“Hence, it’s easier for original fans to dump on newer fans than to tolerate them and hope they advance the cause of whatever they like. I notice this every time I mention the UFC or poker — there’s this bizarre (and totally dismissive) backlash, as if I’m not allowed to watch those sports or even mention them because I’m not a real fan. Well, how do you become a real fan? By liking a sport without disliking the core people who like it. So it’s a self-perpetuating cycle, and as weird as this sounds, the original fans like it that way. It maintains their ownership of the product. When the product outgrows them (specifically in the case of a creative entity), that’s when the core fans start throwing around phrases like “jumped the shark” and “sold out,” mostly because they’re bitter it’s not just them and the product any more.”
For all the Simmons bashing that goes on the Internet, here he actually hits on something that is probably bigger than he makes it sound. He called it something stupid (“The Cult of Status Quo”), but the real fan argument is one of my least favorite things in the sporting world. It invades bar arguments, destroys internet forums, and is among the things that makes Yahoo! comments unreadable. The entire idea is knuckle-draggingly stupid- but not because people get bitter and cry sell-out (Shockingly, there’s a difference between sports debate and debate over Simmons’ career). It’s stupid because there’s no good definition of a what true fan is, or should be.
For reference, let’s look at a few hypothetical fans.
Fan #1 is a nearly lifelong fan. The team was good in this fan’s youth, so fandom probably started as a bandwagon thing (kids do that stuff). The quality of the team diminished, but the fan remained, attended games whenever possible. Now the fan still follows closely, and is a decently active member of blogs devoted to the team…which mainly act as a support group. Also, owns multiple jerseys from different eras. Watches only some of the team’s games, but living out of market (and the crappiness of internet feeds) is the main reason for that.
Blogkakke is our collection of the latest and greatest to grace the Internets. If you have something for here or just want to ask Chubs about his impending move to the south and all the sodomy that comes with that, there’s always the comment section or you could try tips@ thegallyblog.com
Musical Interlude:
Linkage:
Gamma Squad: The first graphic novel is headed for the big screen. Possibly. I’m still not sure on this graphic novel business, the only one I’ve read so far was The Watchmen. I liked it, but.. Mad Atoms: The realities of being a single guy… It’s not all sunshine, rainbows and herpes you know. The Awl: Kids, that weird, bizarre, kind of creepy but good movie came out 15 years ago today. The Smoking Jacket: While it’s documented that sleeping in the same bed as your partner has proven medical downsides, here are some of the hidden benefits. Double Viking: 12 apparently awesome 80′s movies that are perfect. Obviously creating a list like this will create some controversy, and this one does indeed. Wakooz: Some more of the differences between Men and Women. This is a good one. The Atlantic Wire: I know some of you like Drew Magary and some of you hate him. Well last week he glossed over some basic fact checking for an article and got owned for it. Pwned if you would. The Pioneer Woman: I know you just read what site this link is coming from and just wondered WTF? Well shut up. This is a simple, fantastically delicious recipe for you to try out, even if you’re one of those people that burns toast. Well, if you burn toast, maybe not. Politics Daily: Okay, this is not your typical link fare, but I think it should be read. The Big Lead did not like this article and said that it shouldn’t have been written. Sculptor read it and said that people should read it and hopefully see some of themselves in it. I read it and loved it. Completely. Maybe I’m biased though, because this is an article I would have wrote in the same situation. In fact though the situation is similar but different, it’s kind of exactly what I’m thinking/going through right now, albeit with less acceptance. It’s probably a good approximation of my psyche right now, as written by another person.
Remember the speculation that Bill Parcells was going to retire last year and collect the rest of his $12 million contract without having to work the remaining years on his deal with the Dolphins after the team was sold to now owner Stephen Ross due to a clause in Parcells’ deal allowing him to do so if the team was sold? If not click here or here. The rumors of his retirement were discussed so much that it led me to believe Coach Parcells was at least seriously considering retiring again. But as those two stories pointed out (in September and January of 2009 respectively), he eventually said he was going to stay and is still with the team now going into what I predict will be a good season for the Dolphins (whatever that’s worth)
The rumors of Bill Parcells retiring (for good this time, I think) may heat up again after this NFL upcoming season, though. I have been given information from what I consider to be a credible source about the two-time Super Bowl winning coach and current Miami Dolphins Executive Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells which leads me to believe he is mulling retirement again. It may not seem like much at face value, but bear with me a minute. (more…)
Last Call is kind of like Blogkakke, only on PCP, LSD and ludes. Fucking ludes man. Instead of just being a random link dump, it’s a place to congregate with fellow like minded sports fans, alcoholics and amateur comedians. So come on in, kick your shoes off and crack a beer; then regale us with a witty joke, bitch about that local sports team or ask PJD about members of the Minnesota Viking’s members. If you have something you’d like to see here, our contact info is over on the right and there’s always the tip line, tips @ thegallyblog.com
Musical Interlude:
Linkage:
Cracked: Six ways that your office job is literally killing you. Almost makes me rethink wanting an office job. Time: You know all that think positive stuff that people keep trying to get you to do? Well stop it right now. Studies have shown that faking positivity is much worse for your mental health than bouts of negativity. WNYC: This is old as dirt now, but I’ve not linked it and it’s hogging up a tab in my browser. They uncovered a 200 year old ship beneath the WTC. Warming Glow: I ran out of time again, so tonight’s TV listings are brought to you by Mr. Ufford. FilmDrunk: Will Ferrell and Adam McKay have a new teenage sex comedy coming out. I think I’ll like it, while Vince does everything but pull out **record scratch** the dismissive wank gif. See for yourselves, and Vince’s last two lines are worth the click alone. WWTDD: Poor Guy Ritchie with his millions of dollars and what not. He sure is struggling with with life after divorcing Madonna. I don’t know if his model girlfriend, Jacqui Ainsley, will be able to console him. Inside Higher Ed: A Liberal Arts professor tears a University a new asshole over Liberal Arts cuts. Will Leitch: Will quotes himself over the idea that Twitter should remove follower counts. Discuss. Club Trillion: Mark lets us down with this post. All of us. But then he goes and totally redeems himself by posting a video. Hey look a puppy. The Med Guru: Science has prevailed for us once again! Men who stare at boobs lead longer, happier lives!!!
Yeah THAT sport is great and all, but real men only care about statistics. And what I mean is…we only care about them for a week and then almost immediately forget them until it is brought up in an argument at a game or bar to piss off those faggity “purist fans” just watching because it’s “their favorite team” or “I just like to see people run into each other at high speeds”. They can all go fly a kite. Am I right?
/high fives my bro Chaz
Let me just get down to business. You may be asking why I’m qualified to give out advice on Fantasy Football when Matthew Berry, Erik Kuselias and all the other ESPN reporters are now involved in “the biz” (as I like to call it). Well, I know that I’m the guy who said Willis McGahee is better than Ray Rice last year. That was horribly untrue. (Editor’s Note: Don’t judge me. That’s God’s job. Are you trying to be God?!?) Regardless of my awful prediction of how playing time would be dealt out, Willis McGahee would have gotten you 7 touchdowns in the first 4 weeks of the season. Suck it, Bigtroph! It’s not my job to help you with the waiver wire (though I will try), you are going to have to predict that shit next time, baby. After this maybe I can show you how to dougie?
That may not make me qualified but it will show you that I’m a huge fantasy nerd for remembering my picks from last year. So maybe I’m hit and miss. Whatever. I guarantee I at least make you turn up your face and go “What the hell is this guy talking about?” if I don’t make you laugh…this year we are going to start with 10 Things that make me want to set your house on fire: Fantasy Football Edition.
Be careful, it may take you seconds, minutes even, into the future.
Last Call is kind of like Blogkakke, only on PCP, LSD and ludes. Fucking ludes man. Instead of just being a random link dump, it’s a place to congregate with fellow like minded sports fans, alcoholics and amateur comedians. So come on in, kick your shoes off and crack a beer; then regale us with a witty joke, bitch about that local sports team or ask Rovitz about that time he had syphilis.. don’t worry, it cleared up. If you have something you’d like to see here, our contact info is over on the right and there’s always the tip line, tips @ thegallyblog.com
Musical Interlude:
Unfortunately due to recent events, I feel like I have to preface this song with, It’s a song, just a song. It has no bearing on my mental state, what I’m thinking or my “emoness.”
Those of you that watch the very underrated Leverage on TNT, or via torrents, this song was previewed last week and was actually written and sung by show star, Christian Kane.
Linkage: Warming Glow: I didn’t have time to do What’s On Deck today, so you’ll have to settle for Ufford’s version. I say settle because he leaves out a bunch of shows that I normally recommend to you clowns. WWTDD: Well, I don’t want to make any salacious rumors or stories here, but Angelina Jolie is a lesbian pedophile. It’s true. There’s photographic evidence of her kissing some random 12 year old girl. *Roman Polanski says alright!* The Awl: You know that I Write Like website that everyone shit on because they didn’t think their sentence length and what not had similarities to David Foster Wallace? Well here’s a Q&A with the site’s creator. The Luxury Spot: I shared this a while ago on Twitter, but lately things I share seem to break out big a few days later from someone more influential, so here it is again. A girl asked her boyfriend what he’d like for dinner on his birthday, and she did not understand his response. Neither did her mother, so she took to Yahoo answers. New Scientist: Nerd alert! Don’t click this link if you’re not prepared to have your mind asplode. Essentially, some theory dictates that every black hole may contain a hidden universe?!? Midwest Sports Fans: Congrats to the MSF guys, as this was their first post to receive 100K page views and it wasn’t even about sports. It’s the top 10 Louis CK stand up moments. I disagree though as it doesn’t even have the saddest blowjob in the universe bit. AMC TV: The Mad Men interactive job interview. Mine told me that I should be a media buyer, aka Harry Crane. Second String Fullback: Samer gives us six questions about all these training camp questions. Huffington Post: So, the guy who was in charge of implementing the bank bailout, is claiming that we should cut social security because, well just read it. It’s got to be infuriating for you guys down there. Sorry. Gizmodo: The alcoholic death is soon to be amongst us, as you can now pay your bar tab via iPhone.
