The Nats Thread (old thread link inside, too many load issues)

[MattFancy]

Let me try: After the 1971 season, the Senators were stolen by Bob Short and moved to Texas. At that time, that team from Baltimore was the most hated rival of the Senators. Many longtime Senators fans adopted that team from Baltimore as their own. From 1971 until the Expos moved to DC in 2005 the bank account of Baltimore owners were lined with money from Washingtonians who supported that team in Baltimore. As people from my generation who supported that team from Baltimore passed down their support to their children, the DC fanbase for Baltimore got much deeper and stronger.

This support helped to keep a MLB team from returning to DC for over 30 years. We can argue what percent of Washingtonians supported the games, but it was more than 0%. And Baltimore owners did everything they could to make sure a team was not brought to DC during all those years.

Again, I can understand the hatred toward Angelos for keeping a team out of DC. I get that. But to tell me I'm not a real DC sports fan or that I'm harming my hometown by not rooting for the Nats is ridiculous.

You live in Richmond, if an NFL team or MLB team move there, would you drop the Skins and Nats?

[SnyderShrugged]

apologies if its already been said, but would the thread title possibly qualify for the out of context thread? LOL

[GoSkins0721]

Again, I can understand the hatred toward Angelos for keeping a team out of DC. I get that. But to tell me I'm not a real DC sports fan or that I'm harming my hometown by not rooting for the Nats is ridiculous.

You live in Richmond, if an NFL team or MLB team move there, would you drop the Skins and Nats?

It wasn't just Angelos who kept teams from coming to DC. It was all past owners. PLUS the fact that ex-Senators fans (if you can call them that) continued to support a team in Baltimore. It inflated the attendance numbers and gave the city of DC a false sense of having their own team. It wasn't their team. It was Baltimore's team. And the Washington papers were just as much to blame. They pushed the Baltimore team as if it was our own. It wasn't. IT WAS OUR MOST HATED RIVAL. The Senators fans post-1971 should never, ever have given Baltimore $.01 of their money. It would have brought a team back to DC much, much quicker.

I might live in Richmond, but I'm born & raised in DC. No, I wouldn't drop the Skins and/or Nats if a team moved here. I would support them, but not if hurt the standings of the Nats or Skins.

---------- Post added April-19th-2012 at 03:05 PM ----------

apologies if its already been said, but would the thread title possibly qualify for the out of context thread? LOL

Yeah...sorry. I'm done.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

BS. I root for the Nats and the O's. You don't erase 30 years of fandom by getting a team. I had season tix to O's the year of their 50th anny. I had season tix to the Nats their first year back.

Again, I think my analogy works. You support who you are. You support your hometown.

Harm my hometown? I doubt DC is falling apart because I stayed an Oriole fan. I'm staying loyal to the team I've always rooted for.

Of course it does. It takes away attention from the Nats. It takes away money from the Nats. You don't think the Nats succeeding helps DC?

[MattFancy]

Of course it does. It takes away attention from the Nats. It takes away money from the Nats. You don't think the Nats succeeding helps DC?

That makes no sense. Where do you live? So don't go to Redskins games because a portion of that money goes to PG County and not DC.

My hometown is now Owings Mills. So maybe I shouldn't even root for the Orioles because my money is going to help Baltimore City and not Baltimore County.

I still pay attention to the Nats. I watch their games, I go to their games. I buy hats and shirts.

I just think you're making a broad ridiculous statement. Your location says DMV. So doesn't that mean you support all of DC, MARYLAND, and Virginia? So wouldn't you support the O's?

[DjTj]

Again, I think my analogy works. You support who you are. You support your hometown.

What if I was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs? Where is the border between "DMV" and Baltimore?

[Tulane Skins Fan]

I used to root for the Mets, before the Nats came to town. When the Nats came to town though, Mike Piazza had pretty much just retired. I was able to make a clean break.

While I really don't care if people want to root for both the O's and the Nats, I cant understand why people from the DC area who grew up with the O's actually somehow still identify with the current team. The O's are an ongoing turnstyle of players. What is the ongoing rooting interest? What is the investment?

Again, your decision is fine with me. But, it just doesn't make sense to me.

[MattFancy]

I used to root for the Mets, before the Nats came to town. When the Nats came to town though, Mike Piazza had pretty much just retired. I was able to make a clean break.

While I really don't care if people want to root for both the O's and the Nats, I cant understand why people from the DC area who grew up with the O's actually somehow still identify with the current team. The O's are an ongoing turnstyle of players. What is the ongoing rooting interest? What is the investment?

Again, your decision is fine with me. But, it just doesn't make sense to me.

Its just the team I've always rooted for. You could say the same about the Skins with people that left town. I'm loyal to my team and I'm sticking with them.

[Riggo#44]

I used to root for the Mets, before the Nats came to town. When the Nats came to town though, Mike Piazza had pretty much just retired. I was able to make a clean break.

While I really don't care if people want to root for both the O's and the Nats, I cant understand why people from the DC area who grew up with the O's actually somehow still identify with the current team. The O's are an ongoing turnstyle of players. What is the ongoing rooting interest? What is the investment?

Again, your decision is fine with me. But, it just doesn't make sense to me.

I had a similar experience. I was a Mets fan from the days of Darryl, Doc and Dykstra. Suffered through the early 90's, enjoyed the Piazza, Alfonso, Olerud, Ventura teams. However, the Nats are my dream: a hometown baseball team. I had 0 reservations about dropping the Mets.

I've hated the O's for as long as I can remember, especially after all of Angelos' shenanigans to keep a team out of DC.

[hunterx]

Things will get on track again when we play tonight, no problem with the short derail

We face Bud Norris on the mound tonight, who has had a good year. He's got a 1.08 WHIP, 122 strikes out of 187 total pitches. He's pretty fresh compared to EJax, having only thrown 82 pitches in his last start against the Marlins.

On a side note, Bronson Arroyo pitching a heck of a game against a Cardinals team who scored 11 runs on them yesterday.

[SkinsHokieFan]

What if I was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs? Where is the border between "DMV" and Baltimore?

Laurel Maryland

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Laurel Maryland

Pick whatever you want. It just doesn't make sense to me to have two teams in any sport.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Pick whatever you want. It just doesn't make sense to me to have two teams in any sport.

I root for the Skins and Chargers.

[mmzznnxx]

Three hits already for Jackson, almost a throwing error by the CF, Werth can't get to a fly ball, Lombardozzi can't grab a bouncer at start. All in the first inning.

Does not bode well for tonight.

Edit: Nearly a home run, Ramos drops a ball for what would have been an easy play at the plate. 3-0 already. I'm not liking our chances at our first home sweep.

[skinfan2k]

good that we took the series already. i think this might light a fire under the offense like what they did on sunday