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Bandwagon Jumpers should Jump off a Cliff

I hate bandwagon jumpers. Let me say that first.
Despise them. Nobody benefits from them, outside of rich executives who get ticket sales boosts. Everyone else in sports detests them.

To those of you who don't follow sports that much, think of it this way: you discover a band. They're underground and don't have a massive following. They're true to you- they mean something to you. They aren't the "cool" thing, and that makes them unique and special- they haven't been marketed and blanded down to support some corporate image and sell tickets. It's about the music, and they have a special appeal to you.
    Now let's suppose this awesome band gets a little more popular. People start buying more tickets. To make more money, they try to get on the radio- but have to start playing more socially "acceptable" music to be allowed. So they change and start moving away from what made them special. Their appeal goes up to mainstream America, and ticket prices start going up. Suddenly, the only people who supported them in the first place, their true fans, get priced out by the "rich exec" or the "family of four", or worst of all, the "cool" guy. The "cool" guy doesn't care whatsoever about what he's following or doing; if it's popular, he's doing it. He likes to be associated with things that are cool because that, in turn, boosts his self esteem because it makes him feel like he's part of their success. What's wrong with that? Simple: no loyalty. As soon as this band starts to cool off, "cool" guy is off to the next big thing, leaving your favorite band in the dust as they drift off towards obscurity. The worst part: when he leeches onto the next thing that makes him feel better about himself, he pretends he's hardcore into it, acts like he cares deeply so people will mistake him for a true fan. He doesn't mean any of it. He is the worst type of person: a liar and deceiver.

The band is a sports team. Your favorite sports team. When you grow up watching a team have losing season after losing season, things start to get a little depressing. Then suddenly, they draft a new quarterback who starts to lead the team into a bright future, or hire that new coach who is an amazing recruiter and boosts talent across the board, or a group of veterans suddenly start to "get" it. The team's going somewhere. And it means something to you. You supported the team through the hard times, so you have a connection to this team when they make something of themselves. Then, like the "in" crowd starting to "like" your favorite band, people who weren't there for the rough times start to pretend to like the team. When people who don't really care about the team start to act like they do, it's bad on multiple fronts:

-They make your fans look like idiots.
So you and your friends, who are Giants fans, visit a local bar and run into a Packers fan. You rib the poor guy about the NFC Championship game good-naturedly, as happens in any sports bar across the country. A guy wearing a "2008 NFL CHAMPION" hat and an Eli Manning SBXLII jersey moseys on over and starts saying things like, "Yeah, Brett Favre SUCKS! He's never gonna win a super bowl! LOL!" The Packers fan smiles and walks away, probably confident in the thought that all Giants fans are stupid. Meanwhile, you and your friends shake your heads disappointedly, wondering whether this moron has a Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady jersey hanging in his closet.

-They drive ticket prices up, pricing out the true fans.
The most famous example of this is obviously the Golden State Warriors. An ESPN article by Bill Simmons described this in detail by way of an email from a true fan:

"I have been a Warriors fan since age 3 and attended every home playoff game this year at different locations -- Warrior fans in the first round were worthy of the praise bestowed upon them by the media (you included). Last night, I was disgusted to be at the Oracle. The Dallas series was packed with REAL fans, a raucous arena full of people who had really been waiting 15 years. Once we upset the Mavericks though, we became obscenely trendy. Now, rich suburban families who couldn't name half our roster decided it would be fun to take the family to a game, and prices went up to $250 a seat for the lower bowl. Goodbye real fans, hello normal NBA crowd. The arena was subpar in the Game 3 win, but was absolutely SILENT in Game 4. I got in fights with fans around me after screaming at them to make noise. It's a sad day for Bay Area basketball. The fans get credit for the wins, we deserve the blame for this loss."

-They leave when the team stops winning, and it may mean trouble for your team's financial situation.
When the team starts winning, and jacks up prices and builds a new stadium and alienates its true fan base, it'll be banking on the constant winning to keep people coming. Well, when the winning stops, and the true fanbase is sufficiently alienated, good f***ing luck trying to bring your actual fans back.

One day you show up to a team's game in your patchy, faded jersey adorned with the name of one of the few decent players you had when the team was terrible (oh, say, a Garciaparra, Pierce or McGinnest). You walk into the arena, excited by the recent winning streak, only to see many new faces around the crowd, wearing brand new, fresh jerseys (with, maybe, Ortiz, Garnett or Brady). Initially, you're excited. But you soon learn these are front runners, not to be trusted. How can you tell? A few simple questions can be used to out the bandwagon jumper:
1. Ask them the team's offensive linemen/bullpen/bench players/defensemen/ ANY position where there is no superstar. Knowing the role players is key to know a true fan.
"Hey, who's the Patriots kicker?" If he says "Vinatieri", punch him in the face.

2. If they know easy, current questions(which they may: some bandwagon jumpers are crafty) ask them something from when the team wasn't so popular.
"WOW! Fleury makes you forget all about how crappy Jean-Sebastian Aubin was, right?" If he responds, "Who's Jim Seabass Abin?" Push him onto the ice and hope Laraque pummels him into oblivion.

Bandwagon jumpers have been around as long as I can remember. The most glaring example nowadays is the sheer number of alleged Red Sox and Patriot fans- where were you all when the team sucked? I feel bad for true New Englanders who had to suffer through year after year of torment, only to be lumped into a "Masshole" category with these frontrunners when the team finally starts to win. Some payoff. Another one I notice in the present: Penguins fans. Really? You're all Pens fans? Seriously? You know 5 years ago about 80% of Penguins "fans" would tell you they didn't care about or watch hockey. Again, my condolences to the actual Penguins fans who were there before Crosby and Malkin. I may have a distaste for your team, but I have a compassion for all of those who truly care about a team in any case at all.

    Front running is why we have a generation of teens and 20-something Cowboys, Bulls, Red Wings and Yankees fans, who grew up with their dominance in the 90's. When the socially challenged youth of America needed something to hang onto and boost their self-esteem, they picked out whoever they watched in the championship and said, "That's my team!" From Philly, and don't want to sit through some losing years, and want to be associated with a winner for your own sick pleasure? Hey, why not root for a team thousands of miles away who wins a lot and draw attention to yourself WOOO GOO COWBOYS! From Dallas, but don't want to watch those Mavs lose and lose again? Well, I just saw another MJ ad, why not become a Bulls fan! Their parents should have been ashamed.
    But one strange side effect out of this that I noticed: if the team was very good for a long period of time, i.e. the 96-2000 Yankees, the front runner would be on the bandwagon for an extended period. After awhile, they actually grew attached to the team and became true fans. Which is why you see plenty of Cowboy fans nowadays who are 22 and will die for their team, even though they're from Nebraska and the Boys haven't won anything in a decade. Mock them if you will, at least they're sticking to their guns. But this is a rare case. Most front runners are gone by the time your team misses the playoffs for the first time after the championship.
    The key thing to remember is that bandwagon jumpers are like sheep. They follow whatever they think they should follow, regardless of honor or loyalty. But they'll be gone. As soon as your team has a losing season. But then you'll have a whole new set of problems to worry about.
"Hey, this stadiums kinda empty... where'd everyone go?"

Flyers Future

    The Flyers got pummeled. Beaten. Thrashed. Destroyed, rolled on, flattened, annihilated, etc., etc. Yes, I am a Philadelphia Flyers fan. But there's no use in trying to deny what happened Sunday afternoon. The Pittsburgh Penguins routed the Flyers 6-0 in game five, advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. There's no complaining about calls here or favoritism or injuries when you lose 6-0 in a hockey game. It hurts to say this, but congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
    Usually a loss like this would be a crushing blow. I'd skip school/work/commitments out of spite and anger and fight off the ultimate reality that we could possibly have choked away a birth in the championship by taking it out on my fellow man. I would be one unpleasant fellow to be around (see: 2002, 2003 NFC Championship games, 2004 Super bowl). But for some strange reason, even with the utterly demoralizing fashion in which it occurred, I'm not mad. I'm not disappointed. I'm optimistic.
    Was this not the worst team in the league last year? If memory serves, we finished dead last and had little hope for the future. With changes in management and shrewd deals, as well as developing young talent, the Flyers went from nowhere to the top four in a SINGLE year. That's reason for celebrating the Flyboys, not hating them. They got off to a fast start, stalled mid-season, and finished strong to take the sixth seed. Then they had the monumental task of playing the 3rd, 1st, and 2nd seeds in succession. A vast majority of the hockey experts said the Flyers had a snowball's chance in hell in each of those series.
"Oh, Ovechkin is going to smoke the Flyers!" "Habs in 5, no way they beat the top seed."
Well guess what? The underdogs defeated both the Capitals and Canadiens, and put up a damn good fight against the Pens before running out of steam in that game five debacle. The Philadelphia Flyers have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. But the real kicker here is that this is not a group of veterans. The core is young. It's going to be scary to watch these men in the coming years.
    Danny Briere is a star. Richards, Carter and Umburger are all going to be around for a long time and are top-shelf talent, and would be serviceable on a Stanley Cup winning team. Kimo Timonen was the Flyers best player this year. Hatcher, Smith, Coburn.. all good pieces. Also, lest we forget, Simon Gagne is a monster and will be back next year. Marty Biron played well enough to prove he's a capable starter, even a standout, in the NHL.
    So beware, NHL. You've been served notice. The Flyers will just keep getting better and better in the next few years. With one deep playoff run under their belts already, and many more sure to come, the future looks bright in Philly.

State of the NL East

4th and 26 is home from school and back to work. The Sixers had a good run, and the Flyboys are one game from being finished (but they won't go down easy). But it's time for some baseball.

State of the NL East
    Every talking head in the baseball world had in their predictions that 40 games into the season, the top of the NL East would be, in some order, the Phillies, Braves, and Metropolitans. World Series predictions abounded for the three franchises, considered by many to be the class of the National League. Have they disappointed? As all three of them are .500 or better, you could argue that they haven't. But look who's sitting on the top of the standings in mid-May: the Florida Marlins. All the previews of the Marlins focused on the fact that A-Rod made more money than their entire team and the D-Will/Cabrera trade. Nobody focused on the outstanding, young, cheap, talent the Marlins always seem to accumulate from out of the blue. There's a reason this team, in its infancy as a franchise, has already won two World Series titles with entirely different nuclei. They start young and cheap, build a contender through sell-high trades, develop through the farm, and take the world by storm. Then, after they win a championship, they blow up the team, pawning off World Series-caliber players (Beckett, Willis, Cabrera) in preparation for another run. But is this another incarnation of the Cinderella fish? 4th and 26 says no. I am thoroughly impressed by this team, make no mistake- Hanley Ramirez is a once-in-a-lifetime talent, and Dan Uggla is a card-carrying beast- but a good start does not equate into a championship. This team will fade and show its youth as the season wears on, with all due respect to their phenomenal 23-16 record. Watch out for this team in years to come.
    And in second and third place, it's the best of friends- Phillies and Mets. With all the trash talking going on before the season, you would figure these were the only two teams on the planet. Neither has played poorly, and I fully expect these two teams to be the last two in the hunt for the NL East crown come October. For the Phillies? Chase Utley is the greatest player in baseball right now (.327, 13 hr, 1.081 OPS). Pat Burrell is finally earning his contract (in a contract year.. how convenient. Google Jerome James for further dissection of this topic). Rollins and Howard have been hurt and slumping, but think of how this team will be when they get back to their MVP forms in the fall. Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge are anchoring the mound, and as always, Philly is in a constant search for relief. The Phillies will win this division again, as the Mets will again choke down the stretch and will fight injuries as the Phils hit their stride.
    The "Amazin's" spent quite a bit of money on Johan Santana, and he has been worth it. He and Maine have been solid. With all the stars on this team (David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran), raise your hand if you thought Ryan Church of all people would be this year's Met's offensive leader. No one? I thought so. The man is batting .319 and proving his worth. That said, the Mets have to fight off nightmares from last years epic collapse and choke job, and 4th and 26 says they don't have it in them. Plenty of names and numbers on this team, not enough heart.
    Quiet, Braves fans, I can hear you whining from here. "What about us? Where's the respect? Waaah!" Please, look elsewhere for that. This is not ESPN.com, you won't hear constant preseason blathering about the Braves, or their top player, "Chipper" Jones.
(What kind of self respecting man calls himself "Chipper" voluntarily? Interesting fact that has nothing to do with the sport: You know his real name is Wayne Jones? Look him up on Wikipedia, he even has a random 'Larry' in the front for no apparent reason. Larry Wayne Chipper Jones, 1999 NL MVP. Hmm. But I digress.)
    Chip's hitting .410! Yes, no typo, .410. Look out, Ted Williams. A man named "Chipper" may bat .400 and steal your thunder. Seriously though, he's on fire. Look for him to flame out and show his age come fall. Tim Hudson's been a monster, with an ERA hovering around 2.5. After him and Jair Jurrjens, though, the rotation gets a little shaky. If it were 1996, I would be terrified of a Glavine-Smoltz one two punch. But it's 2008, and eventually, they'll break down, as will this team's title hopes.
    And last but not least.. actually, both... The mighty Expos, ahem, Nationals. Um.. they have a GORGEOUS new ballpark. And nobody batting at or over .300, with a combined team average of a meager .238. Hooray. Go Nationals.

Current Standings: 1. Marlins 2. Phillies 3. Mets 4. Braves 5. Nattys
4and26sports.com predicted order of finish: 1. Phillies 2. Mets 3. Marlins 4. Braves 5. Nattys

Hiatus

4and26sports.com is officially on hiatus for the coming week, due to finals. Might post one or two things on the Flyers or Sixers, but don't get too worked up if it doesn't come. Got to take care of school first. I'll see you all later.