Do you care more about your favorite team than the players on its roster do?

 

 

Whose ties are stronger to a team, the players who give it their all on the field of play each game of the season or the fans who give it their hearts and souls most of their lives? Whose loyalties run deeper, the players who depend upon the team for their livelihoods or the fans who depend on it for their identity? Who cares more passionately, the players whose talent and work earned them the right to wear the uniform on the chests or the fans who spent a day's wages so they could wear a replica jersey?

 

 

The answer depends on your definition of team allegiance. Well, maybe not in Manny Ramirez's case, but in most cases.

 

 

 

Fans in Florida lived it up last fall as the Marlins became the world champions.

 

 

For instance, who most deserved to race around the bases after winning the World Series last year, the Marlins owner/art dealer who acquired the team less than two years earlier, the Hall of Fame catcher who joined the team less than a year earlier or the fans who failed to crack the 11,000 attendance mark less than two months earlier?

 

 

And who felt worse when Aaron Boone's home run sailed over the fence at Yankee Stadium, the Red Sox designated hitter and MVP candidate of one season or the Boston fans who still flinch at the memory of Bucky Dent's home run sailing over the fence at Fenway Park?

 

 

After all, David Ortiz may have been Boston's most valuable player last season, but until signing with the team before last season, what emotions had he ever invested in the Red Sox?

 

 

Did he know what it felt like to watch the ball roll between Bill Buckner's legs or Dent's flyball sail over the Green Monster or Enos Slaughter race around the basepaths? Did he know the pain of listening to a beer-guzzling Yankee fan boast of their many world championships? Did he know the full meaning of the year 1918 or the decision to start Denny Galehouse or the name Billy Rohr? Did he have any concept of how long 85 years really is (not to mention 86 years)?

 

 

Is there any way the World Series would have meant as much to him last year as it would to a card-carrying member of Red Sox Nation?

 

 

On the other hand, those fans don't know what it's like to grow up in the Dominican Republic, taking English lessons after school as Ortiz did. They don't know what it's like to sign a pro contract at age 17. Or be traded at age 20. Or have a manager constantly ridicule their fielding. Or have a team tell them it doesn't want them anymore. Or to spend every winter working to get better by playing baseball in the Dominican.

 

 

Is there is any way the World Series would have meant as much to the fans as it would to Ortiz?

 

 

Ivan Rodriguez led the Marlins to a world championship but may leave to sign a $40 million contract with the worst team in baseball. Pudge might sign with the Tigers, a team that lost as many games last year as the Yankees have the past two years combined, that has averaged nearly 100 losses the past eight seasons, that hasn't been in the postseason since Kirk Gibson had hair.

 

 

Is he disloyal? Selfish? Greedy as a Halliburton exec? Before you decide, remember that Pudge just accomplished his lifelong goal by winning a World Series. That he is an aging catcher who likely will never get another chance at a long term contract. That he is a possible Hall of Famer who has grown tired of settling for less than inferior players earn. That the Tigers are guaranteeing him more than twice as much money as anyone else.

 

 

 

David Ortiz helped bring plenty of joy to Red Sox fans in 2003.

 

 

Remember further that Rodriguez first squatted behind a major league plate two years before the Marlins and their fans even existed. That those Marlins fans barely cracked the 800,000 attendance mark the year before Florida won the World Series and that they have bought fewer 2004 season tickets than the Tigers.

 

 

And remember that Jeffrey Loria was handed the Marlins just two years ago after running the Expos into the ground.

 

 

Is Rodriguez any less connected to the Marlins than the team's owners or most of its fans?

 

 

Fans are connected to a team, to its name, to its uniform, to its tradition, to its history and to their own memories. Cardinals fans feel as connected to the Gashouse Gang as as they do to today's lineup. To San Francisco fans, the Giants are as much Willie Mays as they are Barry Bonds. And any self-respecting Yankee fan would gladly give his Wilson basketball to the Boys and Girls Club and never step on the hardwood again if he thought playing one basketball game would cost his team its third baseman for the season.

 

 

Players don't look at it that way. They feel connected to the specific team they're on that season and to their teammates. They didn't necessarily grow up rooting for the team so there is no personal attachment. The average player switches teams so often that they are rarely with any one team long enough to figure out the alternate jersey schedule let alone develop any lasting emotional connection.

 

 

And they couldn't afford to develop one anyway. Fans may expect loyalty from players, but players know that loyalty doesn't exist in baseball. They know they are one bad season, one appealing trade offer or one knee injury in a winter hoops game from filling out another change of address form. Their loyalties to a team begin and end with their contract.

 

 

Oh, there are exceptions. Players who not only spent an entire career with one team but grew up rooting for it -- Cal Ripken Jr. and Barry Larkin spring to mind -- probably feel as passionately about a team as the most devoted fan, but they are the vast minority.

 

 

Who cares more about a team, its fans or its players? I think they care equally as much in their own ways. The important difference is the fans care for much, much longer.

 

 

The players are over a postseason as soon as they file for free agency and hit the fairways. The fans relive it for the rest of their lives.

 

 

Ask a Red Sox fan about Bucky Dent if you don't believe me.

 

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That those Marlins fans barely cracked the 800,000 attendance mark the year before Florida won the World Series and that they have bought fewer 2004 season tickets than the Tigers.

Wow.

fans are overrated :shifty

That those Marlins fans barely cracked the 800,000 attendance mark the year before Florida won the World Series and that they have bought fewer 2004 season tickets than the Tigers.

Wow. Yup i read about that kinda BS of so called "fans".. Everyone says there Marlins fan but none go to more then 4 games, know anything about the players, etc

this sucks for me being i live in New York State, and the closest major league team is either toronto or cleveland. But i have continued to buy the marlins broadcasts on TV. So i dont feel like a total lack of a fan.

I'm stuck in upstate NY too, so I plan on taking road trips to toronto to get my baseball fix come the start of the season and I am going to ST too.

 

Red Sox fans are good fans, but the best are Cubby fans. C'mon, you know it.

The best fans in the world are, St. Louis fans and I'll take it to the grave but that's a strong piece up top

I've been to Fenway and Busch(many times) and I would have to give the edge to Red Sox fans even though Cardinal fans are great. I just loved the Yankees Suck Chants they had going after it appeared they were going to lose. St. Louis is a great sports town.

Red Sox fans are good fans, but the best are Cubby fans. C'mon, you know it.

uhh no. Cardinals fans are way better.

i root for the team, not the fans.

but the best are Cubby fans. C'mon, you know it.

In the regard that they put up with their team for this long, then yes but in the regard of being classy, respectful, and baseball knowledged..hell no

and baseball knowledged..hell no

And what the marlins bandwagon fans are smarter?

I just loved the Yankees Suck Chants they had going after it appeared they were going to lose.

They hate the yankees more than they like the red sox. That's absurd. They yell "Yankees suck" at non yankee games. That's not being a "good fan" that's being stupid.

and baseball knowledged..hell no

And what the marlins bandwagon fans are smarter? Who said I was talking about bandwagoners

and baseball knowledged..hell no

And what the marlins bandwagon fans are smarter? Who said I was talking about bandwagoners Considering THe Cubs get around 30,000 Fans every night, the only way to compare who knows more is when The Fish have 30,000 on all those cases if they had 30,000 it's mostly bandwagoners.

but the best are Cubby fans. C'mon, you know it.

Cubs fans are wimps! They just go to games to look for women and get drunk. What a joke!

and baseball knowledged..hell no

And what the marlins bandwagon fans are smarter? Who said I was talking about bandwagoners Considering THe Cubs get around 30,000 Fans every night, the only way to compare who knows more is when The Fish have 30,000 on all those cases if they had 30,000 it's mostly bandwagoners. But who's to say all bandwagoners have no baseball knowledge?

 

Maybe they just didn't like the Marlins but they liked baseball or whatever. I mean I am aware that most "bandwagoners" don't know much of baseball outside of HR's and strikeouts but not everyone's like that. You don't just have to like the Fish to know baseball.

They just go to games to look for women and get drunk. What a joke!

looking for women and getting drunk aint half bad.

They just go to games to look for women and get drunk. What a joke!

looking for women and getting drunk aint half bad. Sure, it's the life, but are they really great baseball fans?

 

 

Bandwagoners can't be that smart, because if they were as smart as us, they'd have hopped on in March!

Going to games doesnt make you anymore of a fan than someone who doesnt. Whats therre to do in st louis?

Going to games doesnt make you anymore of a fan than someone who doesnt. Whats therre to do in st louis?

You don't know anything about St. Louis fans and that's very clear, go on any board not for N.L Central teams and I bet at least 80% recognize THe Cardinal Nation as one of the best.

 

They are some of the most loyal fans out there and you can make the case that their passion for their team is unmatched.

Going to games doesnt make you anymore of a fan than someone who doesnt. Whats therre to do in st louis?

You don't know anything about St. Louis fans and that's very clear, go on any board not for N.L Central teams and I bet at least 80% recognize THe Cardinal Nation as one of the best.

 

They are some of the most loyal fans out there and you can make the case that their passion for their team is unmatched. Going to games has lots to do with proving your worth as a fan. It's not the only measure, but it is a measure. Marlins are very weak in terms of fan support. The community doesn't seem to want them. Maybe the bandwagon will improve. It better or they will move if a stadium isn't in place March 15. :hat The champ

St. Louis is actually a pretty cool town and yea they love their Rams, Cards, and Blues. I'd like to see a bball team there but some say it just isn't a bball town. O well.

just beacuse theres more fans doesn make the fans better than anyone else, theres no loyal marlin fans??

St. Louis is actually a pretty cool town and yea they love their Rams, Cards, and Blues. I'd like to see a bball team there but some say it just isn't a bball town. O well.

The Cards have regional following, loads of history and more titles than any team but the Yankees. Marlins should be south florida's team, and beyond. Fort Myers, Naples, Vero, Viera, any of those places should be part of Marlins mania. Let's get the media to push the Marlins more. To give them the support they need to be a great franchise for years to come. I think Miami will find a way and get the stadium done. Make no mistake if the city doesn't step up, they are moving out.