Even D'Antoni Not Happy with Suns Fans

I take a lot of flack for my constant abuse of Arizona sports fans and finally I have a qualified, recognizable name that is in agreement with me. Phoenix Suns Coach Mike D'Antoni came out strong against Suns fans for their lack of enthusiasm at home games following the Suns victory last night over the Knicks.

Now, although I am a fan of Cleveland sports through and through, I support all of the area's teams as my NL or Western Conference favorites. And I have fun doing so. Phoenix sports are at an all-time high with every team playing at a great level and with each having gorgeous facilities.

My constant abuse is not because of hatred for the teams, but to serve as a wake up call to the millions of locals in this market. Yes locals! The city has been around long enough for locals to have great-grandparents, so it's about time to stop using the transplant fan excuse. There are millions of locals who are from here and live here.

I'll stop writing now, as I could go on forever on this subject. Instead, I'll let Coach D'Antoni do the griping. Click the link below for the full story:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1114sunsnb1115.html

"They boo us; we'll boo them." - Mike D'Antoni

Suns Fans Fail to Set the Curve

With my Cavs coming into the desert only one time a year, my wife and I decided to pony up the money for some nice mid-court seats at US Airways Arena last night. From what we had heard, this is where the true sports fans of Arizona exist. Well, once again, Arizona sports fans failed to deliver.

I know I often find myself attacking Arizona fans or any fans other my teams' fans, but having been to numerous arenas around the country and having lived in six different media markets, it is just unbelievable to me the way Arizona supports it's home teams.

Being a 6:00 pm Sunday start time in Phoenix, we didn't see the normal late arriving Arizona crowd, so everything got off on a good note. But from there things simply went quiet, extremely quiet. There was no life at all in the fans or the arena.

It took until mid-way through the 3rd quarter for Phoenix fans to get off their feet and cheer. That happened to be the first time they took the lead. The fans had nothing up until that point. No cheering, chanting or even standing up the entire first half. You can still cheer if your team is losing by five points.

As a visiting fan, I even commented to my wife about how nice it is to not have to stand up after every single score or good run. That was something I wasn't used to. And other than us cheering for every nice play Cleveland would make, our section was dead silent.

What was even more disturbing was the mass exodus with four minutes left to go in the game, with the Suns only up by five. It was literally a run to the parking lot. Yes, the Suns were starting to take control, but with Lebron James on the floor at the end of a close game, why head for the gates. It would be one thing if it was for total confidence in the Suns, but this was purely for getting out of traffic, of which, there is none after downtown Phoenix games. Getting home is a breeze compared to other cities. It was only 8:30 pm.

Yes, I am bitter that the Cavs lost, but they kept it close. Much closer than the 40 points they could have lost by. Being from out of town you just can't help but be angered by fans around here. They will fight you until the death about how loyal and true they are and then turn around and not show up, leave early or completely forget to cheer their team on.

"Best fans in basketball" is what I heard the entire night. These folks must not get around to many road games.

Manny Being...an Idiot, but that's Boston

I always say I am going to let things go, but with the constant replays on ESPN and many other postings on the web, I have to get my two cents in on Mr. Manny Ramirez.

Having been a Tribe fan my entire life and during Manny's time spent in Cleveland, I can't say I remember a time, walk off or insignificant home run, where Manny, while with Clevleland, pulled a show boat move like last night. This seems to be his thing now with the Red Sox.

Is it really Manny being Manny or simply Manning fitting in just right in the most arrogant city in America - Boston. It's a simple fact, everyone from the Boston metro area is extremely arrogant about their sports teams. They are the best and there is no discussion. Well, that's until they start losing, then they go radio silent on you. Or better yet, they start to turn on their own, which is why I stay so close to my many Bostonian friends. It's when the tide turns that I get my enjoyment.

Boston fan will scream to the high heavens about great acquisitions like J.D. Drew or Dice K and say they have the best defensive CF in the game. You can't even argue with them, they are right. With players like this, we will dominate anyone and everyone, they say. They love these players, they welcome these players to their city, they buy their jerseys, wearing their name on their own back. Oh, how the tide has turned. Oh, how it has turned.

The tide will soon turn on the Patriots as well and then onto the Celtics. All the sudden everyone is a Celtic fan again. Go figure. Where were these fans last year or the year before or the year before that. I'm all for fair weather fans and supporting a winner, but what I hate is the mouths. Boston has the mouths and I'm praying Cleveland can shut them up for good, tomorrow night.

Well, it will never be for good. As a close friend said last night after the Tribe game, "You may have us now, but it's just on to Patriots season for us here. That's the great thing about being from Boston." They support their winners, I'll give them that, but just show a little class in doing so and maybe it won't spill onto the field in the form of Manny Ramirez after an insignificant home run.

A Sox fan emailed Bill Simmons last night during the game and Simmons put it in his post today. Pretty much sums up Manny Ramirez:

Mark from Philly offers an inspiring defense for Manny's home run preening: "When Manny went deep, my first thought was, 'Quit posing, Manny, we're still down 7-3.' Then it dawned on me that Manny probably had no idea what the score was. In fact, he probably isn't aware that baseball games are determined by which team scores more runs. Manny's only point of differentiation comes when, after hitting a home run, he sees his teammates waiting for him at home plate -- it's at that point he knows it's time to go to the strip club."