We suck, so . . . why?

[Lip Man 1]

  On 12/26/2022 at 7:21 PM, WBWSF said:

How would you feel if the White Sox stayed in the Reinsdorf family?  There have been numerous reports that the team will be sold upon JRs passing. I wouldn't be surprised if the family kept the team.  Keep in mind they tried to buy the shares sold to the Lucas family last year. I would think they would only sell the team if his sons didn't want it and I don't know if thats the case.  I know that JRs oldest son (David) wanted to keep the team but he died a few years ago.

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The Sox will be put on the market in a reasonable amount of time right after JR passes.

https://www.southsidesox.com/2022/8/29/23325369/jerry-reinsdorf-selling-chicago-white-sox-not-on-his-life

[ShoeLessRob]

I’ll always be a fan, could never root for another team. Have too many childhood memories tied to the team and family. But my attention and passion has slowly dwindled every year for the past 10 or so years, even more so recently now that I’ve come to terms with how s%*# of an organization they are from top to bottom. 

[Middle Buffalo]

I keep coming back because I’m a fan. That’s it.
 

I don’t die with the losses anymore, but I really enjoy the wins. The successes have been few and far between in my 40+ years as a fan (I’m 50yo) anyway, but my memories of those seasons outweigh the  many, many bad seasons. Honestly, they were bad (really bad) when I fist became a fan, so I can find a positive in almost anything more than .500.

I won’t stop watching or following when they suck, but I am able to relegate them to the lowest rung of my entertainment ladder when they do. Maybe this is the year…

 

 

[Chick Mercedes]

  On 12/26/2022 at 11:25 PM, Middle Buffalo said:

I keep coming back because I’m a fan. That’s it.
 

I don’t die with the losses anymore, but I really enjoy the wins. The successes have been few and far between in my 40+ years as a fan (I’m 50yo) anyway, but my memories of those seasons outweigh the  many, many bad seasons. Honestly, they were bad (really bad) when I fist became a fan, so I can find a positive in almost anything more than .500.

I won’t stop watching or following when they suck, but I am able to relegate them to the lowest rung of my entertainment ladder when they do. Maybe this is the year…

 

 

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It’s not the losses that are aggravating enough to lose patience with following the team. I can live with endless failures of execution. But I can’t watch endless intentional brain dead philosophical stupidity.

[Chick Mercedes]

  On 12/26/2022 at 11:14 PM, ShoeLessRob said:

I’ll always be a fan, could never root for another team. Have too many childhood memories tied to the team and family. But my attention and passion has slowly dwindled every year for the past 10 or so years, even more so recently now that I’ve come to terms with how s%*# of an organization they are from top to bottom. 

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There are people out there that will move to a new city, and will subsequently begin rooting for the new team. I mean, these are people I wouldn’t trust as far as I could throw them. 

[Capn12]

This board, quite honestly, is a huge part of what keeps me coming back as a fan. Being here since the beginning, and 20 years almost, that’s been a HUGE part of my Sox fandom. 
 

I loathe almost everything about the organization, because of the ownership and front office. But, I hope against hope, that our team defies what we all know is going to happen, and surprise everyone once again.

[RibbieRubarb]

Go Rangers!

[The Grinder]

  On 12/26/2022 at 1:31 PM, Texsox said:

As is well documented in several threads. This is a crap franchise. Has been forever. The losers in the 2005 WS went on to build a dynasty (with and without cheating) while the winners went on to be losers. NYY keeps rolling. 

If anyone here tries to be optimistic they are quickly and easily shot down with the facts. We can't draft. We can't trade. We can't develop players. We can't condition them to stay healthy through a season. We can't hire front office. We have the worst ownership group in sports. 

One good thing is we currently have a crappy division but as we most recently proved just being in the playoffs doesn't mean we're contenders. There is no championship window. All there is is playing for the 8th place trophy or pretending to "blow it up and start over" . . . and over, and over again. 

This next season will be another lesson in futility. So what makes it enjoyable for you? What are you looking forward to? 

?

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Its ok Tex, we all feel like this. ANd cu;b fans thought they were cursed

[JoshPR]

  On 12/26/2022 at 10:32 PM, wegner said:

Honestly, I love baseball but when the playoffs come around and the White Sox are not involved, I really don't care.  This team is in my blood and I don't think that will change.  I know Reinsdorf owns them but they are MY team and for other diehards, OUR team.

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Same thing here.  Good post

[NO!!MARY!!!]

  On 12/26/2022 at 1:31 PM, Texsox said:

As is well documented in several threads. This is a crap franchise. Has been forever. The losers in the 2005 WS went on to build a dynasty (with and without cheating) while the winners went on to be losers. NYY keeps rolling. 

If anyone here tries to be optimistic they are quickly and easily shot down with the facts. We can't draft. We can't trade. We can't develop players. We can't condition them to stay healthy through a season. We can't hire front office. We have the worst ownership group in sports. 

One good thing is we currently have a crappy division but as we most recently proved just being in the playoffs doesn't mean we're contenders. There is no championship window. All there is is playing for the 8th place trophy or pretending to "blow it up and start over" . . . and over, and over again. 

This next season will be another lesson in futility. So what makes it enjoyable for you? What are you looking forward to? 

?

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Because I love being angry and bitter! AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!

[NO!!MARY!!!]

  On 12/26/2022 at 5:59 PM, Lip Man 1 said:

I'm looking forward to outliving current ownership and seeing what a new beginning brings.

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What if it brings a franchise shift? 

[Dick Allen]

  On 12/27/2022 at 9:07 PM, NO!!MARY!!! said:

What if it brings a franchise shift? 

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I really don’t know why people would think this is even a remote possibility. Chicago is the 3rd largest market in the country. The AL will not abandon it

[Jack Parkman]

  On 12/27/2022 at 9:13 PM, Dick Allen said:

I really don’t know why people would think this is even a remote possibility. Chicago is the 3rd largest market in the country. The AL will not abandon it

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Because the Cubs pretty much own Chicagoland. 

Best estimate I've got is 30% of Chicago baseball fans are Sox fans. 

That's based on Twitter followers, which is somewhat newfangled and doesn't represent older generations very well, but does the job to a certain degree.

If the Sox moved to Charlotte they'd have a similar market and no competition.  

Edited December 27, 2022 by Jack Parkman

[WBWSF]

  On 12/27/2022 at 9:29 PM, Jack Parkman said:

Because the Cubs pretty much own Chicagoland. 

Best estimate I've got is 30% of Chicago baseball fans are Sox fans. 

That's based on Twitter followers, which is somewhat newfangled and doesn't represent older generations very well, but does the job to a certain degree. 

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The bad Guys on the Northside  outdraw the White Sox for a number of reasons. One of the reasons is because they get alot of their attendance from out of staters. I've heard different numbers over the years but I'm sure at least 20% of their attendance comes from people who live out of state.

[southsider2k5]

  On 12/27/2022 at 9:29 PM, Jack Parkman said:

Because the Cubs pretty much own Chicagoland. 

Best estimate I've got is 30% of Chicago baseball fans are Sox fans. 

That's based on Twitter followers, which is somewhat newfangled and doesn't represent older generations very well, but does the job to a certain degree.

If the Sox moved to Charlotte they'd have a similar market and no competition.  

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If the last 30 years have taught us anything, it is that just because an area has a population, doesn't make it a good place for a pro sports franchise.

[The Grinder]

  On 12/27/2022 at 9:35 PM, WBWSF said:

The bad Guys on the Northside  outdraw the White Sox for a number of reasons. One of the reasons is because they get alot of their attendance from out of staters. I've heard different numbers over the years but I'm sure at least 20% of their attendance comes from people who live out of state.

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The cubs are a tourist destination 

[Jack Parkman]

  On 12/27/2022 at 9:46 PM, southsider2k5 said:

If the last 30 years have taught us anything, it is that just because an area has a population, doesn't make it a good place for a pro sports franchise.

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Truth. 

See: Arizona Coyotes

There aren't a lot of untapped markets for a baseball team though. The reason I gravitate toward Charlotte is that the Knights have been there and the Sox affiliate for years and they might have a following there already. 

Maybe a new owner would want to fight for a bigger share of Chicago before jumping ship. 

That being said, it's probably easier to run a team like the Rays/A's in Charlotte than Chicago, and moving would give the owner small market draft picks and stuff. 

Edited December 27, 2022 by Jack Parkman

[wegner]

  On 12/27/2022 at 9:49 PM, The Grinder said:

The cubs are a tourist destination 

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If 100% of the State of Iowa are not Cubs fans, it is damn close to that #.

[RTC]

Can you imagine if a car company said “we’ll make good cars once people start buying them”?

[shago]

  On 12/27/2022 at 9:07 PM, NO!!MARY!!! said:

What if it brings a franchise shift

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No problem, just win baby

[Lip Man 1]

  On 12/27/2022 at 9:07 PM, NO!!MARY!!! said:

What if it brings a franchise shift? 

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It won't. 

[NO!!MARY!!!]

  On 12/28/2022 at 12:24 AM, Lip Man 1 said:

It won't. 

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Well, there are at least two people who keep saying it is a strong possibility. 

[poppysox]

  On 12/26/2022 at 11:25 PM, Middle Buffalo said:

I keep coming back because I’m a fan. That’s it.
 

I don’t die with the losses anymore, but I really enjoy the wins. The successes have been few and far between in my 40+ years as a fan (I’m 50yo) anyway, but my memories of those seasons outweigh the  many, many bad seasons. Honestly, they were bad (really bad) when I fist became a fan, so I can find a positive in almost anything more than .500.

I won’t stop watching or following when they suck, but I am able to relegate them to the lowest rung of my entertainment ladder when they do. Maybe this is the year…

 

 

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I have 67+ years of being a fan and use the same attitude as you outline in the comments.  If the team sucks...find a couple of players to be interested in.  Switching teams isn't really an option...so dreaming a little about the future is a necessity for baseball fans.  

[kgrittenburg]

  On 12/26/2022 at 4:19 PM, tray said:

I never heard cub fans question team loyalty after over 100 years of futility. Ask yourself if you are a fan of  winning or a fan of the team.  Ask yourself if you are a fan of baseball only if your team wins. 2023 Sox will be competitive. Line-up is good, pitching staff is decent, and I am sure Hahn is trying to make a trade to improve. Relax. It's Dec 26.  Go return some shitty gifts .

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if they don't fix the defense. they will not improve all that much, it drags down the pitching and we don't have enough hitting to compensate, don't even have the heart to get into the fundamentals suckage

[Lip Man 1]

Just wondering, why can't you be a fan BOTH of winning and of a particular team? Other fan bases seem to have both...why can't White Sox fans?