A plea to White Sox fans

[Greg Hibbard]

Look, the "chip on your shoulder" routine was fitting for the previous, oh, 88 seasons or so. And the pessimistic "I know they are gonna blow it" routine had some credence, especially considering their playoff futility before last year.

 

But please, after last year, things kind of changed. Maybe you didn't think so, but they did.

 

You don't need to have a chip on your shoulder anymore. You have a World Series title. f*** the Cubs? f*** you for mentioning the f***ing Cubs. And you don't need to go overboard with the "woe is me" routine - because nobody is buying it and nobody gives a f***, especially outside of your own fanbase. Yeah, the Sox have some pitching problems - guess what - so does everyone else. Yeah, the Sox have some consistency problems - guess what, so does everyone else. And yeah, the Sox also have some bullpen problems - well, guess what, so does everyone else.

 

So, do us a favor - act like you've been here before. Act like you can handle the ups and downs of a season that every team goes through, and act like you aren't too melodramatic to handle watching a baseball team. Some of these over the top threads honestly really sicken me. If you can't handle it - you know what, stop watching baseball and maybe focus on getting yourself off of life-tilt.

 

Sorry if this is harsh - but some of you people honestly need a reality check here. Here's a clue - imagine yourself in a room with a Cubs fan, a Royals fan, a Devil Rays fan, an Indians fan, a Mariners fan and a Padres fan and let's talk about how much f***ing bellyaching you are entitled to. Honestly, it's f***ing pathetic.

 

We have not played as well as most have expected. We are still 23 f***ing games over .500 and in the lead for a playoff spot and we have a very good opportunity to clinch a postseason berth, especially now that one team competing with us has waved the white flag. Additionally, we are coming off of a World Title. So please - pull yourselves together and let's approach the next six weeks with class and integrity, not with this 5-year-old spoiled child bulls***. Consider yourselves lucky that a major injury didn't devastate your hopes of repeating in say, April or May. Consider yourselves lucky that the team didn't underperform so brutally that we are talking about a .500 club.

 

This should be a time to savor a world title and to get behind a team pushing to compete for another, and instead some of you are making it one of the worst seasons of your entire fandoms. Reflect on that for a few minutes before you respond.

 

Me, I am savoring this year. Win or lose, I'm going to enjoy my time on the top of the heap. If we can't do it again, well, we did it once. And it was magical. And once upon a time called 2004 that would've been good enough for me. Because it took f***ing forever to get here,and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a few sourpusses who have lost some perspective ruin it for me.

 

Again, sorry for being harsh, but this needed to be said.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Agreed.

[Greg Hibbard]

yes, I wrote this myself.

[SoxnGiants]

I'm with you 100%. I don't get why people are so critical all the time about the Sox. Sure, we have issues - but it's like most posters haven't seen any other team play. Every team has problems, even Detroit & NY, but I'll take our team over any other in baseball. I talk with Yankee fans all the time, and the only teams that scare them are us and Minnesota (with Liriano).

 

Sometimes I think other fans respect the Sox more than we do.

 

This is a huge week in our season, let's hope it's a good one!

[Milkman delivers]

The time to savor the world title was the time between the last pitch of the WS and the first pitch of the 2006 season.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

The time to savor the world title was the time between the last pitch of the WS and the first pitch of the 2006 season.

 

I'm gonna savor it for the rest of my life...

[Kalapse]

The time to savor the world title was the time between the last pitch of the WS and the first pitch of the 2006 season.

Just ask Kenny Williams.

[BFirebird]

This is a great post for a reality check for us as fans. We get so caught up in our struggles we forget to look around at other teams and the problems they have. Every team that is vying for playoff contention has issues and some more serious than the White Sox.

 

Red Sox have HUGE pitching problems...we have problems but the Red Sawks are BRUTAL. Yankees have pitching problems as well and some health issues. Twins have a BIG health issue with Liriano being out and a rotation outside of Santana that is very suspect. Tigers offense has been woeful of late and their rotation is starting to tire and come back down to earth.

 

While I am not happy with the Sox inconsistent play, I realize it is a long season and you cannot win every game. We will see after the next two weeks after playing Detroit and Minn again what position they are in, but I still have faith that they will still be in position, if not better position to make it to the postseason again.

 

GO SOX!!

[J-MAN]

Look, the "chip on your shoulder" routine was fitting for the previous, oh, 88 seasons or so. And the pessimistic "I know they are gonna blow it" routine had some credence, especially considering their playoff futility before last year.

 

But please, after last year, things kind of changed. Maybe you didn't think so, but they did.

 

You don't need to have a chip on your shoulder anymore. You have a World Series title. f*** the Cubs? f*** you for mentioning the f***ing Cubs. And you don't need to go overboard with the "woe is me" routine - because nobody is buying it and nobody gives a f***, especially outside of your own fanbase. Yeah, the Sox have some pitching problems - guess what - so does everyone else. Yeah, the Sox have some consistency problems - guess what, so does everyone else. And yeah, the Sox also have some bullpen problems - well, guess what, so does everyone else.

 

So, do us a favor - act like you've been here before. Act like you can handle the ups and downs of a season that every team goes through, and act like you aren't too melodramatic to handle watching a baseball team. Some of these over the top threads honestly really sicken me. If you can't handle it - you know what, stop watching baseball and maybe focus on getting yourself off of life-tilt.

 

Sorry if this is harsh - but some of you people honestly need a reality check here. Here's a clue - imagine yourself in a room with a Cubs fan, a Royals fan, a Devil Rays fan, an Indians fan, a Mariners fan and a Padres fan and let's talk about how much f***ing bellyaching you are entitled to. Honestly, it's f***ing pathetic.

 

We have not played as well as most have expected. We are still 23 f***ing games over .500 and in the lead for a playoff spot and we have a very good opportunity to clinch a postseason berth, especially now that one team competing with us has waved the white flag. Additionally, we are coming off of a World Title. So please - pull yourselves together and let's approach the next six weeks with class and integrity, not with this 5-year-old spoiled child bulls***. Consider yourselves lucky that a major injury didn't devastate your hopes of repeating in say, April or May. Consider yourselves lucky that the team didn't underperform so brutally that we are talking about a .500 club.

 

This should be a time to savor a world title and to get behind a team pushing to compete for another, and instead some of you are making it one of the worst seasons of your entire fandoms. Reflect on that for a few minutes before you respond.

 

Me, I am savoring this year. Win or lose, I'm going to enjoy my time on the top of the heap. If we can't do it again, well, we did it once. And it was magical. And once upon a time called 2004 that would've been good enough for me. Because it took f***ing forever to get here,and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a few sourpusses who have lost some perspective ruin it for me.

 

Again, sorry for being harsh, but this needed to be said.

 

 

Great post! I couldn't have said it better!

 

[GoRowand33]

I agree with you, but its easier said then done

[Grindersrule]

I'm gonna savor it for the rest of my life...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[jackie hayes]

The most negative thread of the last week or so came from one of the most optimistic posters, so I don't know what the hell you're seeing.

 

There's so much wrong with this. Let me just say this: I'll say "F*** the Cubs" as often as I damn well please. And not you or a million WS victories will change that.

[CWSOX45]

The time to savor the world title was the time between the last pitch of the WS and the first pitch of the 2006 season.

 

Whenever I'm having a s***ty day, I pop in that World Series DVD and just drift away...

 

However, I agree with you 100%.

 

If we are going to remain Champions, we have to start playing a whole hell of a lot better.

[whitesoxfan101]

The 2005 World Series is done. That Championship is something to savor during the offseason, and if you want to use that glorious season as a reason to be satisfied with underachieving and not winning anything now or in the future, than I don't want you in our fanbase.

[Controlled Chaos]

The 2005 World Series is done. That Championship is something to savor during the offseason, and if you want to use that glorious season as a reason to be satisfied with underachieving and not winning anything now or in the future, than I don't want you in our fanbase.

 

Who give a s*** what you want?

[Controlled Chaos]

^^^^

Easy fellas.

Just sayin

[bighurt574]

This is a message board, right? Isn't this a place to discuss problem areas and weaknesses? Obviously, of course, when you take a step back, the overall picture is still pretty good, which is important to keep in mind.

[GreatScott82]

Great post Mr. Hibbard. However, its okay to be alittle critical of your team when they are making mistakes that can easily be avoided. I will truly remember the 2005 world series season for the rest of my life. However, I want more. I dont want it to be like the '85 Bears. That team should have won at least 3 super bowls. This team has the capability of building a dynasty, KW knows it, Ozzie knows it and I think we all know it. Last season was magic. This season is a struggle. BUT we still lead the wild card and are in decent shape to get back into the central race. We all have to remember that we are the team that the whole league is targeting. We have a HUGE bulls-eye on our back and the whole league is aiming for us to go down before anyone else. I'm not going to lie, as a fan even im not AS hungry to win it this year than I was last year. I also think the players feel that way also. But as we turn down this final stretch of the season as we try to bid for a playoff spot my hunger grows. I hope it grows for Ozzie and the players also. For guys like RMack, Cintron, Javy, Thome, Thorton, Riske, McDougal, and Alomar, they should be extra hungry and hopefully that will feed the other guys into wanting it just as bad as last year.

The final stretch begins tonite, lets beat those Tigers again and again and cut that lead down even more.

Yours Truly,

GreatScott

 

Keeping the faith alive!

[Controlled Chaos]

This is a message board, right? Isn't this a place to discuss problem areas and weaknesses? Obviously, of course, when you take a step back, the overall picture is still pretty good, which is important to keep in mind.

 

Dam, this is a message board??? I really need to get that phone!!

[Soxbadger]

Its a shame what has happened.

 

It seems like forever ago, but there was once a time when posters on this site were supporting the Sox when they were 5+ games back. There was a time when Dan Wright was our 5th starter, and we still hoped that we had a chance to make the playoffs.

 

The Sox win 1 WS, and now every fan feels like they are entitled to something.

 

As for underachieving, and all this other nonsense. The White Sox overachieved last year. It was an anamoly, get over it. Right now the Sox have the 3rd best AL record, 4th best over all, and people are b****ing.

 

WTF is that.

 

This is a team that for the majority of most of our lives made the playoffs 1 time every 10 years, and now they have a good shot at going back to back and people are s***ting on them.

 

I used to be proud to be a Sox fan. Now Im just tired of hearing the constant complaints.

 

Either people have forgotten where we have come from, or they just were never there in the first place.

Edited August 21, 2006 by Soxbadger

[GoRowand33]

I think the problem is that really emotional and passionate fans get upset when the team loses, maybe like ron santo equivalents of whitesox fans, and even though we won they still get upset when they lose afterwards

 

so even though they all appreciate the world series, its just part of their character to be emotional and upset when something goes wrong down the road

[southsider2k5]

I think the problem is that really emotional and passionate fans get upset when the team loses, maybe like ron santo equivalents of whitesox fans, and even though we won they still get upset when they lose afterwards

 

so even though they all appreciate the world series, its just part of their character to be emotional and upset when something goes wrong down the road

 

Part of me has started to wonder if this is why we get the type of press coverage that we get. We have, by far, the most negative fan base of any team in Chicago, IMO. The Cubs, by far have the most postive fan base, with the Bulls, Bears, and Blackhawks next going from most positive to least. The weird thing is that I think the press coverage seems to slant towards those views, as I think the Cubs get the most happy publicity in town followed by the Bulls, Bears, Hawks and finally the Sox. I really wonder if the newspaper higher ups have picked up on the vibes and picked writers for the teams based on those demographics, as people really want to read what they believe, as it is with most people. Because most Sox fans are more negative than anyone else in Chicago sports, would we buy as many newspapers from a group who wrote mostly positive articles, or would the Sox fan base gravitiate towards the more negative writings, as it speaks closer to their feelings?

 

I really wonder if Sox fans are getting what they ask for in media coverage?

[fathom]

My plea is to the White Sox to play the next 39 games with intensity and energy. If not, they'll be remembered along with some other Chicago teams in the last 25 years that underachieved in the season after they won the championship/pennant. There's no use in telling people on this site how to act. We all express ourselves differently, and as long as we're Sox fans, that's enough for me.

 

Part of me has started to wonder if this is why we get the type of press coverage that we get. We have, by far, the most negative fan base of any team in Chicago, IMO. The Cubs, by far have the most postive fan base, with the Bulls, Bears, and Blackhawks next going from most positive to least. The weird thing is that I think the press coverage seems to slant towards those views, as I think the Cubs get the most happy publicity in town followed by the Bulls, Bears, Hawks and finally the Sox. I really wonder if the newspaper higher ups have picked up on the vibes and picked writers for the teams based on those demographics, as people really want to read what they believe, as it is with most people. Because most Sox fans are more negative than anyone else in Chicago sports, would we buy as many newspapers from a group who wrote mostly positive articles, or would the Sox fan base gravitiate towards the more negative writings, as it speaks closer to their feelings?

 

I really wonder if Sox fans are getting what they ask for in media coverage?

 

We're more negative than Cubs fans? I couldn't disagree more. No one cares about the Hawks, and the Bulls/Bears don't split up the fan base like the baseball teams do. Cubs fans have completely changed their mindset from 3 or 4 years ago.

[kapkomet]

My plea is to the White Sox to play the next 39 games with intensity and energy. If not, they'll be remembered along with some other Chicago teams in the last 25 years that underachieved in the season after they won the championship/pennant. There's no use in telling people on this site how to act. We all express ourselves differently, and as long as we're Sox fans, that's enough for me.

We're more negative than Cubs fans? I couldn't disagree more. No one cares about the Hawks, and the Bulls/Bears don't split up the fan base like the baseball teams do. Cubs fans have completely changed their mindset from 3 or 4 years ago.

So a fan is one who s***s all over their team every chance they get, only to come back and say "CROW" when something goes right?

 

Stay home.

[fathom]

So a fan is one who s***s all over their team every chance they get, only to come back and say "CROW" when something goes right?

 

Stay home.

 

Aren't critical posts of the White Sox allowed on this site though? This is the best Sox site on the internet, and that's because it's soxtalk.com and not soxcheerleadingtalk.com. There's no one on this site who's 100 pct negative. Hell, even in this very thread, two of the people considered the most pessimistic, Milkman and myself, were actually telling people to not freak out over losing the game yesterday.