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Good point...I hate Seattle, they killed rock and roll.
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.Good point...I hate Seattle, they killed rock and roll.
Easy, I was trolling. Very nice city.
To the OP, if you've never lived outside NE and Boston, then we can understand your culture-shock. Bostonians are more snide, sarcastic, cynical, and direct than most. I'm definitely not the oldest person on this Board, but those who've lived and worked outside of NE and outside of the country can appreciate your experiences of cultural regionalism.
It's fun reading other peoples thoughts: http://www.city-data.com/forum/boston/211310-do-you-find-bostonians-friendly-cold.html
I worked with a man years ago who used to put it this way: When you walk down the street around Boston and smile at strangers, they think there's something wrong with you.
One of my sons has been all over the world and in all but a handful of American States. I asked him where the people are the friendliest. He said the answer was easy. Ireland and Italy.
As for the folks in this country, he thinks that the people in Indy are weird. He had a lot of stories from his two years there to back that up.
You're confusing today's opposing city, India-No-Place, with Seattle.
Seattle is acknowledged to be a great city.
Bingo!!! They are just now seeing success. Let's see where they are in a few years when their players need to get paid. That's when you find out who the "true" fans are. I've been to New England many times, being my wife has family there, and I can say I've been treated very well. The drivers?....that's another story. Pats fans have earned the right to be confident. We've lived thru the ups and downs, The spygate poop slingers. We've earned the right to be pissed. After every Pats win, the analysts look like they lost a family member. Screw them and screw Seattle. As for east coasters being obnoxious. The east coast is full of hard working, rough around the edges, aggressive, grab the golden ring people. That's why people flock here. Sounds like the OP is a sleeper Seattle fan. We don't miss you. Go Pats. Destroy everyone in our path. Jump on the obnoxious train and enjoy the ride.Great thread. I agree, and one of my first threads on this forum was after the 2011 Superbowl loss, where I ripped into the culture of Boston baseball and how I thought it affected our football fanbase negatively.
There's a lot to be said for Seahawk fans that aren't just riding their bandwagon. They're strikingly similar to Patriot fans in 2003 and 2004 (at least IMO). Their journey has just begun. I think every fan base is molded by their sports-experiences, and ours is no different.
If I was going to attempt to document the history of the Patriot fan after 2001, it would go something like this:
2001 ~ 2006: Happy, enthusiastic optimists.
2007: The disrespected Dynasty, F*** everybody, F**** you're whole team, F*** the entire league. We'll blow everybody out. We are superior, you are rodent peasants, and oh ya, Manning F***ing sucks. Come get some.
2008: WTF
2009 ~ 2011: Yay! Brady is back. Happy, enthusiastic optimists again, only with the 2007 gene.
2012 ~ 2013: FML. Nothing goes our way. Nothing
I don't think I've been shy about sharing my disdain for Boston Sports culture, but I blame a lot of that on Red Sox culture, which I can't really stand. That's where the people mostly reside that are quick to say we should trade anyone who has a bad game, demand everyone be fired, and start throwing the pride of our Patriots under the bus for small infractions or one bad throw. It's something small town Patriot Nation just seems to unfortunately be stuck with...
Give Seattle a few years. If they keep up with the direction they're headed in, which is sustained dominance in the NFC, they'll eventually pick up our 2007 gene as well.
I have been a long time lurker and reader of this fantastic board and know most of you regulars well (I look forward to Ken's and Rob's weekly posts, etc). I have been a fan since 2nd grade in 1993. While I read this board constantly, I do not post much. You can see by my join date just how long I have been on here....Please pardon my terrible writing.
I have finally been compelled to start a thread, and what finally did it was moving to Seattle a year ago and going through two seasons of Seahawks out here. I was born and raised in Central Mass, but moved here for work. And I was recently home on business. Here are some observations...
1. Seattle fans LOVE their team in the most positive way:
People here are generally friendly and enjoy good football. Throughout the season, there was an optimism that I have not seen in NE. I mean, this team was 6 and 4 at one point in the season and looking up at Arizona (three games back) and were nowhere in the wildcard hunt. They were struggling offensively. Nevertheless, everyone wore their Number 12 jerseys every Friday to work, everyone smiled and enjoyed the games, everyone cheered on the team during the worst of games. There is a certain amount of unconditional love here. I see unconditional love in NE as well, but the fans there are more like an old grumpy demanding patriarch of a family, where they love and would die for a family member (i.e. patriots team), but would have no problem cussing them out and screaming at them when they feel emotional for whatever reason.
Let's say Seattle loses an away playoff game (or the superbowl), the city will be disappointed, yes, but there will still be 1000s of people at SeaTac airport to greet the team's plane and thank them for an amazing ride. In NE, the talk would be about the end of the Brady era, who should get fired, and how worthless and a bunch of losers the team is.
2. Seattle fans are united.
As I said, EVERYONE wears Seattle gear every Friday to work (even hospital employees where I work). The skyscrapers are lit up with number 12s everywhere. There are number 12 signs in every store window and number 12 flags on every car. There is a giant number 12 flag that gets raised over the space needle before the game and that flag travels to the superbowl! Now, yes, a lot of this is bandwagon since last year, but the bandwagoners out here are not d*cks. And the diehards welcome the bandwagoners without getting all self-righteous about it. The bandwagoners in NE are the worst type of fans. They pretend to be know-it-alls and then make ridiculous comments about the team, whether it be overconfidence vs catastrophizing everything. The game day thread here is kind of an example.
3. Seattle fans are quietly confident while maintaining a healthy respect for the opponent.
There is a quiet confidence out here. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. What I mean is that Seattle fans are enjoying this run, vs many patriots fans (myself included) are crapping their pants during every game. As awesome as that Baltimore game was, I almost threw up many times during that game and do NOT want to see another game like that again. I mean it was AMAZING, but I can't say I enjoyed every second of it (is that normal???). Seattle fans have savored every moment this year (and last year). Moreover, most people are very much respecting Green Bay and there was a lot of respect for Carolina last week.
4. Seattle sports talk radio is actually good.
This is what actually was the impetus to me posting. I was listening to talk radio out here (and I stream the radio at home). The radio guys are just like the fans! They are excited and enjoying the Seahawks! There is no axe to grind against the team. There is no "we will roll over Green Bay." There is balanced football analysis of the weaknesses of the team (they do exist) like the offensive line and the receivers, while still maintaining a healthy sense of homerism. I mean, I don't think there is a Shaugnessy type or a Felger type out here. They debate statistics and genuinely analyze strengths and weaknesses. And they appreciate any win! Seattle beat Carolina 13-9 in October. Talk radio was mostly positive the next day. If we beat a team 13-9, there would be nothing but talk about the crappy offense! Similarly, Seattle beat SF 17-7. All positive talk while genuinely acknowledging weaknesses. There is NOTHING but positivity heading into tomorrow's game on the radio out here, while in Boston, it's either "Pats will wipe them out tomorrow and if we don't, and if they don't, they're garbage" or "Our offensive line sucks, there is no pass rush, D gave up 30 points last week, Andrew Luck is due to go off!"
Boston sports culture is very deeply rooted in history (15 years without championship; Red Sox curse; 18-1, etc). But I think it's a bigger New England culture to be demanding, pessimistic, egotistical, and (sometimes) just plain idiocy. Maybe an East Coast West Coast thing. It has been a tough adjustment out here. I tend to be quiet and shy in general, but out here, I'm considered a total a** hole! I don't follow the lights when crossing the street (NO ONE J WALKS HERE!) and I don't make small talk with the barista or the bus driver. Whatevs.
Thoughts?
Yeah, Seattle killed rock and roll with Jim Hendrix, Quincy Jones, Queensryche, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Nirvana and McLemore. At least they didn't kill it with Aerosmith and...Boston. ;-) But props for spawning The Pixies.I hate Seattle, they killed rock and roll.
Yeah, Seattle killed rock and roll with Jim Hendrix, Quincy Jones, Queensryche, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Nirvana and McLemore. At leas they didn't kill it with Aerosmithad...Boston. ;-) But props for spawning The Pixies.
Worst, EASILY, were Eagles fans.
I cannot begin to say how rude, vulgar, obnoxious and moronic they were in 05. The very definition of classlessness.
FINALLY!Oh, thank you! We love trolls! In the admin forum we express our appreciation for them every day!
Trolls add so much to the website!
LOL. It's all good J2. Go Pats!
BTW, did you FINALLY understand the Goodell/Kraft thread?
Honestly, I've been around (old as dirt) and Philly fans are the most obnoxious, aggressive (when in a group - alone, not so much) asshats I've ever encountered and no place else is even close. And I'm talking about the women...I cannot begin to say how rude, vulgar, obnoxious and moronic they were in 05. The very definition of classlessness.
Jacksonville? Yeah, I was there and was honestly worried that my teenage sons (who were sitting in another section) might get beat up by those freaks.
We crossed the river and went to a restaurant - five minutes later, the host comes in with his face all bloodied, courtesy of Eagles' fans who were mad that he let some Pats fans in.