DOG: Nuevos Fanáticos

I had an epiphany or a moment of clarity this morning while reading some on-line chatter about who to blame for the Steeler loss to the Bears yesterday. This, set against a background of Ravens, er I mean, Shitbirds fans crowing about how great they are by only giving up 450 passing yards to the Chargers.

And then it hit me, New Fans. I have criticized Shitbird fans for being among the most stupid fans in the league. But from what people were posting on blogs and message boards, many Stiller fans are just as stupid. These folks just haven't been real football fans long enough to grasp the entirety of NFL football. And it's different if you've been watching the whole league for a while but have just become a staunch devoted fan to one team too.

People who have just become fans of the Stillers or Shitbirds since the turn of the century have a lot to learn. In some cases it's understandable. Some young fans just aren't old enough to gain a perspective. But at least learn from what's happened in 2000 and beyond. In Baltimore's case, they didn't have a team to follow for 14 years. That's a whole generation of uneducated fans.

In 2000 the mighty Shitbirds went weeks and weeks without scoring a TD. The defense was good and they even won a few games but nobody thought they could be league champions without scoring TDs. As late as November 1 they were not looking good at all. Then Billick put in Trent Dilfer and the offense began to hold up part of the bargain and they scored enough to win the Super Bowl.

Trouble is, most of the people wearing purple to work on Fridays weren't following their team in 2000. Many jumped on the bandwagon only after they won a playoff game. Since then the Shitbirds have had a good many decent teams. Unfortunately for them, they have been bounced from the playoffs by the two teams they despise the most, the Stillers and the Colts. But they've gotten used to winning most of their games. And when they win they are the greatest. And when they lose they a trash that needs to be taken out, the whole bunch of them.

So now they are crowing about having the most powerful team in the NFL after two weeks. I'd rather have the best team in February. They can have the September crown.

Conversely, by winning two Super Bowls and having a number of playoff appearances and AFC title game shots, our new fans are much the same. Jesus H. Christ is the only one I haven't seen blamed for the loss at Chicago. And I'm sure there are guys who would say he could catch no better than Santonio Holmes because he has holes in both his hands! Does anybody remember last year? You know, the one where we won the Lombardi Trophy? Does anybody remember week 2 at Philadelphia where the Iggles handed us our asses on a silver platter? Things didn't look too damn good then either did they? It's September football. Tomlin himself has called it exactly that. You don't know what you've got until Thanksgiving. I've said that before and I stand by my statement.

Maybe I have been tempered by the 1-13 and 2-12 Stiller seasons of my youth but you got to take what happens in September with a grain of salt. One loss to a non-Conference opponent in September don't mean shit. It only serves to point up things to work on so the team keeps getting better. Nothing more. The Stillers are now 1-11 all-time in Chicago. No big deal. The only thing that eats at me is Tomlin's record in 4:15 games. I think it's now 0-8. That is a bit alarming. But we don't have too many 4:15 games the rest of the way so I think we'll be OK.

Anyway, all you new fans clamoring for Willie Parker to get cut and Joe Flacco for the Hall of Fame need to just STFU and watch football. You lack the historical perspective. And the only way you're going to get it is to sit back and enjoy viewing the game and study it's past. It's great to support your team but not to the extent of assholary. And right now there's just waaay too many assoholic football fans who don't know what they don't know.