Bandwagon

[Yoda]

Can we maybe let this go already? We don't need to call every new person that signs up a bandwagoner. Chances are, if they're taking the time to seek out a message board to talk about the Tigers, they were a pretty big fan to begin with.

Maybe the didn't enjoy talking about them as much as they do now, for obvious reasons. Does that make them any less of a "fan"? I don't think so. I enjoy welcoming the new people. The more we have, the better off this board is.

Sure, you get the occasional bandwagoners that are fans of other teams first but suddenly want to be Tigers fans too. But there are very few on this board (only 1 that I can think of). 99% a probably true Tigers fans, so I don't think it's right to call them names just because they just now decided to join the message board. You aren't a better fan just because you joined 2 years ago.

This has been bugging me a lot over the last couple weeks. So I needed to get my 2 cents out.

[One Man's Fool]

When the team was bad people worried that fan support would slip, and hoped for the team's improvement - for many reasons, obviously, but one was so that fans would support the team.

Now that the team is good and more fans are supporting the team, this is a problem because they are bandwagoners?

[diamondhead]

Bandwagon fans never bothered me. What bothers me is people that should be Tiger fans (baseball fans that live around the Detroit area) that have yet to hop on the bandwagon. There's still plenty of room. I'll gladly talk baseball (especially the Tigers) with anybody willing to do so.

[IdahoBert]

There are lots of longtime fans who have gotten supercharged to the point that they want to talk baseball on the internet. They are new to this board but not to the Tigers. I think casual fans that just chose the Tigers for the wrong reason are not motivated to seek out a message board. I doubt if anyone really deserves to be called a bandwagoner on this board. Anyone posting here is a highly motivated nut anyway. That's not a bandwagoner in my book. (And I'm using the word "nut" as a term of endearment, kind of like "moron.")

[Ron Burgandy]

Originally Posted by Yoda

You aren't a better fan just because you joined 2 years ago.

Agreed. For instance, Tigers337 is one of the biggest bandwagon fans here, and he joined a while ago.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by IdahoBert

There are lots of longtime fans who have gotten supercharged to the point that they want to talk baseball on the internet. They are new to this board but not to the Tigers. I think casual fans that just chose the Tigers fro the wrong reason are not motivated to seek out a message board. I doubt if anyone really deserves to be called a bandwagoner on this board.

Agreed.

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Not to take this thread off topic...

I was talking with my friend who has been a life-long, bleed blue and red Cubs fan yesterday and he is bailing on them now. Memories of 2003 came flooding back.

I'll take bandwagoners because it means we are doing well. Welcome!

[tiger337]

Originally Posted by Ron Burgandy

Agreed. For instance, Tigers337 is one of the biggest bandwagon fans here, and he joined a while ago.

That's true. I was always a Yankee fan but I shamelessly jumped on the Tiger bandwagon in 2003.

[billfer]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Can we maybe let this go already? We don't need to call every new person that signs up a bandwagoner. Chances are, if they're taking the time to seek out a message board to talk about the Tigers, they were a pretty big fan to begin with.

Maybe the didn't enjoy talking about them as much as they do now, for obvious reasons. Does that make them any less of a "fan"? I don't think so. I enjoy welcoming the new people. The more we have, the better off this board is.

Sure, you get the occasional bandwagoners that are fans of other teams first but suddenly want to be Tigers fans too. But there are very few on this board (only 1 that I can think of). 99% a probably true Tigers fans, so I don't think it's right to call them names just because they just now decided to join the message board. You aren't a better fan just because you joined 2 years ago.

This has been bugging me a lot over the last couple weeks. So I needed to get my 2 cents out.

I agree completely.

The fact of the matter is that the team was really bad for a really long time. The result is that even some people that were fans found it hard to stomach the product on the field. Many of those games were simply awful baseball. Who's smarter - the fans that tuned out or the morons who debated the merits of Kevin Witt and Wendell Magee? You can't blame people for not paying attention.

Second, because the performance has been so incredible this year the team is attracting people who never gave the Tigers a second thought. We all had to start being fans at some point, and now is as compelling a time as any.

[tiger337]

I think there are probably lots of bandwagon fans on messageboards. By bandwagon fan, I mean somebody who used to love the pistons and Redwings but ignored the Tigers until this year. That's not a problem though as long as they don't start pretending to know stuff that they don't. I know lots of bandwagon Red Sox fans. It's better to be a bandwagon fan of a team than not a fan at all.

[beek_27]

Originally Posted by IdahoBert

Anyone posting here is a highly motivated nut anyway. That's not a bandwagoner in my book. (And I'm using the word "nut" as a term of endearment, kind of like "moron.")

"highly motivated nut"..............outstanding description!

[Euphdude]

Right on Y. I don't understand why if someone doesn't follow a team while they were struggling as diehard as when they were successful, they are coined as bandwagoners. There is so much more to life than following sports, and if your team has been particularly bad for a long period of time, those people might decide that there are better things they could do with their time than to devote a significant part of their lives to a poor product.

[Biff Mayhem]

Originally Posted by Yoda

This has been bugging me a lot over the last couple weeks. So I needed to get my 2 cents out.

It doesn't have anything to do with those Lance Bass fans calling you a bandwagoner does it?

[Lou Ferigno]

The more on board, the more $$ for players. I always try to remember that.

I will not miss the days when Eric Munson was the brightest light being discussed by 7 people in a game thread.

[Oblong]

This is a good thread.

Everybody is welcome here. Even if you thought Travis Fryman was still on the team.

Welcome back Tiger fans. This is what it was like in the 80s.

[HeyAbbott]

I need to mention this because I think it is very illustrative of what is happening to the fan base. Out here is the Grand Rapids area, I am guessing that there are a number of older fans that are coming out of the woodwork. I saw a gray haired man wearing one of those orange and black striped Tigers hats that were popular in the late 60's. These had a fuzzy finish and in some cases a small dyed feather in the hat.
I have seen a 1968 world champin T shirt and a few other things being displayed in public.

We are seeing a rebirth of interest in the Tigers in Michigan. Some of the interest will fade away. Some of these people will become the next generation of hard core fans.

I like the thought of that.

[travis]

Originally Posted by Biff Mayhem

It doesn't have anything to do with those Lance Bass fans calling you a bandwagoner does it?

WOW!! Nicely done!

[DaYooperASBDT]

The more the merrier, as long as they bring some intelligent posts with them. There's a couple guys lately that have been really annoying, not quite enough yet to make my "Ignore" list yet, but working on it. And my "Ignore" list currently stands at zero, because even the annoying guys come up with a good post now & then.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by Biff Mayhem

It doesn't have anything to do with those Lance Bass fans calling you a bandwagoner does it?

Don't think I won't get even! Though, I probably had this coming.

[Euphdude]

Originally Posted by DaYooperASBDT

The more the merrier, as long as they bring some intelligent posts with them. There's a couple guys lately that have been really annoying, not quite enough yet to make my "Ignore" list yet, but working on it. And my "Ignore" list currently stands at zero, because even the annoying guys come up with a good post now & then.

Sorry, I can't read this since you're on my ignore list.

[travis]

Originally Posted by tiger337

That's not a problem though as long as they don't start pretending to know stuff that they don't.

I was gonna mention this on my own, but now I guess I'll just reply. I love the bandwagon fans because I love to talk about the Tigers. Its fun being able to go up to almost anyone you see right now, ask if they are a Tiger fan, and spark a conversation.

Off track a bit, earlier in the year while standing at a urinal at the bar, I asked some hippy with dreads and a tie dye shirt how he was doing, and he told me he'd be doing pretty good if Jonesy can shut em down in the ninth tonight.

But there is a downside to this bandwagon my friends, and its the damn bandwagon know it alls. The guys who won't converse about the Tigers, they will TELL YOU about the Tigers. You know they haven't been fans until now, but suddenly they are the experts. But the problem is all their info is wrong. And there is no point in correcting these guys, because what they say is the way it is. Anyone else have a problem with this type or is it just me?

[DaYooperASBDT]

Originally Posted by Euphdude

Sorry, I can't read this since you're on my ignore list.

Speaking of guys that have been really annoying lately .....

[gamtchll]

bandwagon people dont get on message boards...they merely start going to games....people that just signed are long-time fans who have now taken the time to seek out more areas to talk about the tiges.

[monkeytargets37]

The only type of fans that bug me are ones who ditch their favorite team to become fans of a new, first-place team.

I really havent seen any of those on here (nor do I expect to). Seems like most of the new members that have signed up recently are long time Tiger fans who are so happy that the team is finally respectable that they want to talk about it. A lot of the newer members have already made good contributions to threads and have good stories about past Tiger experiences. Nothin wrong with that.

[slicknickshady]

Yep, some people did not realize there was a tigers message board and posted on the espn forums.

[Yoda]

I think I started out on the world crossing forum around... '97 or so. When it was linked from Freep's website. The "sysop" had all kinds of issues back then.

[hoosiertiger]

I've been a die hard fan for over 35 years.I grew up listening to Ernie and Paul on WJR often times straining to hear their voices through static.It was long before cable and light years before satellite and when a Tiger game was telecast it was an event.

The previous dozen years have been difficult to follow yet I've still purchased MLB ticket.During these lean years I had low expectations for the team but was always looking for a silver lining.I watched those meaningless September ballgames,hoping that a call up could make a splash.They rarely ever did.

I've watched the organization make some incredibly moronic decisions that defy description,yet I've remained loyal.The hiring of Bo,the firing of Ernie,
the mistake of Smith and compounding that mistake by holding on too long,the switching of the flagship station,the original park dimensions,etc.
I won't even bring up the free agent signings and trades other than the only time I've written the Detroit News was to express my dismay over the Juan deal the day it was announced.

Needless to say I'm excited about this team and I'm on the edge of my seat just like everyone else here.

[Sparks4Ever]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Can we maybe let this go already? We don't need to call every new person that signs up a bandwagoner. Chances are, if they're taking the time to seek out a message board to talk about the Tigers, they were a pretty big fan to begin with.

I haven't notice anyone doing this, but I agree it would be stupid.

Regardless, I don't mind the bandwagon fans. I was hanging out with a buddy of mine after the game last night who never even watched baseball before this season and he was singing "Go Get'em Tigers" all night long (obviously he had a couple of drinks as well). Fun stuff.

[DaYooperASBDT]

HoosierTiger, welcome to the board !!!

[DET Mr Malefic]

I disagree with the premise of this thread in it's entirety.

Originally Posted by Euphdude

There is so much more to life than following sports, and if your team has been particularly bad for a long period of time, those people might decide that there are better things they could do with their time than to devote a significant part of their lives to a poor product.

Especially this.

[tiger337]

Originally Posted by Yoda

I think I started out on the world crossing forum around... '97 or so. When it was linked from Freep's website.

Oh so that's how that site got popular. It's such an obscure site. It doesn't ever show up if you do a search. The only reason I knew it existed was because a few of them came here and were talking about it. It's not a bad site.

[tiger337]

Originally Posted by Sparks4Ever

I haven't notice anyone doing this, but I agree it would be stupid.

.

I hadn't really noticed it either except with a couple of posters who made controversial comments and people (including me) called then bandwagon fans just to give them a hard time.

[tiger337]

Originally Posted by DET Mr Malefic

I disagree with the premise of this thread in it's entirety.

The part that I disagreed with was calling the Detroit Tigers a poor product. To me, they can never be a poor product because I love baseball first and they just happen to be my favorite team. There is a lot more to baseball just following a winning team. A really really good fan does not have to participate in message boards ever. What he does have to do for me to consider him a good fan of a team is to stick with his team through good and bad. I'm a bandwagon Celtics fan and would never consider myself a really good fan of the team.

[Tigeraholic1]

I started out at detroittigers.com then went to mlive and now here. I am glad I found it and never find myself seeking out any other Tigers forum.

By the way Yoda nice job explaining how many of us feel.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by tiger337

Oh so that's how that site got popular. It's such an obscure site. It doesn't ever show up if you do a search. The only reason I knew it existed was because a few of them came here and were talking about it. It's not a bad site.

Yup. Freep had their own Tigers message board that was hosted by WC. It kept crashing all the time though and tons of posts would get lost. There were no mods either, except the sysop (system operator) that would clean up all of the old posts from time to time so their server wouldn't crash. It was pretty generic.

I finally got sick of all the crashes and found this board. I think shortly after they closed the board on the Freep site and one of the WC members opened up the one that exists today. A lot of the original members from back in the late 90's are still there today.

[ewsieg]

Originally Posted by tiger337

That's true. I was always a Yankee fan but I shamelessly jumped on the Tiger bandwagon in 2003.

Can't blame ya for that year, seemed like everyone was talking about us...even ESPN talked us up that year.... of course the clips were always eerily similiar to their Dick Trickle talk.

[estrepe1]

I have never minded bandwagon fans. Those bandwagon fans are helping fill the stadium and making this season even more exciting.

They are also the fans that will help to keep young stars around with the money they put into the franchise.

Just be glad that there is a bandwagon to jump on to.

[ClintD]

I have a few points in response to this great thread.

First, I have to say that I'm going to make some generalizations, but none that are damaging in my eyes. I know what I say will not apply to EVERYONE in that particular group, so please refrain from the "I am statistically in that group, but I am nothing like that" posts.

I think a lot of the fans that are just signing up on the boards are closer to my age than some of the life-long fans on here. I was born in December of '83, so '84 isn't exactly engrained into my memory (although my mom says if the Tigers were on I was quiet and watching). Before this season the "Glory Years" of the Tigers of my era were the Cecil Fielder, Mickey Tettleton, Tram, and Sweet Lou. I remember Gibson more as a Dodger for the '88 Series HR than I do for the '84 team. The point is, fans in their early to mid 20's are much more hard pressed to have the knowledge some of you "more experienced" guys do. They have to research, can't just "remember the good ol' days".

Second, I think it's great that there are many different eras represented on this board. How many of us watched the '68 team? How many kids idolized Denny McLain until his bout with the law. Those kids are now how old? late 40's? Much tougher to reminisce with these guys for us because we only have 1/3 to 1/2 of the memories.

My third point is an opinion. To me, "bandwagon" fans are guys that are HUGE fans of whatever team has just won a championship. i.e. your neighbor that used to be a huge Patriots fan, but is now huge Steelers fan. If you weren't that into the Tigers before, but you are now, and you're from this area or have some connection to Detroit, you have a RIGHT to jump on this teams momentum wave. Isn't that why Pro Sports Teams are connected to major cities? I would say a majority of the people on this board would call themselves "Die-Hards" because they still care when the teams are terrible. I said CARE, not LOVE. I can't imagine that I LOVED the early teams of this decade, but I cared that they were terrible. That's really all you can ask for. Care.

Now they are an amazing team, we all LOVE them, and the people who used to not care, do.

Sorry for the length. Great Post Yoda

[DET Mr Malefic]

Originally Posted by tiger337

The part that I disagreed with was calling the Detroit Tigers a poor product. To me, they can never be a poor product because I love baseball first and they just happen to be my favorite team. There is a lot more to baseball just following a winning team. A really really good fan does not have to participate in message boards ever.

I agree with all of this.

[wolverinefan]

Agreed.