51 replies to this topic

[T.Low]

one thing's for sure...you can't describe the canucks better than that dude did.

Exactly.

I need to put more thought into my thread titles.

[cusimano_brothers]

Friday, September 8, 1972: Vancouver hockey "fans" showed what a##holes they could be. I'm certain that some of their children have carried on that tradition.

[PrairieDawg]

I don't know what Chicago's problem is with Detroit. I swear they chant Detroit sucks at every game no matter who they play and even at concerts and s*** where its not even hockey related. They just seem to be really mad at us for some reason.

[Red Wings Addict]

Yeah they still suck as a group.

That one fan though is at least approachable and sounds like someone with which you can have a legitimate hockey conversation, or any kind of conversation for that matter.

[hooon]

I live in Chicago. They're still pretty bad. That said, after the cup there were all of the sudden billions of Hawks "fans" lurking the streets. Now that its a few years removed, and their team is a shadow of the team that won the Cup, many have either moved on from the bandwagon or have actually learned a thing or two about hockey.

They are pretty bad/young/ignorant across the board. Curious to see how they react to whatever suspension Keith is gonna get. Dumb, dumb it, btw.

Its important to note that I am generalizing here. I have also had plenty of good experiences and conversations with Hawks fans, even when I'm decked out in Wings gear.

[finalfilppula]

i think what a lot of you are missing here is perspective. every fan base has its jerks--even detroit does (my friend was heckled by other wings "fans" for carrying a wings player's stick). i remember right after the conference finals in '09 the hawks fan in front of me turned around and shook me hand, saying that it was a good game and good luck.

[GoWings1905]

I don't know what Chicago's problem is with Detroit. I swear they chant Detroit sucks at every game no matter who they play and even at concerts and s*** where its not even hockey related. They just seem to be really mad at us for some reason.

Little brother syndrome and jealousy at the Red Wings success. Blues fans have come down with it too since their team is relevant again.

[Wingzman91]

Are Chicago fans not as bad as we thought?

No, they are worse.

[Nightfall]

It's difficult to sift through the bandwagon fans and the true bleed-hockey type, when their team is "up and coming" or just made it to the top. Usually, though, it's the classless arrogant pricks that are bandwagoners, and they happen to devour much more media attention than the true fans; the humble folks who enjoy their team's success, but also show respect for the game, their opponents, and opposing fan bases. After all, every true fan has experienced their fair share of painful eras full of failure, and that stuff keeps you humble. Bandwagoners move on the moment adversity hits.
The individual who wrote the above paragraphs speaks the way a true fan would. Hell, he even recalled some bruisings done by the Wings during Chicago's darkest era. The gaggle of drunken idiots who belch out Detroit sucks at a Cup parade that had absolutely nothing to do with Detroit, even as an opponent are most certainly bandwagoners.

I will agree 100% with this post. The simple fact of the matter is that the rare true bleed hockey type fans only come out when their team is in the crapper. I know I have told this story before, but its worth retelling again.

I have a couple friends who are Tampa Bay Lightning fans. When the team was founded and horrible, he bought partial season tickets. Then, you could tell who the true hockey fans were. They were the people who showed up to games when no one else wanted to see the team. For years this was the case. Then, they started getting good, and the bandwagoners jumped on. The team won the cup and that was the height of their attendance. Shortly after they won the cup and started to decline, the bandwagoners left, and the true hockey fans were left again. Last year, the bandwagoners started jumping back on. During the time when the team sucked was the best time to go to a game and mingle with the true fans. If you tried to mingle with fans in the cup year or last year, it was a disaster. People were morons, saying certain teams sucked and they were critical of the team and players on it.

I am a firm believer that the bandwagon fans are easy to spot. The Red Wings have been so good for so long that many bandwagon fans have been on the wagon for 20+ years. Yet, you can easily see the fans on the Detroit bandwagon, even on this very forum. They don't have positive things to say about the team. They take winning for granted. They are critical of everyone on the team, and yet have nothing positive to say about anyone at the same time.

The person who wrote the paragraph the OP quoted is a true hockey fan and a Hawks fan. The Hawks fans, as a whole, are morons. The true Hawks fans that aren't riding the bandwagon, are classy. Same goes for Wings fans.

[ChelisChick]

I guess my experience was the exception. I was at the Wings/Hawks game at the UC back in February, and I was treated very well. Only heard one fan acting like an idiot, and that was walking outside after the game was over.
I was expecting a horrible experience, but was pleasantly surprised. And for what it's worth, it was a Hawks season tix holder that sold me his tickets when he found out I would be meeting my hubby in Chicago after not seeing him since November.

[Frank the Tank]

All reasonable Hawks fans respect the Red Wings. The fact that you guys get so butthurt about a retarded Detroit Sucks chant just shows that it gets under your skin exactly as planned. You know why Chicago chants Detroit Sucks? Because the Wings kicked our asses for decades. It's a sign of respect whether you realize it or not.

[T.Low]

I will agree 100% with this post. The simple fact of the matter is that the rare true bleed hockey type fans only come out when their team is in the crapper. I know I have told this story before, but its worth retelling again.

I have a couple friends who are Tampa Bay Lightning fans. When the team was founded and horrible, he bought partial season tickets. Then, you could tell who the true hockey fans were. They were the people who showed up to games when no one else wanted to see the team. For years this was the case. Then, they started getting good, and the bandwagoners jumped on. The team won the cup and that was the height of their attendance. Shortly after they won the cup and started to decline, the bandwagoners left, and the true hockey fans were left again. Last year, the bandwagoners started jumping back on. During the time when the team sucked was the best time to go to a game and mingle with the true fans. If you tried to mingle with fans in the cup year or last year, it was a disaster. People were morons, saying certain teams sucked and they were critical of the team and players on it.

I am a firm believer that the bandwagon fans are easy to spot. The Red Wings have been so good for so long that many bandwagon fans have been on the wagon for 20+ years. Yet, you can easily see the fans on the Detroit bandwagon, even on this very forum. They don't have positive things to say about the team. They take winning for granted. They are critical of everyone on the team, and yet have nothing positive to say about anyone at the same time.

The person who wrote the paragraph the OP quoted is a true hockey fan and a Hawks fan. The Hawks fans, as a whole, are morons. The true Hawks fans that aren't riding the bandwagon, are classy. Same goes for Wings fans.

I don't know what is wrong with being a "bandwagon" fan. I am a Wings fan because they are a great organisation with great people involved and have had a lot of success, and have a long storied history. Sure, I was raised in the Detroit metro area, and followed the team a bit in the '70's and '80's, but I didn't become a fan until they became a team worth flowing. If they were just starting out and sucked and had a bunch of jokers skating around the ice, why would I waste my valueable time paying good money to sit thru that kinda crap? I hardly have time to watch the Wings as it is?

Edited by T.Low, 22 March 2012 - 09:17 PM.

[Nightfall]

I don't know what is wrong with being a "bandwagon" fan. I am a Wings fan because they are a great organisation with great people involved and have had a lot of success, and have a long storied history. Sure, I was raised in the Detroit metro area, and followed the team a bit in the '70's and '80's, but I didn't become a fan until they became a team worth flowing. If they were just starting out and sucked and had a bunch of jokers skating around the ice, why would I waste my valueable time paying good money to sit thru that kinda crap? I hardly have time to watch the Wings as it is?

You bring up a good argument. After being a Lions fan for so long, I understand your pain. I still watched them for years through thick and thin. Waste of time? Maybe. If thats the case, then being a bandwagon fan is moot in your opinion. I am ok with that opinion. That would also explain the fickle attitudes of people who are just cheering for a winner and haven't been following the Wings for years.

My point is simply this....

If a fan should to root for a team, then root for the fricking team. Stick with them when the chips are down and they are slumping. Through thick and thin, root them on. Otherwise, what kind of fan are you?

Edited by Nightfall, 22 March 2012 - 10:22 PM.

[Donaldjr2448]

All reasonable Hawks fans respect the Red Wings. The fact that you guys get so butthurt about a retarded Detroit Sucks chant just shows that it gets under your skin exactly as planned. You know why Chicago chants Detroit Sucks? Because the Wings kicked our asses for decades. It's a sign of respect whether you realize it or not.

Thats kinda the way I viewed it! Its just kind of funny when you hear it at White Sox and Bears games as well. Quite honestly I have a ton of respect for the Hawks organization as well. They are an original 6 team and all the teams that are O-6 teams I have nothing but respect for. It has been kind of nice that 3 of the last 4 Cup Winners have been O-6 teams.

[T.Low]

Otherwise, what kind of fan are you?

Being a fan is a very weird thing in itself: I will sit here and watch while you perform. I have a fantastic image of you the player even though we most likely have not met, but you have a really vague and even faceless image of me, the fan. But I will be there for you.

That is just weird. I generally don't watch a whole lot of stuff, I'm still pretty active myself and never really got into sitting around watching other guys perform. (Way back in the day my girlfriend got mad at me because i never wanted to sit around every Thursday nite to watch "Friends" on tv, I wanted to get 6 of our own friends and go out and have our own good times.)

So for me to become a fan of a team that i have never played on, well, it's going to take something pretty powerful for me to invest my emotion, my concern, and my very limited time. I played baseball with Pat LaFontaine and was disappointed that he got drafted and the Wings were left with this Yzerman kid. So, again, I didn't really have any reason to tune in and watch. Then they started getting tough, getting better, and making some noise. And then they became characters and personalities that I could relate to. You could see thier efforts and thier progress. They started getting close and I was hooked. And then they won.

Football was my favorite sport growing up in Michigan, but I can't tell you who the Lions running back is now. Luved the Bad Boys, but I can't tell you the starting five of the Pistons or the coache's name. They don't seem to be that good and all the guys that i could relate to are gone. Why watch? Why spend the time and effort to get to know all these new guys? They are not coming over for a BBQ (like Greg Kelser did when he was a Piston).

Sure, lots of bandwagon fans are dumbasses, but a lot just have other priorities in life than committ to watching other people do things. For a person who is trying to match their circle of concern with their circle of influence, being a sports fan is certainly counter productive. But the Wings got me.

[Wing Across The Pond]

Being a fan is a very weird thing in itself: I will sit here and watch while you perform. I have a fantastic image of you the player even though we most likely have not met, but you have a really vague and even faceless image of me, the fan. But I will be there for you.

That is just weird. I generally don't watch a whole lot of stuff, I'm still pretty active myself and never really got into sitting around watching other guys perform. (Way back in the day my girlfriend got mad at me because i never wanted to sit around every Thursday nite to watch "Friends" on tv, I wanted to get 6 of our own friends and go out and have our own good times.)

So for me to become a fan of a team that i have never played on, well, it's going to take something pretty powerful for me to invest my emotion, my concern, and my very limited time. I played baseball with Pat LaFontaine and was disappointed that he got drafted and the Wings were left with this Yzerman kid. So, again, I didn't really have any reason to tune in and watch. Then they started getting tough, getting better, and making some noise. And then they became characters and personalities that I could relate to. You could see thier efforts and thier progress. They started getting close and I was hooked. And then they won.

Football was my favorite sport growing up in Michigan, but I can't tell you who the Lions running back is now. Luved the Bad Boys, but I can't tell you the starting five of the Pistons or the coache's name. They don't seem to be that good and all the guys that i could relate to are gone. Why watch? Why spend the time and effort to get to know all these new guys? They are not coming over for a BBQ (like Greg Kelser did when he was a Piston).

Sure, lots of bandwagon fans are dumbasses, but a lot just have other priorities in life than committ to watching other people do things. For a person who is trying to match their circle of concern with their circle of influence, being a sports fan is certainly counter productive. But the Wings got me.

Hey, hey... we didn't come here for a lecture on existentialism lol joking aside, its an interesting point and sort of along my lines of thinking. Being from Britain, I often get asked why I support the Wings, and it's because they were the first team I ever saw on television. They, for me, signal the first foray into the world of ice hockey and so I've stuck with them ever since, and watched them change over the years. It probably helped that researching their history revealed quite a lot of success so it became easier for me to choose. It also lead to me following the Tigers for the second half of the year more recently as I fell in love with Michigan sports.

But it's very much my way of looking at things. It's an odd place that we live in where we'd choose to sit in the house and watch people sitting in a house (Big Brother). We do the same with sport.

Perhaps if it happened to be another team on TV that night I would be supporting them to this day, but I was involved with the Wings then, and still am now. That's the luck of it I guess. I also think the sport has something to do with it... after playing for most of my childhood, I've given up on football (soccer) pretty much all together now. It's a declining sport with it's influx of prima donnas.

[SouthernWingsFan]

Every fan base will have their over the top idiots and a'holes. The Wings are no exception to the rule, the Blackhawks are no exception to the rule, Canucks fans for example with the riots after the SCF are no exception to the rule either.

Blackhawk fans certainly didn't endear themselves when a majority of them disrespected one of their franchise's best players in a ceremony last season just because he played for a rival team and that rival team happened to play that evening.

To also compare/contrast, down here with the recent bounty scandal for the New Orleans Saints, fans are obviously upset at the length of suspensions for coaches. Also, this past postseason we got eliminated by the San Francisco 49ers at their place and I read and heard of many reports that Saints fans who went to that game got treated with over the top disrespect (projectiles thrown at them, absurd verbal chants more than just fun ribbing, etc.). Not denying those stories aren't true, and a lot of Saints fans down here say they are above that behavior and oh so perfect and treat their opposing fans hospitable. While I generally agree with that and we are a typically friendly bunch, plenty Saints fans down here in general are nuts as well and if you cross them, they'll act just as over the top. The Super Bowl is down here this upcoming season and I would not want to be in the NFL Commisioner - who put these suspensions on the Saints staff - down here at that time. I'm not saying that Saints fans shouldn't be angry, but I can guarantee you he should be fearing for his safety with Saints fans around and Saints fans aren't always so nice. And no, I'm not one of those over the top people. I'll react or get excited/upset in the heat of the moment but I rarely like carrying on emotionally, happy or angry in a rant or rambling like fashion.

Point is there is going to be over-the-top knuckleheads that come in all shapes, sizes, ages and colors for the Wings, Hawks, 'Nucks, Saints, 49ers - pretty much every single fan base that you want to stay away from - no matter how much they might say they are better than other fans or behave great or whatever, but they rarely define the whole crowd.

Edited by SouthernWingsFan, 23 March 2012 - 07:37 AM.

[Z Winged Dangler]

Someone should make a #91 Toews Wings jersey and wear it to a Hawks/Wings game in Chicago

[Nightfall]

Being a fan is a very weird thing in itself: I will sit here and watch while you perform. I have a fantastic image of you the player even though we most likely have not met, but you have a really vague and even faceless image of me, the fan. But I will be there for you.

That is just weird. I generally don't watch a whole lot of stuff, I'm still pretty active myself and never really got into sitting around watching other guys perform. (Way back in the day my girlfriend got mad at me because i never wanted to sit around every Thursday nite to watch "Friends" on tv, I wanted to get 6 of our own friends and go out and have our own good times.)

So for me to become a fan of a team that i have never played on, well, it's going to take something pretty powerful for me to invest my emotion, my concern, and my very limited time. I played baseball with Pat LaFontaine and was disappointed that he got drafted and the Wings were left with this Yzerman kid. So, again, I didn't really have any reason to tune in and watch. Then they started getting tough, getting better, and making some noise. And then they became characters and personalities that I could relate to. You could see thier efforts and thier progress. They started getting close and I was hooked. And then they won.

Football was my favorite sport growing up in Michigan, but I can't tell you who the Lions running back is now. Luved the Bad Boys, but I can't tell you the starting five of the Pistons or the coache's name. They don't seem to be that good and all the guys that i could relate to are gone. Why watch? Why spend the time and effort to get to know all these new guys? They are not coming over for a BBQ (like Greg Kelser did when he was a Piston).

Sure, lots of bandwagon fans are dumbasses, but a lot just have other priorities in life than committ to watching other people do things. For a person who is trying to match their circle of concern with their circle of influence, being a sports fan is certainly counter productive. But the Wings got me.

This is an excellent post. With your method of thinking, I think we could get rid of the "bandwagon fan" title for good. I mean, why put up with the Wings in the 80s when they sucked horrible. I know I certainly wouldn't have bought tickets, but I would have watched them on TV from time to time.

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt]

Someone should make a #91 Toews Wings jersey and wear it to a Hawks/Wings game in Chicago

That's all you, let us know how that goes.