Community Chat

[just bee]

On 1/31/2014 naturalfan said:

On 1/31/2014 just bee said:

On 1/31/2014 bikerbabe said:

On 1/31/2014 just bee said:

On 1/31/2014 bikerbabe said:

<br /> I used to be a loyal Cubbie. Something happened over the last 10 years and I can't get that excited anymore. I do still watch some of the playoffs.

Bikerbabe -- more and more I'm thinkin' we were separated at birth. The '69 Cubs were my team. Now I don't even recognize the Cubs. If they demolish Wrigley Field, I'm done.

I was a fanatic and now I admit I don't watch any professional sports if I can help it. The players' bad behavior has ruined it for me. When I crave sportsmanship, I watch the Little Leaguers.

Wrigley is the best! I'd never watch a baseball game ever again if they get rid of it.

I guess my view on pros is different because I've known a few NFL players over the years, a couple quite well (no I won't name names! LOL). It's the trouble-makers who get the press. Lots of good, honest hardworking guys out there just trying to play the game they love.

And they are unknown.

I guess I miss the connection between players and their cities. Ernie Banks and Ron Santo were Chicago. All that has changed.

Like I said, born and raised on the near north side. My grandfather, my parents, me and the hubby, and our daughter are (were) all great Cubs fans. Last time the Cubs won the World Series, my grandfather was a little boy, and he lived a very long life, and he's been dead for about 25 years now. Let's face it, the Cubs have been lousy for the last few years but on opening day, I guarantee that the fans will be cheering as if they won the Series.

When I was born, we lived in an apartment on Addison. My father's choice: He was diehard. And he was born in 1906; technically, he never saw his team win a series. My sister was born in '53 and never saw the team win.

I'm 54 and I'm not holding my breath. I often wonder what would happen to the average Cubs fan if the Cubs ever won. Would the planet spontaneously combust?

[naturalfan]

Too bad Santo never saw a Series win - hope Ernie gets to see one while he is still around.

[just bee]

On 1/31/2014 naturalfan said:

Too bad Santo never saw a Series win - hope Ernie gets to see one while he is still around.

I was walking to the bus stop in ABQ, listening to the radio, when I heard Santo had died. I immediately snotted up. His story is extraordinary.

I was nine and Banks was my hero. My sister and I stood in line for hours, outside Uptown Federal Bank, just to meet Banks and Hundley. The line was longer than anyone had expected, and Ernie and Randy had put in their time. But they stayed and they shook every sticky, sweaty hand of every little kid in that line before they left that day.

I'll never forget that.

[luvdoodles]

I think they try to choose a neutral playing field. It makes sense to me. Neither team should have the home field advantage.

[mollystwin]

The selection process for the host city begins about 5 yrs in advance, and home field advantage really isn't part of the equation. If it was a factor, the venue choice would have to be made a couple of weeks before game day, since the NFL doesn't know until then which teams will be playing in the SB.

BTW, luvpoos, I've visited your state several times, and I think it's 1 of the most beautiful states in the US. If I had to move from CO for some reason, ME would be 1 of 2 or 3 states where I would want to live.

Oops, luvpoos. I just noticed you live in MA, not ME, but MA is very nice too.

[Luv2Decorate]

On 1/31/2014 bikerbabe said:

On 1/31/2014 Shorty2U said:

I agree. I think the USA makes too big a deal out of football. But I don't watch any sports except for the Olympics soooo.

Football fanaticism in the US is nothing compared to futbol/soccer in many countries. It literally means EVERYTHING to many fans.

I follow sports and it amazes me to see the fanatical fans of soccer around the world. The riots, deaths, injuries that occur at the stadiums is awful. I love sports from the little kids to the pro's but I'd never let something that doesn't really matter effect my life get me worked up like some of those fans do. They have no control of what happens on the field.

[LilacTree]

I have asked my one daughter who will be watching the game to let me know when it's halftime, so I can watch Bruno Mars!!

[boby]

Thanks to Mollies Twin for pointing out the very good reason why the game can't be planned for the city of either of the participants.

IMHO New Jersey made the list because they probably wanted to put the game in or very near a major urban center. Kind of glad to hear that Arizona is on the list also. They have been trying to host the game for a long time, but the league resisted putting the SB in a state that delayed recognizing MLK Day as a holiday.

PS Very honestly, venue couldn't matter a bit to me, even if my home team made the game. At $1,000 to park and $3,000 or $4,000 for the cheapest seat in the house, I'll have the best seat available - right in front of my giant screen TV, with a rest room and a snack bar only about ten feet away, and no wait for either. As of yesterday they had about 18,000 unsold seats. Can you imagine the league "reverse scalping" all those seats?

Follow-up: To answer my own question about "reverse scalping" the cheap seats are now going for $1,500, and should be lower by game time. Hey, that's only $1 a day for 4-1/4 years.

[RainCityGirl]

On 2/1/2014 Luv2Decorate said:

On 1/31/2014 bikerbabe said:

On 1/31/2014 Shorty2U said:

I agree. I think the USA makes too big a deal out of football. But I don't watch any sports except for the Olympics soooo.

Football fanaticism in the US is nothing compared to futbol/soccer in many countries. It literally means EVERYTHING to many fans.

I follow sports and it amazes me to see the fanatical fans of soccer around the world. The riots, deaths, injuries that occur at the stadiums is awful. I love sports from the little kids to the pro's but I'd never let something that doesn't really matter effect my life get me worked up like some of those fans do. They have no control of what happens on the field.

They seem to think they do. That's why they always say, WE won! LOL.

[MrsLorraine]

On 1/31/2014 ShowMe said:

On 1/31/2014 RainCityGirl said:

I'm a baseball fan, but since the Seahawks are in my city, I will of course watch, at least part of it. Today at the mall, so many people were wearing Seahawks colors, and I saw one group of about 10 all with Russell Wilson jerseys on. We had Seahawks decorated cookies at the local bakery Wednesday, and Fred Meyer had their entire store decorated with those mylar balloons, one kind with the logo and the other in the shape of a football. They've got the fever, here, for sure.

Sounds like a happy time......can understand the excitement there.

I'm a Puget Sounder too, and it's a lot of fun.