Sorry, but Bibby was right (kind of)

[biggs]

Not to be a downer on playoff day here, but the way we handled the Bibby comments the other day kind of got to me. 

Now let me say he was not totally right by what he said, but he certainly was on to something. 

So here it is.  I hate to break peoples bubbles here, but a lot of the fans (in the sell out playoff games esp.) are fair weather. 

These guys wouldn't be caught dead at a game last year, but as soon as the big ticket came to town its "time to bring some customers to games" and "well the pats lost might as well get Celtics tickets".

These are the same people that hadn't bought Celtics swag since the 80's and now they all have a hat or sticker.

I overheard a couple of older guys at my rec-league talking about going to game one and the only thing that was admirable from their conversation was saying how loud the garden was. 

These guys couldn't remember Leon's first name.  (or last)

They referred to Leon as the "who's that dumb guy"?  To which I maybe thought Big baby?

All they could talk about was KG and how great he is and then they went on to talk about how Ray will be the first to go and that our future's not totally screwed like they thought it was when we made the trade for him.  It was like hearing Barkley talk about the C's or something. 

Anyway I just think that us die hards got a little too offended by Bibby's comments the other day because we just bleed green so much and never quit on our team.  However we have to acknowledge the fact that a lot of Bostonians became instant fans as soon as we got KG and those very fans may very well be "making some noise" now that there team is successful. 

I mean ultimately there is nothing we die hards can do to combat the fair weathers.  We may just have to accept the support and know that at some point these people were a fan.... of something....when it was popular.

So to sum it all up I think we just need to know that if we liked this team when they sucked then we are true fans and we deserve the ring not all the redsox/patriots fans that are used to winning. 

PS- if I hear another Yuuk chant I will throw my shoe at him.  This is Basketball period.

GO CELTS!!!!! 

 

[wdleehi]

It is just a joke coming out of the mouth of a player in Atlanta.


Atlanta is the worst sports town with multiple teams in the US.

Take the Braves.  They couldn't sell out playoff games.   


The Falcons only sold when Vick was there.

[crownsy]

Not to be a downer on playoff day here, but the way we handled the Bibby comments the other day kind of got to me. 

Now let me say he was not totally right by what he said, but he certainly was on to something. 

So here it is.  I hate to break peoples bubbles here, but a lot of the fans (in the sell out playoff games esp.) are fair weather. 

These guys wouldn't be caught dead at a game last year, but as soon as the big ticket came to town its "time to bring some customers to games" and "well the pats lost might as well get Celtics tickets".

These are the same people that hadn't bought Celtics swag since the 80's and now they all have a hat or sticker.

I overheard a couple of older guys at my rec-league talking about going to game one and the only thing that was admirable from their conversation was saying how loud the garden was. 

These guys couldn't remember Leon's first name.  (or last)

They referred to Leon as the "who's that dumb guy"?  To which I maybe thought Big baby?

All they could talk about was KG and how great he is and then they went on to talk about how Ray will be the first to go and that our future's not totally screwed like they thought it was when we made the trade for him.  It was like hearing Barkley talk about the C's or something. 

Anyway I just think that us die hards got a little too offended by Bibby's comments the other day because we just bleed green so much and never quit on our team.  However we have to acknowledge the fact that a lot of Bostonians became instant fans as soon as we got KG and those very fans may very well be "making some noise" now that there team is successful. 

I mean ultimately there is nothing we die hards can do to combat the fair weathers.  We may just have to accept the support and know that at some point these people were a fan.... of something....when it was popular.

So to sum it all up I think we just need to know that if we liked this team when they sucked then we are true fans and we deserve the ring not all the redsox/patriots fans that are used to winning. 

PS- if I hear another Yuuk chant I will throw my shoe at him.  This is Basketball period.

GO CELTS!!!!! 

 

granted, there are fairweather fans, but his assettion was ridculous. look at the numbers. sell outs average us roughly 18k a game. last year, we had an average attendance of 16.5k a game. therefore, his assetion that the seats were empty is completly false. I can tell you from being there.

of course good teams get bandwagon jumpers, but for gods sake, the hawks are about to open up tickets to C's fans because they cant sell otu game 3. Mike might want to check where he plays.

[CelticsWhat35]

There are fake fans all over the place, in every city, in every sport.  But it doesn't change the fact that it shows what a classless loser Mike Bibby is.  Boston still has some of the most die-hard fans in all of sports.  And for a member of the ATLANTA Hawks to talk about any other cities' fans is pretty laughable.  The pathetic thing is, if it wasn't for the fact that they were playing the Celtics, the Hawks 2 home games probably wouldn't be sold out.  I mean, if they can't sell out Braves games when they're the best in the league, I wouldn't expect any different.

[Big Ticket]

I got into a big debate over Bibby's comments on the ESPN board, and was one of the few that were not saying "Yeah, Boston fans suck! Bandwagoners! Boston fans are the worst! Blah blah blah".

Basically to sum up my argument, I said that anyone who uses game attendance as an indicator for how "real" a team's fans are needs to:

A) admit that every single team is full of bandwagon fans (cited the Kings low attendance this year after 3-5 years of straight sellouts, and the Warriors suddenly 'huge' fan base after last years run);
or

B)exercise a little brainpower and realize that basketball tickets are extremely expensive, and people are not going to pay that price to watch a bad team in person, when they can watch a bad team on TV for free (and get the beer for $7 cheaper).

[SShoreFan]

basically agree with you in the sense in any city the playoffs see an influx of "johnny-come-latelys", it's the nature of the beast.

Although I was turned off by the obsession with the Jumbotron (I have been since the early days of putting fans up there - in fact on the day they retired 00 to the rafters, they jumbotron camera caught me walking to my seats carrying a ton of food and when I realized it, I instinctively flipped the bird -- not my proudest moment) I cannot fault showing the love for Youk. 

I love how the sports teams in this town support each other and hope they continue to do so.

[BadBoyBosh]

it was hard for me to get tickets last year, nevermind this year

[Potapenko Boxout]

TP for you biggs, well said

[wdleehi]

I think there are only two teams in the NBA that can sell out even when they are bad.  Knicks and the Lakers.


The reason, not that the fans are more hard core, but their games are seen as more of a who's who happening.  Where those who want to be where it is hot are afraid of losing their tickets.  Both that are known for their celebrity in the crowd. 


Everywhere else, the main draw is the basketball game. 

[Mr October]

It is true that there are too many fair weather fans in every city that get the seats for these games. Bill Simmons wrote about this last year during the Golden State Dallas series. Most of the good seats in all cities are going to businessmen with big wallets, while the die hards are stuck in the nosebleeds, sports bars, or at home. Simmons pointed out that the Bay Area and New York were probably the last 2 cities where there were enough intense basket fans who could afford the big seats. Based on watching a bunch of Warriors games this year, it appears that the band wagon fans have taken over GS as well. That leaves NY. That's just how it is.

Having said all that, the Boston fan ROCKED the Garden during the Pierce/Walker run to the ECF right from the get go. After the Hawks are gone, the building is going to go berserk when the C's face King James. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it.

On Bibby, I bet he was having flash backs to the Kings' crowds during the Webber years. That place was rockin' when they played the Lakers. But given that he is currently on the Hawks, his comments are silly.

[SShoreFan]

Atlanta is the worst sports town with multiple teams in the US.
Take the Braves.  They couldn't sell out playoff games.   
The Falcons only sold when Vick was there.

By the way, anyone claiming the Garden was sold out the other night is kidding themselves.  There were at least 10 luxury boxes pitch black, with empty seats scattered all about (there were four seats empty in my row in the balcony)

[CelticsWhat35]

Atlanta is the worst sports town with multiple teams in the US.
Take the Braves.  They couldn't sell out playoff games.   
The Falcons only sold when Vick was there.

By the way, anyone claiming the Garden was sold out the other night is kidding themselves.  There were at least 10 luxury boxes pitch black, with empty seats scattered all about (there were four seats empty in my row in the balcony)

THere's a difference between being sold out and having every seat occupied.  The game was definitely sold out.  But that's what happens when you have scalpers buy up as many tickets as possible and try reselling them at crazy markups.  Not everyone is gonna bite on it.

[wdleehi]

Atlanta is the worst sports town with multiple teams in the US.
Take the Braves.  They couldn't sell out playoff games.   
The Falcons only sold when Vick was there.

By the way, anyone claiming the Garden was sold out the other night is kidding themselves.  There were at least 10 luxury boxes pitch black, with empty seats scattered all about (there were four seats empty in my row in the balcony)

You can't count luxury boxes.  They are just so expensive. 

[crownsy]

There are fake fans all over the place, in every city, in every sport.  But it doesn't change the fact that it shows what a classless loser Mike Bibby is.  Boston still has some of the most die-hard fans in all of sports.  And for a member of the ATLANTA Hawks to talk about any other cities' fans is pretty laughable.  The pathetic thing is, if it wasn't for the fact that they were playing the Celtics, the Hawks 2 home games probably wouldn't be sold out.  I mean, if they can't sell out Braves games when they're the best in the league, I wouldn't expect any different.

the hawks games arent sold out btw, there opening up tickets to outside buyers today because they have half thier arena full. Those are going to be home games.

[ponch]

Bibby definitely should be focusing on his own inept Game 1 and how to improve, than worrying about the Boston fans.  If he wants to call them out that is his prerogative, but he has to know that he will only get it from the fans that much worse in the rest of the games.

Having said that, there are certainly bandwagoners for the C's as there are for any good team.  You have your die hards that commit their heart and soul year after year, and then you have your group of fans that comes out when the team is winning.  But Boston is no more guilty of this than any other city and I would say that they have a more passionate fan base than most.