Well I've been sitting here looking for something other than shit going on in my personal life to think about, and I came across bluejayfan's sig which has quotes from YankeesDieHard, and then refers to YDH as a "bandwagon fan".

Now, I prefer to stick with my team through thick and thin. I don't turn on them and root for other team's, NEVER would I do that.

But I ask you this, does blind optimism really make you a "true" fan? In my mind the answer is no. People like YDH vent out of frustration because they want better from their team, and their owner. If you sit around going "Well we're the worst team in the league but...GO WHITE SOX!" and you still pay for tickets to the games, what message does that send to the owner? It tells them you are okay with losing.

In my mind people who criticize their team are just as good of fans as those who are always optimistic about their team.

I think fans are truly separated into two categories: True fans...and Cub fans.

meh....i think as long as you back your team even when they suck ass, you are a "true" fan. you could be a "true" moronic fan or a "true" smart fan. i don't know.

I just don't get into the "real" fan vs. "bandwagon" fan crap. Hell, I'm a good example myself. I jumped on the 49ers "bandwagon" in the early 80s, when the Montana era was kicking off. I rode the high times in the 80s and early 90s, but you know what? I still stick with them, even though they've gone through hard times. So what does that make me?

More importantly, I don't care what someone else thinks. I know I love the 49ers and Yankees. Yes, I sometimes get frustrated with them, but that doesn't diminish my devotion and commitment to them.

It's just hard to not consider him a bandwagon fan.

If you give up on your team, than you are not a true fan. If you give up on your team and than decide to become a fan of a different team or decides to re-like that team again, that makes you a bandwagon fan

it doesn't make you a bandwagon fan if you give up on your team, but when you're a game back in the wild card? yes.

okay I expect the Braves to finish the year 19-2 and win the division because I am true.... actually I gave up :( :unsure:

This is what I'm talking about. In my mind, if you "give up" because your team is realistically struggling and probably won't go the playoffs, than I see nothing wrong with acknowledging it.

by giving up I mean like being a good team and being in the pennant race, but giving up because the amount is "big", or giving up early in the season like may

I admit, this year, about may 29ish, before the "ha" game, I was going to give up on the Yankees. I still was going to watch the games, but reliazed that they may not make the postseason. But, once June started, and we began winning 8-9 in a row, I started to believe. I guess what I'm trying to say is, that I was on the same rollercoaster ride the Yankees were.

And since I live in New York, I can easily jump on the Met's bandwagon, because they were + .500 and leading their division. But, I didn't. I remained with the Yankees, and look now, Wild Card leader.

Sticking with the Yankees. Must be tough!

I haven't given up on the Yankees, I have given up on t he division, but I tihnk everyone knows why by now, the draft. I don't give a hsit about the division its not like I go around talking about how many we won. I have given up on certain players like Farnsworth nd Moose. Farnsworth has proven me wrong though,

Not really. I love the Yankee. This year I was well informed on them. I began reading books on people like Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson, Ron Guidry, and various others who were apart of the 1980's Yankees. So I learned that you can still support a team that isn't the greatest in the world.

I think I can consider myself a true fan considering my 2 favorite sports teams, Marlins and Bucs. I've gone through 2 firesales and the Bucs don't exactly have a history of winning themselves (0-26 to start the franchise).

Yeah I was being sarcastic

I might be a bandwagon Bucs fan... still a Bucs fan but I don't care about them... though that might just be because I don't care about football. But I'm fine with admitting it for football, I'm not gonna call myself TrueYankee or DieHardYankeeFan or anything like that when I'm not.

True. Some people don't care. Honestly, I wouldn't mind being a Tampa Bay fan or a Kansas City fan. I have no problem with losing, as long as the team tries. If the team goes out there, plays half - assed, I'm going to not respect the team anymore.

THU has posted the perfect example of a bandwagon fan:
http://diehardbaseball.net/index.php?showtopic=22323

Yeah, that would be a bandwagoner.

I'm sorta a Tigers Bandwagoner. I liked them ever since two years ago.

Same thing with me and the Mariners.

As far as the AL goes, I was an Angels fan before they won the WS in '02, but I didn't really start paying attention to them until that point. So I guess that makes me a bit of a bandwagoner in a sense. Obviously my choice has always been & will always be the Mets!!!

What's the problem about being a bandwagoner? As long as you don't go to another team, then rip your previous team, and finally when they start winning consistenly go back to them, I'm fine with that. Don't be a fairweather fan.

The way I see it is, if you've been going to a perticular restaurant/bar for a long time and they start serving you bad food, shouldn't you be allowed to take your money and leave?

I'm sorry but that was just a bad comparison.

Here's a bandwagon fan: My oldest nephew. Like this time of year, I'll ask him which NFL team he's pulling for....and he'll ask "who won the Super Bowl last year?" And that's his team for the season!! :lol:

I'm speaking more about people who give you hell if you dump a team that everyone in you family/friends/hometown cheer for.

For example, here in Toronto, the Maple Leafs have a completly screwed up management that takes the fans in Toronto for suckers who'll just hand over their money for any Leafs. So every single year, all they do is try to build for the immediate future, which is to sign and trade young assets/high draft picks for a couple of high priced veterans who'll help the team squeak by and grab that last spot in the playoffs. Well they haven't won the Stanley Cup in 40 years using this stupid philosiphy and die hard Leaf fans are pissed that their brothers or friends are throwing away their allegiance and going to cheer for humble organizations like Buffalo and Ottawa? Gimme a break! If the Leafs are serving this shit, why shouldn't fans be allowed to say, "enough is enough" and get up and leave?