NFL fans and taunting in sports
by David Fucillo on Jun 20, 2009 8:00 AM PDT
in San Francisco 49ers News
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PrintI received an email the other day from someone doing research on sports taunting "and the kind of things that would make a specific team's fan base tick." He had several questions and I thought rather than just turn around some answers, I'd open it up for discussion among the great assortment of 49ers fans we have here.
Who do you consider the 49ers' biggest rivals?
At this point, I'd probably guess the Cardinals or Seahawks would be the 49ers biggest rivals. Historically it's obviously the Cowboys. Additionally, the late 90s saw the 49ers and Packers develop quite the rivalry. However, if we're looking for biggest current rivals, Arizona or Seattle would have to be it.
What teams and specific NFL players do the casual or die-hard 49er fan hate the most?
I'd imagine the Patriots are probably up there. For a while I had problems with the Bears after the tampering scandal, but that's really kind of blown over at this point. The Seahawks and Cardinals bug me as divisional rivals, but I really can't quite generate hate. In the end, I'd say it's the Cowboys I hate the most. Anytime they struggle I find myself entertained.
As far as players, it used to be Terrell Owens. His destruction of the 49ers drove me crazy and once the pattern continued in Philly and Dallas I moved from hate to general amusement. I don't know if I really hate TO, but I really don't like him. Brett Favre, whether he stays or goes, is up there on my list too. At first it was his success against the 49ers. Now it's his ridiculous retirement charades.
If you were wanted to taunt players within the 49ers’ division, who would be the biggest targets? The rest of the league?
Kurt Warner definitely deserves some serious taunting. I think somebody needs to come up with a good God sign after he said God told him to head back to Arizona. Given the path of free agency, I don't know how many other players there are that I would really taunt all that much. TO I suppose. Maybe Roethlisberger? Brady? In the end, it's become more of a team league in my mind.
What kind of taunts would sting the casual 49ers fan the most—going after the make-up of the fan base, individual players, coach, or the city?
I think it'd be going after the recent struggles of the team. Some of the less intelligent folks will roll out the gay jokes about being in San Francisco. While that can get annoying, it's also an easy way to tell the idiots in the conversation. You can figure out who they are and pretty much just annoy them the rest of the way. However, given the team's history of success it can certainly sting hearing about the struggles, as with any team.
In less than 100 words, best describe the San Francisco fan base.
I actually don't there is a single way to describe the 49ers fan base. In meeting 49ers fans around the world, it often seems like there are no two fans alike. It's not like looking at fans of the Oakland Raiders. It's pretty easy to stereotype a Raiders fan. But a 49ers fan? Not so much. Even without seeing people, just reading this website will show the vast differences among us. I used to hear about how 49ers fans were the whine and cheese crowd, but I know that is most definitely not the case anymore.
What are the common stereotypes associated with 49er fans? In what ways are they true/false?
There's the whine and cheese crowd idea I mentioned above. While there are certainly that style of fan, it's not the majority of fans so only partially true I suppose. Other than that I'm honestly not sure of stereotypes of 49ers fans. Anybody have any ideas out there?
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Team we most like to taunt
I’d throw in a vote for the raiders. The two organizations have very different feels, but are located so geographically close. Don’t care that we don’t play them every year. They just annoy me.
Most despised team? Easy, the Cowpies.
The Cowgirl hatred goes waaay back, all the way to The Catch. Before that, it was the LA Rams. The Cards and the Seahawks? Not so much – the Cards have never been much, and never will be as long as they’re owned by world-class cheapskate Bill Bidwell. And it was hard to get upset with the Seahawks when Mike Holmgren was there because everybody likes Mike.
And while we’re talking about SF fans, how could you forget the quiche? Which I love, btw. But anyone who has been to a 49er game knows there is a big difference between 9ers fans and Raiders fans, mostly in the thickness of the pot smoke and the number of flying beer cans.
Randy Cross
once described 49er fans as a bunch of “…white wine sipping yuppies (or pussys forgot which…” after there was some criticism about the level of play at some point. Yea,,niner fans come in all sizes ( even 3XL) from beer guzzling, pot smoking “dudes and dogs” chowing down on dogs, burgers, tri tips and Brats- to the Winnebago crowd with caviar and crab complete with wine cellars. One thing we all have in common though is "… We love to beat the lams and the cowgirls. The cards and hawks will go down this year…
by WC-Ninerhead on Jun 20, 2009 11:55 AM PDT up reply actions
What is a typical Ninerfan like?
Jim Rome used to mention that nobody was more myopic than a Niners fan. Even though major success hasn’t happened in years, a lot of times we think we are only a player away. Win two in a row and things are really happening. I think our history of success gives us a sense of entitlement. I miss the good ’ol days
"sense of entitlement"
precisely
not that that’s bad, it just means we have high standards – but fans for the greatest football team ever should have high standards, so that’s cool
"Those boos really motivate me to make something happen." - Bonds
All fans
have a sense of entitlement. They hope and expect their teams to do better. They want their teams to win. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be fans.
Jim Rome is an ass-clown with a routine that is old.
by Bob In Beaverton on Jun 21, 2009 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions
All you need to do...
Is read the results of a fan poll here.
There is where you see the Myopia.
Well, we're waiting....
"What are the common stereotypes associated with 49er fans?"
A lot of them drink the kool-aid? >_>
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
49er fan stereotypes?
the gay thing is the one i hear most. then again i have lots of friends who are raiders fans. the 5 rings usually shuts those a-holes up though.
is it just me? but i dont think most natives of san francisco really appreciate what a blessed franchise they have in their city. unlike cities like dallas, green bay where fans realize how great their franchises are. in sf it seems like the appreciation isnt there as much.
in sf it seems like the appreciation isnt there as much.
I think it’s there.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jun 21, 2009 11:39 PM PDT up reply actions
It's there in SF...
On Sunday before a home game, I would see a lot of 49er fans on the MUNI, heading towards the Stick. I used to hang out at Clooney’s in the Mission during away games, drinking and watching with a crew of 49er fans who were as hardcore as you can get. I think people who don’t see SF as a football town really don’t know SF at all. I’ve lived there most of my adult life, and it’s a great football town.
Well, we're waiting....
I enjoy both whining and cheese.
Especially cheese.
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Generally, yes
I was going by the post.
Also, I’m not really much of a wine guy.
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this guys Q&A
i agree with pretty much everything he says
Me im the typical male nfl fan
if i was a oakland fan i would probley be a wannabe g unit thuggin hater
but im a niner fan…i share my weed and ask if u want a beer no matter what team u like (except if u are a cowboy fan or a packer fan!) im not violent and i will not riot when my team wins or loses i will celebrate with good times and laughter…heckling is fun and its awesome yet as a niner fan i wont use rascist comments or act like a retard…cause most niner fans seem to be somewhat educated to the degree that we know we are glad al davis isnt are owner hahah
I’d like to put a different spin on this very interesting discussion (at least, so far).
As a native of the San Francisco Bay Area who moved to the home of the SB XXIX losers a little over ten years ago, I never understood why any “rivalry” had to be fabricated between 49er and Raider fans (IMO, based on little more than the mere geographic proximity, which to me is not enough, especially since the teams don’t usually play each other in preseason). To this day I still consider myself a San Francisco Bay Area sports fan, with the exception of Stanford, since most of my mother’s family and myself were Cal graduates.
If any of the existing California NFL franchises’ fan bases deserve to be tweaked, of necessity it must be the chargers, since they have yet to bring back even one Lombardi Trophy. I’m admittedly stereotyping here, but I see far too many charger fans as crybabies and poor losers.
Going back to SB XXIX, I happened to be in San Diego in January 1995, and the charger fans’ whining started when the point spread was announced, giving rise to what they thought was “disrespect”. I’d go so far to say that if the Raiders were charger fans’ #1 most disliked team, then at that time the 49ers were either #2 or at least 1B to the Raiders 1A.
I have no hatred against the Raiders, per se.
All things being equal, I’d like them to succeed. But it’s clear that the team administration (Al Davis) is incompetent now (n-o-w, but not thirty or forty years ago). And I really find the typical Raiders fan, who is always trashtalking while having nothing to back it up with, very silly. Maybe if there is a regime change over there the culture would change. But I’ll root for the Raiders despite the fans.
As far as the Niners, they’re my team. I find the fans, compared to Oakland’s more informed and better to be around.
I’m sick of Favre. That has little to do with his on-field playing. It’s the drama queen stuff. I hate the Cowboys, going back to the seventies. (I’ve dislike Dallas the city going back to when JFK was assassinated there back in the sixties.) I find Warner’s every explanation having to do with his speed dialing to Heaven over the top and wouldn’t mind some old-fashioned humility visiting him this year.
I like beer over wine, Jameson’s over beer, but I’m diabetic so I can’t overindulge much anymore. Go Niners!
by Bob In Beaverton on Jun 21, 2009 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions
I – biggest rivals –
you said it, Dallas, Green Bay, Seattle & Arizona – although I have a feeling over the next 5 years/next decade we may develop quite a hate filled rivalry with Arizona – my guess is we’ll be fighting neck and neck with them over the division for years now
II – Teams we hate the most –
1. Dallas – can suck it
2. Green Bay – they gave up on Favre, and Aaron Rodgers is a Californian, I’m surprised but I really don’t hate Green Bay anymore
3. Oakland – their fans are pretty bad, the threats about having to share a stadium with this crappy team is really starting to annoy me, Al Davis is EVIL, and they are competing with us for fans – they’d get more hate if they weren’t just so pathetic right now
4. New England – evil empire of the NFL, and Boston fans are mega-douches just begging for you to clock them one
5. Pittsburgh – all the boasting about having more superbowls than we do now has just put them on the hate list starting this season
III – Currently playing Players we hate the most –
1 – Brett Favre – eat (expletive-deleted) and die
2 – Tony Romo – just too easy to hate right now
3 – Antonio Bryant - thanks douchebag, way to suddenly have your prime years right after you leave San Francisco
4 – Steven Jackson – no St. Louis player should be this good, I hate seeing him run through our defensive line – for some reason, no other RB in the NFL annoys me when he plays us as much as this guy does
IV – NFL Players To Taunt
1, 2 – Favre & Romo, to which list we can add Matt Hasselbeck, Marc Bulger, & Kurt Warner
V – Taunts that Sting Us the Most
Oh that’s easy – Alex Smith being on our roster (along with either something about a first round overall draft pick, or something about small hands, or something about him competing for our starting QB gig). For years now, my friends have taunted me every time Smith would walk out onto the field. I can’t put him on the “hate” list because he’s a 49er and I may be obligated to root for him again – please, please no
VI – San Francisco fan base
What do they expect us to say? We’re the greatest fanbase for the greatest team in the NFL. Actually, I could describe our fan base with one word – TRADITION. We pride ourselves on having a golden tradition of greatness that makes us different from everyone else. Is this biased? Of course it is, but who cares.
VII – 49er Fan Stereotype
Only thing I can think of is family. I know a ton of other Niners fans with fathers and grandfathers who were hard-core Niners fans (back in the 40s when the team began). This probably isn’t exclusive to us though, how many other fans of other teams have grandfathers who were rooting for the same team they now are? I personally know a Green Bay fan and a Washington fan that both do.
"Those boos really motivate me to make something happen." - Bonds
by Persiflage on Jun 20, 2009 11:12 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
1 – Brett Favre – eat (expletive-deleted) and die
Don’t forget [site decorum], the best censored block ever
Blind devotion.
by ProfessorBigelow on Jun 21, 2009 2:15 PM PDT up reply actions
Great post to start the morning!
Being a niners fan for almost 40 years now, I have to admit that truthfully, I pretty much hate every other NFL team! lol But I have a few “special” teams I despise more than the others.
1. Dallas – I so love it when they suck/choke. (Like last year!! lmao)
2. Gay Boy Fudgepackers – I still say Henderson fumbled that ball and Norton ran it in for a TD.
3. Denver – Its because of that MNF game with the snowball that made Wersching miss that field goal.
4. Chokeland Faders – Just because.
Gay Boy Fudgepackers
Really?
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It makes me has a sad.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jun 21, 2009 11:42 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
"His(TO) destruction of the 49ers drove me crazy" and Taunting
Dude! Seriously! TO’s destruction of the team? I almost don’t know what to say Fooch. Very disappointed. TO did not destroy this team. The powers that be are why this team has had 7 down years. Not TO. Sure he’s a pain in the ass but come on now. Up until he left he put up great numbers for this team. I don’t care what he did off the field, said to coaches(Greg Knapp was a conservative hack), said to Garcia. He performed at a high level up til the moment he was traded and you never saw him give up on a play. What really destroyed this team was getting rid of both Garcia and TO. Not to mention they didn’t get jack crap from the TO trade cept a DE that didn’t play one down for the team and I can’t remember but I thought it was a lame draft pick too(could be wrong. Tell me.). I think there is too much blame put on him for the team’s demise.
Taunting
Love it. It’s a part of the game. All of the banter that goes here and there. Love to taunt about our rings when a fan of a team that has less or none at all spouts off(which is almost every team). What gets me when it comes to fans that taunt us is when they take shots at our players. That is the team. City and fan make up don’t really bother me. I think it’s funny when opposing fans take shots at the fact that we haven’t been competitive in 7 years. Every team has their down years. There are 5 teams that haven’t even been to the Super Bowl and 10 total that haven’t taken home the trophy. We still have a playoff win under our belts longer than the Cowgirls! America’s team! They haven’t won jack since 96. Or even better’; the Cards fans. Are you serious? You guys made it through the championship and into the SB. Woopty-fricken-doo! Try doing it 5 times then talk to me. Youv’e won the division once. Talk to me when you’ve won it 17 times! And Green Bay? Well…Favre isn’t there anymore so I’ve lightened up to them alil. But for how “Great” they were in the 90’s having our number and all, how many Super Bowls did they win? Lastly, a Raiders loss in the Super Bowl is almost as good as a 9er win. I still give some of my buddies a hard time about 02. Love it all!
Fans stuck in the 80's are lame. Respect the past, live in the now.
exaggeration
I was exaggerating just a bit in discussing TO. He certainly didn’t destroy the team as there were plenty of problems, but his problems with Garcia and the coaching staff certainly didn’t help matters at all.
by David Fucillo on Jun 22, 2009 7:49 AM PDT up reply actions
Agreed
Like I said they should have atleast gotten rid of one of them. And if they kept Garcia and gotten rid of TO they shouldn’t have been in such a rush. I would’ve asked for a number 1 pick for sure otherwise he could play for us or rot on the bench. The 9ers skuffed it up big time.
Fans stuck in the 80's are lame. Respect the past, live in the now.
Ryan Leaf was great to taunt
I went to a 49er game against the Chargers back in Leafs rookie year, my bro though we had seats behind the niners bench but it turned out to be the blue side, Leaf was just standing there ripe for the picking and I let him have it all day, at one point he had to be restrained by a teamate, it was awsome. He never amounted to much after that and id like to think I had somthing to do with that. We’ll Seau and me.
McSingraye?
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