Marty Brennaman: Cubs Fans Are the Most Obnoxious in Major League Baseball

[YugoScratchNSnf]

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008...s-fans-are-the-most-obnoxious-in-major-leagu/

Marty Brennaman: Cubs Fans Are the Most Obnoxious in Major League Baseball
Posted Apr 18th 2008 12:07AM by Eamonn Brennan
Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, Reds, NL Central, MLB Media Watch, Cincinnati

Everyone hates their rivals. It's understandable. It's a natural byproduct of cheering for your own team; if you stand in the way of my team's success, and you do so on a regular basis, I'm probably going to hate you. Fine.

But who knew Marty Brennaman had these sorts of issues with Chicago Cubs fans? After a weird, impromptu throwback fest last night (HT to my buddy Josh) -- which was funny until about the 10th ball made its way back on to the field -- Brennaman absolutely snapped. The Chicago Tribune has the audio, or you can jump for a transcript. Go on, listen. It's really choice stuff.

Back? Cool. In case you're still reeling, Brennaman just said what you thought he did: Cubs fans are the most obnoxious fans in Major League Baseball. They deserve to be rooted against. The actions of a few fans are in fact "typical" of the entire fan base, and, the clincher: The Cubs won't win the division this year because they're the Cubs, and they'll find a way to screw things up.

There are a variety of problems here, which I'll try to elucidate rationally even though am I a Cubs fan.
One: A bunch of fans throwing anything is always a minority, and doesn't reflect much about the fan base at large. If you want to get all outraged about something like this, aim your sights a more efficiently. Two: Rooting against anyone is an inherently petty thing to do. Fun as hell. But also petty, and probably not something you want to admit if you're a professional broadcaster. Three: If I'm not mistaken, the Cubs won this very same division no more than seven months ago. So either that theory about them screwing the whole thing up is about the World Series -- and really, taking the field against one team is such a brave point of view -- or Brennaman only follows baseball one season at a time. Something doesn't add up!

If Brennaman sought to make all Reds fans look like petty, stupid cranks, he sure did his damndest. Fortunately for the fine denizens of Cincinnati, no reasonable person would stoop so low as to actually associate other Reds fans with this preening idiot.


TRANSCRIPT: "This is what makes you want to see this Chicago Cubs team lose. Among all baseball fans -- I can't attest to the Yankees and Red Sox because we don't see them with any degree of regularity unless it's interleague play -- but far and away the most obnoxious fans in baseball in this league are those who follow this team right here. Throwing 15 or 18 balls on the field, there's absolutely no excuse for that and that is so typical of Chicago Cub fans. It's unbelievable."

"Throwing the ball back, that's great, that's a Chicago Cub tradition that other teams have picked up on, and that's fine."

"It's ridiculous, it really is ... You simply root against them. I've said all winter, people talk about this team winning the division, and my comment is they won't win it because at the end of the day, they're still the Chicago Cubs and they will figure out a way to screw this whole thing up.

Brantley: "And then they'll have no one to boo but themselves.

Brennaman: "Well, they never blame themselves."

Brantley: "They'll blame that old billy goat."

Brennaman: "Yep."

 

[SamuelKhan]

The announcer was doing his job. Throwing debris and other crap on the field during a game is totally stupid. Props to him for also getting something right: Cubs fans blame an animal for not winning and...

You're five outs from the World Series and then, wouldn't you know it?

Blame some foul ball seeker for choking the rest of the series to the Marlins.

CUBS: Completely Useless By September

 

[Goodieluver]

Cub fans are the worst in baseball.


A new embarrassment also came out after that incident. Independent vendors were selling fukudome shirts outside wrigley and they had a image of the cub bear face with slanted eyes and big glasses and the Japanese script "Horry Kow" on it, and apparently its the second highest merch being sold next to japanese bandanna's the fools are buying to "honor" fukudome. Fukudome then came out saying he was not pleased with all of that, esp the shirts. Also, after Fukudome's first game, Cub fans were bowing and had japanese script signs saying what they thought said "Its gonna happen" but the translation really said "It was lucky"

Yeah, and people got nerve to say Sox fans are classless and trash. We never had bold face racism as a merch plan.

Also, WGN\their lackey announcers didnt announce that when fukudome hit a triple a few games back against Pitt, some douchebag fan threw beer on the center fielder tryin to screw him up, it was seen briefly on tv before they cut to elsewhere

 

[milagros317]

I would say that the most obnoxious fans in MLB are the criminals who infest the home park of the hated jints. When the Dodgers play in San Francisco, they throw not merely baseballs but other hard objects such as batteries at the outfielders.

 

[YugoScratchNSnf]

I would say that the most obnoxious fans in MLB are the criminals who infest the home park of the hated jints. When the Dodgers play in San Francisco, they throw not merely baseballs but other hard objects such as batteries at the outfielders.

I just recently heard about that. I BELIEVE the account I heard had to do particularly with the San Diego Padres in 1984 the year they won the NL West and ultimately the NL Pennant at the expense of who else...the Cubs. I have no ill will toward any team or their fans, and in the original post none of those were my comments I just pasted the text of the article. The pic of the billy goat however, was my little extra touch lol

Now that the 2nd and 3rd longest championship droughts in baseball (Red Sox and White Sox) have been ended, it would be nice to see the Cubs end theirs finally. If for no other reason except that its almost painful to listen to Ron Santo on the radio, the agony in his voice when the Cubbies come so close and fall short. I think every time the Cubs choke, Ron has flashbacks to 1969, poor guy. But, if Bart Goatman in '03 couldn't make him give up all hope I don't think anything can lol

 

[Goodieluver]

I would say that the most obnoxious fans in MLB are the criminals who infest the home park of the hated jints. When the Dodgers play in San Francisco, they throw not merely baseballs but other hard objects such as batteries at the outfielders.

Phillies trump the giants i wanna say

 

[phutball]

QUOTE=Goodieluver;1659251]

Cub fans are the worst in baseball.


A new embarrassment also came out after that incident. Independent vendors were selling fukudome shirts outside wrigley and they had a image of the cub bear face with slanted eyes and big glasses and the Japanese script "Horry Kow" on it, and apparently its the second highest merch being sold next to japanese bandanna's the fools are buying to "honor" fukudome. Fukudome then came out saying he was not pleased with all of that, esp the shirts. Also, after Fukudome's first game, Cub fans were bowing and had japanese script signs saying what they thought said "Its gonna happen" but the translation really said "It was lucky"

Yeah, and people got nerve to say Sox fans are classless and trash. We never had bold face racism as a merch plan.

As I recall, White Sox fans destroyed their field in the 80"s with Disco Deomolition night. 1st and only time a game had to be suspended based on fans destroying their own field. Class?

 

[Sleepy Jean]

Brennemann's frustration over the inability of the Reds to be competitive in this century and the last few years of the previous century is showing. Cubs fans have always been the best in baseball (and I have been to 18 MLB parks so I'm not simply a Cubs honk). The worst? Phillies, hands down! Yankees and Red Sox fans are tied for second place.

 

[Goodieluver]

QUOTE=Goodieluver;1659251]
As I recall, White Sox fans destroyed their field in the 80"s with Disco Deomolition night. 1st and only time a game had to be suspended based on fans destroying their own field. Class?

And how many teams have had devastation due to nickel beer night?
Disco demolition had nothing to do with the game and was a PR stunt with steve dahl, many of the people there didnt even care for the game.

And thats still miles beyond classier than the merch being sold outside wrigley. The way the jagbag bleacher idiots act, you'd think they never seen or heard of asian players before

 

[Goodieluver]

Brennemann's frustration over the inability of the Reds to be competitive in this century and the last few years of the previous century is showing. Cubs fans have always been the best in baseball (and I have been to 18 MLB parks so I'm not simply a Cubs honk). The worst? Phillies, hands down! Yankees and Red Sox fans are tied for second place.

Right, when is the last time u been to the urinal, aka wrigley?

I have first hand witnessed the stupidity in both baseball knowledge and just overall knowledge when it comes to the majority of fans there. Hell, many dont even know the score or whats going on cuz theyre too busy getting wasted. A good portion go to Wrigley because they want to say they been there, that can also be said for nearly everyone who shells out a shit ton of money to sit in those rooftop seats, which btw the tribune company got pissy over lost money and demanded they give part of the revenue to the team.


And for humor
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(Yeah, classy to go to an opponents field and just yell "fuck the brewers" nonstop, esp with kids prob around)

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Yeah, people really focused on baseball there

 

[phutball]

And how many teams have had devastation due to nickel beer night?
Disco demolition had nothing to do with the game and was a PR stunt with steve dahl, many of the people there didnt even care for the game.

And thats still miles beyond classier than the merch being sold outside wrigley. The way the jagbag bleacher idiots act, you'd think they never seen or heard of asian players before

But the devastation was so severe that the game the next day was cancelled. Only time in MLB history a game was cancelled due to fan devastation of the field!
I know what disco demolition was about. That is the only way you could get a crowd at a White Sox game was thru a promotion. Otherwise the place sits half empty.

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

I would say that the most obnoxious fans in MLB are the criminals who infest the home park of the hated jints. When the Dodgers play in San Francisco, they throw not merely baseballs but other hard objects such as batteries at the outfielders.

You know Milagros, when Sadira and I were in Los angeles to see the Dodgers and the Mets play in 2006, the Dodgers fans threw anything they could at us and cheered when a Mets player got injuried and booed when he got up or got off the playing field. Don't cream the Giants fans for something your fans do too!!! By the way, those Dodgers Dogs I wouldn't feed to a dog. they are awful!!!

 

[Sleepy Jean]

Right, when is the last time u been to the urinal, aka wrigley?

Yeah, people really focused on baseball there

I don't go to urinals. I have to squat to pee.

I go there several times a year. Granted, I have never been to a night game there. Still, nothing you say about Wrigley has ever been witnessed by me, my husband or my daughter when we've been to the friendly confines.

Profanity? Find me a MLB ballpark where there is none. I'll wait.

The fact that Steve Bartman is still alive is a testament to how restrained Cubs fans are. Do you think if Steve had done that at Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park he would have gotten out in one piece?

Obviously, your hatred of the Cubs is personal. Chill out, my friend.

Peace

 

[Goodieluver]

I don't go to urinals. I have to squat to pee.

I go there several times a year. Granted, I have never been to a night game there. Still, nothing you say about Wrigley has ever been witnessed by me, my husband or my daughter when we've been to the friendly confines.

Profanity? Find me a MLB ballpark where there is none. I'll wait.

The fact that Steve Bartman is still alive is a testament to how restrained Cubs fans are. Do you think if Steve had done that at Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park he would have gotten out in one piece?

Obviously, your hatred of the Cubs is personal. Chill out, my friend.

Peace

I honestly could give 2 shits about the cubs. Im not cubsessed as some sox fans are, only time i would ever care about them or the national league is when the sox play whomever in the world series. But i have endured the media bias for 25 years in the city. The so called "glorious" "loyal" cub fans and yet all the misdeeds they do\are known for dont get reported or are put to the side. Finally the negative news is being put out, the issues with the fans and fukudome, this ball throwing incident. How many times have games been delayed because of fan interference? There were multiple times when people threw trash onto the field from the bleachers, the infamous Dodger brawl with Chad Kreuter.

And yes there is profanity at every game, but that gives a fan reason to swear and curse out a young kid cuz he has a diff team hat on?! Then hi five when the kid leaves?

and who cares about steve bartman? You mention the red sox, bill buckner left boston alive didnt he? The only diff is he ACTUALLY is responsible for the red sox losing

 

[Sleepy Jean]

and who cares about steve bartman? You mention the red sox, bill buckner left boston alive didnt he? The only diff is he ACTUALLY is responsible for the red sox losing

Obviously you don't care about Steve Bartman, but Cubs fans do. And how the hell can you compare Bartman, a fan who's not supposed to interfere with a ball in play, to ex-Cub Buckner, who was on the field to make a play and didn't make it? Nice try. Bartman WAS responsible for the Cubs losing in 2003. And Schiraldi and Stanley were just as responsible for the Red Sox in 1986 as Buckner was.

It's quite obvious this is personal with you. You say you don't care two shits about the Cubs, then go on to tell me why you indeed do care about them. I am not responsible for media bias. I have nothing against the White Sox. I was happy when they won in 2005. Yea, Chicago. But to misrepresent Cubs fans just because you feel slighted by the press is pretty disingenuous, my man.

Uh, you're not Skip Bayless, are you?

 

[Knox The Hatter]

I've always viewed them as being infantile.

They must be. One time, during a WGN telecast, I actually heard Steve Stone apologize to the audience for applauding a great defensive play by an opposing second baseman. When you have to do that, it only proves that you're talking to a bunch of overgrown children.

Said overgrown children packed the Friendly Confines for years, regardless of the team's performance, cluing Management (Orwellian for Incompetent Stewardship) in on the possibility that building a winning team just might not be that important right now...

I once had to suffer the indignity of a Cubs fan lecturing me on the behavior of the fans in Philadelphia (more of a legend; today the rowdiness is STRICTLY controlled, and the clienetele is much more suburban and minivanish). I told her to shut the hell up and go home to Romper Room.

 

[Goodieluver]

I've always viewed them as being infantile.

They must be. One time, during a WGN telecast, I actually heard Steve Stone apologize to the audience for applauding a great defensive play by an opposing second baseman. When you have to do that, it only proves that you're talking to a bunch of overgrown children.

Said overgrown children packed the Friendly Confines for years, regardless of the team's performance, cluing Management (Orwellian for Incompetent Stewardship) in on the possibility that building a winning team just might not be that important right now...

I once had to suffer the indignity of a Cubs fan lecturing me on the behavior of the fans in Philadelphia (more of a legend; today the rowdiness is STRICTLY controlled, and the clienetele is much more suburban and minivanish). I told her to shut the hell up and go home to Romper Room.

Amen

Stone is now doing pbp with ed farmer for the sox. Steve stone truly is one of the greatest broadcasters around. He has the personal knowledge from playing and from watching the game for so many years. He pretty much tells it how it is

 

[Goodieluver]

Obviously you don't care about Steve Bartman, but Cubs fans do. And how the hell can you compare Bartman, a fan who's not supposed to interfere with a ball in play, to ex-Cub Buckner, who was on the field to make a play and didn't make it? Nice try. Bartman WAS responsible for the Cubs losing in 2003. And Schiraldi and Stanley were just as responsible for the Red Sox in 1986 as Buckner was.

It's quite obvious this is personal with you. You say you don't care two shits about the Cubs, then go on to tell me why you indeed do care about them. I am not responsible for media bias. I have nothing against the White Sox. I was happy when they won in 2005. Yea, Chicago. But to misrepresent Cubs fans just because you feel slighted by the press is pretty disingenuous, my man.

Uh, you're not Skip Bayless, are you?

Why should cub fans care about bartman? For christs sake even Moises Alou admitted he wouldnt get that ball
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3324343

You want to blame someone? Blame alex gonzalez for botching a routine double play right after the bartman incident. Blame kerry wood for being worthless in game 7 and giving up 3 in the first inning. Blame paul Bako and aramis ramirez for batting under 250 for the series
I dont know whether you live or not in chicago but i grew up and lived in chicago for 25 years. Ive seen the media bias, how the papers will pass over notable sports event to report something trivial for the cubs. Fan "interference" happens in many ball games, do you see those teams crying to baseball saying that cost them games? No, because they know some guy reaching for a ball has no real bearing. Again, blame the players, not the fans, not a curse for a century of misery.

Its god damn silly that a "professional" franchise puts its losses on the supernatural and the stupid. Black cats, goats, a dude with a hat. They even destroyed the ball in question to "Remove the curse"
Again, i have nothing against nor care about the cubs, i simple state how it is out of observation.

Fans of st louis sports in general are not much better than cub fans, specif blues and rams fans but not by much

Much like the fans who are complaining about brennaman's comments, you are personifying yourself with the cubs. Its just like fans who go off on tangents because their favorite player gets traded, they dont see the good of it, they think the organization is terrible because your fave player is gone

 

[Sleepy Jean]

Why should cub fans care about bartman? For christs sake even Moises Alou admitted he wouldnt get that ball
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3324343

You want to blame someone? Blame alex gonzalez for botching a routine double play right after the bartman incident. Blame kerry wood for being worthless in game 7 and giving up 3 in the first inning. Blame paul Bako and aramis ramirez for batting under 250 for the series
I dont know whether you live or not in chicago but i grew up and lived in chicago for 25 years. Ive seen the media bias, how the papers will pass over notable sports event to report something trivial for the cubs. Fan "interference" happens in many ball games, do you see those teams crying to baseball saying that cost them games? No, because they know some guy reaching for a ball has no real bearing. Again, blame the players, not the fans, not a curse for a century of misery.

Its god damn silly that a "professional" franchise puts its losses on the supernatural and the stupid. Black cats, goats, a dude with a hat. They even destroyed the ball in question to "Remove the curse"
Again, i have nothing against nor care about the cubs, i simple state how it is out of observation.

Fans of st louis sports in general are not much better than cub fans, specif blues and rams fans but not by much

Much like the fans who are complaining about brennaman's comments, you are personifying yourself with the cubs. Its just like fans who go off on tangents because their favorite player gets traded, they dont see the good of it, they think the organization is terrible because your fave player is gone

No, I'm going to keep blaming Bartman. I doubt you have ever played baseball, or if you have you won't admit the obvious. This is what I have heard from those who have played the game -- it isn't a game played on adreneline (sp?) like football, basketball or hockey. The slowness of it means that players have too much time to think and therefore too much time to dwell on every negative (like a boneheaded "fan" interfering with a foul ball when he should have known that every out is precious). Karma plays a big role in baseball.

If Bartman allows Alou to at least TRY to make that catch, Gonzales doesn't boot the ground ball. It's all psychological, my Cubs-hating friend. And what the hell is the reference to Game 7? Did any sane person think the Cubs would win Game 7 after what happened in Game 6? Psychology. Any Red Sox fan will agree with me here. Did you honestly think the Red Sox were going to win Game 7 of the 1986 World Series? Are you even old enough to remember it?

And what about your cheap shot about Cubs fans upset about trades? Total nonsense. Yes, I love the Cubs. Loved them from the day I first stepped into Wrigley Field as a little girl. Loved them since my first bratwurst at Murphy's, seeing all the wonderful people digging on the sunshine and the baseball and the love. Loved Billy Williams and Glenn Beckert. Please forgive me for rooting for the wrong team.

Peace

 

[Knox The Hatter]

Its god damn silly that a "professional" franchise puts its losses on the supernatural and the stupid. Black cats, goats, a dude with a hat. They even destroyed the ball in question to "Remove the curse"
Again, i have nothing against nor care about the cubs, i simple state how it is out of observation.

It is stupid, and ridiculous.

I think if blame's to be assigned, it should go to Cubs Management (ah, the need to press the Orwellian aspects of that word...). I remember back in the 70s, the Cubs front office resembled a bad sitcom filled with moronic, pathetic characters, presided over by an owner who the other owners in the league regarded as, at best, an eccentric uncle who just might be capable of protesting contemporary political conditions in the country by parading before the Capitol in his birthday suit. The Cubs lost. And they lost a LOT.

As for the goat, I was surprised that this event actually happened. For years, I thought that it was some silly story that might've been told to the late Mike Royko, in the late afternoon ginny haze of a North Side tap room, but I still believe that a big fuss was made of this by, say, the sportswriters for the Trib and the Sun-Times, for want of something to write about, something that would put an exclamation point on 'Cubsism'. Much as the writers in the press box at any of New York's ballparks would spend the better part of a rain delay inventing anecdotes by Yogi Berra.

I really don't believe in curses (although I do seriously wonder about what is truly going on with the New York Jets). I believe in incompetence. And stupidity. And shortsightedness. I also believe in liquor, and the evils of its abuse- the real life (and not supernatural) answer to the pratfalls of the Red Sox for so many years. When the owner, and the general manager, and the field manager are sitting in said owner's office, whiling away afternoons until they need to be picked up by a forklift and sent home, it makes for some very un-entertaining baseball. No curse. Just enlarged livers.

Like the Red Sox, the Cubs players themselves have to believe they can win. They have to put the media in their place, because they can psych you out very easily, and they are out to sell newspapers on your misery. They have to do this all by themselves, and yes, it is very difficult. But, the rewards? Ah...

 

[natural tickler]

You know Milagros, when Sadira and I were in Los angeles to see the Dodgers and the Mets play in 2006, the Dodgers fans threw anything they could at us and cheered when a Mets player got injuried and booed when he got up or got off the playing field. Don't cream the Giants fans for something your fans do too!!! By the way, those Dodgers Dogs I wouldn't feed to a dog. they are awful!!!

hey buddy, I was there too.

And afa Dodger Dogs go, I agree 100%

 

[natural tickler]

An btw, as far as Brennemann" comments go, well, if there was fans in cincinnati, he would then have time to talk about his own. A man who is simply jealous of the fact that no one comes to watch his sorry Reds, and the fact that more visiting teams fans come to their sorry ballpark than Reds fans

And goodielover, as a chicago native and cubs fan, i am offended that you would lump a few idiots in with fans who are educated, and civilized fans

To paint everyone with the same brush is wrong

 

[Sleepy Jean]

An btw, as far as Brennemann" comments go, well, if there was fans in cincinnati, he would then have time to talk about his own. A man who is simply jealous of the fact that no one comes to watch his sorry Reds, and the fact that more visiting teams fans come to their sorry ballpark than Reds fans

And goodielover, as a chicago native and cubs fan, i am offended that you would lump a few idiots in with fans who are educated, and civilized fans

To paint everyone with the same brush is wrong

I don't understand what species of bugs are up the asses of Goodieluver and Knox, either. I don't believe in curses and neither do the vast majority of Cubs fans. I believe in mediocre players, retarded managment, meatheaded field managers (Leo Durocher) and fans who think grabbing a ball that was actually used in a real live Major League Baseball game is a thrill akin to the thrill I feel when my husband tickles me.

Goodieluver, your team won the 2005 World Series. Why are you such a grouch? After 88 years of frustration you should be doing cartwheels. If the Cubs won a WS I would just say "thank you, God" and shut up because I can now die a happy woman.

Your team has a championship in your lifetime. Mine doesn't. My husband's team (Cleveland Indians) doesn't. Chill out, already!

Peace

 

[phutball]

As of this post, Cubs are still in 1st place! Only 6 months to go. Go Cubbies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[phutball]

5 Months to go. Cubs up 1 1/2 games.