Famous Author Compares Steelers and Skins Fans

[stu_nna]

D.C. Sports Bog - Famous Author Compares Steelers and Skins Fans

[jsarno]

Wow...is this really thread worthy? I am actually disappointed in the post for even writing it.

[htownskinfan]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Wow...is this really thread worthy? I am actually disappointed in the post for even writing it.

I found this interesting:

As a Pittsburgh fan living in DC, how'd you react to that Monday Night crowd last year? And what would you expect the crowd to look like this Saturday?

I knew the Steelers have a lot of fans in the region, having learned that from watching games each week in a packed three-floor Steelers bar on Capitol Hill and having been to previous preseason games when the Steelers came to town. But that turnout at the Monday Night Game last year was staggering. The Steelers hadn't played here in a regular season game since '88, and in the preseason games since then, the turnout of Steelers fans was good, but nowhere near that scale.

especially this part,

I'm sure a lot of it had to do with the general wretchedness of FedEx Field and how many local fans have been turned off the place, probably forever. If that game was played in RFK, that would've never happened. As far as this Saturday goes, I'd doubt it will be anything like last year, just because it's the preseason and not as many people are gonna want to make the effort

[sportscurmudgeon]

Mike Tunison is a famous author?

I suspect the most "famous" incident in his life was his firing by the Washington Post when he revealed that he was "Christmas Ape" on the Kissing Suzy Kolber website.

Ernest Hemmingway's place in literary history is in no danger...

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

Mike Tunison is a famous author?

I suspect the most "famous" incident in his life was his firing by the Washington Post when he revealed that he was "Christmas Ape" on the Kissing Suzy Kolber website.

Ernest Hemmingway's place in literary history is in no danger...

My question exactly.

[redsk1]

Originally Posted by htownskinfan

I found this interesting:

As a Pittsburgh fan living in DC, how'd you react to that Monday Night crowd last year? And what would you expect the crowd to look like this Saturday?

I knew the Steelers have a lot of fans in the region, having learned that from watching games each week in a packed three-floor Steelers bar on Capitol Hill and having been to previous preseason games when the Steelers came to town. But that turnout at the Monday Night Game last year was staggering. The Steelers hadn't played here in a regular season game since '88, and in the preseason games since then, the turnout of Steelers fans was good, but nowhere near that scale.

especially this part,

I'm sure a lot of it had to do with the general wretchedness of FedEx Field and how many local fans have been turned off the place, probably forever. If that game was played in RFK, that would've never happened. As far as this Saturday goes, I'd doubt it will be anything like last year, just because it's the preseason and not as many people are gonna want to make the effort

Yes, agreed. Never would have happened at RFK. There are many reasons for that though.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Lotus

My question exactly.

Maybe he was confused with Alfred Tennyson

[irish]

Originally Posted by redsk1

Yes, agreed. Never would have happened at RFK. There are many reasons for that though.

I agree. FedEx isnt especially bad but its too big and the atmosphere of knowing those season ticket holders sitting around you isnt there like it was at RFK. I get the impression the ownership doesnt care who shows up at games as long as they buy tix and lots of concessions.

[redsk1]

Originally Posted by irish

I agree. FedEx isnt especially bad but its too big and the atmosphere of knowing those season ticket holders sitting around you isnt there like it was at RFK. I get the impression the ownership doesnt care who shows up at games as long as they buy tix and lots of concessions.

I think DS wants Skins fans to represent but still wants the $ too.


I think the mediocrity of the Skins over the last almost 20 yrs is a biggie. I'm 36 now, and as a kid I don't remember seeing any Eagles fans for example. As a college student, I didn't know any Eagles fans. Over the last 10 years, there's more around mainly due to the fact they've had a pretty good team for a decade or so. That + more fans. The Steelers have always had alot of fans but more so now that they've been good for 15 years +. Just like the Cowboys fans. There's a lot of them, but they come crawling out of the woodwork when they are good. When they suck, it's hard to find em.

The Skins..haven't been relavent at all therefore their marketshare hasn't grown as much.

Of course there are other reasons...

price, stadium, transplanted fans and area, etc.

[Redskins8588]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Maybe he was confused with Alfred Tennyson

Or maybe Ben Tennyson

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by redsk1

I think DS wants Skins fans to represent but still wants the $ too.


I think the mediocrity of the Skins over the last almost 20 yrs is a biggie. I'm 36 now, and as a kid I don't remember seeing any Eagles fans for example. As a college student, I didn't know any Eagles fans. Over the last 10 years, there's more around mainly due to the fact they've had a pretty good team for a decade or so. That + more fans. The Steelers have always had alot of fans but more so now that they've been good for 15 years +. Just like the Cowboys fans. There's a lot of them, but they come crawling out of the woodwork when they are good. When they suck, it's hard to find em.

The Skins..haven't been relavent at all therefore their marketshare hasn't grown as much.

Of course there are other reasons...

price, stadium, transplanted fans and area, etc.

I can agree with your criticism of Dallas fans being frontrunners, but that certainly doesn't apply to Pittsburgh fans. They wear their colors proudly whether they are good or bad. In that regard, they are a lot like us, except their fan base is much more a national phenomenon than ours. I guess that a lot of native Pittsburgh folks don't stay close to home, for whatever reason, but they stick with their team for life, regardless of where they live.

[irish]

Originally Posted by redsk1

I think DS wants Skins fans to represent but still wants the $ too.


I think the mediocrity of the Skins over the last almost 20 yrs is a biggie. I'm 36 now, and as a kid I don't remember seeing any Eagles fans for example. As a college student, I didn't know any Eagles fans. Over the last 10 years, there's more around mainly due to the fact they've had a pretty good team for a decade or so. That + more fans. The Steelers have always had alot of fans but more so now that they've been good for 15 years +. Just like the Cowboys fans. There's a lot of them, but they come crawling out of the woodwork when they are good. When they suck, it's hard to find em.

The Skins..haven't been relavent at all therefore their marketshare hasn't grown as much.

Of course there are other reasons...

price, stadium, transplanted fans and area, etc.

I totally agree about the Skins mediocrity, its hard to get excited and follow a team that almost never makes the playoffs. I dont think any young Washingtonian could remember the Skins being anything but a bottom tier team and thats not good for getting a young fan hooked on a team. If the Skins ever get good I'm sure a lot of people will get on the bandwagon and I doubt there will be many complaints.

The Steelers have been good since the 70s (closer to 30+ years) so they have had awhile to build their fan base around a good team. Another thing is that lots of Pgh-ers have left Pgh for all over the USA and still follow the Steelers. I dont think I've ever been to a city that didnt have a Steeler bar. They have had kids and those kids are Steeler fans too (and it doesnt hurt the Steelers win to make the team worth following). IMO, the Steelers are America's team.

[irish]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

I can agree with your criticism of Dallas fans being frontrunners, but that certainly doesn't apply to Pittsburgh fans. They wear their colors proudly whether they are good or bad. In that regard, they are a lot like us, except their fan base is much more a national phenomenon than ours. I guess that a lot of native Pittsburgh folks don't stay close to home, for whatever reason, but they stick with their team for life, regardless of where they live.

They left Pgh because when the steel mills closed in the late 70s there were no jobs. From what friends that live there tell me, there still isnt much in the way of jobs in Pgh.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by irish

I totally agree about the Skins mediocrity, its hard to get excited and follow a team that almost never makes the playoffs. I dont think any young Washingtonian could remember the Skins being anything but a bottom tier team and thats not good for getting a young fan hooked on a team. If the Skins ever get good I'm sure a lot of people will get on the bandwagon and I doubt there will be many complaints.

The Steelers have been good since the 70s (closer to 30+ years) so they have had awhile to build their fan base around a good team. Another thing is that lots of Pgh-ers have left Pgh for all over the USA and still follow the Steelers. I dont think I've ever been to a city that didnt have a Steeler bar. They have had kids and those kids are Steeler fans too (and it doesnt hurt the Steelers win to make the team worth following). IMO, the Steelers are America's team.

I would call them an average team and not a bottom teir team as you say and I think their record would show that.

[hagams]

I agree, not really thread worthy... Until you look at the results from last years game, and the crowd. Someone please do a search, and see how many people had a problem with the Pitt fans over shadowing our fans on our home turf. That was one of the lowest days in Redskins history. We didn't have a home field advantage, we were the away team.