MLB 2015

[Topper]

Topper is a royals fan?

How about our patriots and warriors?! It's been a sweet year to be a front-runner.

My credentials are not questioned in that regard. I was a Royals fan when George Brett came to the system, along with Amos Otis, Willie Wilson, Bret Saberhagen, and Dan Quisenberry. I even enjoyed the Bo Jackson years, until the damn Raiders lured him into the NFL. And the 1990s and 2000s produced the Dark Ages for Royals fans. Kevin Appier being traded. Zack Greinke trade produced Cain and others. I am even a long-suffering Chiefs fan, Raiders hater, As hater. Yankees hater. I remember unaffecionately Don Thurman ruining some post season dreams and many frustrating years against Reggie Jackson and the Tigers.

Now, I despise the Patriots, except when the Raiders paralyzed Darryl Stingley. Tom Brady can rot in hell. The Warriors? I like their style of play but wanted to like the Kings when they made their way from KC to Sacramento, and even followed them when Ainge went there briefly. Jimmer's stint ruined them eternally for me. No, I've been silent on the Royals because before last year, they have stunk for twenty years.

[TripletDaddy]

Whenever someone tries to "prove" that they are a fan of a certain team, seems like the first fallback response is to start naming off old rosters of previous teams, as if you couldn't look that up in less than a minute on Google. If people want to get really over the top they also throw in a story of how their team did something upsetting or traumatic and that it continues to haunt that person into present day (failing to win, bad trade, relocation, not drafting the right player). The post above reminded me of how common this approach is on message boards. It isn't just topper, mpfunk has used this approach as well.

There has to be a better way.

[old_gregg]

Topper is a royals fan?

How about our patriots and warriors?! It's been a sweet year to be a front-runner.

go blackhawks!

[kccougar]

My Royals fan credentials: My younger brother and I developed our own version of kickball in the backyard (one-on-one and you had to go for the home run on every kick), which was named after the 1982 Royals advertising campaign - Go for the Action.

A slogan that was seared into our impressionable brains by the kitchen cabinet stocked full of souvenir game cups that we used to quench our thirst with Kool-Aid during hot August days in Kansas City. Cups that we collected from all over the upper decks of Kauffman Stadium after less brave fans abandoned the high seats late in the game when all the bugs started raining down on the seats from the stadium lights above on hot humid Mormon-night-at-the-Royals each season. We stacked cups high over our heads and ran down the huge spiral ramps after the game, reeking of beer and taking in all the second-hand smoke. Good times.

[Topper]

Whenever someone tries to "prove" that they are a fan of a certain team, seems like the first fallback response is to start naming off old rosters of previous teams, as if you couldn't look that up in less than a minute on Google. If people want to get really over the top they also throw in a story of how their team did something upsetting or traumatic and that it continues to haunt that person into present day (failing to win, bad trade, relocation, not drafting the right player). The post above reminded me of how common this approach is on message boards. It isn't just topper, mpfunk has used this approach as well.

There has to be a better way.

You are correct. Perhaps you have suggestions.

I came by my fandom by place of birth and my grandparents, who were impoverished people but loved teams from KC. However, prior to last year and a little bit the year before the Royals have sucked for 20 years. Whenever they would get a good player, the Yankees or some other large market team would buy them away.

As this year showed, the Royals don't have any Cy Young candidate because the market won't afford such players. Bret Saberhagen was the last Cy Young candidate and I believe he came up through the farm system. I wonder how many Cy Young candidates other teams have acquired from KC. Greinke is a candidate this year.

[SCcoug]

Most people I know in SC are Braves fans. Maybe you low country people really like Kansas City teams for some reason?

[Topper]

Most people I know in SC are Braves fans. Maybe you low country people really like Kansas City teams for some reason?

There is not much to do in the Midwest. The sophisticated people go for Chicago Cubs, and I don't know who is still a Reds fan after Marge Schott ruined that franchise. Rooting for the Braves is the same as rooting for the Yankees. Now, many of my extended family Yankee fans, but I love them anyway.

[Paperback Writer]

Whenever someone tries to "prove" that they are a fan of a certain team, seems like the first fallback response is to start naming off old rosters of previous teams, as if you couldn't look that up in less than a minute on Google. If people want to get really over the top they also throw in a story of how their team did something upsetting or traumatic and that it continues to haunt that person into present day (failing to win, bad trade, relocation, not drafting the right player). The post above reminded me of how common this approach is on message boards. It isn't just topper, mpfunk has used this approach as well.

There has to be a better way.

Maybe fans need to own up to their teams when they are performing badly in addition to when they win championships. I was cheering for the Royals since I used to go to some of their games growing up (nearest MLB team to Eastern Nebraska) and respected George Brett. But they have never been my team. I've always been a RedSox fan and they've finished last in the AL East two years in a row.

[Bo Diddley]

At all the hand wringing and angst.

[HBCoug]

Whenever someone tries to "prove" that they are a fan of a certain team, seems like the first fallback response is to start naming off old rosters of previous teams, as if you couldn't look that up in less than a minute on Google. If people want to get really over the top they also throw in a story of how their team did something upsetting or traumatic and that it continues to haunt that person into present day (failing to win, bad trade, relocation, not drafting the right player). The post above reminded me of how common this approach is on message boards. It isn't just topper, mpfunk has used this approach as well.

There has to be a better way.

I remember back in '85 when Don Denkinger helped screw the Cardinals out of another World Series when he called lead off batter, Jorge Orta safe on an obvious ground out to first. Cards' closer Todd Worrell covered the bag, took an awkward throw from Jack Clark, but clearly beat the runner by a full step. Tommy Herr and Whitey Herzog went ballistic! I still haven't gotten over that one!

[HBCoug]

You are correct. Perhaps you have suggestions.

I came by my fandom by place of birth and my grandparents, who were impoverished people but loved teams from KC. However, prior to last year and a little bit the year before the Royals have sucked for 20 years. Whenever they would get a good player, the Yankees or some other large market team would buy them away.

As this year showed, the Royals don't have any Cy Young candidate because the market won't afford such players. Bret Saberhagen was the last Cy Young candidate and I believe he came up through the farm system. I wonder how many Cy Young candidates other teams have acquired from KC. Greinke is a candidate this year.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/7669424/

[Topper]

Oops forgot that David Cone had also won. And Greinke won before he was traded. Those days were so dark, it is easy to forget.

Saberhagen basically killed his chances for the Hall saying he didn't want to go in, so long as Pete Rose is excluded. Does anybody know if there is movement to get him in? Or do you speculate it will be posthumous? He looked very old during the broadcast.

[wapiti]

For the record, I am a Braves fan.

[lambdacoug]

My Royals credentials: I went to school with Jaime Splitorff (who was our star pitcher in HS), met George Brett when I was with a friend and we knocked on Paul Splitorff's door to see if Jaime was there and Mr. Brett answered. Wally Joyner was in my ward, but completely inactive, my girlfriend babysat for him. I grew up watching Brian McRae's son be the star receiver on our improving BSHS football team. Anyway, none of that really matters. I was born and raised in KCMO. In 1985, my 5th grade teacher was friends with Paul Splitorff and invited him to come talk to our class after the 1985 World Series. He brought Brett and Saberhagen with him. It was amazing. I remember watching Garth and Dane Iorg play against each other in the ALCS (Dane is a BYU alum).

Anyway, shortly thereafter the Royals became an utter suckfest and many fans, myself included just stopped caring. The player stirkes, moving to Utah, and a mission abroad in Chile didn't help. Anyway, when the team of your childhood sucks so bad that it isn't a question of if we'd get 100 losses, but how quickly year after year, only the true diehards persist. I'm not a diehard Royals fan, just a fair weather fan now that loves to see my team do well.

[Northwestcoug]

Whenever someone tries to "prove" that they are a fan of a certain team, seems like the first fallback response is to start naming off old rosters of previous teams, as if you couldn't look that up in less than a minute on Google. If people want to get really over the top they also throw in a story of how their team did something upsetting or traumatic and that it continues to haunt that person into present day (failing to win, bad trade, relocation, not drafting the right player). The post above reminded me of how common this approach is on message boards. It isn't just topper, mpfunk has used this approach as well.

There has to be a better way.

There is a better way. There's no shame in bandwagon fannery. Own it, and don't try to prove to anyone you're not. PBW has always been a Sox fan; I haven't. Who cares?