One of the things I enjoy about playing the Capitals, is reading the multitude of Caps blogs the next day. I love hockey blogs, and the Caps blogs are particularly interesting because of the unprecedented access given to many DC bloggers by team owner Ted Leonsis.
From On Frozen Blog (emphasis mine):
“Buffalo, I suppose, has somehow made itself a rival to the Caps, absent any playoff drama this decade. Their legion of fans here the past couple of seasons seems to actually outnumber those for Pittsburgh and Philadelphia back in the day of out-of-town bus convoys to Capital Center. They boo one of the planet’s greatest players every time he touches the puck. On the one hand, you have to admire the loyalty they exhibit removed far and in many cases by many years from home. On the other, you have to pity a metropolitan economy so meager it engenders so massive a mass exodus of the natives. At Friday’s game there was even a Buffalo Sabres Club of Philadelphia contingent in attendance, so their exodus isn’t confined just to D.C. Perhaps their loyalty would be better directed at improving Buffalo’s economy, and sticking around and doing something about it.”
******
Classy.
The thing I like about fan bloggers is when they write about their personal experience of watching hockey. The pride and the agony. The laughter, and the groans of despair. Although the Sabres are only a few points ahead of the Capitals in the standings, we have enjoyed recent success, so I have a lot of empathy for the passionate Capitals fan. It’s certainly not the Caps fans fault that their team sucks and that the arena doesn’t sell.
But it’s sure as FUCK not the Sabres’ fans fault either.
If you are understandably frustrated with your team, write about that. If you are personally and emotionally effected by the Sabres fans, write about that. But don’t lash out indiscriminately at an entire community because you’ve got your undies in a bunch because their hockey fans boo Ovie. If you DO feel the need to bash Buffalo (hell, I think everyone feels the need to bash Buffalo from time to time), at least be funny about it.
As a personal witness to Leafs fans at HSBC, I can testify to the fact that there are few things more annoying than opposing teams’ fans taking over the home arena. I’m also fully acknowledging that a prideful Buffalonian is probably a pretty irritating beast (heh), and in no way am I suggesting that the Sabres don’t suck too. (We totally suck!) But I don’t hold On Frozen Blog accountable for the suckiness of the Caps, and in return, I think it would be nice if On Frozen Blog didn’t hold people having fun at a HOCKEY GAME accountable for the depressed economy of Western New York. It’s hockey guys, not a fucking political summit. Lighten up.
Honestly, when you are getting a lecture from ME about proper blogging etiquette, you seriously need to take a hard look in the mirror.
I boo babies.
The Willful Caboose 
Kate, I just read the post in question over at OFB and left a comment of my own but basically you’re absolutely right. If the Buffalo fans there are acting like assholes then fine, complain away. But to criticize them for showing up, supporting their team, booing the other team’s star, and having the nerve to live somewhere where they can actually make a living is bullhonkey. First of all, an entire city’s economy – particularly a city YOU don’t live in – is slightly out-of-bounds for a hockey blog, especially if you’re just going to make fun of it in a nasty, not-very-creative kind of way. Second of all, I think it’s clear that those transplanted WNYs still hold WNY awfully close to their hearts and I know many of them would move back in a heartbeat if the situation was different. And third of all, boo-fuckin-hoo, atleast SOMEBODY’S showing some interest in going to games in D.C. (I didn’t say that last part at OFB on account of trying to be polite and all :-)
And you know what? I was finally going to write the pro-Caps blog entry I owe CC for losing our playoff pool last season but now I’m totally not in the mood. So :PPPPPPPPP :-)
(I didn’t say that last part at OFB on account of trying to be polite and all :-)
Ironically, I think that’s what this all comes down to, basic manners. In a hilarious twist of fate, the boorish Sabres fans now have just cause to school a Caps fan in how to be Klassy. ‘Cause that’s what hockey bloggin’ is all about, Homes! KLASS!
*wiggling fingers on nose towards D.C.*
Neener-neener-neener!!!
I am still spluttering with incoherent rage at the sheer asstitude of On Frozen Blog to have said that in the first place. It totally handcuffed my ability to game diarize the spectacular thrillfest that was the Devils-Coyotes game this afternoon, so now we’ve got DC bloggers to thank for ruining a Devil’s blogger’s day, too.
Beyond just being gobsmacked at this swipe at the economy of Western New York, I’m reaching the end of my patience with the way Caps fans act like having visiting fans in their arena is some sort of outrage. I keep hearing from Caps fans complaining about how wretchedly awful it is for them to deal with visiting fans invading their building and filling up some of their empty seats, and I really have no sympathy for them. It’s a fact of life when you’ve got a team within geographical proximity of its rivals and when you’re not selling your building out (for whatever reason). As a Devils fan who has always enjoyed the added energy and intensity of our home games with crowds split between the Devils and Rangers or Devils and Flyers, I just don’t understand this feeling so put-upon.
Schnookie, clearly you missed the part where Sabres fans boo Alexander Ovechkin! The temerity of it all! They probably eat little D.C. babies too!
There is no way I can leave a coherent comment here because there are so many different things I’m mad at about OFB’s post, but I’ll try. I think was pisses me off the most is the insinuation that the Sabres fans shouldn’t be cheering for their team, but should be spending all of their time and energy on solving Buffalo’s decades-old civic problems. If OFB could prove that the DC arena is so empty because their fans have thrown off the giddy and insignificant entertainment of supporting a sports team in favor of solving their city’s crime and poverty problems, then fine. But if not? Come on.
Schnookie, clearly you missed the part where Sabres fans boo Alexander Ovechkin! The temerity of it all!
I lied. Heather just reminded me the thing that pisses me of the most is the ignoring why Buffalo fans boo Ovechkin. It’s not like they’ve just up and decided they don’t like “the greatest player to ever breathe”. There’s some history there, you know. History that any passionate fan worth their salt is not going to forget, regardless of how little it applies to the current season.
If OFB could prove that the DC arena is so empty because their fans have thrown off the giddy and insignificant entertainment of supporting a sports team in favor of solving their city’s crime and poverty problems, then fine. But if not? Come on.
HAHAHAHAHAH! POOKIE! Thank you for articulating what has been knocking around incoherently in my head all day. I just…..ARGH!
Heather, your comment on OFB was perfect! *clapclapclapclapclap*
I concur, Heather. You are a comment leaving genius!
Thank you for articulating what has been knocking around incoherently in my head all day.
You’re welcome! I was afraid it was only continuing the name calling thing, but seriously, there is not a city in the world that doesn’t have problems. As Heather said on OFB, the problems facing urban areas are well beyond the jurisdiction of a hockey blog. What gets me is that being passionate about a sports team can only help the city’s community. Getting on Sabres fans for living elsewhere because of economic reason but continuing to support their hometown is ridiculous. Civic pride doesn’t create new jobs, or rebuild infrastructure, or make housing affordable, but it’ also not nothing.
Schnookie, clearly you missed the part where Sabres fans boo Alexander Ovechkin! The temerity of it all!
Oh my god, you’re right! BOORS! JERKS! A-HOLES!
I would be very interested to see what this alleged jerkish behavior is among the “Buffalosers”. I mean, when it’s just been the Sabres in town we hear about how awful the invading, rampaging horde of their fans is. Then it’s the Penguins in town and suddenly we’re hearing about what a soulless bunch of mulleted ogres they are. Then it’s the Flyers in town and we’re hearing about what a collection of knuckle-dragging thugs they are. I think the real boorish behavior everyone complains about when they’re talking about visiting fans infiltrating their arena is just the unmitigated gall of cheering for the “wrong” team.
One of the things that’s so great about DC is that its a city of transplants. You’re going to find a mix of people from across the country there. Its the nature of the beast that comes with being our nation’s capital. These people bring with them loyalties to the teams from their home area. They’re going to come out and support them. Its not a bad thing, its a good thing.
To take shots at that hometown enthusiasm is just wrong.
I also think Schnookie hit the nail on the head. The perception that opposing fans are jerks does have a lot to do with the idea of them cheering for the “wrong” team.
Wah! Wah! **cries into his hands**
Your team sucks and can’t draw locals.
Wah! Wah!
—————————————-
I know I’m jaded from living in NJ for so long, but these people need to get out more. Some of the greatest memories of NHL hockey that I have are the verbal jousting matches in Brendan Byrne\Continental Airlines arena, The Garden, and most recently The Prudential Center. There’s a certain respect among fans here that I guess you don’t see in other areas. We don’t throw food/beer at opposing fans. We don’t curse at their children. Even on a losing night, there’s a joviality to the rivalry. Like this one:
** Caps are wiping the ice with the Devils last year, 5-1 **
Me: Ovechkin, you’re dirties than my ex-girlfriend!
Caps Fan: I think I knew her!
Me: Everyone knew her!
Everyone in the section (even the one moron in the Flyers jersey) had a good laugh. Part of being a fan has got to be recognizing when your team is bad.
To those that can’t? Grow up.
Er… that was supposed to read:
Ovechkin, you’re *dirtier* than my ex-girlfriend!
There’s a certain respect among fans here that I guess you don’t see in other areas.
Matt, I am so glad to hear you say that, because since I’ve started blogging and getting to know non-Devils fans, I’ve been wondering if there’s something wrong with me that I don’t think having visiting fans in your building is a bad thing. Everyone is always bitching about how terrible X fanbase is and what a group of jerks Y fanbase is, and I’m like, “Is there just something to literally living amidst the fanbases of our three biggest rivals [Flyers, Rangers, Islanders] that makes us digest that sort of stuff differently?” Hearing from you here makes me realize that’s one more thing that’s so awesome about Devils fans — we know how to cope creatively and functionally with “hostile” fans. :D
Part of being a fan has got to be recognizing when your team is bad.
To those that can’t? Grow up.
Amen!
I think it has a lot to do with being able to find common ground. In DC< you can only really share with other Caps fans. At a Devils/Rangers game, there’s no love…. but when that errant Flyers fan walks in, we sure do unite quickly!
So true, Matt! So true. It’s an understanding that we’re all in this “hate” thing together. :D
On the flip side, I’ve been to Sabres games in 8 arenas now, and only in 1 did I get physically threatened or otherwise abused. Wanna take a guess which one?
I’ll give you a hint…
The City of Brotherly Love is a misnomer.
The City of Brotherly Love is a misnomer.
We’ve gone into 11 different buildings wearing Devils colors, and have the same thing to report. We’d happily go to Devils games on the road at 10 of those destinations again, but after watching someone get dragged out of his car in the parking lot after a Flyers game and then get kicked repeatedly while he lay on the ground next to his car, we’ve taken Philly off our list. (That said, Flyers fans have been no better or worse than, say, Rangers fans, Leafs fans or anyone else when they’ve come into our building.)
You know, I’ve been thinking about this and I’ve decided that I’m a bit offended. As a Buffalo expatriate I refuse to feel guilty for not staying in town and working at some job I didn’t want. I moved to New York City so I could work in the field I’ve wanted to be a part of since I was in middle school. I don’t see why I should give up on loving Buffalo or cheering for the Sabres just because I don’t live in Western New York anymore. I’m still proud that I’m from there. What an irritating and ignorant post.
I’m gonna go against the group here and concur with OFB. Okay, it’s not the right forum for the comment and it reeks of sour grapes, but I’m all about calling out the expats for bailing on Buffalo and then trying to claim that they love the city. You love it so much, so need to stick around and make it work.
There are two choices: you can cut and run or you can fight. I’m so frustrated with all the people who bail out. I’ve spent my entire adult life in public service, both professionally and on a volunteer basis, and I can tell you that there are opportunities everyone to contribute to solving the problems we have here. One of the greatest problems we have is a lack of public participation. Put up or shut up.
So that’s maybe a little more strident than I had planned, but I’ve been having this conversation a lot lately and losing my patience. I left Buffalo for college and made a choice to come back and fight for a place that I love. I want to see more people hang around.
I feel like I should offer some sort of counter-argument or something because…well, I’m a rabble-rouser. I rouse rabble. It’s what I do. Plus you guys are taking some generalized swings at my city too, so it’s really only fair. ;) (And please note that I’m not defending the OFB team – I’m sure they didn’t mean it to offend, and if they did I apologize on behalf of Caps fans…)
Yes, DC is kind of a joke as a hockey town and yes, believe me, those of us who are true Caps fans in the District are very much aware of that. And I’ve long since accepted that on certain nights the fans of the opposing team will come out in full force – it’s part of the reason I go to every Buffalo game, every Pens game, every Rangers game. Not only does my team need my support but the energy in the stands is unlike those horrific nights when, say, the Panthers are paying us a visit. (Insert gratuitous cricket-chirping sound…here.)
It makes it fun. It makes it loud. It gets the hometown crowd into the game for once.
Look, I have no problem with fans from the opposing team being there and I have no problem with them cheering on their team. I don’t care if they want to chant “Let’s Go Buff-a-lo” or “Let’s go Flyers” or “Let’s Go Pens”. I’ll roll my eyes and then I’ll do my best to cover it up with my own cheering and life goes on. A lifetime of being a Caps fan has shown me that it’s just not fun when fans of the other team don’t come to games (yay, SouthLeast Division).
But come on – you know as well as I do that every team has a douchebag element to their fanbase and frankly for whatever reason, Sabres and Pens fans who come to DC (whether they live there or not) for games have a larger percentage of that douchebag element. I’m not saying all of them, by any stretch. I’ve shared a laugh and a good-natured trash talking session with fans from both teams over the years, I know these fans are just a very vocal minority of a much larger, more passionate and knowledgable fan base.
This minority, though, are there only to start shit in the stands; we’re talking fistfights and obnoxious drunken conduct and saying rude things near kids. There are certain fans who gear up for this, who get their buddies together and buy up blocks of seats and engage in what can only be described as baiting the hometown team. This does not happen with the majority of other teams – even the ones close by. I’ve seen it on occasion with Rangers and Flyers fans, maybe (but rarely) with the occasional Devils fan…but the majority of this stuff happens with these two teams.
Trust me, there may not be a lot of passionate fans DC but we’re also not stupid enough to hate fans of the other team simply because they cheer for their team. Give us a little credit. It goes much deeper than that, for better or for worse.
And may I conclude by saying Katebits, I adore you and I think you’re hilarious and I thought your comment on OFB was well-written, concise, funny and not at all obnoxious – very refreshing. (Not because you’re a Buffalo fan but because sometimes you get idiots who simply have access to a keyboard…which I’m demonstrating right now :P)
Okay, it’s not the right forum for the comment and it reeks of sour grapes, but I’m all about calling out the expats for bailing on Buffalo and then trying to claim that they love the city. You love it so much, so need to stick around and make it work.
Since this seems to be partially in response to me, I’ll explain for myself. I work in book publishing, LizzieB. The industry is pretty location specific unless you work for a small press (and in the case of Buffalo it would be a very small press indeed). Basically if you want to work for a large book publishing company you’re going to live in one of a few very large US cities.
It’s not a matter of sticking it out in Buffalo or not. I could move back to Buffalo tomorrow and get a job making more money than I’m making now (which isn’t all that shocking because book publishing doesn’t pay much). I know this because the job is on permanent offer. And if I did that I could afford things I can’t here, like a house and a car because the cost of living is so much less. But I’m working in the field I want to work in and living in the one city in the world that I love more than Buffalo. So I’m not going to move back. And I don’t think that you have much right to tell me that I don’t love Buffalo or that I’ve cut and run just because I’ve made that choice.
And for the record, I’m not such an exception. I know several former Buffalonians living in NYC because they’re in creative fields and it’s the place to be. I don’t think the people still living in Buffalo have any more right to judge the people that leave than the people who are entirely ignorant of all things Buffalo.
This minority, though, are there only to start shit in the stands; we’re talking fistfights and obnoxious drunken conduct and saying rude things near kids. There are certain fans who gear up for this, who get their buddies together and buy up blocks of seats and engage in what can only be described as baiting the hometown team.
Up here in the Atlantic Division we call that “conduct you expect to see at hockey games”.
CapsChick, I don’t think we Sabres fans are all that upset about the Caps fans saying we’re douches. I think it’s the swing at the city itself (Buffalo people are very sensitive about that in case you haven’t noticed :)) and the exodus of former Buffalonians that is getting some of our panties in a twist.
CapsChick, I think you make great points here, but as Heather pointed out in the comments on OFB, this was not the point of pucksandbooks’s post. He/she was not specifically addressing obnoxious and rude fans. He/she was attacking Buffalo supporters who have left their city.
Plus you guys are taking some generalized swings at my city too, so it’s really only fair. ;)
If you’re talking about my comment about the crime and poverty, I meant it simply as a way to put into context how out of line pucksandbooks’s argument was. I hope I made that clear! DC’s a great city with great people. Like every city on the planet it’s got issues, but whatevs. Those problems should never be part of a sports debate.
we’re talking fistfights and obnoxious drunken conduct and saying rude things near kids.
See, to me, that’s talking “going to a game that’s open to the public”. I’ve been to tons of sporting events in tons of towns in tons of sports, and the only place I didn’t see drunkeness and fistfighting was the U.S. Open. And I think that’s just because no one can afford the alcohol and no one cares enough about the tennis players to fight over them.
CapsChick, I don’t think we Sabres fans are all that upset about the Caps fans saying we’re douches.
Yeah, but Meg, in CC’s defense, I’m annoyed that Caps fans are saying you’re douches! :P
This minority, though, are there only to start shit in the stands; we’re talking fistfights and obnoxious drunken conduct and saying rude things near kids. There are certain fans who gear up for this, who get their buddies together and buy up blocks of seats and engage in what can only be described as baiting the hometown team.
Up here in the Atlantic Division we call that “conduct you expect to see at hockey games”.
Heh, while I’ve never had the pleasure, I’m under the impression that what is described above would be small potatoes for a Buffalo-Toronto game. I don’t know, I’m under the impression that the Sabres get large contingents at Devils and Islanders games and yet I don’t tend to hear complaints about the Buffalo fans behaviour from those fanbases. I think it’s just that there are different expectations in certain markets, perhaps?
Up here in the Atlantic Division we call that “conduct you expect to see at hockey games”.
No, you don’t – you don’t get to pull that “Atlantic Division” card out, missy…I grew up in the age of the Patrick Division, remember? ;) Back when the Islanders were actually fun to watch and the Devils and Caps actually filled their arenas?
This is above and beyond. There are drunken, obnoxious fans and then there is the phenomenon that only happens for these two teams. I really feel like I should host everyone who doubts me for one Pens-Caps game and one Sabres-Caps game to prove that I’m not exaggerating. We get your garden variety Atlantic Division fan, too, don’t get me wrong…and Rangers and Flyers fans are up there on the obnoxious scale.
It’s not the same.
Yeah, but Meg, in CC’s defense, I’m annoyed that Caps fans are saying you’re douches! :P
I know you are . . . I’m finding it amusing in a very pleasant way that you seem more bothered by that than the Sabres fans do. :D
Oh, sorry kids – I was responding to some of the comments here, not the post in general. I felt I needed to explain why we have such an issue with Sabres and Pens fans in our building…
And we’re not calling Sabres fans douches!! I SWEAR! :D
CC, while I appreciate your reasonable, well-stated response, my problem was that the original post didn’t criticize the Buffalo fans for any boorish behavior. If that had been the case, fine. I hate being painted with the asshole brush based on one crowd of fans but I’m not stupid enough to think there aren’t idiotic Buffalo fans out therr and I know if that’s all I see from a fanbase, I’m going to make assumptions. The post however simply expressed displeasure that Sabres fans were there and expressing their fandom. And I think the real beef is the questioning of people who they don’t and their relationship to a city they don’t know. That’s lame.
It’s not the same.
I disagree — it is the same. You talk about Pens fans or Sabres fans coming into your building in droves and being jerks. Well, I’ve seen that many times over the years, too, but in my case it’s been Rangers or Flyers fans, or sometimes Leafs fans, maybe occasionally Islanders fans (depending on how the tides of their fortunes are going). It’s just something that’s part of the deal of having lots of seats available and a nearby rival. And it’s something every team with rivals contends with.
I felt I needed to explain why we have such an issue with Sabres and Pens fans in our building…
It’s cool, CC, don’t worry! I think the thing is, though, we all know why you have such an issue with Sabres and Pens fans. Because we all have rivals whose fans come to our buildings. We’ve had this discussion offline before, so I’m not going to try to change your mind about it here. Arguing over who’s got worse fans to deal with is ridiculous!
how’s this for concise?
buffalo sports = fairly sucky
DC sports = quite sucky
boston sports = DOMINANT
(well, ok, our hockey team mostly sucks)
ya’ll need to stop writing on yer blogs so much and go fight hunger, make world peace, build robots to take care of us all and fix all the overpasses in buffalo and the greater district of columbia area
Oh, CC, I should add, that was a great comment you left on OFB vis a vis reading other teams’ blogs! How odd that pucksandbooks was saying fans should only read blogs for their team.
I think it’s just that there are different expectations in certain markets, perhaps?
You make a great point, Meg. Behavior that upsets home fans in DC probably wouldn’t even register in, say, Philly or New York. (Or in Jersey, where we just sigh and say, “We’re used to it. But while you’re here, why not admire our Stanley Cup banners?” :P)
irvy in boston, you just cracked me up! TOO FUNNY!
(And yes, I’m logging off now to go work on my cure for cancer…)
Fair enough – I know I’m in the minority anyways and likewise, I’ll never convince you guys. ;)
I’ve read the OFB post a few times now and frankly it’s nothing worse than what they say about Pittsburgh. I think it was an offhand comment that shouldn’t have been written (at least not without humor) but shouldn’t be made into such a big deal because even the OFB guys with the exception of one are not native to DC. So there’s that.
And now I give you back your blog, Kate – thanks for letting me rant a bit, even though I’m sure that a) NO one agrees with me and b) I have not swayed a single person. Yay for blogging!
Off to solve DC’s horrific crime problems…
Wow! I get home from work and there is a totally interesting shitstorm in the comment section! Thanks to everyone who has commented!
a) NO one agrees with me and b) I have not swayed a single person. Yay for blogging!
Isn’t it great that technology has given us a new forum for yelling at each other? :P
even the OFB guys with the exception of one are not native to DC.
Really? Dude, I bet the guy who wrote that is originally from, like, Salinsas, CA. He’s fiddling away in DC while his public library system is completely shut down due to lack of funding! (I kid, I kid!)
Isn’t it great that technology has given us a new forum for yelling at each other? :P
My darling, you have no idea how great!
And Kate, here I was under the assumption that you were reading all my thoughtful, intelligent comments and just choosing not to respond! You actually were out doing things with the three-dimensional people :( I’m a little hurt, not going to lie…
Yeah, I’m really going now. Night, all you crazy evil obnoxious fans! ;)
Or even from Salinas. I’m under the impression Salinsas is actually a really nice place to live. :)
Schnookie:
I had seriously thought about saying that maybe in NJ that sort of behaviour is kids stuff… But the banner comment was just choice!
Liz:
Awwwww! You miss me so much that you’ll rant about the way I bailed on BFLO on a blog? Be still my heart!
Oh, and completely off topic and only because I like to start fights….
Buffalo may have a shitty economy, but at least WE HAVE A VOTE IN CONGRESS!
Wow! I get home from work and there is a totally interesting shitstorm in the comment section! Thanks to everyone who has commented!
Kate, dude, you have no idea. We’ve been hashing this out here and at IPB all night. (It’s been so much fun!)
LizzeB, I think every gross insult has elements of truth. That’s why they piss us off so much. Don’t confuse your own frustration with Buffalo with this bozo’s crankiness about his lame ass hockey team. This conversation is certainly worth having, I just don’t think this guy is trying to have an honest conversation about the population problem in Buffalo, ya know? He’s just being a dick.
irvy in boston, that was the funniest shit ever. And sadly, your hockey team owns all of us too.
CapsChick, thank you for saying such nice things about me! You don’t have to convince me AT ALL the Buffalonians are obnoxious. Dude, I live here. But that was not the point of the OFB post, and it’s not the point of my post. You all are having your own argument which don’t get me wrong, is totally interesting. :D
Buffalo may have a shitty economy, but at least WE HAVE A VOTE IN CONGRESS!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! *GASP* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Buffalo may have a shitty economy, but at least WE HAVE A VOTE IN CONGRESS!
OUCH. Matt, that was mean!! :P It’s not nice to pick on those of us who are disenfranchised and unrepresented. Lucky for us we may not get to vote but we do get to live side by side with those lovely people who do the voting…yay.
You all are having your own argument which don’t get me wrong, is totally interesting. :D
Yup, I know it :P I was totally responding to comments and not your well thought out post, I’m aware. I do that! I mix it up! I try to mildly engage smarter people in debates I can never win! For I am…CAPS FAN.
Buffalo may have a shitty economy, but at least WE HAVE A VOTE IN CONGRESS!
ZING! (We were all thinkin’ it, Matt was just sayin’ it… Well played, Matt. Well played!)
For I am…CAPS FAN.
Admitting it is the first step to recovery. :P
You all are having your own argument which don’t get me wrong, is totally interesting. :D
Um, and… yeah. Sorry. I suppose I could have taken this to my own blog, but I prefer to say the really inflammatory stuff while hiding behind other people’s reputations.
I suppose I could have taken this to my own blog, but I prefer to say the really inflammatory stuff while hiding behind other people’s reputations.
Oh please, my reputation was built on writing scenes about Lindy Ruff taking bong hits. There’s not much to hide behind. :D
One more thing, thank you CapsChick for playing the role of “DC blogger” tonight! I totally respect you for stepping into this crazy whirlwind.
And again, thank you to everyone who contributed to this awesome conversation!
Your welcome for participating, Katebits. I’m still waiting here for OFB to apologize to me for ruining my mood and my Devils-Coyotes experience, though. (And yes, I’m still blaming them for that, not the Devils’ sucktitude.)
Oh, that might be a difficult bit of blame to misplace. The Devils really sucked it up this afternoon!
Henceforth, I intend to blame OFB for all sucky hockey experiences. :P
Oh, that might be a difficult bit of blame to misplace. The Devils really sucked it up this afternoon!
Oh, Matt. They were clearly TOTALLY het up about OFB’s comments. There is simply no other explanation for it. (SHUT UP! *Runs away crying*)
Wow, did I miss some excitement.
The babies over at OFB have been through all this before. Early last year, some BfloBlog commenters defended Buffalo’s honor over there (I wasn’t one of them). It was the same crybaby stuff…waah, Sabres fans buy all our tickets…waah, they don’t like Ovechkin…waah, their city is full of losers.
They are fine Fanboy bloggers over there. But the fawning over one of the worst teams in hockey while having your head so far up Leonsis’ ass gets a bit tedious, so I cut back my reading to around the time they play Buffalo. And obviously, I haven’t even been doing that much.
Kevin, I have no idea why, but your comments always end up in my spam filter. I am so glad I caught this one, I hope I haven’t missed too many of your comments.
This whole experience has been a real eye-opener. I was under the impression that On Frozen Blog was, um, good. I’ve been totally stunned not only by the original post, but by the way they have responded to the comments we have left on their blog. Interacting with them has reminded me a lot of the insane email exchange I had with Bucky Gleason earlier this year, which is scary, because say what you want about Bucky, at least the dude gets PAID to write his columns.
The funniest thing is that they were all so busy calling Buffalonians heathens and hockey-ruining miscreants, that none of them noticed that NOT ONCE did any of us argue with them on that point! Heh. My only point was that if you’re going to be a douchebag about a whole community of people, you should at LEAST be funny about it.
I have to disagree with CapsChick on one point. The Flyers fans have always been, and will always be, the worst. I’ve never had Buffalo fans dropping F-bombs and saying everyone in my section is a f-ing a-hole right behind my two-year-old like those classy Flyers fans. Maybe I’ve just been lucky that way. I’d take Sabres fans over Flyers fans any day. I hate Flyers fans.
Why doesn’t St. Catharines fall into Lake Ontario?…
…because Buffalo sucks.
Oh, yeah…and Flyer fans are the worst.
Hey Deuce, thanks for chiming in. I’ve been trying to stay away from the issue of whether or not Sabres fans are jerks just because I actually don’t think it’s relevant to this discussion, but I’m not going to lie, it’s nice to hear from a Caps fan that doesn’t think we’re the very worst. I mean, if you’re not better than the Flyers fans, who ARE you better than?!
Peerless, I love your joke, even though it’s at the expense of my beloved city. You just displayed a more sophisticated appreciation for proper fan behavior than I saw all day in my dealings with On Frozen Blog.
I can only speak from my experience from going to the last game of the season, when a very good Buffalo team played a very bad Washington team.
There were quite a few loud and obnoxious fans. I don’t mean just booing and making fun of the Caps. I mean profane stuff, and you can just use your imagination as to what they were saying.
The “worst” part was that it was a giveaway night, Ovechkin screen/poster things. As I was walking around the upper concourse, there were groups of Buffalo fans stomping on the posters, trying to tear them up and other unpleasant things. This, of course, lead to dust-ups with fed-up Caps fans.
Not damning a whole group of fans, since I’m sure there were plenty of well-behaved folks, but this kind of behavior is what leads some to paint with a broad brush.
While my dealings with the OFB guys have generally been good, you have to wonder if their being afforded special status by the caps (press box credentials, the trip to Russia) has led to a “poo doesn’t stink” attitude.
odessasteps, I have no doubt that there have been some very annoying deeds perpetrated in the name of Sabres fandom in your arena, and I am not defending those acts.
Anonymous (if that IS your real name): Heh.
I didn’t mean to suggest that you were.
Just wanted to share an anecdote about why the Sabres fans in DC engender the kind of dislike usually reserved for Pens, Flyers and Rangers fans. :>
wow, speaking of babies…..