ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY, THE NATIONALS WON'T BE EITHER.

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Sep 23, 2008 2:44 PM EDT

First, I'm a METS fan but I live here in D.C.

Second, if memory serves me correctly I've been to five NATS games.

Third, the teams got a "Don't Mess With Us Attitude", they play hard and they're not intimidated by anyone.

Today in the Washington Post, blogger, Marc Fisher, from his blog Raw Fisher talks about the fact that reduced prices for 7,500 seats for next year's season can't compete with excitement. Also from what I gather he doesn't seem to give the Nationals any hope of fielding a decent team.

Personally, I'm tired of defending this city from numerous attacks by fans and bloggers alike by what they've witnessed at Nationals games.

To wit:

Lack of cheering, no place to go around the stadium pre, during and post game. If I'm not mistaken, the only more ravenous fans in the NFL are the Philadelphia Eagles and the Oakland Raiders. The Redskins are pretty darn close. Once the team starts winning I'm quite sure South Capitol's ballpark will be rocking. The area adjacent to it. It's coming, please be patient.

No BIG NAME players to watch. Thanks to New York, L.A., Boston and the Chicago Cubs, big name players are just too expensive so, let's work on what we've got and make our own BIG NAME players.

Fans arriving late and leaving early. Last time I checked, anyone who paid money for something was allowed to do with their purchase what they wanted to do with it. Sure, it might not be correct etiquette to arrive late and leave early but please, name me one team where people are always on time to a baseball game! THERE ISN'T ONE! Let me repeat, NOT ONE!

Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither were the Washington Redskins and neither will the Nationals be. The NATS have been besieged by injuries this year. In late August the NATS put together a nice 7 game winning streak. Some may say, so what! Well, you tell me what kind of team you have when you basically have nothing to play for and your team scratches and claws it's way to a winning streak that late in the season. I call it pride. Pride does produce. The true baseball fans noticed what kind of potential this ball club has for next season and beyond.

As for ticket prices going down. How many times have we heard about everyone complaining about ticket prices? TOO MANY TO COUNT! So any relief for John and Jane Q. Taxpayer is welcomed, especially in today's economic climate. I've had enough w/the instant gratification types. It's gonna take time. So, buy a ticket, eat a hot dog and settle in for what may be a promising franchise.

Here's the article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202934.html

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I've rarely, if ever, questioned the pride of the Nationals' players...

(not that I’m acting as if your post is directed to me specifically, Lou.)…When the Expos moved to DC I had no illusions that the franchise would become instantly competitive, so I was REALLY surprised by the first half of ‘05 which saw Washington atop the NL East for a lengthy stretch…but since then the team has seemingly taken several steps backwards…I’m not advocating breaking the bank for any free agents, because I don’t see any one player that could turn this team immediately into a contender…what I’m looking for are signs of improvement…there are some…Having watched all the prospects Asst. GM Mike Rizzo was able to find in AZ, I am skeptically optimistic, it’s just that after approximately 30 years of cheering for a struggling team, I want that $100 mill payroll we’ve been promised and I want to start contending…me and about 25 other team’s fans…(Sorry, just ranting, i’ll stop here…)

1 other thing…the one thing I really liked about Nationals Park last time I was there, were the Ushers who held fans back until the end of each at bat before letting them return to their seats, as he(in this case) calmly informed them, “For the courtesy of other fans.” No one does that and everyone should, Bravo generic usher example.

"Nothin' wrong with my leg, I'm just B-boy limpin'" - MCA

by Patrick Reddington on Sep 23, 2008 5:46 PM EDT reply actions

heck no fella

it sure ain’t directed at you.

it’s directed at all the other fans, columnists and bloggers who expect miracles.

i’m just on the side of the team. the highest level of sports i’ve got to compete in is high school football so i can only imagine the immense pressure that is on the team to win and on ownership to field a winning ball club. so, for all of those out there expecting miracle, i say…

go see Jesus.

for the record, the Padres ushers do the same. i “think” the Yanks do it too.

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Sep 23, 2008 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions

forgive my poor grammar in the above post.

sheesh, I just finished reading it over and…e-gads.

anyhow.

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Sep 23, 2008 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks Lou, and as an Expos fan since about 1984, I'm patient.

I don’t even know if I’d like it much if they just bought a bunch of guys and won a championship. I’m so used to the development part, and cheering the underdog, (also from afar)…… well, I wish the locals knew how great it must be to actually go see their team.
Anyway, I hope the Nats can help the Mets this week. (hard as that is to type)…. But, just this year, then it’s back to the same ol’ thing in the NL East…

by cat daddy3000 on Sep 23, 2008 7:06 PM EDT reply actions

Nationals and ushers

I also would never fault the nationals for trying hard. If anything the no one expects anything good out of them idea might work in there favor. It builds a kind of us against the world siege mentality and then every win means a little bit more. I enjoy going to games though it is always better to win than to loose a game. I have lived in cities with no baseball team most of my life so I like having a team and don’t expect instant gratification. Still that being said if the Nationals want to charge the prices they need to improve. As for the usher who held people back I wish they worked in my section. I spent the first 20 games watch nothing but people going back and forth and ended up having my seats moved.

Steven Stark

by gonats on Sep 29, 2008 4:31 PM EDT reply actions