragged me to and I have to say that it was an amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing place to be. I really doubt that anywhere else in the sports world there could be so much noise, so much electricity, so much pride. Its so awesome that I almost wanted to root for the hated Yankees with all my heart. My girlfriend was another person. She was jumping up and down, screaming, taunting...hell, she almost drank a beer and started spitting and she's 7 months pregnant! It was a great game on a beautiful clear night. And this is not only because of the series. I make it a habit of going to Yankee Stadium for the sheer history of it at least once a year. I try to go when the Braves are there. And each and every time, the crowd is unbelievable. And afterwards, people celebrate in the streets like if it was the World Series. There are car horns blowing, flags on cars, people crying "Lets Go Yankees" on the subway. Its rabid! This happens after Knick games also. The one Knick game I went to against the SuperSonics last year was so loud you would think it was game seven or something. They chanted "defense" so loud I couldn't hear my friend Duane talk and he was right in my ear. So why not in Houston? Why is it that when I watch a regular season games on TV, the crowd barely makes a peep? They cheer. But they don't intimidate. When I went to see the Astros, they sucked. So that explains that. But not the Rockets. Except for the celebration games, the crowd is relatively silent. Why? None of New Yorks team has an athlete that comes to Dreams ankle in the mid 90's. And now, they don't have one that comes to the excitement that Francis generates. Why all the trouble selling out games? And why so much trouble getting a new stadium for a team that has graced us with the first championships ever? Why the lack of spirit? Is the spirit only regulated to college or high school football? The two morons who own the Mets have more money than 90 percent of the human population. Yet, they open their mouths and instantly, they get the approval for a mid town, Ebbets Field look alike stadium to be built in the near future. The idiot Steinbrenner opens his mouth and threatens to move the Yankees to Jersey and what happens? They give him 80 million dollars to renovate Yankee Stadium so that he doesn't move. This guy has a cable deal worth 1 BILLION dollars and just bought the New Jersey Nets. To be fair, its not only Houston. Atlanta has also been rated along with Houston as a bad sports town. So has LA. But I don't care about them. I care about us. Why if we have 4 million people we can't sell out each and every game? Why if we are consistantly winning in basketball, we can't show up and cheer for 2 hours until we can't talk anymore? Why can't we get a new arena for the damn Rockets without sweating and crying blood? Why? I grew up bashing New York, their teams, the people who attend the games. I still hate all New York teams. But you have to give these people credit. They show tons of passion, love and would do anything to push their teams to victory. They show up at 3am in 10 degree weather for meaningless regular season game tickets during football season. I don't understand if New York or even Green Bay or even St.Louis can do all this when it comes to their respective teams, why we can't. Love ya blue was a long, long, long time ago. The House of Pain was a long time ago. What happened to that passion? Maybe I could be wrong. I just notice a big difference. ------------------ [This message has been edited by Almu (edited October 22, 2000).]
Almu, I don't see why you hate me so. We seem to agree on a lot. I've often posted that Houston is the worst sports town in America. You obviously agree. Why can't you take a few lessons from Rocketman95, and learn that you can still be a naive, flaming liberal and still like TheFreak? I think it will improve your quality of life. Try not to hate. ------------------ The Game Action forum has been overrun by idiots. The BBS Hangout is where it's at.
Freak, how can I hate you? You are a Rocketfan! I can't hate you. I love you, man! Now, your opinions are kinda quirky. But, its all good. Like Bush says, we have to be one voice when it counts! And I am not a Liberal. Might seem that way, but, I am sort of like...more than independent. I am like the voting free-agent. Who ever offers me more, I vote for you. ------------------
Dude, who said I liked you? Almu, I agree and I disagree. I agree that our fans aren't the greatest. However, they aren't anywhere close to the worst. IMO, Atlanta sports fans are the worst. The Braves make it to the playoffs every year, but still have a hard time selling tickets. As for Houston fans, I used to agree with you, but then this site came along. I don't think it's a coincidence that there's no other like it out there. ------------------ When you make an assumption, you make an ass out of yourself and umption. visit www.swirve.com
There are so many answers, but it boils down to, IMO, four important factors. 1. Houston has only been a sports town for slightly more than 30 years. In New York, you have about 100 years worth of tradition. It takes a very long time to build the kind of tradition you find back east. 2. Living west of the Mississippi, big cities offer sprawling areas with not a lot of tight-knit community living. People find lots to do outside of sports especially things that are close to them geographically. The fact that a subway series is even possible says something. Also, when you live in a smaller city, there is simply less to do. What else is there to do in Salt Lake City but watch the Jazz, for example? 3. I am one of the few, the proud, the native Houstonians. Most Houstonians are not from here and, as a result, root for the teams they grew up with. 4. Houston was rated the second most polite city in America. Politeness does not exactly inspire people to hostility. It is a double-edged sword. It is nice to be around them most of the time, but tough to get them riled up about anything. There are more but there is no sense in getting into all of them here. Suffice it to say Houston will likely never be the sports town New York is. But, New York will never be the nice town Houston is. I personally prefer the latter. ------------------ Save Our Rockets and Comets SaveOurRockets.com
RM95... You are right about the Brave fans. But, they do draw 3.5 million fans a year. What they suck at is taking for granted that the Braves are going to go to the World Series each and every year. They never show up until game 4 of the NLCS if its in Atlanta. And they don't get rabidly loud until the World Series. The Hawks never sell out even during playoffs. Thats the best example. And I see that their billionaire owner had no problems getting a new stadium. He paid for 30 percent of it but the rest was picked up by the city. All of one title? Hell, the Rocks got TWO...BACK to BACK and have to have all sorts of rallies and meetings to get it even voted on. Why? Of course, this is a great site. But how many rabid fans are there here? 500? 1000? 2000? 5000? Ok, fine. But, put us all into an arena and where are the only ones there going nuts. EVERYONE who lives in Houston should go nuts for 2 hours EACH AND EVERYTIME we attend games. What are we paying all that money for? To sit on our hands? Jeff, you are right about Houston being polite. I don't think that could be used as an excuse. St.Louis is also known as a nice town. They have the Cards and Rams. They want a basketball team also. They go nuts over there. What about San Diego? They have the Chargers and the Padres. Did you see the crowd during the Padres run at the title? Thats a nice town too. What about Minnesota? You want more space between people and communities than Minnesota? Yet, look at the T-Wolves, the Vikings and the Twins in their heyday. Their crowds are SCARY. When was the last time you thought about hostility and Minnesota came to mind? The T-Wolves haven't been there for 100 years. Neither have the Vikings. Neither have the Twins. And remember, the only team that has 100 years of tradition is the baseball teams. That doesn't explain the rabid atmosphere of the Knicks. Or the Nets. New York City is HUGE and has way more things to do than probably any major city in the world. Yet, when it comes to sports, they go nuts. I don't know what it is, but I don't think its those four reasons, Jeff. ------------------ [This message has been edited by Almu (edited October 22, 2000).]
People in the West are also generally more laid back about most everything than East Coast Types. ------------------ Houston Sports Board DFW Sports Board
While I agree that Houston fans suck, but not all of them suck. I bet I'm just as loud, if not louder than any NY area sports fan. My brother, my girl, and my friends are embarassed to sit next to me during the Rocket games. ------------------ Fun Police Says: 1. Stupid threads & Stupid BBS names are not FUN! 2. Spelling, grammar, punctuation and sentence structure are not FUN! 3. Conduct yourself in a FUN way! The Fun Police are Watching. Vote for the Rockets & Have FUN!
Im a NYer I grew up 100 miles from Manhatten. the town I live in has only 2500 year round residents(tourist town) this is a Yankee loving town, but another 25% go for the Mets. i was at a bar during the first game of the series, and it sucked. the whole bar was packed with people watching the game. there were oposing chants, heckling, it was rucous. It was like being at a game. everything was put on hold for the game. There was a band booked to plan that night, they wernt allowed to play when it got exciting, and were bood if they tried to play. There was a wedding party at the adjacent hotel, and they were all glued to the set. WTF its your wedding night, and the whole party is watching tv. Some special memories huh?? this is a town that gets REGULAR attendance of 500 at basketball games. thats 20% of the population. I dont think we have ever had a winning season. if there is a NY team in tha playoffs for any sport it gets crazy here. at that same bar when th knicks beat the pacers with LJs 4 pt bomb there was nearly a riot. Everyone here was wearing NY Rangers hats and jerseys after they won the cup, but this is not a hockey town, its a basketball town. during the world cup the bars were filled with people cheering for soccer games on foreign soil between nations that NO ONE has ties to. When france won, one bar poured out into the streets chanting, and singing. again this is a basketball town. we dont have a soccer team. we never have ice on our ponds. the whole town is quiet during the Olympics. i have no answer to the question why, but i do know that we are raised by sports, fed sports, ans dream about sports. every NY sports fan feels as though they are part of the team. if a fan wants to know who scored a run , he asks "did WE score?", or "Did WE win?" "How dod WE do last night?" "WE were great last night , Did you see the game?" on the lighter side: there is no such thing as a good referee in NY we are never beaten by a better team, it is always some kind of consperacy. ------------------
I agree with some of what Jeff posted. Houston has been a professional sports city for only 30 years. And we are awfully polite here. I believe you see the rabidness come out more at college and high school sports here. But we are definitely not the worst sports fans in America. In Los Angeles, people show up for Dodger games during the 2nd inning, leave during the 6th inning, and talk on their cellphones incessantly during the time in-between. What could be worse than that? ------------------ I am the b*stard son of LHutz. Huh? Right!
The only real sports fans in LA are Galaxy fans. They regularly sell out the Rose Bowl and are one bad call from a riot. ------------------
To add another note: You must've never gone to a Comets game. That crowd is ridiculous. Ditto for the Aeros. The Oilers crowds were good as well when they were winning. ------------------ Save Our Rockets and Comets SaveOurRockets.com
The GS Warriors have the worst fans in the NBA. I went to a game last year when they played the Rockets and I was the loudest one there. I was cheering for the away team and I was the loudest. These people are more excited about getting a chance at a free t-shirt than the game. ------------------ Don't come in Bullard's house!
I would have to agree. The fans here are very quiet. You get up to scream and the people around you look at you and give you that eye to shut the hell up. I see more excitement at a HS football game. As someone once noted, we are a big corperate city, so therefore, corperations buy tickets for clients/employees. I just can't see a bunch of men in business suits jumping up and down over a team they have no clue about. ------------------ ...out with the old, in with the new...
As a Houston fan, I don't feel like I should be in the dock for others to grade my rabidity. I and everyone who attend Rockets games (I actually don't ever attend, so I'm not one of the people who sit on their hands) are customers and we do what we please. If we want to comport ourselves with some dignity and composure, I don't see why we should be subjected to criticism by others. I don't think it means that I love the sport or the team any less just because I keep control of my body. I'm simply more contemplative in my fandom. I think the real difference is this: can you expect any deep contemplation from a Knicks fan? ------------------ Rockets Draft Obligations Summary http://www.gaffordstudios.cjb.net/
Chicago and many of the Northeaster cities have rabid fans, I think it is part because of franchise tradition, and part because of a more blue collar fan base who let out a whole lot of frustrations there. I think you may have more high end person's going to Houston's pro sports. I think there is many truths in theories in the posts--smaller towns with nothing else (Sac, Jazz, Port), blue collar, tradition of franchice, part of it I think is also just habit, if you see others getting nuts you tend to do so as well, if you see other sitting on their rears you do that. The crazziest fans in the US are college football fans in the SEC. Sweet ole god-fearing 80 year old ladies turn into foul mouthed death wishers (e.g., Alabama versus Auburn). Just for some perspective, I get some good ribbing during thanksgiving when I (a Longhorn) hang out with my wife's (Aggie) family, and my family out of pity has taken it pretty easy on her most of the last few years. However, if I was a Tiger and married Crimson, I'd been shot by somebody. It is there, hard to explain.
let me add to Jeff. The Rice basketball games were always loud when I was there. Not as loud as my HS gym packed with 5,000 screaming small town folk in the dead of the winter on the plains. Almu,,,you went to two Rockets Finals and we weren't loud. I went to a couple in the Seattle series '93; we were out of our mind. But that was upperdeck so maybe the lower deck is more composed. Also, who thinks baseball electricity in October has anything to do with the cold weather. Screaming and jumping keeps you warm.
