Rank your city's sports teams by popularity

[L41A]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

From an outsider perspective, I would've expected the Hawks to edge out the Falcons. Granted, the Hawks probably haven't been much to talk about since the 90s when Dominique Wilkins played for them.

When I ranked the Atlanta teams, I did with a broad perspective to history. During the period the Hawks had Dominique Wilkins, the Hawks were probably #1 team in popularity in Atlanta.

But it's Atlanta and it's Georgia, there is just a greater built-in interest in football. If earlier in their history, the Falcons were more successful, more consistent, more competitive and the early ownership was more like a Ted Turner or even Arthur Blank today, the Falcons would probably by far be #1 in popularity in Atlanta.

[SAN Man]

Atlanta has to be the Braves, no question.

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[SAN Man]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Los Angeles?

LA, the Dodgers, no question.

[SAN Man]

Originally Posted by SAN Man

USC fight song and the Atlanta Braves tomahawk chop have the best fight music during games, imo.

Jimmy Carter did the chop!

I remember David Justice coming up to bat with the Tomahawk Chop going on in the background.
I also remember Reggie Bush, dominating games with the USC band blasting the fight song.

Found a clip on YouTube, David Justice hits a home run and you can hear the Tomahawk Chop chant in the aground:

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[Buckeye Native 001]

Originally Posted by plinko

A lot of people don’t really seem to think of LA as a baseball city, but prior to 2020, both the Dodgers and the Angels were over 3M in attendance for many years, even when they weren’t great.

Best baseball crowd I ever experienced was a 2006 World Baseball Classic matchup between Mexico and South Korea at Angel Stadium on a Sunday night in mid-March. It was cold (for Anaheim, mid 50s) and first pitch was around 8pm, but the stadium was damn-near sold out. The crowd was absolutely electric. Tailgating in the parking lot rivaled the Brewers and most football stadiums.

Having the Angels ten minutes from where I went to college during the early-to-mid 2000s helped ease the misery of being a Reds fan during that time (as well as see a bunch of different American League teams I never got to see play in Cincinnati or Phoenix). I still have a copy of the Orange County Register from when they won the World Series somewhere in my hoard, along with an Arizona Republic from when the Diamondbacks won the World Series the year prior.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SAN Man

Atlanta has to be the Braves, no question.

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Nobody cared much until a couple of years ago but these days this is enough to make many Canadians lose their shit.

I know that many Americans find it incredibly offensive, racist and hateful as well, though as I've said before: good luck in preventing a crowd of thousands from doing it.

Some people suggest that if someone in the crowd does it, the game should stop, and perhaps the Braves would forfeit it and it would be a loss in the standings.

[arkitekte]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Nobody cared much until a couple of years ago but these days this is enough to make many Canadians lose their shit.

I know that many Americans find it incredibly offensive, racist and hateful as well, though as I've said before: good luck in preventing a crowd of thousands from doing it.

Some people suggest that if someone in the crowd does it, the game should stop, and perhaps the Braves would forfeit it and it would be a loss in the standings.

Is this sarcasm or delusion?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by arkitekte

Is this sarcasm or delusion?

Neither.

Any views on it? (I am genuinely interested.)

[xzmattzx]

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

My Philly sports team ranking: this changes slightly year to year, depending on how the teams are performing, but in general:
1) E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles
2) Phillies
3) Flyers
4) Sixers
5) Combined Big 5 / City 6 Basketball, with Villanova probably topping the list
6) Philadelphia Union soccer

I would change it to this:

1. Eagles
2. Phillies
3. 76ers (now)
4. Flyers (now)
5. Big 5 basketball
6. Penn State football
7. Union

I think the tide has changed, and the 76ers are 3rd in the area now over the Flyers. That has been the case for the last 5 years, and doesn't appear to get changed any time soon.

[arkitekte]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Neither.

Any views on it? (I am genuinely interested.)

I'm a Braves fan. My views are biased.

I don't disagree that some find the Braves, Redskins, Chiefs, Blackhawks, Florida State Seminoles, etc. offensive. I also don't disagree that some of their logos and/or traditions are offensive to some.

The fact that some think that a game should be stopped and a professional team be forced to forfeit the game is comical.

[Steely Dan]

The "Indians" and "Redskins" names are already gone, along with all of their other native American inspired aspects like mascots, logos, imagery, etc.

My guess is that the same will happen to the Braves, Chiefs, and Blackhawks* by the end of this decade.


(*) The Blackhawks might be able to retain all or part of their name if they re-theme themselves to hawks, the birds.


I do like the idea of renaming the Braves to the "Atlanta Hammers" to honor Hank Aaron.

[Sam Hill]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Neither.

Any views on it? (I am genuinely interested.)

As soon as I read, “a couple years ago” I was struck. I sensed delusion. I sensed a perspective of a person that doesn’t understand that the battle against these team names has been going on for decades and the perspective of a person that doesn’t understand the seriousness of this nation’s past sins - such as all the ethnic cleansing that is a critical part of our history - the Indian Removal Act of 1830 being just one example.

On the other hand I can see clear as day that everyone means well - including the most enthusiastic of tomahawk choppers in the world of sports fandom - and so people really need to stop loosely throwing around the word “bigot” and give their fellow citizens a break.

It’s all about empathy - which is the foundation of communication and understanding - but nobody seems to possess it now days.

[L41A]

I hope the Braves do not change their name. Maybe change the imagery - get rid of tomahawk on jersey, get rid of the Native American references but don't change the name. Braves is not the same category as Redskins or even Indians. Brave is a positive word. I hope we don't gaslight Brave into something negative.

Also, changing imagery and keeping name has been done before in professional sports. For example, the Golden State Warriors of the NBA once used Native American imagery in their logo.

[Sam Hill]

Originally Posted by L41A

I hope the Braves do not change their name. Maybe change the imagery - get rid of tomahawk on jersey, get rid of the Native American references but don't change the name. Braves is not the same category as Redskins or even Indians. Brave is a positive word. I hope we don't gaslight Brave into something negative.

Also, changing imagery and keeping name has been done before in professional sports. For example, the Golden State Warriors of the NBA once used Native American imagery in their logo.

I agree. I wouldn’t go so far as saying the campaign against the name is gaslighting, but I do think certain traditions have an incalculable value to the local community, and the name “Braves” can certainly be salvaged.

[dave8721]

Originally Posted by SAN Man

USC fight song and the Atlanta Braves tomahawk chop have the best fight music during games, imo.

Jimmy Carter did the chop!

I remember David Justice coming up to bat with the Tomahawk Chop going on in the background.
I also remember Reggie Bush, dominating games with the USC band blasting the fight song.

The Tomahawk Chop is the worst (apart from the whole racist issue). It was basically a copy cat from the longtime Florida State Football chant. Having former FSU football star Deion Sanders on the 1991 team helped.

[dave8721]

Originally Posted by arkitekte

I'm a Braves fan. My views are biased.

I don't disagree that some find the Braves, Redskins, Chiefs, Blackhawks, Florida State Seminoles, etc. offensive. I also don't disagree that some of their logos and/or traditions are offensive to some.

The fact that some think that a game should be stopped and a professional team be forced to forfeit the game is comical.

Florida State is different. They have monuments/museums to the Seminole Tribe around campus. They have a giant "Unconquered" signs on the stadium and around campus (honoring the Seminole tribe's "unconquered people" motto, referencing the tribe never signed a peace treaty with the US after several wars, the US just stopped fighting them). The (white) guy in the face paint who come out and throws down the spear before the game may be a little much though.

[Shawn]

For Boston, it's pretty easy since about 1994:

1. Sox
2. Pats
3. C's
4. B's
5. Revs (closer to the B's than Jeremy Jacobs should be comfortable with and closing)
6. Hockey East on the whole (usually BC, but BU and NE have their years)
7. BC football - the only school in New England with any historical NCAA success

When I was a kid in the 80s and going back to the 50s:

1. Sox
2. C's
3. B's
4. Pats (sometimes below BC or BU hockey)
5. Hockey East (since '84)

And.... specifically in 1984:

1. Sox
2. C's
3. BC football: DOUG FOR THE HAIL FLUTIE!
4. B's
5. Hockey East (inaugural season as a league)
6. Pats

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Sam Hill

As soon as I read, “a couple years ago” I was struck. I sensed delusion. I sensed a perspective of a person that doesn’t understand that the battle against these team names has been going on for decades and the perspective of a person that doesn’t understand the seriousness of this nation’s past sins - such as all the ethnic cleansing that is a critical part of our history - the Indian Removal Act of 1830 being just one example.

On the other hand I can see clear as day that everyone means well - including the most enthusiastic of tomahawk choppers in the world of sports fandom - and so people really need to stop loosely throwing around the word “bigot” and give their fellow citizens a break.

It’s all about empathy - which is the foundation of communication and understanding - but nobody seems to possess it now days.

Oh I fully understand the issues. I am Canadian and Indigenous issues are probably 10 times more visible and acute here than they are in the US.

I also know the tomahawk chop and various team names have been controversial for a while but the very strong opposition, hostility and emotional reactions to them are fairly recent phenomena.

It still remains an interesting question to debate, precisely for the reasons you've brought up here.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by dave8721

Florida State is different. They have monuments/museums to the Seminole Tribe around campus. They have a giant "Unconquered" signs on the stadium and around campus (honoring the Seminole tribe's "unconquered people" motto, referencing the tribe never signed a peace treaty with the US after several wars, the US just stopped fighting them). The (white) guy in the face paint who come out and throws down the spear before the game may be a little much though.

I see that they have an agreement or understanding of sorts with the Seminole nation. Even so, I am sure that there is still some discomfort on the part of many, and that Florida State people (formally and informally) probably spend a lot of time "explaining" the situation to people who react strongly to all of that.

In 2022, that might actually be someone's full time job.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by arkitekte

I'm a Braves fan. My views are biased.

I don't disagree that some find the Braves, Redskins, Chiefs, Blackhawks, Florida State Seminoles, etc. offensive. I also don't disagree that some of their logos and/or traditions are offensive to some.

The fact that some think that a game should be stopped and a professional team be forced to forfeit the game is comical.

Just for the record, that's not my personal view, which I think is probably closer to yours.

Though similar rules do exist under FIFA and UEFA in soccer. A referee has the authority to stop a game and award the win to the visitors if racist chants are persistent in the stadium. I think there might be steps to this, with warnings broadcast before the referee can actually drop the hammer.

Of course, the tomahawk chop isn't really a case of racist chanting that is meant to taunt opposing players.