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[eja117]

I was thinking of titling the thread "Are Boston fans actually "better"?"  but I thought it would be too confusing.

This is my point philosophically.....I think watching the best teams in the country year in and year out does make you a "better" fan. It does make you more knowledgable. I mean we've been able to watch a football team that is extremely well coached for more than a decade now. We've been able to watch a very well coached and well played basketball team for a long time now. We watched a great baseball team with great players for a long time. We've watched great hockey at both the pro and college level.  Even in college football BC puts out some of the best linemen, linebackers, and QBs in the country.

And think of the disadvantages.  I mean look at like Houston. Huge city. Great weather. Great food. No rings. How does that happen? Then look at Boston. Small. Cruddy weather.  Tons of rings.

And I think....what is happening here? I mean I hear other fans in other cities say the cutest most misguided things about how Peyton Manning might be the best QB ever and you don't know whether to roll on the floor laughing or what. I mean is this how San Fran people felt in the 80s when people talked about how great Marino was? And I realize that maybe it's not other fan's faults. Maybe they just haven't seen much of Tom Brady. Except in Super Bowls and AFC championship games and Pro Bowls. And I start to think well maybe I am a "better" fan than fans in other parts of the country, but maybe it's because I've been watching better teams.

But then on the other hand what made these teams good? Ownership and coaching, but who held them accountable? Fans, right? I mean Bob Kraft was a fan. Bought the Pats. Done. We ran Bobby Valentine out of town, because we will not tolerate that crud, and other guys are gonna get run out too. We ran out Manny. Even BC football. They just didn't tolerate Spaz very long. Nobody said "Well, we're a small cold school, with great academics. This is realistically what we are." No way.  That would never happen in Boston.

And it just makes me think Boston teams might be better because the fans are better. In a way the fans act like owners. In some ways I definitely feel like an owner of these teams. I feel entitled to say whatever I want to say about them. I feel entitled not to tolerate BS from them.  I feel entitled to run people out of town and not let them back. I mean seriously if I were in a bar and Rick Pitino walked up, I'd be like "Oh woah. Woah. Waiter. Check please. Yeah I'm leaving. No. Don't look at me. I'm outta here."

And that's just me being an awesome fan. Right?

[Lightskinsmurf]

Lol wow, alot to take in. Not even sure how to respond. Ill come back later after I think about it lol.

[Cman]

I don't know, a lot to think about there. But an awesome post, that's for sure.

On a related note, best to drink it up now, because the decade we've been through is a special one, with all the wins by the Boston area NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB teams. This stuff doesn't come around very often....

[eja117]

I don't know, a lot to think about there. But an awesome post, that's for sure.

On a related note, best to drink it up now, because the decade we've been through is a special one, with all the wins by the Boston area NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB teams. This stuff doesn't come around very often....

Except the 60s, 70s, and 80s and in the case of the Sox the teens.

Which brings us to another question. Maybe the awesomeness is being handed down through families and is evolving.

[Juneauz]

With all the shameful "trade Rondo" threads popping out, I'm not sure we're all that great.

[Donoghus]

Boston & New England as a whole, is a very passionate sports town & region. 

The Big Four seem to be under intense scrutiny from the local media at almost all times.  TV coverage of these teams is pretty significant and the fanbases are extremely passionate and hard to please.  Essentially, its championships or bust for these teams.

The ownerships know this and face real pressure to put a good product on the court/field/ice or else incur the wrath of the media & the fanbases. 

For the most part, especially in the past decade or so, the ownerships have gone almost the whole nine yards to put winning products out there.  The Pats winning Super Bowls placed pressured on the other franchises; the Red Sox won a pair of WS and that only upped the ante. The teams seemed to be fighting it out for the spotlight.  The best way to be in the spotlight is to win a championship. 

I think to some extent, the rabidness of the fanbases has pushed the franchises and the championships of one franchise has pushed the other franchises.

Boston/New England is also a region that experiences all four seasons.  Not like the west coast or down south where there might be a lot of glaring distractions.   In the fall/winter, it gets cold & becomes Pats/Celtics/Bruins season.  People flock to it.  That's why you see these record local radio & broadcast numbers.

Lastly,  a new generation is growing up in a championship environment.  Kids almost 9 now who have never experienced a world without a Red Sox championship.  These championships and high level competition only fuel fans passion. 

[Chris]

But then on the other hand what made these teams good? Ownership and coaching, but who held them accountable? Fans, right? I mean Bob Kraft was a fan. Bought the Pats. Done. We ran Bobby Valentine out of town, because we will not tolerate that crud, and other guys are gonna get run out too. We ran out Manny. Even BC football. They just didn't tolerate Spaz very long. Nobody said "Well, we're a small cold school, with great academics. This is realistically what we are." No way.  That would never happen in Boston.

To me, this is they key to the recent success of Boston teams.  The fact that the fanbase is so rabid, attracted the right kinds of owners IMO.  Guys who understood that winning makes them money (well, other than the B's...although I think the last CBA helped change that a bit).

I am not sure its about the owners being fans, because there have been plenty of owners who were fans, that didn't understand how to run a team.  But the Boston owners have come in and invested in the team, because they realize that is what the Boston fans want.  Boston fans are not easily fooled by shiny things and bright lights.  They need to see a winning team, if they are going to pay top dollar.  But, when you are winning, they WILL pay top dollar. 

So, that motivates owners, and creates an atmosphere that is conducive to winning franchises.

[eja117]

Boston & New England as a whole, is a very passionate sports town & region. 

The Big Four seem to be under intense scrutiny from the local media at almost all times.  TV coverage of these teams is pretty significant and the fanbases are extremely passionate and hard to please.  Essentially, its championships or bust for these teams.

The ownerships know this and face real pressure to put a good product on the court/field/ice or else incur the wrath of the media & the fanbases. 

For the most part, especially in the past decade or so, the ownerships have gone almost the whole nine yards to put winning products out there.  The Pats winning Super Bowls placed pressured on the other franchises; the Red Sox won a pair of WS and that only upped the ante. The teams seemed to be fighting it out for the spotlight.  The best way to be in the spotlight is to win a championship. 

I think to some extent, the rabidness of the fanbases has pushed the franchises and the championships of one franchise has pushed the other franchises.

Boston/New England is also a region that experiences all four seasons.  Not like the west coast or down south where there might be a lot of glaring distractions.   In the fall/winter, it gets cold & becomes Pats/Celtics/Bruins season.  People flock to it.  That's why you see these record local radio & broadcast numbers.

Lastly,  a new generation is growing up in a championship environment.  Kids almost 9 now who have never experienced a world without a Red Sox championship.  These championships and high level competition only fuel fans passion.

Agreed. The 4 seasons things is an excellent observation. Maybe we are better weather than I thought. I always saw that as a disadvantage, but maybe it's an advantage. It's totally an advantage when dome teams like the Colts come here for a deep playoff game. Or a team like Miami. Maybe a little bit of advantage for baseball too. If you have to be a summer outdoors team I think I'd rather do that here than Texas or San Diego or Miami or Atlanta

[freshinthehouse]

Really, though, if you take the Celtics out of the equation, Boston was below part pro sports-wise in the 20th century.

[LarBrd33]

It's one of the best market for sports in the country... that plays into it a bit.