The Smart Fans Cheer Here

Published: Monday, June 25, 2007 1:30 PM PDT

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So Boston fans think we’re supposed to be impressed because the Red Sox Nation is attempting this weekend to take over Petco Park?

Get back to me, New Englanders, when you paint your faces or support a college football or basketball program with the mix of maturity and fervor found in sports fans from Big Ten, Pac-10, Big 12 or SEC country.

Real sports fans follow their team with the spirit and knowledge of college fans. This is a point I’ve made before and make again.

Real sports fans in San Diego show up at Petco Park, Qualcomm Stadium or other West Coast venues for the game being played on the field.

Red Sox fans thump their chests in the stands while wearing overpriced jerseys.

Boston fans want you to believe they’re unique. Remember that goof in the ESPN commercials wearing a Boston Bruins sweater while floating a boat in a tub? There’s a reason they picked that stereotype.

Besides, San Diego’s own Ted Williams had a love-hate relationship with Boston fans. Where else could “the greatest hitter that ever lived” have a relationship that is half hate?

As author John Updike wrote, Williams ran the bases after a home run, “head down, as if our praise were a storm of rain to get out of.”

In San Diego, the Padres and Chargers boast of a mix of fans that grew up in San Diego or are transplanted San Diegans. The true fans, even if transplanted, have adopted San Diego teams for the love of the game while continuing to follow their hometown team from afar.

Note in an above paragraph that the college conference I listed first was Big Ten, since I grew up in Michigan and went to Michigan State. The Detroit Tigers and Al Kaline were my team, and Tom Selleck has nothing on me. But I live in San Diego now.

Interestingly, I heard Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Eric Byrnes on the Mighty XX Thursday describe the Red Sox and Chicago Cubs’ fans as the two most abusive in baseball.

Byrnes, by the way, grew up in the Bay Area and played college baseball at UCLA. He understands West Coast fans (well, USC football might be an exception) go for the games and not to be obnoxious about their tradition.

Memo to Boston fans: If you want to obnoxiously boast about tradition, go back to Boston and tell us from afar.

-- TOM SHANAHAN

5 Comments so far on this story...

You spelled Updike wrong. That is all.

Posted by Umm... | reply to this comment
June 24, 2007 11:46 pm

Mr. Shanahan. You comments couldn't be any farther from the truth. Obviously you have never been to Fenway Park. You will see die hard fans, as well as familys with their kids. Dads teaching their kids how to keep score etc. We support our team regardless of wheter we are in first place or last. Red Sox fans would NEVER leave in the 7th inning like half of the stadium did Friday night in a 2-1 game! Of course in any stadium with a premier team you will have some fans that are loud and annoying but believe me it goes both ways. The difference is Padres and Chargers fans dont travel 3000 miles to support their teams.

Posted by Tim D | reply to this comment
June 25, 2007 12:27 am

So exactly how are Red Sox fans any different from Padre fans, Charger fans, or any other monkey with a ticket? Lets face it, pro sport games are a tax on the stupid and those of us who are forced (taxed) to support them.

Posted by Mike | reply to this comment
June 25, 2007 3:36 am

Shanahan, Come on man, enough with the rants towards New England sports teams. (see previous posts) Did you have a some bad clam chowder back in Boston at some point or what? What's next, a critique of Larry Bird? Could you at least write something that adds to the dialogue rather than whines? Perhaps in your next post you could explain what the term "Homer" means in the sports world....you know, for readers who aren't "real" sports fans...

Posted by World Series Ring | reply to this comment
June 25, 2007 7:47 am

As a native Bostonian and now a San Diegan at heart, I both agree and disagree with you. Boston fans are wonderful. If they look crazy, it's because it's so much more than a game to them. It's life. As far as Red Sox fans being obnoxious...um...hav you ever been to Boston? It's not just the Red Sox fans,it's everyone. There's a reason the term "Masshole" exists. But, for some of us, that's just part of what makes Boston special. Personally, as I was walking through the Gaslamp on Friday night with my Sox shirt on, I have to say I was a little embarrassed by the amount of aggression played out on docile Padres fans by the Sox fans. Alas, they are the extended family I both take pride and shame in. GO SOX!

Posted by Diana | reply to this comment
June 25, 2007 7:54 am

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