When your favorite team is consistently on National TV (CBS, NBC, ESPN/ABC, TNT), it should just be another reason to puff out your chest.
In the networks’ eyes, your team has made the big time and, in turn, so have you. People across the country want to watch your squad, nearly as much as you do.
This eventually brings bandwagon fans, yes, and that can become extremely annoying (see Red Sox, Boston). There is, of course, a reason why there are Lakers fans in New York, Red Sox fans in San Diego and Cowboys fans in Minnesota. But trust me, it’s better to have a team that is network friendly and (eventually) overexposed, than a team that is irrelevant on a national scale.
A look at a few teams that your non-sports savvy neighbor Gil, has no clue exist:
Columbus Blue Jackets
Common man knowledge (1-10): -3
Are we sure they don’t play in the AHL? Positive?
They are prepared to deal their best player, Rick Nash, this offseason after finishing with the NHL’s worst record.
Nashville Predators
Common man knowledge:
Just a horrible name that screams late ’90s. Nashville took over first place in the official worst sports names standings last year when the Atlanta Thrashers jumped ship to Winnipeg. It is good to know that if your team name was created prior to 1995, you are typically exempt from these lists.
Shockingly enough, the Predators are still involved in the NHL playoffs right now. Even more shocking is that their semi-final opponents, the Phoenix Coyotes (ewww), did NOT make this list.
New Jersey Nets (RIP)
Common man knowledge:
Even though they made the NBA Finals several years ago and (sort of) played in the world’s largest media market, the Nets were painfully irrelevant to the world outside of the Meadowlands.
But ding, dong, the swamp things are dead.
They unveiled an unbelievably awesome logo Monday (above) and it’s already a sure-bet that their jerseys will be number one in the hearts of middle schoolers everywhere this fall. This franchise will soon be removed from this list.
Charlotte Bobcats
Common man knowledge:
They finished 7-59 this year and are more irrelevant than ever. Everyone likes to say that if owner Michael Jordan came back tomorrow, he’d be the best player on the team. While that’s bogus (it’s 2012 people, do you really think a 49-year-old man could hang with Kemba Walker?), it is the only way to get ESPN to broadcast this team on a Sunday afternoon.
Golden State Warriors
Common man knowledge:
I would love to say this isn’t true, but it is. They have cool uniforms. They have cool fans. They have an old school tradition, but they are widely unrecognizable.
And the whole “Golden State” thing just confuses people.
Honorable mention: Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Carolina Hurricanes, Phoenix Coyotes, Minnesota Wild.
Noticeably absent: All NFL teams. Just speaks to the power of America’s pastime. Any, and all teams, from whatever market, can play in primetime and deliver in the ratings.
Video of Amare’s incident
After doing some digging, PTF came up with some video regarding Amare Stoudemire’s fisting of a fire extinguisher case Monday night on South Beach.
This is a classified document, so it should be handled with care.
It is, none other than, a dramatic pre-enactment of Amare’s incident and what goes down is not what you might have expected. There were, without question, other parties involved in this drama.
Watch as the blonde guy, who startingly enough looks like a young Shawn Michaels, plays the role of Carmelo Anthony. The brunette, who resembles a young Marty Jannetty (hopefully there is no such thing as an old Marty Jannetty) plays the role of Amare. And it’s also good to see Craig Sager, the guy in the purple fishnets, getting work back in 1992. Ya know, before he started dressing like wierdo:
Dana White is a creep
UFC head honcho Dana White is one of the finest fight promoters of all-time. We get it. But there’s no excuse for this video getting so creepy, so fast:
