DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Do the bandwagon fans irritate you?

Honest question.

I am battling with this one. Perhaps because I no longer live in Ohio and am surrounded by people who have ridiculed me (all in good fun) for years. Not to mention all the jokes, insults etc. from National news journalists, comedians, sports fans, Cowherd etc. etc. But, for years I have said, we would have the last laugh and that day is getting closer and closer.

Now, we are moving forward in a direction that people are excited about and many of those same people who made fun of us want to jump on board and join our party. Of course, I'd rather have the bandwagon fans over being losers or the national punchline, however, is it just me who is slightly annoyed by the emergence of all these "new fans"? I mean, it's pretty easy to like a team that is good...where's the allegiance to these newbies? As soon as we lose will they all jump off the train and go to the next new, shiny thing?

What say you, my true devoted, Dawgs?

Not really. If people climb on board, we will even help them get on, and if they wanna go, we'll shove them off.

I don't care... as long as you don't act like you've been a fan forever i don't care much if you join us during the good times...

I'm a diehard cleveland fan... Browns are my NFL team and Indians are my baseball team... i'm a bandwagon cavs fan because I don't like NBA much... but when I lived in Boston I did cheer for the red sox unless they were playing cleveland... living in Houston I like to cheer for the Texans or Astros unless they are playing cleveland... so I guess i'm a bit of a bandwagon fan myself....

but overall I don't really care... I have taken a ton of jokes over the years... but we deserved it... so it use to roll off my back.... I'm still cautiously optimistic because we haven't won squat yet... so I'm not too vocal... yet....

The more the fans the more the fans rule !!! lol It doesn't bother me..It's like anything in Life..sometimes I'm all go then I'm like go slow...

Fans pay a lot of money to see a good product on the field...Money doesn't go around so easy for all fans... It's like getting gas...I always wait til the price goes down... But I generally go to cheapest station. Even if it isn't the one I go to daily.

Fans are fans..whether you sit at home to watch, or a bar, or in the Dawg Pound or in Club Level or in the parking lot somewhere near the Stadium or don't watch at all. I say jump on and lets have more Pee guys to soak the Terrible towel with Brown & Orange Pee Because that's all that matters

It's part and parcel of being successful. What I don't like is that the bandwagoners force the ticket prices up. Back in the day, it was great seeing brown and orange everywhere here in NW Ohio. There's a whole generation of people that aren't able to remember it and are going to soon see what it was like.

My passion for the Browns has always been, for the most part, one that I enjoyed alone. I never lived in a area where there were very many other Browns fans. Then I found this site just after they returned from the Baltimore abyss. I finally had a group to share it with and for that I’lll always be grateful.

Bandwagon fans will always exist, they are fans, empty inside as they have no real convictions or loyalty, they’re just looking for the next bandwagon to jump on. I care nothing about them, good or bad. If they want to lend their voice in the cheers, the more the merrier. I love hearing cheers for my favorite team. At the end of the season, they’ll be gone and I’ll still have my love for the team and the true fans will still come to places like this, to share.

Doesn't bother me in the slightest, even though I get why some will be bothered by it.

But, we sucked. We deserved the criticism. We had an owner who fired folks more frequently than he changed underwear. We has a GM texting the coaches. We had a damn lawyer making roster decisions. We were the most dysfunctional franchise in sports.

Then, we got Dorsey and he has upgraded the talent. Folks see that and respect that. I say let them join in on the fun----provided we actually do win, of course.

A lot of the people I talk to down here in SC are just respectful and admiring the amount of talent that we now have. I think a lot of them are genuinely happy that a team that has been so down in the dumps for so long are finally on the upswing.

I've never felt that fandom was anything special. It's not like we play or coach the team. We just root for them. Big whoopie.

Nope, can't say they do. I also think we've deserved all the jokes and insults over the years though I may be in the minority on that one. I've just laughed those off and sometimes joined in, because let's face it, we were terrible.

Sports are entertainment though. There are plenty of real issues in the world and I'm not going to get too worried about how long someone has been a fan for. More likely, I'll have a beer with the person and get on with enjoying the game.

Ok, I take that back. Turns out many of us feel the same way.

I'm just glad the Browns have gotten their collective acts together.

I have yet to meet a bandwagon fan.

I have noticed more people from CLE wearing their gear though. And I know they are from CLE because I ask them.

I haven't lived in Ohio for some time either, but here in southern Arizona we have a lot of transplants (military, ex-military, snowbirds and retirees from cold places to live out the golden years).

I've worn my Browns cap, T-shirts, coats, license plates, etc since the early 80's, and have always found "sports" people interested in conversations about the Browns rather than disparaging during the bad years or rah-rah now-a-days. I think the tradition runs pretty deep - regardless of location or team preference - for the fans 40 and above. This is just in my experience out here.

I do get folks who will mention Baker to me right off the bat, a little skeptical. The more seasoned ones like to talk.

Lots of Dallas and Raiders fans out here.

When the Cavs were in the Finals four years in a row, our gear was selling all over the world. Most of that was purchased by bandwagon fans. No way Lebron could top the jersey sales charts by Ohio sales alone.

Here's the thing, some of those bandwagon fans turned into real Cavaliers fans, not a huge percent but some did convert over.

To me, the more bandwagon Browns fans, the more will stick around into the future. I don't think you can worry too much about the bandwagon crowd, they bandwagon, that's what they do. They have Patriots, Eagles, Red Sox, Astros, Cubs, Capitals, Blackhawks, Warriors, Raptors and Cavaliers jerseys in their closet. They like front-running and it's probably a stress free sports life.

They pad the ratings, buy gear and fill up the stadiums. They keep the leagues afloat.

I've always sported Browns gear here in Chicago. And when someone saw me, they knew I was a diehard because nobody in their right mind would wear that gear for the hell of it. Will someone think I'm a bandwagon this fall, maybe, but I don't care.

There seems to be more bandwagon-y NBA fans than NFL fans. Some just like to follow superstars and there's been a lot of movement there recently in the NBA.

I think some of you may find this interesting and perhaps have experienced similar situations.

I talk to almost everyone. Grocery store workers, the guys who installed my new AC unit, the guys and gals at Lowes, Home Depot, Best Buy, etc, the numerous folks who approach me just to talk about my car, survey workers in the 'hood, customers waiting in line, etc, etc.

A lot of times the talks center around sports. One of us might be wearing a shirt, hat, shorts, etc of a team or we might just be rapping.....but, I have always talked about being a Brown's fan.

And here is the interesting part [I think:} A lot of times the conversations have led to how sorry the Browns were at any particular point in time. Most feel sorry for me and some laugh. I try and keep it light, but I often bring up that you should want a Brown's fan as a friend because we are the most loyal folks on the planet. We are the guys you wanna walk down a dark alley with because we won't abandon you when things get ugly. We're loyal to a fault, but that loyalty is what makes us truly special. Folks can relate to that.

Keep in mind, Portland is in the shadow of Seattle. You would think folks who were born and raised here would support the Seahawks, and they do. Well, NOW they do since their success of recent years. However, when I first moved here people made fun of the 'hawks all the time. Remember, there is also a rivalry between Seattle and Portland due to the Timbers & Sounders as well as past rivalry w/Blazers & Sonics. But, as AZBrown said...we have transplants from all over and many bring their own allegiances. Football wise the Ducks reign supreme here as this isn't an NFL city. But Seahawks, Niners and Raiders probably pull the most fans, but there is a pub in the city with a dedicated following for most teams.

In the past I would wear my Browns gear and somebody would inevitably comment. Instead of the whole "Yeah, I grew up in Cleveland" life story convo I would often jokingly say "well, somebody has to be their fan". We'd usually talk a bit and then move on. I rarely ever saw anybody wearing Browns jersey's around town. But, recently I have seen more and more.

Kurt Cobain once said that when he looked out in the audience and saw the same kinda people who tormented, bullied and beat him up...that's when the demons of success haunted him. I agree we deserved the criticism, but it still irks me that many of those who enjoyed laughing at us are now donning orange and brown (and last year they probably wore Patriots or Chiefs gear).

But yeah....whatever. I gotta get over it and enjoy the ride as it's been far too long and as I always said....we WILL have the last laugh.

Lots of bandwagon Steeler fans as all of you know. Take it as a compliment that there are bandwagon Browns fans. It means the Browns are getting more respect, that's a good thing.

I could care less ... as long as there rooting for the dawgs and were cheering and high fiving i could give a poop ... good times baby ...

There’s plenty of room on PARADISE ISLAND where everybody knows your name ... ...

LETS GOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo

Give it time,they will become annoying.Not true fans,no knowledge of the pain and suffering.A coupla bad years,they'll bail.

I am used to it. I have grown up and lived closer to Pittsburgh than Cleveland my whole life. I have been watching bandwagon Pittsburgh fans since I was born.

I agree with this just based on the games ive gone to in Cleveland. Some of the most unknowledgeable (if that's a word) were Patriots fans. They didn't know the rules of the game and didn't really care about what was going on in the game because they knew they were going to win.

Dallas fans impressed me. There were a lot of them and they were all very nice and not as condescending as Patriot fans from what I was able to discern...

I have other opinions, but I'll address the question. I have a friend who lives in NY and was stunned when he saw a Browns fan. He doesn't believe me, but we're everywhere. I could walk thru any airport here or overseas with a Browns hat or shirt and someone will say "go browns" under their breath. Maybe that happens for every fan base, but even so, it still proves my point that we are everywhere.

I think there are 2 types of bandwagon fans. 1, those who have always been fans but have been quiet the past several years due to poor management. And 2, those who just joined our forces because maybe they were a Mayfield fan or like what they are seeing from us...

I don't have an issue with either and understand both. As long ad they represent our team and city well, I have no problems.

Nope. I don't respect fairweather fans or friends.

When u put it that way ... *LOL* ...

Ummmm .... thy can’t be any more annoying or clueless than some of our longtime fans .... u know ... the sashiettes .... ....

Thats your fault, not mine .. u opened the door way to much and made that one too easy ...

Is it worse to be a bandwagon or fairweather fan? Heck, you could throw in diehard fan into that question too because they/we take a team too serious.

It kind of depends on what you mean by a diehard fan. The ones who will continue to spend their money and free time on a poorly coached, overmatched 0-16 team, and then have the gall to berate people for not joining in their suffering? Yeah, that's a strange bunch.

People talk about loyalty, but my relationship with the Browns has been one-sided. I give my time, money, and passion to the Browns and they give me losses, disappointment, and aggravation. The players? I don't personally know any of them. Few are even from Northeast Ohio.

Add it all up and I'll watch the Browns, or any other team, on my terms. I did watch all Browns games last year, but not the year before that.

My opinion on this has evolved. It started out as bothering me. And nobody I'm sure that's followed the Browns during the hard times is happy about the huge demand and price increases for tickets.

So the illogical part of my thought process didn't really like it. But then I had to stop and get my emotions out of it and try to be totally rational.

With that said, where is my part in all of this? In reality a football franchise is a corporation. They are a product. We see that product on the field 16 weeks a year during the regular season and 4 preseason games, unless your team makes the playoffs. The Browns delivered a terrible product year in and year out.

If they were any other product, I would have stopped doing business with them a long, long time ago. I'm a consumer that under any normal condition expects to get my moneys worth. I expect accountability when I spend my money. I was born and raised a Browns fans as long as my memory goes back as a very young child. And I remained loyal through all of the hard times.

But I would never have done the same with anything else. The baseball strikes/lock outs of the 1980's gave me little hesitation to leave baseball behind. When Indy and CART racing split I had no problem walking away from open wheeled racing. With all of the changes in NASCAR I rarely watch that anymore. The culture of the NBA and as we've seen on this very board, "You can't call them owners", had me stop really following the NBA either. Sure, a casual observer maybe, but that's about it.

So with all of that said, how could I hold it against anyone else for not purchasing a putrid product? How can I blame anyone who felt that the Browns weren't worth their time, money and effort?

Maybe it was more my fault for supporting such a poor product. I'm not sure. But if it was my fault I'll wear it proudly for I will always be a Browns fan. But for me to fault someone else that decided otherwise, I certainly won't.

Honest Answer.

No, it's not going to bother me. The only inconvenience is going to be the frustration of trying to have a convo with somebody you think is a legit fan, who really isn't... that and I might have to defend my own fandom from time to time if people think I just jumped on..

Either way, it's all good. Some of those bandwagon fans will stick around if the tide turns again (hopefully after a few rings) they will get their kids into it, etc... others will depart as quickly as they showed up..

I'm secure enough in my own fandom to just let it play out..

Ah, probably best that I not provide further commentary on the subject...

As a fan of 40 years, all I can say is:

"Come on in. The water is warm."

Yeah, but if it's only warm in spots ...

Yeah, it does irk me a little.

Me, along with everyone else who has been a part of this forum for YEARS, have suffered through awful football, and now could possibly be rewarded with exciting football. To boot, we had a guy who could be a top 2-3 QB in this league in a very short time.

So you have these people who, on football Sundays, made it known that they were either not watching football at all, or were watching some other team. Like they couldn't just not watch, and have that be enough. They had to make some stupid facebook post about it. Screw off.

Then there's the whole other side to this situation, which is what is really going to get under my skin. These fake-ass Steeler fans who live in NEO, and now all of a sudden are Browns fans, because their rapist QB is on his last leg, and things in Cleveland are looking pretty enticing.

I guarantee you we see less yellow and black at Browns/Steelers games, and it's not because they're staying home.

Truth be told, it's a free country, do what you want, but I think people who now feel like it's time to jump on, are kind of a joke, and a free country allows for me to think that way.

My favorites were the hardesses who would call into sportstalk shows, and basically talk to the fans as if they were not really a part of the fan base. The "you guys" treatment. Like they damn well know they're in this too, but they were too cocky to just admit it.

It happens everywhere. It happened here in Chicago with the Blackhawks. It's obviously an every time occurence in Miami.

I'm not one of these guys that's gonna post the "oh you're a browns fan, name 5 guys from the Shurmur years" thing that people do.

Only due to the fact that they are a factor with regards to increasing prices.

Then we will know we have converted some Steelers fans.