Let's talk about "true fans"

[DaFace]

Marcellus's thread was clearly a lot of attention whoring, but when it comes down to it, he has a point. The word "true fan" has become a catch-all for anyone who doesn't agree with a person on here about XXX player or XXX move that the Chiefs have made.

The issue I have with it is that it's increasingly become a straw man insult that doesn't even make sense. Discussion around here lately reminds me of discussions in D.C. where every issue has to be black and white and anyone who doesn't agree with you is an idiot. The reality is that there are opinions all over the spectrum and that nothing is ever black and white. I'd think there are at least five different categories of Chiefs fans these days:

1 - True "homers" who will cheer for the team and applaud every move they make unconditionally. These types almost don't even exist on ChiefsPlanet (though people like to act like they do). These are only a small portion of the Chiefs fanbase, and they look like this.

2 - Optimists who will always cheer for the Chiefs, but have a sense of realism about it. They probably cheered Cassel for the first few years, but reluctantly joined the SOC bandwagon last year when it was clear that there was just no hope in saving the team under Cassel.

3 - Fans who try to keep a balanced approach. They don't get too excited about drafting a RT at #1 or trading for Alex Smith, but they believe that it's likely the team will at least be improved this year if not dramatically so. Their approach is a "wait and see" reaction, though they'll be quick to criticize if things don't work out.

4 - Pessimists who are skeptical that the Chiefs are going to be competitive any time soon, but who do try and give the team some benefit of the doubt under the new leadership. They're probably not happy about Alex Smith being our QB, but are grudgingly willing to see what he can do.

5 - Total naysayers who have had it with the team for the past 40 years and will refuse to be optimistic until the Chiefs find some real success (playoff wins at a minimum, and Super Bowl contention ideally). They believe that the front office should be constantly scrutinized given that their predecessors were given a long leash and screwed it all up.

Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to see where people would put themselves on the spectrum. It seems like most threads these days are battles between 5's and 1's, but I'd bet that those types are actually pretty rare around here. My dream would be that we can one day have discussions that are dominated by 2's, 3's, and 4's, but who knows if that can ever happen until the Chiefs start showing success.

Discus.

[morphius]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

This place is like a shitty stand-up comedian who thinks he's really smart and witty but isn't, so he masks it by doing the "perpetually pissed off guy" schtick.

Why people think ranting and raving makes them look like they know what they're talking about is beyond me.

Works for Jim Rome...

[notorious]

Somewhere between 3-4.


Thanks a lot Pioli.

[The Franchise]

1 - True "homers" who will cheer for the team and applaud every move they make unconditionally. These types almost don't even exist on ChiefsPlanet (though people like to act like they do). These are only a small portion of the Chiefs fanbase, and they look like this.

This is the only statement I don't believe. These people aren't a small portion. There are literally thousands of these ****ers out there. They have zero football knowledge and only go off of what ESPN and NFL tell them.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

This place is like a shitty stand-up comedian who thinks he's really smart and witty but isn't, so he masks it by doing the "perpetually pissed off guy" schtick.

Why people think ranting and raving makes them look like they know what they're talking about is beyond me.

/Late

[Easy 6]

Balanced, i prefer optimism but am always open to pessimism when presented with good evidence.

True Fan really doesnt mean much anymore, there are precious few full-blown homers on here these days.

[gblowfish]

"Here Charlie Brown, you run up and kick the football...I'll hold it for you...."

[-King-]

I don't think ive ever used the term.
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[MTG#10]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

"Here Charlie Brown, you run up and kick the football...I'll hold it for you...."

God I hated that bitch.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

This is the only statement I don't believe. These people aren't a small portion. There are literally thousands of these ****ers out there. They have zero football knowledge and only go off of what ESPN and NFL tell them.

I don't mean to say that they don't exist in the world, but just not on here. CP eats homers alive.

Even then, though, my personal guess is that only 10-15% of the total fanbase really falls into that category. See: Arrowhead attendance late last year.

[notorious]

If a homer can stay a homer through 10 years of shit, I don't know whether to applaud them or loathe them.

[WhawhaWhat]

Always an optimist.

[-King-]

I think I'm balanced for the most part. I hate the Alex Smith trade but I could see this team winning 10 games and going to the playoffs. I think there's a huge difference between Crennel and Reid and that alone is worth 4-5 more wins.
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[track]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

..... Either every GM in the NFL is ignorant, or CP groupthink is ignorant.

Just as in politics where most of the noise is made by the people who are the extremist on the right and left, so it is here at CP. The naysayers(which includes many of those who mislabel themselves as pessimist) dominate the forum even though as in politics their numbers are small compared to the larger population....so it is here at CP.

Per webster most of the CP naysayers and pessimist aren't really fans....
def... Definition of FAN

1
: an enthusiastic devotee (as of a sport or a performing art) usually as a spectator

[BigCatDaddy]

I consider myself a realist, but am probably viewed as a pessimist because well this team has history of sucking and it looks like they will again. So when you think they suck and they do you get viewed as being negative, but you are actually a realist

[DaKCMan AP]

I'm an Awesome Optimist with pragmatic expectations and realistic evaluations.

I'm optimistic about most things in my life (who wouldn't be whilst this Awesome?) but in reference to the OP definitions - I always knew, and voiced, that Cassel would be a failure.