San Diego Fans

(originally from 11.19.06)

It’s amazing! The focus, the applause, the suspense, the tension. Every home game, at this precise moment, the fans at Petco Park go ape sh-t. Nuts! Crrrrazy! It’s an unbelievable spectacle. Truly a shining moment for every paying customer in a plastic seat.

The loudest, most involved moments of Padre home games… yep, you guessed it —the boat races and the baseball cap shuffle on the big screen. I’m so sad. Embarrassed really.

Let’s repeat this point again: the loudest, most involved moments of Padre home games are the boat races and the baseball cap shuffle on the big screen.

Why is this?
San Diego is known for it’s surf, sand and beautiful weather. After all, it is “America’s Finest City”. But I want it to be known as a Sports Town too! If you go back East….it is different.

The game actually matters more there than the games on the big screen (Ha ha – that’s a joke folks. Hmmm…or is it?) If you go to Yankee Stadium, they are known for being “great” fans—smart, loud, rambunctious…they’ll love you if you try hard and do well, they jeer you if you don’t.

Then there’s Philly, known for its hostility. Who else would boo Santa Claus? I mean come on, really?! Fans at Wrigley Field, on the other hand, will support their team through the best and worst of times…they’ll even throw an opponent’s homerun ball back onto the field.
St Louis is known for being wonderful baseball fans—very polite and fair. A delight to play for. It seems every city’s fans are known for something.
Los Angeles, unfortunately for them, are known as bandwagon fans who come late and leave early.

But what are San Diego fans known for? We need a better rep than fans “who go to the games if the surf isn’t good”. Yes, it’s an unfair stereotype…because there are some great fans in our midst…but then again, how many Charger games have you been to, where there were seemingly equal amounts of Steeler, Raider, ‘Niner fans in the crowd as Charger fans? Sometimes, its hard to tell who the home team is (granted, this was more the case prior to Team Pigskin being legitimate Super Bowl contenders).

I know from personal experience we are getting better…but collectively we still make a lot more noise when “Guess the Attendance” flashes on the big screen than we do during the game (But boy, do we get into the game then!!! It’s absolute pandemonium!). I say these things not to rip San Diego fans…because I am one of them (and as guilty as anyone of poor fanmanship). But rather because I’d love for us to rise to the top. To give our Padres and Chargers a legitimate home field advantage – to wreak havoc on opponents much like the cities of Seattle and Indianapolis provide for their football teams.

I want opposing squads to dread coming to San Diego! Are you with me?

Come on San Diego – let’s do this! Here are some ideas I had to help us attain this lofty goal:

• Megaphone Giveaways

Can you imagine how loud we’d be if everyone in attendance was handed cheap, little, plastic megaphones as they entered the gates? Nobody, I mean nobody, would hear the snap counts. We’d lead the league in forced-false starts. Our City would be going to Hawaii representing the fans in the Pro Bowl. Oooh…how ‘bout this next one?

• More Towel Waiving Days

Man, nothing looks better live or on TV then to see 30 to 60,000 towels swirling in the crowd. It’s an automatic pump. How can you not swirl your arms in circles without getting all energized?! It’s exercise baby. Plus there’s something about towel waiving that makes you want to scream and yell. It’s tribal! It’s getting you back to your animalistic-ness! It helps generate more noise in the crowd – and I think it’s subconsciously intimidating to look at for visiting rivals. (Though, I realize towels aren’t free…but sporting for a few more days worth of towels is the least Owners could do. Besides, it would likely lead to more home victories…which could lead to more playoff appearances…and would lead to increased popularity…thus more merchandise sold…thus more income. See its karma baby Okay, I got another one. How about…

• More Scoreboard Guidance

I have found that we, the Crowd, respond really well when we are guided. When the scoreboard says “Get Louder” dog-gone-it, we get louder.

When the stadium speakers blast a baseball rhythm or a choreographed clap, we tend to clap. It’s great. But, without this guidance, we seem to sometimes fall flat on our faces.

When you go to Giants Stadium in New Jersey, for example, the fans appreciate defense – you can just tell. They sense when its time to get louder…when its time to make noise to help give the “D” a lift. Cleveland’s ‘Dawg Pound’ gets off on making life-a-living hell for opponents. The Raider Nation is known for their intimidation. Eagles’ fans would boo their mother if she stood in the way of a first down. What these cities seem to have is an instinctual knowledge—an intuitive feel of when to get up and scream…when to boo…when to chant…when to cheer. San Diego – we need to learn these valuable skills.

Professional sports have been around a lot longer back there I suppose. Some say, they are older, wiser supporters who have been educated with the greatest of teachers—time and experience. But hey, our tans are better Oooh, oooh, I got another suggestion…

• Encourage Standing Up

In San Diego I sometimes feel like I’m blocking people’s views if I stand. Get up people –show some life!! If it’s a big play, get off your booty and show it! If you’re shorter than me, climb on your girlfriend’s shoulders

• A Better Understanding of Sports Fans Protocol.

I was at the two Padre playoff home games this year. Boy was I impressed with the opening day crowd. So refreshing. Seriously. The seats were electric—charged beyond belief. I had never seen a San Diego baseball Stadium so juiced (granted, my experiences are limited). It made me excited. As time went on, I realized something however–the timing was off. Often, in between pitches, people would rise to their feet, scream, clap and make lots of noise. But then everyone would stop before the pitcher delivered the next pitch. It was odd. We didn’t make noise while the pitcher was throwing. We didn’t try and rattle the hurler…or juice up our own batter. We would just get real quiet.

• More “Lets Go Pad-res” and “D-fense” Chants.

These get crowds across the Nation all jazzed and synced up. Remember, the power of the Crowd comes when we are united as one huge collective mind, focusing our energy on shared goals –positive support for our team…or the destruction of the other team. Hoo hoo ha ha!

• More Dancing Petco Animals, Chickens, Charger Mascots

These boys and girls do a great job getting the crowd pumped. And hey, if it takes people in fluffy Halloween costumes to help us establish a reputation of a place visiting teams don’t want to come to, then so be it. Let the jokes begin—we’ll get the final laugh when Raider/Dodger fans go home humiliated that they lost to a stuffed chicken and a few red and blue Petco dogs.

• Lets Follow the Clue from the Redskins and the Lakers –LIVE MUSIC

…An orchestra adds magic and energy. Colleges have fight songs. The Redskins have their “Hail to the Redskins”. This bonds everyone together. People sing, get pumped, take pride in their team and song. The Chargers already have their “Super Chargers” song – lets exploit its power more! Lets start up tradition where the crowd starts singing it…a band/deejay pumps it, lyrics are flashed on the Big ol’ Jumbotron. I was fortunate enough to go to the championship game of the World Baseball Classic at Petco. What a treat it was to see how the Cuban and Japanese fans supported their teams. There were percussions and chants and colors and flags. The fans were a spectacle in and amongst themselves. So much energy. It was great! American sports should follow suit.

San Diego—lets be a front runner in this—lets add more life and energy and color into the seats! (I’m also not opposed to adding cheerleaders at baseball games!!! In between innings on dugouts perhaps?) Awe yeah!

• Lets Not be Afraid or Embarrassed to Make Noise and Make Fools of Ourselves (as long as it as we aren’t violent or “harmful” to anyone)

And finally…

• If all else fails: why don’t we just put the boat races and hat shuffle on during the ENTIRE game…