Comments on: Mariners fandom, as seen through Materialism http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/ Seattle Mariners blog and general baseball discussion Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:19:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Evan http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/comment-page-1/#comment-86238 Evan Fri, 13 Jan 2006 18:22:45 +0000 http://ussmariner.com/?p=3265#comment-86238 <i>they are bound by their contract with their peers to be fans of a single team and support it.</i> This is obviously false, and flies in the face of individualism. With no explicit agreement, fans have no responsibility to cheer the home side. Oh, and Hobbes was the Materialist. Calvin would have argued something like fandom from predestination. they are bound by their contract with their peers to be fans of a single team and support it.

This is obviously false, and flies in the face of individualism. With no explicit agreement, fans have no responsibility to cheer the home side.

Oh, and Hobbes was the Materialist. Calvin would have argued something like fandom from predestination.

]]> By: pdb http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/comment-page-1/#comment-86233 pdb Fri, 13 Jan 2006 17:55:29 +0000 http://ussmariner.com/?p=3265#comment-86233 <i>Our joy at a team’s victory and our discomfort at our team’s losses ...motivate us to find ways to grow closer to a team or to distance ourselves from them and seek a more pleasing team</i> My first favorite baseball team was the Pirates, then my dad pointed me towards the local nine, and I've been a Mariner fan ever since (this was in about 1979). After being a fan of this team for that long, I can no more distance myself from the Mariners than I can distance myself from my family if they have a bad year. Other teams float across my transom every now and again, but the anchor of my baseball life, for better or worse, is the Mariners. Adversity really tests the loyalty of a fan - it's easy to be a fan when things are going well; when the team struggles mightily, and you work in a place full of/hang out with people that are fans of a different team, that's when your true fandom is tested. Do you defend your dire team, find the small nuggets of Felix-shaped optimism in the future, or do you give up and say "hey, I really like what the A's did last year, maybe I'll like them this season?" Maybe it's different for people that didn't grow up in a major league baseball city; for me, though, there are the Mariners and then there's everyone else. Our joy at a team’s victory and our discomfort at our team’s losses …motivate us to find ways to grow closer to a team or to distance ourselves from them and seek a more pleasing team

My first favorite baseball team was the Pirates, then my dad pointed me towards the local nine, and I’ve been a Mariner fan ever since (this was in about 1979).

After being a fan of this team for that long, I can no more distance myself from the Mariners than I can distance myself from my family if they have a bad year. Other teams float across my transom every now and again, but the anchor of my baseball life, for better or worse, is the Mariners.

Adversity really tests the loyalty of a fan – it’s easy to be a fan when things are going well; when the team struggles mightily, and you work in a place full of/hang out with people that are fans of a different team, that’s when your true fandom is tested.

Do you defend your dire team, find the small nuggets of Felix-shaped optimism in the future, or do you give up and say “hey, I really like what the A’s did last year, maybe I’ll like them this season?”

Maybe it’s different for people that didn’t grow up in a major league baseball city; for me, though, there are the Mariners and then there’s everyone else.

]]> By: FrankL http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/comment-page-1/#comment-86224 FrankL Fri, 13 Jan 2006 16:15:52 +0000 http://ussmariner.com/?p=3265#comment-86224 <i>"There is no defense of fans of other teams within a team’s home. The minority who prefer other teams have no right to complain about the local team, or to support foreign interests – they are bound by their contract with their peers to be fans of a single team and support it."/</i><i> You’re creeping me out here, eliminating choice and free will and all that stuff. (Note to self: Must not write anything criticizing Mariners. Washburn signing a good thing. Everett signing a good thing.) The earlier analogy to Hobbes (Thomas) was spot on. Life as a Mariner’s fan is indeed, “nasty, short, and brutish”. Especially the nasty and brutish parts.</i> “There is no defense of fans of other teams within a team’s home. The minority who prefer other teams have no right to complain about the local team, or to support foreign interests – they are bound by their contract with their peers to be fans of a single team and support it.”/

You’re creeping me out here, eliminating choice and free will and all that stuff. (Note to self: Must not write anything criticizing Mariners. Washburn signing a good thing. Everett signing a good thing.)

The earlier analogy to Hobbes (Thomas) was spot on. Life as a Mariner’s fan is indeed, “nasty, short, and brutish”. Especially the nasty and brutish parts.

]]> By: Dash http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/comment-page-1/#comment-86223 Dash Fri, 13 Jan 2006 16:11:59 +0000 http://ussmariner.com/?p=3265#comment-86223 I spent a good part of my formative years in Salem, so I had no professional team to hitch my allegiances too. (wasn't into baseketball, so the Blazers don't count.) So being a free agent, so to speak, my allegiance seemed to shift every year or two. Most of the teams I liked seem to now reside in the NL Central strangely enough. The (than) California Angels were my AL team of choice as their single A (Salem Senators, at that time) affiliate played at the local community college 2 blocks away from my house. It wasn't until I moved here that I bought into the Seattle teams. Heck I even became a Pepsi Junior Mariner. I remember games where one could walk up to the ticket booth before the game and still get good (relative term) 100 level seats at the Dome. Richie Zisk, Julio and Tommy Cruz, Alvin Davis, Al Cowens, Floyd Bannister the list of players mired in futility goes on and on. Those were the days. Those were the days. I spent a good part of my formative years in Salem, so I had no professional team to hitch my allegiances too. (wasn’t into baseketball, so the Blazers don’t count.) So being a free agent, so to speak, my allegiance seemed to shift every year or two. Most of the teams I liked seem to now reside in the NL Central strangely enough. The (than) California Angels were my AL team of choice as their single A (Salem Senators, at that time) affiliate played at the local community college 2 blocks away from my house.

It wasn’t until I moved here that I bought into the Seattle teams. Heck I even became a Pepsi Junior Mariner. I remember games where one could walk up to the ticket booth before the game and still get good (relative term) 100 level seats at the Dome. Richie Zisk, Julio and Tommy Cruz, Alvin Davis, Al Cowens, Floyd Bannister the list of players mired in futility goes on and on.

Those were the days.

Those were the days.

]]> By: cjdahl60 http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/comment-page-1/#comment-86222 cjdahl60 Fri, 13 Jan 2006 15:55:59 +0000 http://ussmariner.com/?p=3265#comment-86222 I grew up in the Bay Area and became an immediate A's fan when my Dad took me to Bat Day in 1968. I got a green Jim Pagliaroni bat. How cool was that? Still remember it fondly. I saw the good times of the early 70's World Series, the bad times of the early 80's (we called them the Triple A's) and then the resurgence of the late 80's. When we moved to Seattle, it was surprisingly easy to change allegiance. I still follow the A's a bit and partake in some good natured teasing with my brother who remains in the Bay Area, but I'm definitely a Mariners guy now. I don't know what all this has to do with how one becomes a fan of a particular team, but I throw it out for what it's worth. I grew up in the Bay Area and became an immediate A’s fan when my Dad took me to Bat Day in 1968. I got a green Jim Pagliaroni bat. How cool was that? Still remember it fondly.

I saw the good times of the early 70′s World Series, the bad times of the early 80′s (we called them the Triple A’s) and then the resurgence of the late 80′s.

When we moved to Seattle, it was surprisingly easy to change allegiance. I still follow the A’s a bit and partake in some good natured teasing with my brother who remains in the Bay Area, but I’m definitely a Mariners guy now.

I don’t know what all this has to do with how one becomes a fan of a particular team, but I throw it out for what it’s worth.

]]> By: terry http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/comment-page-1/#comment-86221 terry Fri, 13 Jan 2006 15:06:32 +0000 http://ussmariner.com/?p=3265#comment-86221 yawn....and that is probably the most on topic comment Ive ever made :-P yawn….and that is probably the most on topic comment Ive ever made :-P

]]> By: Marty Lighthizer http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/comment-page-1/#comment-86220 Marty Lighthizer Fri, 13 Jan 2006 09:48:11 +0000 http://ussmariner.com/?p=3265#comment-86220 #15 David, I agree for the most part -- I'm a Mariner fan (since 2001) solely because of the huge number of Mariner games that are televised here in Japan. However, even more Yankee games are shown -- but that'll NEVER make me a Yankee fan. And Jim, while you're working on (deservedly) forgettable tunes from the '70s, do you want to try your hand at "The Night Chicago Died" or "Kung Fu Fighting"? #15 David,
I agree for the most part — I’m a Mariner fan (since 2001) solely because of the huge number of Mariner games that are televised here in Japan. However, even more Yankee games are shown — but that’ll NEVER make me a Yankee fan.

And Jim, while you’re working on (deservedly) forgettable tunes from the ’70s, do you want to try your hand at “The Night Chicago Died” or “Kung Fu Fighting”?

]]> By: dlupham http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/comment-page-1/#comment-86218 dlupham Fri, 13 Jan 2006 06:38:12 +0000 http://ussmariner.com/?p=3265#comment-86218 I believe that your favorite team is based a lot on what (or who) you can follow. Growing up in Seattle meant that I could follow the Rainiers (at the end they were the Angels), then the pilots and then the Mariners. For pro football we had San Francisco (all their games were broadcast here). The fact that Hurring Hugh played for SF just made it better. It is hard to become a fan of a team that you can't really follow. David I believe that your favorite team is based a lot on what (or who) you can follow. Growing up in Seattle meant that I could follow the Rainiers (at the end they were the Angels), then the pilots and then the Mariners. For pro football we had San Francisco (all their games were broadcast here). The fact that Hurring Hugh played for SF just made it better. It is hard to become a fan of a team that you can’t really follow.

David

]]> By: msb http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/comment-page-1/#comment-86217 msb Fri, 13 Jan 2006 05:35:59 +0000 http://ussmariner.com/?p=3265#comment-86217 K-Tel Records presents "Gordon Lightfoot sings every song ever written... record 4.99, tape or cassette 6.99. K-Tel Records presents “Gordon Lightfoot sings every song ever written… record 4.99, tape or cassette 6.99.

]]> By: Jim Thomsen http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/01/12/mariners-fandom-as-seen-through-materialism/comment-page-1/#comment-86216 Jim Thomsen Fri, 13 Jan 2006 05:28:28 +0000 http://ussmariner.com/?p=3265#comment-86216 msb, just wait and see what I can do with "The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald" ... or "Abraham, Martin and John" .... msb, just wait and see what I can do with “The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald” … or “Abraham, Martin and John” ….

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