Tuesdays With Hildy: What Opposition Teams Have The Best Fans?

by hildymac on Dec 21, 2010 12:28 PM CST

Don't be these guys. Especially the one with the Nordiques blingee necklace. Really don't be that guy.

I've written before on here about being the "other guy:" being the opposition fan in the building. If you're one of a mob, it's easy to handle, but if you're one of the few, you know that you stick out a little more. Some people make up for being one of the few by being horribly obnoxious, and others just sit there, mute. To me, taking the latter approach defeats the reason that you're at the game to begin with, but if you try to act like an army of 100 fans all by yourself, people are going to absolutely hate you. You run the risk of associating that behavior with all of the fans of your team. It's a fine trapeze act when you're cheering for your Blues in another barn.

Some teams' fans don't walk that high-wire well. Detroit fans get superior and complain when the home team's fans are yelling too loudly when their team scores (no, really, had Detroit fans in front of me earlier this season do that), and they'll shoot you nasty looks as they leave five minutes early because their team's getting their ass kicked. Bandwagon Chicago fans in their shiny new Kane jerseys will heckle other fans like the tables are turned and the game's being played in the United Center. Buffalo Sabres road fans invade your arena like a plague, get blitzed, and try to pick a fight with seven year old kids (I've seen it happen), throw beer on other fans, yell obscenities, and generally act like cretins. There are just some fans that you don't want in your building.

This isn't meant to knock fanbases that travel well - Penguins fans can show up en masse to cheer their team, but my experiences with them have all been really solid. Flyers fans have a reputation, but recently they seem to have mellowed - of course, anyone who buys me a beer to apologize for the ass kicking their team is laying on mine, I'm ok with. Maple Leaf fans are generally pretty cool people, as are Sens fans. Even Bruins fans can be fun if you really start to get them going and ticked off during the game - I appreciate someone being able to give as good as they get.

Honestly, the best experience I've had with opposing fans has been with Nashville Predator fans. They sit in loud little clumps behind their team's attack twice side and yell jeers at the goalie, especially after one of their guys score, but they're not "look at me!" about it. They just seem to do it because that's what they do at home. The last time they were down here, and lost, the fans in my section shook all of our hands and congratulated us on a good game. It was just... weird. But in a good way.

Are there any fans that you see show up at Scottrade and you're ok with it? You're not necessarily happy that every person there isn't wearing Bluenote blue, but fans that you know that you can have fun with, tease, and still leave on good terms? Fans that you don't feel the urge to throw over upper-deck railings? Or even fanbases who, when they cheer their own team, you don't feel the urge to dump a $9 beer on?

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Honestly, the best experience I’ve had with opposing fans has been with Nashville Predator fans. They sit in loud little clumps behind their team’s attack twice side and yell jeers at the goalie, especially after one of their guys score, but they’re not “look at me!” about it. They just seem to do it because that’s what they do at home. The last time they were down here, and lost, the fans in my section shook all of our hands and congratulated us on a good game. It was just… weird. But in a good way.

/takes bow

Good stuff, hildy. :)

by Chris Burton on Dec 21, 2010 12:31 PM CST reply actions

I wish the Preds were in the Southeast Division.

I think that ATL and NSH’d have a really, really swell rivalry if they were able to. Nashville’s the easiest game to road-trip to, and really, any team that actively courts the fan club down here to come on up to another game this season is fine by me. You might have a few folks in April – looks like the Thrashers fan club’s up to about 700 people. If I have that week off, I might try to tag along.

I’m ticked off that all of the Blues games happened so early this season. :(

Thrashing the Blues
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by hildymac on Dec 21, 2010 12:43 PM CST up reply actions

Def Nashvegas

The only place I see the Blues play live. No obnoxious fans or anything. Always a good time for sure!

I also ticked the Blues are done in Nashville for the year already! UGH

by hatrk219 on Dec 21, 2010 1:11 PM CST up reply actions

Living in Central Tennessee

I am frequently the opposition in Nashville, and twice in Atlanta, and both of them treat me well, if with general derision. But that’s to be expected. No one challenged me to a fight. But I’m not an asshole. If you can insult your team when they are playing poorly (it’s a shame there’s no “lazy Walt” to use anymore) you ingratiate yourself to opposition fans.
And the experience of watching a game in enemy territory is not to be missed. I love it.

Sometimes, I wonder why hockey came south of St. Louis, and then I realize, I'm south of St. Louis. Coincidence, I think not.

by Will in STL on Dec 21, 2010 3:37 PM CST up reply actions

I've lived in Memphis for a little over 4 years

I really need to make a trip over to Nashville to see a game I’ve never gone to a away game its still 3 hours away from where I live but I think it would be worth the drive

by Justin French on Dec 21, 2010 6:07 PM CST up reply actions

Oh yeah

The game I attended on Nov. 24th this year in Nashville..we had a loser wearing a SuckWings jersey sitting in our row! F*** Detroit!

by hatrk219 on Dec 22, 2010 7:58 AM CST up reply actions

I'll take the converse

Just about every other team’s fans except these few are OK by be:

Detroit : Seriously? you even have to ask? Mainly pissed off by their numbers and their general douchiness
Dallas: Something about these fans just rubs me the wrong way.
Chicago: On the bubble. There’s always lots of them, and they’re always loud, but they are generally pretty cool about it. Except for the newbie bandwagon fans (see entry for Detroit)

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by baroose on Dec 21, 2010 1:00 PM CST reply actions

Agree about Chicago

Our section always has tons of them, and although they’re obnoxious when winning, they can take the abuse too. It’s generally quite a good time, and there’s nothing like a large number of opponent jerseys in your general vicinity to pull Blues fans together.

by Mr. Particle on Dec 21, 2010 1:15 PM CST up reply actions

I'll have to agree on Detroit and Chicago.

I abhor the Blackhawks, but by-and-large, at least their fans aren’t dicks. And Detroit . . . I dunno, I guess they still hold a grudge about Garry Unger or some shit.

Dallas? Well, I’ve never had a Stars fan rub me the wrong way. Probably because I’ve never actually MET a Stars fan, at Scottrade or otherwise, other than the Defending Big D folks, who in general know their shit and aren’t total assholes.

St. Louis Game Time . . . I need another beer.
And I can also write things in 140 characters or fewer.

by Donut King on Dec 21, 2010 2:13 PM CST up reply actions

We don't get a lot of out-of-town fans in Springfield...

… don’t get a lot of local fans, either, dammit.

by Paperwork Ninja on Dec 21, 2010 2:29 PM CST up reply actions

Well

I was an “opposition” fan in Anaheim and Los Angeles.

It was vaguely similar – in Anaheim we were a few rows back from the glass and lots of supposed Ducks fans around us were busy texting, etc on their phones. However. When you walked around the concourse prior to the game and between periods, anyone else wearing a Blues jersey went out of their way to make their way across and high five fellow Blues fans. That was pretty great!

In LA we were up in the “gods” so to speak – and had a lot more fun. I went with a bunch of LA fans and they were fantastic. I had the piss ripped out me for being a Blues fan of course – but it seemed to be appreciated when you answered back and defended your team so to speak. Again – same experience in the concourse.

Blues fans in SoCal – you are pretty damn awesome.

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by drfrankentweed on Dec 21, 2010 2:26 PM CST reply actions

I am a new one to the SoCal area

and have yet to go to a game here. You’ll have to let me know when you do go.

Its weird... half the year my blood is red... but then the other half... it's blue... hm...

by PeacockJac on Dec 22, 2010 7:33 AM CST up reply actions

ROAD TRIP ! ! ! er fly there trip?

I am looking at going on the Blues roadtrip to SoCal in March… (long commute for you tho doc, right?)
I think Spectr was interested also..
About 90% sure I am going to be able to go… Fly in Tuesday, games on Wed and thur, fly home Fri or Sat.
Whatya say? SLGT in SoCal?
Anyone else?… anyone?

PC Load Letter? What the fuck does that mean?

by DanGNR on Dec 22, 2010 1:19 PM CST up reply actions

I am there man.

My Oshie jersey has been worn outside of my apartment once since I have been here.

Twice is two days would make me feel much better.

Its weird... half the year my blood is red... but then the other half... it's blue... hm...

by PeacockJac on Dec 22, 2010 5:11 PM CST up reply actions

Cool..

do you know or have you met Spectr? He is a SoCal SLGT resident as well.

PC Load Letter? What the fuck does that mean?

by DanGNR on Dec 23, 2010 12:28 AM CST up reply actions

I've gone to a few games in Washington

The fan there are pretty good about an opposing team (then again I’m not a Flyers or Pens fan), got some good-natured grief, but nothing too bad.

Baltimore Blast - 6-time MISL/NISL Champions
Let's go Blues!

by UIWWildthing on Dec 21, 2010 2:39 PM CST reply actions

It's fun to hang with Flames fans sometimes, too...

if only for a game of Misery Poker. “You think your team’s in bad shape? Well, let me tell you…”

by Paperwork Ninja on Dec 21, 2010 2:43 PM CST reply actions

I always assumed I would hate Sharks fans..

A friends dad flew in from the bay area for the Sharks game this past weekend and we decided to go the Tap Room for a few pre-game beers. Of course we had to sit next to the only Sharks fan in the entire bar. 2 Blues fans, 2 Sharks fans. We exchanged the shit while getting plastered before the game. Guess Sharks fans have a decent personality afterall

by IngloriousBackes on Dec 21, 2010 4:13 PM CST reply actions

Sharks fans seem to be pretty chill

Game Time has had a few Sharks/Blues game day threads in the past couple years, never had a problem with any of the Sharks fans that showed up for those. The folks from Fear The Fin are solid, and some of them show up during our GDT’s from time-to-time. Right Ang? :)

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by Dan. on Dec 21, 2010 5:56 PM CST up reply actions

San Jose folks were my first guess too. Seem pretty solid and knowledgeable without cramming anything down your throat.

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by Yankee Canuck on Dec 21, 2010 6:48 PM CST up reply actions

I gotta say I disagree about Philly fans

they seemed alright when I went to the home opener this year most of the Duck fans aren’t that bad either but Detroit fans are the worst they get all cocky and shit you just feel like beating there ass which is the reason I don’t really go to games where we play Detroit because I think I might end up in jail at the end of the night last time I was at one was back in 07 I remember this fan yelling out BETTER LOOK NEXT TIME BLUES and the game was tied I turned around and told him to SHUT THE FUCK UP really loud people around me had a problem with my cursing but I didn’t care and I remember him being quiet after that and the game went into OT and Bill Guerin scored the game winning goal and then I turned around and said DAMN DUDE DID WE JUST WIN and his whole group of band wagon Dead Wing fans all had this sad depressed look on all of there faces it was great good times

by Justin French on Dec 21, 2010 6:22 PM CST reply actions

Fuck Detroit, in all respects

I knew a couple of Chicago fans in Springfield. One was a complete dick, another was good humored about it, the other cared about them but cared more about the White Sox. Of course, towards the end of the year, I met a few more, who knew nothing about the franchise and didn’t even know who else was in the central division. Thank god I’m not up there now.

by Both Hawks Suck! on Dec 21, 2010 9:24 PM CST reply actions

Being the minority

All the wings fans I live around are also Lions fans so I always have that in my back pocket. I went to the Joe and yeah there were assholes there but mostly everybody I’ve meet is interested in talking hockey and was talking shit with a smile. I don’t know maybe I have just one of those faces where you can’t get angry at. From my experience most of them don’t think you know hockey. I schooled most of them at hockey knowledge so I had no problem with a Wings fan. They still smell and still wear diappers.

by Ad Hominem on Dec 21, 2010 10:28 PM CST reply actions

Living in Denver let me just say

Fuck all Avs fans. And the fact our boys play like utter dogshit each and every time they’re here at 5280’ above sea level certainly help much…..

I may skank around and visit my other favorite teams' SBNation blogs, but I always come home to www.stlouisgametime.com and my beloved St Louis Blues.

Also...St. Louis Cardinals. Denver Broncos. Univ of Denver Hockey and Lacrosse. Colorado Mammoth and Colorado Outlaws Lacrosse.

by HockeyHippie on Dec 22, 2010 1:20 AM CST reply actions