Is San Diego a ... Sports Town?

[InBillITrust]

This is a bit off-topic for the Super Bowl, but I've been reading some of the comments going on in San Diego. Basically, LT is getting completely crucified these days for not playing on a strained MCL especially when compared to Rivers playing with a torn ACL. I've always thought of San Diego of a laid back place, which didn't care much about sports, but this is like the treatment someone would get in New York, Philly, or even Boston. And a few months ago, there was this same vitriol when San Diego fans wanted to throw Trevor Hoffman under a bus for choking away their playoff chances. And I remember there was heated debate about whether to keep Brees or Rivers a couple of years back.

 

[Watson's IQ]

This is a bit off-topic for the Super Bowl, but I've been reading some of the comments going on in San Diego. Basically, LT is getting completely crucified these days for not playing on a strained MCL especially when compared to Rivers playing with a torn ACL. I've always thought of San Diego of a laid back place, which didn't care much about sports, but this is like the treatment someone would get in New York, Philly, or even Boston. And a few months ago, there was this same vitriol when San Diego fans wanted to throw Trevor Hoffman under a bus for choking away their playoff chances. And I remember there was heated debate about whether to keep Brees or Rivers a couple of years back.

Even if the majority of the population doesn't care, that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of fans, and that the sports sections of the paper won't cover it just as vehemently. You're only looking at message boards and sports pages, where obviously it will be discussed. Doesn't mean people are necessarily discussing it over the water cooler (I don't know if they are).

People say Jacksonville isn't a sports town because they can barely fill their stadium, but that didn't stop the Jags trolls from being any less ardent (or obnoxious, in some cases).

 

[FirstAndGoal]

San Diego is a town with a zoo, a toll bridge to Coronado, and a train to Tijuana.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

I lived in San Diego for two years, back when the Chargers had some brief success ('92 and '94 seasons). At least then the city couldn't care less about its teams, as the Chargers struggled to sell out while winning. The demographics had to play a large role as San Diego is a huge military town first, a pretty good college town second (SDSU and UCSD are the big two) and a transplant town third (lots of northeasterners). The hispanic population is huge and while the asian population doesn't compare to the SF Bay Area, it's still significant. The generation-upon-generation of locals that have ingrained support for the home teams is nowhere near like the northeast.

I'm sure it's changed since then, probably due to time and 24/7 media/internet bombardment of sports culture. Also, San Diego had an economic boom of sorts in the late '90s/early '00s which grew the population and ergo the fan base.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

San Diego is a town with a zoo, a toll bridge to Coronado, and a train to Tijuana.

And don't forget all those sailors on leave flooding the gay bars in the Red Light District! "So, who do you like better, sailor, a boat full of Midshipmen or load of Seamen?"

La Jolla is nice. But you seen one cliff, you seen 'em all!

 

[pheenix11]

Its about time they woke up and realized what a whiny little biatch LT is.

BTW, when he talks does anyone else think he sounds a little ******ed or at least slow?

 

[djmika760]

Its about time they woke up and realized what a whiny little biatch LT is.

BTW, when he talks does anyone else think he sounds a little ******ed or at least slow?

Hehe...he's from Texas man. They all talk kinda slow.

 

[lightningbolt]

This is a bit off-topic for the Super Bowl, but I've been reading some of the comments going on in San Diego. Basically, LT is getting completely crucified these days for not playing on a strained MCL especially when compared to Rivers playing with a torn ACL. I've always thought of San Diego of a laid back place, which didn't care much about sports, but this is like the treatment someone would get in New York, Philly, or even Boston. And a few months ago, there was this same vitriol when San Diego fans wanted to throw Trevor Hoffman under a bus for choking away their playoff chances. And I remember there was heated debate about whether to keep Brees or Rivers a couple of years back.

It's just the frustration from some fans showing because we've never won a championship in this city. Most of the fans that I've heard on the radio are understanding of LT not going back in the game. They realize that a knee injury for a rb is much worse than for qb, because they have to run around, take hits, and juke their opponents and it's hard to do that on an injured leg. The same injury kept Adrian Peterson out for weeks and Barry Sanders was out for a month with the same injury.

 

[oldskool138]

I lived in San Diego for a year...back when the Padres went to the World Series and got stomped. It not a sports town. The best place to talk to SD sports fans I found was at Junior Seau's resturant.

San Diegans are very SoCal. Layed back, not sarcastic all the time, and by and large friendly (also more hot girls you can shake a stick at). It's probably like that since they don't have to deal with 4-5 months of cold weather...But a sports town? No.

 

[lightningbolt]

I lived in San Diego for a year...back when the Padres went to the World Series and got stomped. It not a sports town. The best place to talk to SD sports fans I found was at Junior Seau's resturant.

San Diegans are very SoCal. Layed back, not sarcastic all the time, and by and large friendly (also more hot girls you can shake a stick at). It's probably like that since they don't have to deal with 4-5 months of cold weather...But a sports town? No.

Nowhere near the east coast cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, but we will get crazy when our teams do well. The only problem is that the Chargers underachieved last season by losing in the divisional round and since then many people are hesitant to support them again. Maybe if we get a superbowl victory, we'll be more of a sports town.

 

[NumberTwelve]

Having lived in San Diego for 8 years I can say w/o a doubt it is not a sports town at all. I spent my first 17 years in Worcester, MA and the difference is night and day. I lived In Orange County for 2 years abd it is MUCH more of a sports town than San Diego. Angels fans are pretty nuts these days.

 

[oldskool138]

Having lived in San Diego for 8 years I can say w/o a doubt it is not a sports town at all. I spent my first 17 years in Worcester, MA and the difference is night and day. I lived In Orange County for 2 years abd it is MUCH more of a sports town than San Diego. Angels fans are pretty nuts these days.

There's got to a lot of Sox animosity out there since no other team has caused the Angels that much grief in the post season.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

I lived in San Diego for a year...back when the Padres went to the World Series and got stomped. It not a sports town. The best place to talk to SD sports fans I found was at Junior Seau's resturant.

San Diegans are very SoCal. Layed back, not sarcastic all the time, and by and large friendly (also more hot girls you can shake a stick at). It's probably like that since they don't have to deal with 4-5 months of cold weather...But a sports town? No.

All of that is true, but they do have their "sports", like surfing, other beach relating stuff, golf, etc. Not so much fan sports, as you say.

Edit, in their "defense", if you want to call it that, the weather is so freaking beautiful for 350 or so days a year in San Diego that people just got used to outside activities instead of watching sports on the tube.

 

[NoCal Patriot]

You must remember that Jim Rome and J.T. The Brick both started in San Diego.That's the type of Sports Talk that works there.

 

[oldskool138]

You must remember that Jim Rome and J.T. The Brick both started in San Diego.That's the type of Sports Talk that works there.

What. Is. Up.

 

[NumberTwelve]

There's got to a lot of Sox animosity out there since no other team has caused the Angels that much grief in the post season.

Yes, they hate us almost as much as they hate the Yankees now. I still go and watch every game they play the Red Sox there. The drive from Vegas isn't too bad

 

[MDPATSFAN]

Having lived in San Diego for 8 years I can say w/o a doubt it is not a sports town at all. I spent my first 17 years in Worcester, MA and the difference is night and day. I lived In Orange County for 2 years abd it is MUCH more of a sports town than San Diego. Angels fans are pretty nuts these days.

The fact that they had to submit blackout waiver paperwork for a home playoff game speaks volumes.....

Nice weather and mom&pop mexican resturants out there though.

 

[NumberTwelve]

The fact that they had to submit blackout waiver paperwork for a home playoff game speaks volumes.....

Nice weather and mom&pop mexican resturants out there though.

Well Orange County has the same exact weather....BIG difference in fan passion though

 

[oldskool138]

Nice weather and mom&pop mexican resturants out there though.

Hodad's was my favorite restaurant. They have the biggest bacon cheeseburgers I've ever seen in my life. I made the mistake of ordering the double bacon cheeseburger my first time there. It had to have been 6 or 7 inches tall . And I could only get through half of it.

 

[shakadave]

You must remember that Jim Rome and J.T. The Brick both started in San Diego.That's the type of Sports Talk that works there.

Today on Jim Rome, he said about seven times that fans are "all of a sudden turning on LT." A week ago, LT was "golden" and now suddenly he's getting criticized. He said he takes LT's word that he was hurt, but that LT should have handled it better than sitting on the bench all game. (Then he repeated this point at least six more times over the half hour I heard.) He even used the word "classy" in describing LT.

Anyhow, where was Rome when LT lost so ungraciously last year? (e.g. the comment about getting classlessness from the head coach) Where was Rome when LT dramatically walked away from Rivers on the sideline during the regular season --- and then something similar when they were both hurt during the Colts game?