Have you ever quit following a sports team?

[May Day 10]

3 hours ago, Another Fan said:

At least the Braves lost last night 

Getting older and traveling more I hear that.  It's pretty fake of me to call myself a fan but there's teams like the Sabres, Reds, and Pirates where I'm like yeah it'd definitely be cool to see them do well.

 

I would definitely have added the Cleveland sports teams there but the Indians name change was kind of a turn off to me and the Browns going so in on Watson 

 

The Indians/Guardians are a really fun team to watch.  Scrappy and fun personalities with the most underappreciated player in baseball (Jose Ramirez).  Something like 42 come from behind wins and a freak of a closer that is getting (premature) comparisons to Mariano Rivera.  

 

It's a top notch front office that has turned into a pitching development factory.  They also seem to trade/sell at the perfect times with their stars before they get paid, and almost always make out in the deal.... no matter how frustrating it gets as a fan, they seem to come out ahead in the long run.  They lack the payroll the heavy hitters enjoy, but they are really well run

 

And to top it off, they won the lottery last year and got the 1oa pick, an interesting 2B from Australia named travis bazzana

 

I look forward to watching their games every day.  We are in their TV market.  Mlb rule changes for the pitch clock, relief pitcher rules, and the ghost runner in extra innings are fantastic (and I was against it all in the beginning as a purist).  You blink and games are in the 4th inning.  

[Another Fan]

17 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

The Indians/Guardians are a really fun team to watch.  Scrappy and fun personalities with the most underappreciated player in baseball (Jose Ramirez).  Something like 42 come from behind wins and a freak of a closer that is getting (premature) comparisons to Mariano Rivera.  

 

It's a top notch front office that has turned into a pitching development factory.  They also seem to trade/sell at the perfect times with their stars before they get paid, and almost always make out in the deal.... no matter how frustrating it gets as a fan, they seem to come out ahead in the long run.  They lack the payroll the heavy hitters enjoy, but they are really well run

 

And to top it off, they won the lottery last year and got the 1oa pick, an interesting 2B from Australia named travis bazzana

 

I look forward to watching their games every day.  We are in their TV market.  Mlb rule changes for the pitch clock, relief pitcher rules, and the ghost runner in extra innings are fantastic (and I was against it all in the beginning as a purist).  You blink and games are in the 4th inning.  

Hopefully they can finally get past the Yankees 

[Augie]

18 hours ago, Orlando Buffalo said:

I am the odd one, I followed and loved the Yankees growing up but when I moved to FL I switched to the Rays on 2007. Basically I have never been to Yankee stadium  and enjoyed going to Rays games at the Trop. As for complete dropping of league I had 6 years of NBA season tickets for Orlando Magic but now watch no NBA because the players don't care. Too many games they don't even try hard to win.

 

Sorry, random thought of the day here. When we lived in Sarasota it was always fun to go to a few games at the Trop. Funky place to see a baseball game, and an even stranger place to attend a bar mitzvah party. Friends and neighbors in SRQ would rent multiple Bluebird busses and throw the party in the stadium with appetizers and drinks in the press box followed by dinner in centerfield. You were supposed to bring the cap of your favorite team, and if you didn’t have a favorite team one would be assigned to you. 

 

Following dinner and all the speeches we played baseball complete with announcers and slow motion replays on the Jumbotron of my son making a diving catch. It was the most over the top thing I may have ever seen! I asked one of the staff if they ever rent the place out like that and she said it happened once a couple years ago. That was his brother. 😂 

 

Obviously, these people are quite well off, and THEY REALLY LOVE THEIR BASEBALL! 

[Draconator]

It wasn't the team for me, it was the owner. 

 

I was a diehard Oakland A's fan. Then John Fischer came in and raped the team and is moving them to a crap hole in Las Vegas. 

 

Some of my best memories as a sports fan were at Oakland A's games. Oakland fans are a lot like Buffalo fans. Ride and die with your team. 

What John Fischer did to the A's organization is criminal. 

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, Draconator said:

It wasn't the team for me, it was the owner. 

 

I was a diehard Oakland A's fan. Then John Fischer came in and raped the team and is moving them to a crap hole in Las Vegas. 

 

Some of my best memories as a sports fan were at Oakland A's games. Oakland fans are a lot like Buffalo fans. Ride and die with your team. 

What John Fischer did to the A's organization is criminal. 

 

Sometimes I wonder how the Browns have ANY fans left. I honestly think between the owner and the QB, I’d have to at least take a hiatus. 

[thenorthremembers]

When Vlad Jr., Bo Bichette, and Cavan Biggio all played for the Bisons I started following the Blue Jays.  I ordered the MLB pass from 2019-2023 to watch every game I could.  This year I didn't get the pass and while I've followed their season it's not near what it's been.

 

Previous to that I was a life long Red Sox fan but had to stop when the cheating scandal happened.   That said, if the Bills cheated I'd stick it out.  Seems like I don't care that much about baseball.

[ProcessImproverMan]

6 hours ago, Augie said:

 

Sometimes I wonder how the Browns have ANY fans left. I honestly think between the owner and the QB, I’d have to at least take a hiatus. 

Simply because they lost a team to Baltimore. Better to have the factor of sadness and feel something instead of nothing I guess. 

[4merper4mer]

16 hours ago, Augie said:

 

Sorry, random thought of the day here. When we lived in Sarasota it was always fun to go to a few games at the Trop. Funky place to see a baseball game, and an even stranger place to attend a bar mitzvah party. Friends and neighbors in SRQ would rent multiple Bluebird busses and throw the party in the stadium with appetizers and drinks in the press box followed by dinner in centerfield. You were supposed to bring the cap of your favorite team, and if you didn’t have a favorite team one would be assigned to you. 

 

Following dinner and all the speeches we played baseball complete with announcers and slow motion replays on the Jumbotron of my son making a diving catch. It was the most over the top thing I may have ever seen! I asked one of the staff if they ever rent the place out like that and she said it happened once a couple years ago. That was his brother. 😂 

 

Obviously, these people are quite well off, and THEY REALLY LOVE THEIR BASEBALL! 

That sounds like an unforgettable day for the kids AND parents.

15 hours ago, Draconator said:

It wasn't the team for me, it was the owner. 

 

I was a diehard Oakland A's fan. Then John Fischer came in and raped the team and is moving them to a crap hole in Las Vegas. 

 

Some of my best memories as a sports fan were at Oakland A's games. Oakland fans are a lot like Buffalo fans. Ride and die with your team. 

What John Fischer did to the A's organization is criminal. 

I’m not an A’s fan but have found myself wishing all year that this is just a bad dream.  I heard Dallas Braden talking about it on MLB radio yesterday since the last games are approaching.  It’s terrible.

[The Jokeman]

I've given up on the A's and all things MLB.

Edited September 22 by The Jokeman

[OGTEleven]

I grew up a big Yankees fan but quit them at about fifteen for what are probably unusual reasons.  The Yankees had just begun to win World Series’ but a lot of my favorite players were not prominent and were replaced by more expensive guys.  Fred Stanley, their shortstop, really contributed to their 1977 championship.  He was my favorite player and was rewarded by being ditched for Bucky Dent.  I hated Dent more than Red Sox fans did.  Roy White got shoved aside.  There were others too so I quit.  The wins felt more like relief than excitement.
 

I picked the Padres in part because the Buffalo Braves had moved to San Diego so I had two teams in each city.  Then they lost Dave Winfield to the Yankees so I actually hated the Yankees for a while.  I’m Yankee neutral now and have been for a long time but the Padres were solidified as my favorite team for good once the incomparable (player and person) Tony Gwynn came along.

[That's No Moon]

I'm pretty close to being done with the Sabres.

[BillsPride12]

13 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

I'm pretty close to being done with the Sabres.

But they might be pretty close to finally turning the corner 

[That's No Moon]

1 minute ago, BillsPride12 said:

But they might be pretty close to finally turning the corner 

I've heard that at least 4 times during this ongoing rebuild.

 

I don't believe that KA is competent. I don't believe that Lord Terrence has the slightest clue how to run a hockey team. Reaching back for Lindy Ruff is the totally predictable "sell some tickets" move that the drought Bills would have done.  

[BillsPride12]

1 hour ago, That's No Moon said:

I've heard that at least 4 times during this ongoing rebuild.

 

I don't believe that KA is competent. I don't believe that Lord Terrence has the slightest clue how to run a hockey team. Reaching back for Lindy Ruff is the totally predictable "sell some tickets" move that the drought Bills would have done.  

That's fair enough.  I am still pretty skeptical myself but I would at least see how things play out this season before completely dropping them

[Gugny]

On 9/20/2024 at 4:21 PM, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

I was talking to a buddy today, and we were lamenting how as kids we loved baseball, but now no longer follow it.

 

i was a die-hard Mets fan (would probably watch just about every game on TV), and knew everything about the Mets and MLB.

 

in 2002, when they threw dumb money at Mo Vaughn, decided to try to outspend the Yankees, and fired my beloved Bobby V, I basically quit following them (and baseball) cold turkey. 
 

Anyone else doing something similar? 

When it was rumored that Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez were going to buy the Mets, I was prepared to Jim ship. 
 

I’ve been a Mets fan since 1983 and I’ve endured A LOT (many have endured much more, for far longer). 
 

But I had mind made up - if the most prolific cheater in MLB history and his skank wife, or whatever she was (she’s ***** someone different every 6 months) bought the Mets, I would become a Red Sox fan until they were out of the fold. 
 

But in never happened, so I’m still rooting for the Metropolitans. 

[Ned Flanders]

On 9/20/2024 at 4:33 PM, May Day 10 said:

In a way, I have done that with the Sabres.  

The whole NHL is becoming unwatchable to me.  It was such a beautiful, clean, aesthetic game but now with the advertisements on the boards, ice, jerseys, and helmets, it's hard to watch.  The athleticism and talent is still world-class, but take a look at a game from the 80s and you'll see the difference.  In the not too distant future, the NHL will look like the gawd-awful European leagues.  Still follow the Sabres but can't recall when I've sat an watched an entire game. 

[May Day 10]

34 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said:

The whole NHL is becoming unwatchable to me.  It was such a beautiful, clean, aesthetic game but now with the advertisements on the boards, ice, jerseys, and helmets, it's hard to watch.  The athleticism and talent is still world-class, but take a look at a game from the 80s and you'll see the difference.  In the not too distant future, the NHL will look like the gawd-awful European leagues.  Still follow the Sabres but can't recall when I've sat an watched an entire game. 

 

The NHL, structurally has made some terrible moves.  

 

First off, the watered-down divisions of 8 teams, devoid of rivalries.  They made the playoffs Division-centric, but took away all the Division games to play the other conference teams 2x each.  We have to see Utah, Minnesota, Anaheim, San Jose, and Winnipeg 2x each, and only play the Leafs 3x.  This is terrible design.  Just creates a huge glut of unimportant games.  

The playoff format is also poor.  Top 3 in each division getting in with 2 teams as a contrived wild card.  It makes the stretch run annoying to follow.  

They need a major realignment overhaul.

 

Then you have the loser point.  The fact that some games are worth 50% more than others in the standings is a travesty of imbalance that should not exist in a professional sports league.  It benefits both teams to push games into overtime, and often times, the 3rd period is a slog.  Especially in all those cross-conference games.  It needs to have 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for OT/SO win, 1 for OT/SO loss, 0 for regulation loss.   I honestly would be fine with ties, but realize that is never coming back.

 

 

I have also felt like the league has needed to consider some playing surface changes and will not be proactive about it.  MLB has done a terrific job of enhancing their games with some bold changes.   

-Just some quick ideas (there are arguments for and against each):

-Increase the size of the ice (would have to be a gradual progression over years as teams renovate and build new buildings)  Players and refs are all too large and efficient now.  they have out-grown and out-trained the playing surface used 50 years ago.  There is no room.

-Larger nets.  Decrease size of goalie gear.

-Taller glass in the zones (or playable off the net)

-Commercial-Free periods

-Re-Seed the final 4 playoff teams (to make any SCF possible)

-Power Plays in a tie or 1-goal game (PP for the team behind) extends the time at the end of regulation.

Edited September 23 by May Day 10

[Sweats]

In the early 2000's, i quit on the Bills every Sunday afternoon.......and then make up with them mid-week and then break up with them the following Sunday.

 

When the face of the franchise is the punter, there's not really much else to look forward to with that team and yet, i kept crawling back to them and they just kept beating me down in that abusive relationship.......I cried out for help, and none came.

[noacls]

Not yet, but Sabres are on the short list. 🤣

[RkFast]

Im a Bills, Mets and Knicks fan at at some point Ive "quit" all of them, only to come back. Sometimes it was becuase the team was awful (Mets) or a plyaer I loved retired (Patrick Ewing) others becuase "life" got in the way (Bills, when I was working Sunday's AND the team was bad, which means only 1 non-Sunday game/year). In all cases I came back and Im proud to say NOT just becuase the team got better. With the Bills that happened when I stopped working and could actually watch live and Mets/Knicks when I decided to catch a game in-person and I was reminded me how much I loved those sports...and started watching again.

 

I will say, pursuant to May Day 10's and Ned's post above, Im somewhat close to bailing on the whole NFL. Hard to do with the Bills where they are....but the "NFL Product", as a whole, is just terrible these days and getting worse IMHO. But thats a subject for another thread. 

Edited September 23 by RkFast