Are "bandwagon" accusations the new go-to insult for successful teams?

[ravagebx]

First, no this was not sparked by the bandwagon fail thread. Meant to make this the other day but never got around to it. Anyways, it seems to me that whenever a team is successful the new insult to throw around is to accuse all of said teams fans of being on the bandwagon. Bandwagons have always been present in sports but now it seems to be way more of an issue amongst sports fans. It's gotten to the point where real fans feel the need to identify themselves. Just look at the first page of most of our team threads. I'm a New Yorker born and raised. Been a fan of the Knicks, Yankees, Giants, Rangers (and to some degree all other NY teams) my entire life. We're talking 3 decades of fandom. I don't ever feel the need to prove or address where my loyalties lie. In fact, I'm insulted when someone even questions it. Yet it seems the thing to do now is to just question who is a real fan and who isn't. One of my best friends does nothing but complain about bandwagon fans. It's irritating as hell. I ask you, in the end what does it matter? New fans are born every day for different reasons. Why bother trying to figure out who is real and who is fake. Support your team and sthu. The funny thing is a lot of ppl crying about bandwagons probably hopped on one themselves at one point. In the Jordan era, 90 percent of Bulls fans were bandwagoners and I don't think I've ever complained about it once. It really doesn't matter to me. Why does it matter to you?
Discuss.

 

[ssjjfar]

People still call me a bandwagon fan when they find out I'm a Cowboys fan.
I just lol

 

[dmxfury]

Bengals fans (and NFL fans) have used that term for Steelers fans way before I was born, completely missing the reason of why there are fans spread through the country. Not too mention the fact that if it's a bandwagon, they've been doing it for 40 years so that seems pretty dedicated. One of those cliche insults that generally tells me what I need to know about their sports intelligence. Calling a player dirty or classless is another one of those generic terms people throw around for no rhyme or reason

 

[fraij da 5 11]

Bandwagon fans are good for sports.

 

[dmxfury]

I love when a teams success is used against you as a fan as well. Like I'd rather be Browns fan who is miserable every year..'but we have no bandwagon fans'! Good for you, sounds terrible, I want successful seasons

 

[ravagebx]

I've heard such ridiculous things when it comes to bandwagons. People actually think that a Jets fan would jump ship and become a Giants fan or vice versa lol. Or that most of the Yankees fans are bandwagon fans, one of the most storied sports franchises in history

It's comical.

 

[harlemtothebronx]

Originally Posted by RavageBX

I've heard such ridiculous things when it comes to bandwagons. People actually think that a Jets fan would jump ship and become a Giants fan or vice versa lol. Or that most of the Yankees fans are bandwagon fans, one of the most storied sports franchises in history

It's comical.

If a 'fan' of any team would 'jump ship' they were never a fan in the first place.

 

[do work son]

i think it's people just frustrated because when your team was doing bad you were silent. now that they're doing well you got get out of my face with it. i think people just don't like the separate extremes of it all

 

[thebsprky]

I don't get it either 

Every fan has to start somewhere, why do people even care?

Well my grandpa/father were ____ Fans so im more a fan than you

Like you said support your team and be quiet. Being from LA, Lakers/Clippers were always the teams I saw the most so they always had my love. And since CP3 it's been nothing but "Everyone's a clipper fan

" Just do you, sports isnt that serious, enjoy what you like

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Originally Posted by do work son

i think it's people just frustrated because when your team was doing bad you were silent. now that they're doing well you got get out of my face with it. i think people just don't like the separate extremes of it all

exactly..... I'm almost dreading the day the kings become quasi-relevant (save the jokes...), it'll be like the SF Giants and Niners all over again

 

[harlemtothebronx]

Not to thread-jack but a friend of mine on Sunday said to me 'I became a Giants fan in '07 and a Yankees fan in '96'

I called jokingly him a bandwagoner because he hopped on for Championship years, to which he replied 'that's how everyone becomes a fan of a team"

Now, personally I had no choice. My father sat me down to watch the Giants, Yankees and Knicks and quizzed me about players and coaches. I was born into fandom so I really disagree with that statement, but my opinion is biased. Is my friend right? Is that how people naturally become fans?

 

[ohyeah10]

Im not liking all these bandwagon timberwolves fans now that we're not as crappy as we're used to being.

 

[Animal Thug]

Originally Posted by dmxfury

I love when a teams success is used against you as a fan as well. Like I'd rather be Browns fan who is miserable every year..'but we have no bandwagon fans'! Good for you, sounds terrible, I want successful seasons

I mean, no bandwagon fans + successful upcoming seasons (hopefully) = full of win.

..because something's gotta give...

.


And just to also add to this also. With my mom and dad both being from NY intially, my dad's side of the family were all NY fans. When we moved to Cleveland, I could've chosen to be a NY fan if I wanted (but to be honest, I was too young to take it serious) - but as I grew up, and my older years were spent in Cleveland - I went with being a Cleveland fan. And God knows how difficult that's been

.

But my point is I could easily be a fan of NY teams, especially since my father was (God rest his soul). And I could've claimed all these championships over time and been a happy guy - but I kinda went with Cleveland...

.

 

[8pm at msg]

Originally Posted by HarlemToTheBronx

Not to thread-jack but a friend of mine on Sunday said to me 'I became a Giants fan in '07 and a Yankees fan in '96'

I called him a bandwagoner because he hopped on for Championship years, to which he replied 'that's how everyone becomes a fan of a team"

Now, personally I had no choice. My father sat me down to watch the Giants, Yankees and Knicks and quizzed me about players and coaches. I was born into fandom so I really disagree with that statement, but my opinion is biased. Is my fried right? Is thr how people naturally become fans?

I'd say it's 50/50. Some people are forced into fandom of a team 

, others find their own squads through favorite players, watching them win a championship, etc. I'd also say your friend stopped being a bandwagoner once he supported the team through several down years. The Giants didn't make the playoffs the past two years and he still supported them, right? An actual bandwagoner would've jumped to a new squad way before that.

 

[ravagebx]

Originally Posted by HarlemToTheBronx

Not to thread-jack but a friend of mine on Sunday said to me 'I became a Giants fan in '07 and a Yankees fan in '96'

I called jokingly him a bandwagoner because he hopped on for Championship years, to which he replied 'that's how everyone becomes a fan of a team"

Now, personally I had no choice. My father sat me down to watch the Giants, Yankees and Knicks and quizzed me about players and coaches. I was born into fandom so I really disagree with that statement, but my opinion is biased. Is my friend right? Is that how people naturally become fans?

I feel what you saying but you gotta realize that your case is not gonna be the same for everyone. I agree with 8PM, it's 50-50. We can't all be born into it. One of my most vivid memories as a young sports fan is riding the 4 train and on Yankee game days being excited to catch a glimpse of the crowd and lights for just a second as the train passed the station. That kind of experience, like your grandfather schooling you, is not available to everyone. Some people don't even figure out they like a sport until they are grown. Championships attract attention and hype, it's an obvious starting point for many new fans. Everybody gotta start somewhere, even if it is a little annoying that some start with the championships lol. Hell I'm equally annoyed by those who hop on a team that is absolutely crap and ride the "woe-is-me I'm such a die hard real fan cause I support this crappy team" wave.

 

[do work son]

i've always just been a houston fan (astros rockets texans) because it's where im from. people thought i was a bandwagon fan because this year we were actually good. but no, i still rooted when we were 2-14. most of the "bandwagon fans" are more casual sports fans anyways. those who live in a city and get caught up in their teams playoff runs. lol, my parents are bandwagon texans fans. they never really cared about football but because we went to the playoffs this year, my mom went out and got a shirt and started watching games. she don't talk $#% to other people tho

 

[dland24]

Originally Posted by rck2sactown

Originally Posted by do work son

i think it's people just frustrated because when your team was doing bad you were silent. now that they're doing well you got get out of my face with it. i think people just don't like the separate extremes of it all

exactly..... I'm almost dreading the day the kings become quasi-relevant (save the jokes...), it'll be like the SF Giants and Niners all over again

Funny you make this comment because the Kings had more bandwagon fans than any Northern California team has had in my entire lifetime. 


Even with that being said, I couldnt care less about bandwagon fans.  Bandwagon fans, or casual fans, are fine in my book.  Not everyone is a fanatical sports fan like most of us are on here.  Casual sports fans like a team more when they are winning.  Cant hate on them for that.  Teams would be bankrupt if these type of fans didnt exist.

 

[The_Isomotion31]

Always hated the Better fan than you are arguments...are you kidding me? Or the I've been of a fan for such and such team for this long. Common now.

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Originally Posted by dland24

Originally Posted by rck2sactown

Originally Posted by do work son

i think it's people just frustrated because when your team was doing bad you were silent. now that they're doing well you got get out of my face with it. i think people just don't like the separate extremes of it all

exactly..... I'm almost dreading the day the kings become quasi-relevant (save the jokes...), it'll be like the SF Giants and Niners all over again

Funny you make this comment because the Kings had more bandwagon fans than any Northern California team has had in my entire lifetime. 

This is true 

 

[harlemtothebronx]

Thanks for the input 8PM and Rav.

I guess I can understand the perspective of someone who didn't inherit teams.

Something about those memories with my dad make the emotional attachment so much stronger. I guess that's why I live and die with the Knicks/Giants and Yankees. I'll never forget those Sunday morning games on NBC with my dad. Sports is an amazing thing. /tangent

 

[abutta13]

most yankees and cowboys fans are bandwagon fans. get over it.

 

[peteweezy]

Originally Posted by RavageBX

First, no this was not sparked by the bandwagon fail thread. Meant to make this the other day but never got around to it. Anyways, it seems to me that whenever a team is successful the new insult to throw around is to accuse all of said teams fans of being on the bandwagon. Bandwagons have always been present in sports but now it seems to be way more of an issue amongst sports fans. It's gotten to the point where real fans feel the need to identify themselves. Just look at the first page of most of our team threads. I'm a New Yorker born and raised. Been a fan of the Knicks, Yankees, Giants, Rangers (and to some degree all other NY teams) my entire life. We're talking 3 decades of fandom. I don't ever feel the need to prove or address where my loyalties lie. In fact, I'm insulted when someone even questions it. Yet it seems the thing to do now is to just question who is a real fan and who isn't. One of my best friends does nothing but complain about bandwagon fans. It's irritating as hell. I ask you, in the end what does it matter? New fans are born every day for different reasons. Why bother trying to figure out who is real and who is fake. Support your team and sthu. The funny thing is a lot of ppl crying about bandwagons probably hopped on one themselves at one point. In the Jordan era, 90 percent of Bulls fans were bandwagoners and I don't think I've ever complained about it once. It really doesn't matter to me. Why does it matter to you?
Discuss.

I honestly dislike these types of fans cause I don't know how the heck you can be 100% down with two or more teams the same.  Besides that I don't care about bandwagon fans unless they don't know what the hell they talking about.  I just find it funny when your team stinks nobody questions that no matter where you live at.  When the Bulls and Boys were winning 13 and 5 games in their respective season I had NO one claiming bandwagon or anything.  Bulls get good again oh you a Bulls fan now I'm like 

.  The Boys well we aren't back yet lol

 

[ggarvinxx3]

try explaining being a pats fan in the tri-state area

 

[denni5themenace]

I really don't have a problem with bandwagoners for teams I root for. Lately I've been irritated at bandwagon clippers fans around my area. I know a good amount of loyal ones, but some of these new ones talk real wreckless

you want to cheer for them? Cool, be my guest. but don't come out and act like the clippers are a storied franchise that's owed something when you just starte rooting for them this year.

 

[dmxfury]

Ha ha no disrespect to my NT Bengals and Browns fans, most are cool on here, you know who those fans are. Just like I know obnoxious Steeler fan. I just needed examples