I've Turned Into a Bonafide A's Fan

by CHFDigital on Jan 29, 2006 1:25 PM PST

Originally posted at my blog, "Hard, Cutting"-- thanks for suggesting I post this, Blez!

This baseball season, I will officially be a fan of the Oakland A's. No more split loyalties for me, I've given up on the New York Yankees.

Like a bad break-up, this has been in the making for several years and finally crystallized a few days ago. Yet, this decision to drop the Yankees like a bad habit still tears at me a little. The Yankees were the team I grew up with, and now I'll be following closely a team from a city I've never even visited.

Why? Mainly because the current team is not the Yankees franchise I grew up loving. It has nothing to do with how they've done performance-wise. There's no passion, no energy and no excitement there today. This is, in no way, shape or form the team Don Mattingly led during my childhood. Now it's just aging players collecting that big paycheck every two weeks. Nothing spicy there, except for the clubhouse hijinks that sporadically grace the tabloids' back pages.

The A's are almost the inverse of this. A habitual underdog because of their payroll, they always field a team that is intriguing and chock full o' talent. And scrappy as hell. Zito, Harden, Blaton, Swisher, and Dan Johnson-- all are amazing, and now they've added Frank Thomas, the 'Big Hurt'. And I greatly respect with general manager Billy Beane has done, as chronicled in Michael Lewis' "Moneyball" and followed up by several baseball beat writers since.

So, goodbye to Pinstripe Alley; hello, Athletics Nation. This should be a fun year.

Guys-- Happy to be here posting, rather than lurking. Look forward to talking with all of you!

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Comments

Welcome Aboard!

The A's are a very fun and interesting team to follow.

"Put a Milo on him." -Billy Beane

by kaweahkaweah on Jan 29, 2006 1:30 PM PST reply actions

Welcome, CHFDigital!

I know exactly how you feel because I come from exactly the same background. I was very young when I was first introduced to baseball, and I grew up watching the Yankees Triple-A farm team play. It was great fun, and of course explained why I became a Yankees fan when I was older. I saw some of their big current stars play while still in the Minor Leagues, and got my share of game balls.

I began rooting for the A's in addition to the Yankees in 2003. That off-season, my favorite Yankee, Andy Pettitte, left the team, and then they signed A-Rod. Say what you want about the guy, but I can't stand him. And I'd already complained extensively about the team-that-was-not -a-team of aging, overpaid superstars.

So I switched completely and fully to the A's, and I have never looked back. My blood is just as green and gold now as those who have rooted for the A's since they were wee 'uns. :D I have no problem calling the Yanks the Spankees or the Evil Empire. However, A's and Yankees fans alike are driven by a hatred of the Red Sox. =:)

So, welcome aboard, and we hope you enjoy an exciting season of A's Baseball in 2006!

The worst thing about censorship is [deleted by censorship bureau.]

by Chavinator on Jan 29, 2006 1:31 PM PST reply actions

Heh, good to hear I'm not a complete freak...

...there's others like me. ;)
Thanks for the welcome!
Chris

by CHFDigital on Jan 29, 2006 1:32 PM PST up reply actions

same exact story

Welcome abroad CHFDigital. You'll be mad about this place before long.

I was nothing more than an almost innocent bystander.

by Squeaky on Jan 29, 2006 3:30 PM PST up reply actions

I switched after A- Rod too

"Joe Morgan doesnt't like it when facts get in the way of his opinions"- Billy Beane

by harendaman365 on Jan 29, 2006 6:17 PM PST up reply actions

Another soul saved

The missionaries must be working.

Copernicus felt the same way about the geocentric crew.

by salb918 on Jan 29, 2006 1:35 PM PST reply actions

Either that

or the spiked Kool-Aid bowl...

by Alon on Jan 29, 2006 7:03 PM PST up reply actions

what, um, position do they play?

Billy Beane has hairy fingers. -- FireballerHARDEN @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 30, 2006 10:45 AM PST up reply actions

I don't think

A's Fans hate the Red Sox.
I mean for me i have always noticed this sort of rudimentary grade of despise.

1st- it has to be a tie between Yanks and Giants

2nd- the Angels have been our only real advisary in the AL West the last 4 seasons and will continue to be now that they have an owner that is willing to spend and a GM who will not sign old overpriced ex-stars.

3rd- Red Sox

So most A's fans don't hate the Red Sox that much.We root agaisnt them unless they are playing the Yanks or Angels.

"Trust me there are No Angels on our team" - Ken Macha

by BashBrothers89 on Jan 29, 2006 2:30 PM PST reply actions

Well, I don't hate the Giants

(except for Barroids...feel the LOATHE) so I guess that doesn't quite work across the board. ;) Almost all of the A's fans I've talked to strongly dislike the Sox, however....probably stemming from 2003. :D None of them harbor any good feelings whatsoever towards the Yanks and the Slegna, as they are called here. Maybe "hate" isn't always the operative word, but nobody likes them much. ;)

On the other hand, the early worm gets eaten.

by Chavinator on Jan 29, 2006 2:36 PM PST up reply actions

It really depends

I hate the Red Sox more than any other team, but that's only because I've been living in Boston. I've lived in New York too, and let me tell you Boston fans and media are the worst by a long ways. Sure the Yankees are arrogant and all, but with their history of championships at least they have an argument. The Red Sox on the other hand think they're more important than every other team in baseball, but they don't have the accomplishments to back it up. But yeah, if you're only in contact with Red Sox fans the few times they come to the Bay Area, I can see how you wouldn't really hate them.

by OaktownTribesman on Jan 29, 2006 2:51 PM PST up reply actions

This fan hates the Red Sox....

Having lived on the West Coast for the first 22 years of my live I felt no anymosity towards the Red Sox or Yankees. Animosity toward the latter grew out of the way the Yanks spent ridiculous amounts of money to buy championships. When they took Giambi from us that solidified my hatred. In retrospect, we should all be very THANKFUL they took that roided out loser from us. Moreover, most Yankee fans are annoying and tendto be bandwagon jumpers ala Jack Nicholson who likes the Lakers and Yankees; come on man - what a tool that guy is!

To me Boston was a good alternative to root for in the AL East. However all that changed after having moved to the East Coast 3 years ago. There is NOTHING MORE ANNOYING IN THE SPORTS WORLD than a BOSTON RED SOX fan. So whiny, bitchy, and egotystical. They all seem to feel entitled to a championship and think that everyone should feel sorry for them because they haven't won in so long. Then in 2003 all that changed. They started fielding competitive teams that had a REALISTIC chance of beating the skanks! Their fans, along with ESPN started riding the bandwagon harder than ever. We took a two game lead on them in the Divisional Series. The umps hosed us on two calls in game 3 which we lost in extra innings. Foulke blew a save in game 4 (then subequently went on to leave Oakand for the Red Sox stating that he wanted to go to a team where he could "win a champion ship." Mem to DOUCHEBAG FOULKE - if you don't blow game 4 we advance past the first round for the firs time in 4 tries. Game 5 of that series confirmed what kind of classless chumps the Red Sox really are. Man-Ram's jack off Zito followed by a walk to first base and then Lowe's "suck this" motion to the dugout after they won! F!!! the Red Sox. Their actions in that game and the 'classlessness' of their fans and the ass kissing ESPN media leaves, us as A's fans little else to do but HATE THE RED SOX. GO A's in '06!

Sorry to get so worked up, but you REALLY STRUCK A NERVE WHEN YOU SAID A'S FANS DONT HATE THE RED SOX. THIS ONE DOES - EVEN MORE THAN THE YANKS AND MORE THAN THE RANCHO CUCAMUNGA ANGELS OF ORANGE COUNTY.

by SwisherSweet33 on Jan 29, 2006 3:16 PM PST up reply actions

Amen

by OaktownTribesman on Jan 29, 2006 3:34 PM PST up reply actions

Let the Yankees...

continue to earn tons of money ! I like the profit sharing!

But CHDigital? C'mon you are not going to stay an Oak fan. Not if you have always been a Yankee fan.
Converts are suspect lol

by IM4Oakgal on Jan 29, 2006 3:54 PM PST up reply actions

Eh

I was a Phillies fan primarily, now it's mostly Oakland, and then I'll laugh about any Philly deals and commiserate with my more unfortunate friends who haven't been introduced to A's life.

by Alon on Jan 29, 2006 7:07 PM PST up reply actions

Another Amen!!

The way I see it, I can't stand the fans of either the Yankees or the Red Sox, they are similar in many ways, i.e. over flowing with egotism, and how the world owes them respect and adulation. But the Yankee players (except for A Rod) I really don't mind. Whereas, now that Damon has left Boston, I can't stand any of the remaining Red in the Face Sox. So my list, is order of most hated, is;

Red Sox

Angels

Yankees

Rangers (mostly because of their manager)

Gnats

by robertmelvin on Jan 30, 2006 6:15 AM PST up reply actions

Seems about right

I hate the Yankees the most then Giants, the Angels are now my number 3 but quickly moving up. Red Sox are probably 4.

The last 2 seasons plus their world series in'02 have made me really depise the Angels.Though i did root for them in '02 over the Giants. I just couldn't stand it if Bonds had gotten a ring.

"Who wouldn't look great wearing Green and Gold?"- Ray Fosse

by OakAs33 on Jan 29, 2006 2:34 PM PST reply actions

Welcome.

You are officially a NRAF member.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Jan 29, 2006 4:02 PM PST reply actions

Does CHFDigital

know that there is hazing involved?

"Put a Milo on him." -Billy Beane

by kaweahkaweah on Jan 29, 2006 4:09 PM PST up reply actions

He does now.

What should we do to him? Put him the cage with monkeyball?

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Jan 29, 2006 4:12 PM PST up reply actions

That's a good start

He can clean up all the monkey poo.

"Put a Milo on him." -Billy Beane

by kaweahkaweah on Jan 29, 2006 4:14 PM PST up reply actions

We could feed him to Mo.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Jan 29, 2006 4:16 PM PST up reply actions

Vaughn?

I imagine Mo has quite an appetite.

"Put a Milo on him." -Billy Beane

by kaweahkaweah on Jan 29, 2006 4:20 PM PST up reply actions

Yep.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Jan 29, 2006 4:28 PM PST up reply actions

Bring it on...

As a former fraternity pledge (and, later, pledgemaster), I know the game. :)
Chris

by CHFDigital on Jan 29, 2006 5:37 PM PST up reply actions

ah...

you say that now, but you probably don't realize the amount of poo that Monkeyball throws around here. :-)

"Put a Milo on him." -Billy Beane

by kaweahkaweah on Jan 29, 2006 6:40 PM PST up reply actions

my poo is intangible

No one will ever be able to quantify it!

Billy Beane has hairy fingers. -- FireballerHARDEN @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 30, 2006 10:52 AM PST up reply actions

clutch poo

sorry, I just wanted to say that.

by green star oakland on Jan 30, 2006 11:01 AM PST up reply actions

Heart poo? Gut poo?

Pooball.

Billy Beane has hairy fingers. -- FireballerHARDEN @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 30, 2006 11:04 AM PST up reply actions

Damn GRITTY poo you got there...

Whatcha been eating?

"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Jan 30, 2006 11:06 AM PST up reply actions

the grittier the player ...

... the grittier the poo ...

Billy Beane has hairy fingers. -- FireballerHARDEN @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jan 30, 2006 11:08 AM PST up reply actions

the winnier the player...

... the winnier the pooh ...

by ArakSOT on Jan 30, 2006 11:42 AM PST up reply actions

now this is what I like to see.

Welcome, CHFDigital, glad to have you. I'm not wary of you like IM4Oakgal (but don't worry, she likes Barry Bonds, so she can't really be trusted herself). ;)

Go A's in 2006 and beyond!!

"...and in Joe [Blanton]'s case, it's almost like he crammed the whole rookie year in a month, then became a veteran." --Billy Beane

by rungood on Jan 29, 2006 4:37 PM PST reply actions

weeellllll...

Like Is a strong word . Admire is more accurate.

The Bonds thing is more about being a realist. Of course I do believe Bonds took Roids but I also believe that the use in this day and age is abundant. I suspect everybody ... well ok not Eckstein . Hehe

by IM4Oakgal on Jan 29, 2006 4:47 PM PST up reply actions

haha about eckstein!

Thanks for the clarification about Bonds. I can't necessarily say I admire him... My uncle actually taught him in high school (Serra high) and the sad thing is that Bonds was already a very talented player before he did any of this crap.

What also is too bad is that any of Bonds' abilities without the cream/clear/juice/whatever are forever tainted, but then again, he did it to himself. Making the money he makes, there's simply no way he doesn't know what he was putting in his body. IMO he's a cheater and there's no way around it, and that's pretty disappointing, especially when he's such a role model for young kids. That's hard to admire, in my book.

"...and in Joe [Blanton]'s case, it's almost like he crammed the whole rookie year in a month, then became a veteran." --Billy Beane

by rungood on Jan 29, 2006 4:54 PM PST up reply actions

I don't admire him as a role model.

I do as a hitter. and yes he cheated like so many did. There have been guys cheating even before steroids. Corked bats are cheating ,spitballs cheating,,, substances cheating. It's not admirable to cheat. But why be an ostrich and pretend it's limited to Bonds? Because he was more successful? I don't see you hating on Giambi.

by IM4Oakgal on Jan 29, 2006 5:01 PM PST up reply actions

whoa whoa whoa...

now you're jumping to conclusions. I lost all respect for Giambi when he left Oakland for the millions, and the steroids are just the latest transgression in my Giambi-dislike. He's a terrible role model too. I hate Raphael Palmeiro as well, and I'm highly dubious of Sammy Sosa for his corked bats and his serious dropoff after his home run chase with McGwire (who has taken a big hit in my eyes as well). It's certainly not limited to Bonds, I just didn't go on record as saying so.

Now I will: it's all bad, and taints the players who achieve what they do without steroids. The biggest problem, however, is that we don't definitively know who 'juiced' and who didn't, so it's hard to know who to point fingers at and who to absolve and hold in high regard. But that's just the nature of the issue, so I point my finger at the obvious target, the most obvious (IMHO) being Bonds.

"...and in Joe [Blanton]'s case, it's almost like he crammed the whole rookie year in a month, then became a veteran." --Billy Beane

by rungood on Jan 30, 2006 2:07 AM PST up reply actions

I truly believe that it is ...

more widespread than most think . Even smaller guys may have started in high school. It used to be that they didn't think pitchers juiced but now they know that they did. I just can't get all excited and worry about the juicing thing. I think Medicine evolves and that steroid may be a part of that.
I am glad to find out though, Rungoody, that you are an equal opportunity hater. <smile>

by IM4Oakgal on Jan 30, 2006 6:07 PM PST up reply actions

and, um,

unless you've been trolling the site, don't worry about the inside jokes. We'll throw them out there every/day, and we've more or less changed some of the player's names (Blanton = Cupcakes, Swisher = Porn, Thomas is going to be /The Verge, I think...)

But don't worry about us. We're sane (mostly).

Damn! Street is so imposing, he even causes the earth itself to freeze in fear! - monkeyball

by Jjjsixsix on Jan 29, 2006 4:58 PM PST up reply actions

and now i wish there were a function to take back

a post.

Damn! Street is so imposing, he even causes the earth itself to freeze in fear! - monkeyball

by Jjjsixsix on Jan 29, 2006 4:59 PM PST up reply actions

ohhh italics

how I love thee so

"...and in Joe [Blanton]'s case, it's almost like he crammed the whole rookie year in a month, then became a veteran." --Billy Beane

by rungood on Jan 30, 2006 2:09 AM PST up reply actions

NYC A's fan

As a A's fan from NYC, I can certainly understand this posters viewpoint. Although I have never been a Yankees fan,the Steinbrenner years have made watching them mostly intolerable. I can certainly understand and respect someone growing up a Yankees fan and remaining loyal. It's the "bogus" Yankee fans who suddenly became Yankee fans during their dynasty that I don't respect. Anyway,welcome aboard CHF Digital!

by Babitts on Jan 29, 2006 4:42 PM PST reply actions

Thanks!

Glad to know there are other NYC A's fans out there, we should start a support group...
Chris

by CHFDigital on Jan 29, 2006 5:20 PM PST up reply actions

NYC A's fan

Sounds good..There are usually a few other NorthEast A's fans on this site. I became an A's fan in 1966 and stayed an A's fan even though (except for College) I've always lived in the NYC area.

by Babitts on Jan 29, 2006 6:07 PM PST up reply actions

Never got that

It seems OK to like a team that's successful. Once you start to like them, a fondness tends to remain. At least you're watching the sport and cheering something, after all... Was it a bad thing when the collective nation hopped on the 49ers back when Montana was QB? Or when people who had never seen a hockey game supported the USA and didn't stop cheering during their Olympic medal game vs. USSR? Or even when Baseball was provided a much-needed breather from all the dirty undertow when a team that, whether you like 'em or not, everyone loved completed an unprecedented 3 game down turnaround and won the WS? Sure, you might not like the Sox, but what they did for baseball as far as increasing awareness and getting more viewers (and therefore more money to owners such as Wolff and co) ain't bad. And the Yanks are sort of similar. Sure, they buy championships (and don't get me wrong, I dislike the Yanks as much as the next guy) but with their HUGE TV deals they also keep MLB afloat, and provide also provide an incredible bad guy that essentially separates baseball from basketball and hockey (though it isn't as big as football). Ooooh, we're going to kill those Yanks this weekend! Better buy tickets! Or, better watch the game! etc. etc.

Yanks fair weather fans only make it that much easier to make every single series the Yanks play intriguing, especially when they play the really good AL teams like Oakland, Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, etc. I say, thanks Yankee fans! Now we can be that much happier when we beat you. And if they came as the Yanks hit their dynasty? Well, all the more reason to be happy when they're mad.

by Alon on Jan 29, 2006 7:16 PM PST up reply actions

Not so fast

First let's see you step and spit on your old Yankees jersey, then light it on fire... :)

by OaktownTribesman on Jan 29, 2006 5:28 PM PST reply actions

Yeah

NRAFs gotta prove their allegiance. My hazing was to go to Fenway wearing an A's hat. My kneecaps are just now healing, but it was worth it.

Copernicus felt the same way about the geocentric crew.

by salb918 on Jan 29, 2006 5:48 PM PST up reply actions

giving up your childhood team is serious

i hope you find new-found fulfillment as an A's fan. I don't know how anyone could not love the A's.

GO A's!!!!!!!!

by kvn on Jan 29, 2006 6:04 PM PST reply actions

I used to be a yankees fan too...

since i live in new jersey. but i got tired of them buying every player in baseball. i thought this took no talent whatsoever. i also saw that they were trdaing young guys for older ones and sooner or later theyd be stuck with a buncha geezers who are being paid millions. so i became an A's fan, and i have not been disappointed.

by harendaman365 on Jan 29, 2006 6:13 PM PST reply actions

welcome back from the dark side, anakin

come visit us on planet oakland sometime.

Let's go

by rockit on Jan 29, 2006 6:15 PM PST reply actions

I switched alliances from the Yankees to the A's

during the 2004 season. Living in NY, the Yankees are most peoples team around here so I just went along. I switched beacause I was just not enjoying the game of baseball anymore, mostly because being a Yankees fan is too easy. I couldnt stand anymore of the ignorance of management and fans. I ended up rarley watching any games and not really even caring. So after about a year of split alliances, I became an A's fan and now watch all the games I can, and really enjoy baseball again, but then again I was not a long time Yankees fan being only 17.

by SanTropez on Jan 29, 2006 6:21 PM PST reply actions

I don't hate those teams!

But I LOVE it when we beat them

Welcome and don't forget to buckle up!

1/25/06 JayPay; "I'd be open to whatever else is out there. ... If Boston had an everyday job in center field, I certainly wouldn't block that."

by A s Eh on Jan 29, 2006 8:16 PM PST reply actions

Whoa... so many confessions in this diary!

We can change the title of this diary to AN Confessions Part III. BTW, proud to say that I haven't sinned since the last confessions. <Snicker>

"I like Band Camp. He hits things." ~ Kyli (9/24/05)

by AsGirl on Jan 29, 2006 9:58 PM PST reply actions

Welcome!

I'm happy that we're the light at the end of the dark, stankee tunnel... ;)

"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Jan 29, 2006 10:05 PM PST reply actions

Real advice

Also, a little piece of advice, I have found the last two September chokes to be easier to take with multiple beers of a quality brew.

Despite all that, the A's are no doubt very entertaining team to watch nonetheless.

"Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out" - Vaclav Havel

by Czech Micah on Jan 30, 2006 12:53 AM PST reply actions