No Respect!

by BaseballDiva on Aug 14, 2006 11:06 AM PDT Comment 14 comments

You know, it's frustrating to read - or as the case may be - not to read - much about the A's in any sport publications. It's even more upsetting to read the local papers and see so much emphasis on the Giants. HELLO? Aren't they in last place?

As a frequent business traveler, I read most national rags and some local ones. I also stay in touch with the sports world by using FOX and ESPN websites. But why is Oakland rarely mentioned? In the rare event I hear or read about the A's in an article or on Sports Center, it's in conjunction with how crappy the AL West Division is. No positive comments about our achievements and hardly any highlights.

Maybe it's the lack of showboat players. Maybe it's our subtle way of winning. The A's should be acknowledged for their ability to win as a team. Other teams focus on a few select players - and so does the sports world of commentators. Does our culture not appreciate team-playing? Why can't they highlight that part of competitive sports? We win because of multiple player efforts. Period.

I love talking baseball with strangers on the plane, train, or corporate office...But I feel I am on a lone campaign to enlighten others to the merits of the A's. I guess this isn't new, but it doesn't appear that the A's do not get the respect they deserve.

Poll

Do you brag about the A's?

Yes, but only when I see other A's Fans

10 votes

No, no one cares outside of the Bay Area

8 votes

Yes, every chance I get

48 votes

66 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 14 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I love the fact we have no national hyperstars

And, strange as this may sound... while the A's are winning, I actually enjoy looking up at the scoreboard before the game starts, when they display the top 5 players in various categories -- and none of them is ours. THAT says volumes about the whole "team play" concept.

Food burns just as surely at 5 mph as it does at 65 mph.

by Poppy on Aug 14, 2006 11:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Forget FOX and ESPN.

If Blez, Slusser, Suchon, or Lurie didn't write it, then it doesn't matter.

Your 3rd paragraph is exactly why I love the A's. They're kinda the "Hometown-boys-turned-stars" type of team that anyone can root for.

by Flyin As on Aug 14, 2006 11:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

We can Be Anonymous Now

...But after this team wins it all, they won't forget us then!

The lack of identity almost reaches Gertrude Steinian levels in her comments about the city of Oakland many decades ago (There is no there, there...). However, in a positive way sports have put Oakland on the map in all 3 major sports and we can be proud of that.

This team certainly lacks the national mystique created by pst teams such as the Bash Brothers, BillyBall and the Big3. But so what. It's great to point out the best record in MLB since the ALL-STAR Break etc.

Ultimately what would we rather have? Notoriety throughout the season or a WS Ring to show off? I'll take the latter every time.

"I've been accused of using too many words...I suppose that's like accusing Mozart of using too many notes." Bill King

by Gerard on Aug 14, 2006 11:47 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

sorry,

but until this team make some noise in the playoffs or rattle off another 20 in a row, we ain't gettin no love from the national media.

I did see a lot of A's fans at the Stern Grove Music Festival yesterday, which made me mad I didn't wear mine.

"I don't know if you know but France made it to the World Cup final. They all tested positive for being assholes" -Lance Armstrong

by sf drift king on Aug 14, 2006 11:51 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I totally agree

It annoys me to no end as well. But I think the problem is not only the lack of Big Star Names, I think the plain fact of the matter is this: Sportwriters and the media don't like to look dumb. Picture the headlines:

"A's win again, and we have no idea how they do it"

Now imagine that headline 85 times in a season. The only time this team will be a big story is "Where have the A's gone" And I hope that day never comes.

"I almost threw up in my mouth when I heard this this weekend...I literally almost threw up in my mouth"Eric Chavez

by 510inDenver on Aug 14, 2006 12:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The headline...

...on this CoCo Times article is actually A's welcome Mariners, still can't explain winning streak...

Food burns just as surely at 5 mph as it does at 65 mph.

by Poppy on Aug 14, 2006 1:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I REALLY hate to say this but

the team isn't that interesting. It interests me, as a long time A's fan - the most ordinary children are special to their parents. But if you had one minute to talk to somebody in Peoria about the A's, what would you say? We had Giambi, we had the Big Three, we had Tejada, we the Streak, we had the Incredibly Decent Season Considering We Just Lost The Big Three.

But now? I'm glad it's not my job to produce the stories. "Team that was expected to be very good is still pretty good despite lots of injuries, and is in first place thanks to being in a division where that ain't saying much." Oh boy! No, I don't see that making the front page of the Peoria Picayune.

And back to me - like I said, I really do hate to say it, but I have found this to be one of the least interesting seasons in years, maybe since before Giambi emerged as a star. This despite the fact that I really think we have a pretty good chance of making the playoffs and getting past the first round.

by matthias on Aug 14, 2006 2:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

lol...I like the honesty

though it must be said if I were given a minute to pitch the 2006 A's to anyone in Peoria or anywhere else in the state of Illinois, I'd have to start with our $500,000 DH. This despite the fact that southern Illinois is disconnected enough from Chicagoland to warrant discussion about a schism and creation of a 51st state...

I am no drunkard, I'm a hard-working man.

by Cutthemullet on Aug 14, 2006 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

note:

not just being a smartass and exaggerating the disconnect between S Illinois and N Illinois; the discussion I've alluded to has actually taken place. S Illinois feels like they get screwed by all the political and economic attention going to Chi...kind of like how us Upstate NYers somehow feel about NYC. Anyway...

I am no drunkard, I'm a hard-working man.

by Cutthemullet on Aug 14, 2006 2:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

..."First place in a division"...

Well The AL west is more competive than the NL West, and if we were in the NL central We would be in first place or 1/2 game back as well. I just dont get how people complain that this years team is boring. This to me is a WAY better team than the 04, or 05 A's. This year has been special, and the team is more Intense than its ever been in the Beane era. From The A's/Angels Brawl in the first half (god I had been waiting SO long for that) To Bradly's Walk off in the bottom of the ninth with 2 outs, this team has kept me on my toes most of the season. I think when all is said and done, people will look back on the 2006 team, as one of the best in the history of Oakland. Just you people wait and see...

Bring back the Bash! Bring back the Mustache! Go A's in 2006!!!

Death To The Angels!!

by Shippee33 on Aug 14, 2006 11:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

But Matthais...

What about the attention the other Bay area team gets? Do they deserve national attention - is their playing that interesting?

BaseBallDiva "Practice Safe Eating - Always Use Condiments"

by BaseballDiva on Aug 14, 2006 3:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Considering they have the

second greatest power hitter in over 140 years of baseball....who also happens to be embroiled in one of the biggest potential scandals in baseball history.....Yes.

Love Barry or hate him, people are very interested one way or the other.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Aug 14, 2006 3:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There's another team in the Bay Area?

by matthias on Aug 14, 2006 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bursting the AN bubble

I've been an A's fan for 20 years. I also happen to have lived in the Midwest and South for that entire time.

Sadly, there are only two reasons why the A's get no love from the national media:

West Coast
Small market

Either one by itself could be overcome, but the combination of the two is a killer.

The entire sports media of the world is located on the east coast, either in Bristol, Connecticut or New York city. So naturally, all the focus is on the east coast teams. Most of us in the Eastern Time Zone have gone to bed before the west coast games have concluded, so we never get to watch the teams play live. We either watch them the next day on Tivo or just glance at the highlights the next morning. Same way with the media moguls.

And no one cares about the noisy mouse of the small market teams unless they are doing something really noteworthy. They realize that the deep pockets of New York, New England, Atlanta and Los Angeles pay their salaries. They give those teams in those cities top billing to keep the billionaires pulling the strings happy.

Which, at the end of the day, makes me happy to be an A's fan. Because we get no love or respect, but year in and year out we edge out one of those shiny deep pocketed teams from the playoffs and routinely drub those big market teams in the regular season. Let's just hope that this year we get to knock a few out of them out of the playoffs.

Proudly celebrating my 20th year as an A's fan.

by bzn5150 on Aug 14, 2006 3:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs