Article: Fans need to catch up with the times

missmyzte · by **missmyzte** on Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:16 pm

Fans need to catch up with the times 
by: MistiLynn 
 
How has technology changed sports fans? 
 
Everyone has heard it said, "It's the name on the front of the jersey that counts, not the name on the back." Teams have die-hard fans who will follow an organization through thick-and-thin, winning and losing, good players and bad. The team of choice is usually the hometown team because once upon a time, that was the only choice. 
 
Before the internet, it was more difficult to closely follow a team that wasn't in your hometown. Television generally shows only the local teams, radio as well and the newspaper gives just a short description of other games. Fans were left with no choice. 
 
That is no longer the case. 
 
The internet has opened up a new world for fans, enabling them to connect with fans across the globe and follow their favorite team from anywhere. 
 
Or favorite player. 
 
Is it time now to challenge the aforementioned adage? After all, what is a team? It can change by the moment, depending on the coach, the players, the ownership and a variety of other factors. Look, for example, at the difference between the Lakers of the '80's and the team in purple and gold last year. Showtime was loved for their selflessness, lead by Magic Johnson, whereas the Shaq-and-Kobe era was one of the most hated teams in all of basketball because of their collection of future Hall-of-Famers, selfishness and internal dissention. 
 
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose 
By any other name would smell as sweet; 
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d, 
Retain that dear perfection which he owes 
Without that title. 
 
Perhaps the challenge is that fans seem to better relate to owners than the players themselves. Again, why is that? The big talk over the summer was of star players making trade demands. From Vince Carter to Shaq to T-mac to J-Kidd, everyone seemed to want to go somewhere else. The fans were outraged, those players signed long term deals to play in one spot and they had better keep quiet and just play, that's all they are good for. 
 
Is that fair? 
 
Jason Kidd and the Nets were in the Finals two years in a row, they had a young team that could have been good for years to come. Through some off-season moves, Kidd and Richard Jefferson found themselves all but alone in New Jersey and rather than dreaming of a championship, they were begging to win a game, any game. Add in some turmoil over new ownership and Kidd, arguably one of the best point guards in the league, found himself with what equates to a different team than he signed that long-term contract with. Was it petty for him to reach out to San Antonio? A waste of time, maybe, but can you really blame him? 
 
Look at another example. You're on a team that you love, you think the team loves you. You're a hard working veteran with dreams of a championship and hope to be there for a long time. Then the unthinkable happens. You are traded to a team that has won a mere 2 games in a season 27 games gone with no hopes of making the playoffs, much less winning a championship. How can Jim Jackson not be upset by this surprising turn of events? 
 
Even more than going from a playoff team to the worst in the league, he has to move again. It's not like he just switched departments at work, he was sent 400 miles away and has no say in the matter. Well, since he's decided not to show up in New Orleans, I guess he's decided he should have a say in the matter. 
 
I say good for him. 
 
It's not like he's claiming he can't feed a family on $7 million a year. No, that honor goes to pig-tail wearing Latrell Sprewell, one of many requesting to be traded from the Timberwolves. There will always be a few bad apples and it seems they've all frozen over in Minnesota. 
 
Fans embrace trade ideas, trades that uproot people (yes, players are people) from their homes, family and friends, but lash out if that trade idea comes from the players themselves. 
 
I have a saying that I carry through life, it says, "Other people are people, too." Perhaps it's time we stopped looking solely at the name on the front of the jersey and look at the name on the back. Appreciate the player for who they are, what they bring to the team and how moves in the team affect their lives. This isn't just a hobby to them, as it is to fans, it's their job - it's their life. Their job is to sacrifice for the team, to be a team player, but it's not their job to ignore it if the team isn't sacrificing for him. Look at San Antonio for an example of what should be. 
 
Tony Parker was upset when the Spurs made a strong run in free agency for Jason Kidd after the 2002-03 season. He had just helped the Spurs win the championship, in fact by beating Kidd, and was hurt that the team would do this to him. With his own free agency approaching, Parker would have been a hot commodity if he hadn't re-signed in San Antonio. But the team that he sacrificed for came back to help him. Urged by Coach Popovich and 2-time MVP Tim Duncan, the Spurs re-signed Parker just hours before the deadline to a contract that was a little more than they had anticipated giving him. The Spurs organization take care of their own and, interestingly enough, people don't beg to be traded away. In fact, people are begging to go to San Antonio (Brent Barry anyone?). 
 
It's time to challenge the old way of thinking. How can a player be your favorite one day, while wearing a particular jersey, and hate him the next because he is wearing different colors? Jazz fans who loved Karl Malone in Utah and hate him in Los Angeles – why? When he threw elbows with the Jazz it was great but with the Lakers, well, he must be a dirty player. 
 
Guess what – the players don't change. 
 
The teams do. 
 
It's time the fans caught up. <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/temp/banner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div> 
"I haven't hit the big shots like Robert has. He's obviously been in the Finals and hit the big-game shots. There's never going to be another Robert Horry. I'm just trying to make my own footpath." Brian Cook, 11/30/04 Edited by: <A HREF=http://p204.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937.showUserPublicProfile?gid=missmyzte>missmyzte</A> at: 12/30/04 12:44 am

Samr · by **Samr** on Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:22 pm

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>Please give me your feedback and if I've made any errors, let me know (but be nice!).<hr></blockquote> 
 
You will regret those words. 
 
As I'm reading Phil Jackson's book, I'm also correcting gramatical errors (two errors with appostrophies already) that made it past the many editors and proof readers. 
 
PM comming <img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/devilfire.gif ALT=":devilfire"> +++++++++++++++++++++++ 
 
<a href="http://donttakemeseriously.blogspot.com/">Don't Take Me Seriously: The Samr Blog</a> 
Edited by: <A HREF=http://p204.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937.showUserPublicProfile?gid=samr@sanantoniospurs62937>Samr</A> at: 12/29/04 10:40 pm

missmyzte · by **missmyzte** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:17 am

This is the first article I've written in a while. Please give me your feedback and if I've made any errors, let me know (but be nice!). <img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/smile.gif ALT=":)"> <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/temp/banner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div> 
"I haven't hit the big shots like Robert has. He's obviously been in the Finals and hit the big-game shots. There's never going to be another Robert Horry. I'm just trying to make my own footpath." Brian Cook, 11/30/04

by **Ginofan** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:11 am

Wow Misti! Nice article, I like how you've called the fans out. It reminds me of all of the Lakerfans that loved Shaq to death when he was with them but now that he is with Miami, the Heat has become a very hated team! It's hypocracy in all ways. 
 
Good job, I liked this one alot! <img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/smile.gif ALT=":)"> I'll have it on the front page tomorrow! <div style="text-align:center"> <a href="http://www.nba.com/allstar2005/asb/eng/ballot.html" target="top">VOTE GINOBILI 4 ALL-STAR 2005</a> 
 <a href="http://www.supergino.com" target="top">SuperGino.com - My Ginobili Fansite</a> 
<img src="http://img57.exs.cx/img57/9647/g19.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
</div>

Blondie · by **Blondie** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:38 am

I think it is one of the best I have read! It made me think of people who tried to call you out for following Horry to the Spurs. If Malik ever left SA I would still be his fan............ <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.sahoops.net/jackie/blondie4spursbanner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div>

missmyzte · by **missmyzte** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:43 am

You caught where I was going with this Blondie. People called me a bandwagon fan as one of the nicer names, few can understand why I made the switch that I made. That was the inspiration of this article but I tried very hard to write it without mentioning him. <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/temp/banner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div> 
"I haven't hit the big shots like Robert has. He's obviously been in the Finals and hit the big-game shots. There's never going to be another Robert Horry. I'm just trying to make my own footpath." Brian Cook, 11/30/04

Blondie · by **Blondie** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:51 am

I think you can like more than one team, though some may find that difficult to understand. It helps when the team has such great fans as ours does to hang with as well <img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/winksmile.gif ALT=":wink"> . 
 
I am a Spurs fan first and foremost, but there are other teams and players I like because I appreciate their game. I would follow Malik to whatever team he might go to should he leave and be a fan of his, as well as still loving my Spurs... <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.sahoops.net/jackie/blondie4spursbanner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div>

by **SAmikeyp** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 2:26 am

Nice job Misti. For me personally, on one hand I am a purist and like to see a team stay together but on the other hand I cannot blame a person, regardless of profession, for wanting to work in a better environment. I do think that some players are more loyal to the dollar to the team concept, but I cannot blame players if they want to get out of a losing situation. BTW, anyone who calls you, Misti, a bandwagoner does not get the concept. You never abandoned the Lakers as your favorite team...you just took an interest in the team your favorite player now plays for. If you had stopped rooting for the Lakers completely that would be different. We few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.

GrandeDavid · by **GrandeDavid** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 7:17 am

I enjoyed the article very much and I am like Mike.^ <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/6171/GD.jpg"/></div>

by **Silver Spurz** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 8:43 am

"It's time the fans caught up." 
 
-except for Clippers fans.* 
 
 
hehe. <img src="http://www.msnbc.com/modules/famulus/spt/images/NBA/24.gif" style="border:0;"/>

SpursinDC · by **SpursinDC** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:06 am

Great article! As a long-distance fan of the Spurs, I rely on the internet and this forum in particular to keep up with the team. Miami might be a hated team, but not necessarily in LA. I got the impression of the fans in LA that they prefer Shaq over Kobe--I mean Shaq received a rousing ovation when he was announced on X-mas day and what did Kobe get--almost silence. 
 
<img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/logo.gif ALT=":logo">

tphuey · by **tphuey** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:47 am

Nicely done, Misti. I understand your perspective completely. But I disagree with your opinion on Jim Jackson not reporting for "duty" with his new team. They are his employers, and he signed a contract. He knew that there was a possibility of being traded when he signed that contract. In fact, being traded is almost a certainty for most professional sports atheletes sometime in their careers.

missmyzte · by **missmyzte** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:58 am

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>In fact, being traded is almost a certainty for most professional sports atheletes sometime in their careers.<hr></blockquote> 
I know that's a staple of sports and perhaps my perspective is different since I didn't grow up watching sports so I don't accept it as freely. Fans seems to embrace it when an organization treats a player badly but react with outrage when a player says (or does) something about it. I'm talking in generals here, this isn't directed towards any one person. 
 
JJ should suck it up and go someplace he hates? I wouldn't. I still say: Good for him. <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/temp/banner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div> 
"I haven't hit the big shots like Robert has. He's obviously been in the Finals and hit the big-game shots. There's never going to be another Robert Horry. I'm just trying to make my own footpath." Brian Cook, 11/30/04

Samr · by **Samr** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:36 am

I'm sure I'll be called some very unfortunate names for this, but I follow the Spurs exclusively. I cannot find it within myself to so much as respect another team. I tried liking Sacramento about two years ago, but then they played the Spurs and it call changed. 
 
Same can be said with players. I loved Speedy when he was with the Spurs. When he went to Golden State, he became the enemy. I'll boo him just as loudly as anyone else. Same with Derek Anderson. Same with (formerly) Alex Garcia. Same with any Spur who leaves. If Manu left the Spurs I'd boo him too. 
 
On the flip side (kinda), if I moved to a different city, bye bye Spurs. If I moved to LA I'm sure I'd become a *shiver* Lakers fan. If I moved to Atlanta... well, I'd never move to Atlanta. Let me repeate that. I would NEVER move to Atlanta. +++++++++++++++++++++++ 
 
<a href="http://donttakemeseriously.blogspot.com/">Don't Take Me Seriously: The Samr Blog</a>

missmyzte · by **missmyzte** on Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:22 am

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>Miami might be a hated team, but not necessarily in LA. I got the impression of the fans in LA that they prefer Shaq over Kobe--I mean Shaq received a rousing ovation when he was announced on X-mas day and what did Kobe get--almost silence.<hr></blockquote> 
You have to take into account who was at the Christmas game - rich Shaq lovers. Real fans couldn't afford tickets. I live in So Cal and believe me, Miami is almost hated as much as Sacramento. We're sick of Shaq's attitude and are ready to move on with Kobe as the leader. We know the team isn't perfect, we know Kobe isn't perfect, but this is our team. <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/temp/banner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div> 
"I haven't hit the big shots like Robert has. He's obviously been in the Finals and hit the big-game shots. There's never going to be another Robert Horry. I'm just trying to make my own footpath." Brian Cook, 11/30/04

Article: Fans need to catch up with the times