A Colorful Fan Joining Red Sox Nation – Chris Faraone’s Epic Journey to Becoming a Boston Backer

April 15, 2010

The title of this story does not do justice to the metamorphosis that Chris Faraone is putting himself through. A Long standing non-sports fan Faraone, who writes for a Boston newspaper only steps away from Yawkey Way, is trying to explain “How I stopped worrying and loved the Sox” on his blog that he started with the break of the new baseball season.

He is a colorful fan even though he is new to the endeavor (just see the answer to the first question below), but with a beard that makes him look a lot like Kevin Youkilis, and a new found fondness of John Lackey, he is quickly becoming a real Sox fan.

Don’t believe me…check it out for your self (Faraone is “ThatFan” too on Brookline Ave in front of the Phoenix and across from Ace Tickets in Beantown):

Dr. Venkman: The Red Sox fan base is quite a ravenous one, so was there any interest in maybe trying to get into the Celtics or the Bruins first before jumping right in to the deep end?

Faraone: That’s a good question – particularly since I never thought of that. But the truth is that the Red Sox project made perfect sense. I’m a staff writer for the Boston Phoenix – which is located on Brookline Ave., across from Ace Tickets – so I’m in Kenmore Square and around Fenway every weekday anyway. This whole thing may seem ridiculous – and I know that a lot of people are pissed off about what a prick I’m being at this early juncture – but I really do want to change my thinking and become a fan. I’m sick of hating baseball season because of how inconvenient it makes my life; hopefully, at the end of the day, I’ll be able to see the positive in all the mess. After all – I do like beer, hot dogs, and drunk chicks.

Dr. Venkman: Had you ever been to a Sox game before this endeavor started?

Faraone: Yes I have. Way back in the day I went to tennis camp at Curry College in Milton (the reason that I couldn’t be a hardcore rap artist, by the way), and we used to do day trips into Fenway Park. I wasn’t particularly into baseball, but I remember those as being pretty fun adventures since that was around the time I started smoking weed. I also went to a game last year – my first since moving to Boston in 2004 – but I got bored as hell in the sixth inning and went to drink over at the Lower Depths.

Dr. Venkman: Do you already hate the Yankees?

Farone: I wouldn’t say I hate the Yankees more than I hate any other team, though I do think that George Steinbrenner is an obnoxious prick. I grew up not too far away from Shea Stadium (RIP), and have probably gone to more than 100 Mets games in my life. Still, I wouldn’t say that I was ever much of a fan; in New York, when you tell someone that you’re going to a Mets game, the first thing they ask is, “Who gave you the tickets?” In other words: it’s just assumed that nobody would ever buy them.

Dr. Venkman: What prompted you to try and become a fan?

Faraone: After some serious thinking about what sort of project to pursue, I decided that I wanted to write a journalistic take-down of professional sports – blasting everything from how ball clubs take complete advantage of their fans, to how much municipal money is spent on sports teams. My agent thought that was a decent idea, but that it needed a more personable angle – possibly something that could be entertaining to both sports fans and haters alike. Hopefully I’ll find that medium.

Dr. Venkman: What is life like for a non-sports fan…is it as fulfilling and intellectual that we all think it is?

Faraone: I’ve been going back-and-forth with my literary agent for about two years trying to figure out what my first book is going to be about. Since I’m primarily a hip-hop critic, the original plan was to write a travel book about underground rap music scenes across the country. The only problem is that, as you might imagine, a book like that would probably cost more to write than it would ever make (subterranean rap junkies aren’t exactly known for their voracious reading habits).

It’s awful. I can’t even go on double dates, since, when the girls start talking to each other, most guys just assume that I want to talk about sports, and it gets extremely uncomfortable. And as far as that intellectual thing, let it be said right here that intellectuals hate me, so it’s hilarious to me that I’ve been accused of being highbrow. I’m a complete degenerate; just because I’ve never really liked sports doesn’t mean I’m not a bong-toking boozehound who likes to curse and act stupid.

Dr. Venkman: What is your favorite part about being a fan thus far (any heartbreaks?)

Farone: It’s extremely early in the season, but I will say that I might have had my first small stroke of excitement earlier tonight when John Lackey struck someone out in the third inning. I’m pretty sure he’s going to be one of my favorite players; not only are we both new to the team, but he seems like someone who really cares about the game more than all the Red Sox Nation crap that surrounds it – and I can respect that.

—-

We here at ThatFan respect anyone with such a fresh attitude and a fresh way of putting it out there.

Are there any other anti-fans that you have swayed to our side? Send Dr. Venkman an e-mail.

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The Author Behind “100 Sporting Events You Must See Live” Shares Some Insight

April 14, 2010

Rob Tuchman has pulled off something that Dr. Venkman is very envious of. He has written a book.

To top it off even more it is about the “100 Sporting Events You Must See Live.”

After getting back from Augusta to watch a golf tournament last week, he was nice enough to answer a few questions about the fans at each of those events.

Even though he didn’t tip his hand on any of the events in the book some of the reviews did, Among the events on the list are the obvious (Super Bowl, Summer Olympics, World Series), the international (Tour de France and Wimbledon), the obscure (Kangaroos Australian Football Game, Hong Kong Sevens, Calgary Stampede), and the gluttonous (Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest).

Why the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit shoot isn’t on here escapes us.

Dr. Venkman: Where did you see the craziest fans?

Tuchman: Oakland Raiders fans are out of their minds

Dr. Venkman: You have narrowed the list down to 100, but if there was only one event that you should attend what would that be and why?

Tuchman: The Masters in Augusta is pretty special. I would hate to only be able to go to one because I love sports so much.

Dr. Venkman: Are the top events to attend that way because of the games going on or the fans and atmosphere surrounding them?

Tuchman: I think each feeds off each other. In the 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live its really about the total event experience which means all the other stuff going on in addition to the game or tournament. I do think the bigger the game the more opportunity for all the other stuff surrounding it.

Dr. Venkman: Does the old saying, “getting there is half the fun” apply to these events?

Tuchman: For sure. You just want to be in the action and feel the energy, but then again how pissed would you be to get there and not be able to go in to the actual event or stay close to the stadium. That’s what this book helps with!

What are you must-see events? Let Dr. Venkman know with an e-mail.

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Lord, He Was Born a Ramblin’ Fan Part 2 – A Conversation with SportTrekker’s Collin Cooper

April 11, 2010

Here is part 2 of our talk with SportsTrekker’s Collin Cooper. You might want to check out part 1.

As he publishes to his site three times a week, he has sports fans at heart, “We are all about you, the fan. Instead of us regurgitating the typical sports travel rhetoric we offer first hand insight,” Cooper says on SportsTrekker.com. We had already posted the first part of this conversation, but we finish up talking about fans on the road right now.

Dr. Peter Venkman: When they say that a team, “travels well” what does that mean to you?

Sports Trekker: When I think of the term ‘travel well’ I think  people are fooled and think a team travels well because they have a lot of fans in the stands. That’s not necessary the case.

College Football is the one sport where the fan bases actually do travel well. Some of these fan bases are just crazy and 100 percent loyal to their team. When I think of well traveling schools I think of Ohio State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Alabama, Penn State, West Virgina (travels well, but leaves their wallets at home), and Texas. Clemson can bring it when it hits the road. I was surprised by the number of fans traveling from Oregon State to the east. Here is the exception in college football: Notre Dame has fans at every game, but most of the time they are local fans who root for the Irish. They aren’t necessarily traveling well because their fans are already there.

College basketball you have to hand it to Kentucky and Kansas as top traveling schools.

Pittsburgh and Dallas are really the only two teams that can claim to travel really well in the NFL, with the Raiders or Packers probably tying for 3rd. Cowboys fans are everywhere and in every city. They are present at every NFL game but they aren’t necessarily traveling to the game. Pittsburgh on the other hand  might be a little bit different. The Steelers have many dislocated fans throughout the country, if they live in Vegas now and the Steelers play in San Diego, they’ll make that trip. I was in Baltimore once for a Steelers/Ravens game, and I met a guy who drove up from South Carolina.  He told me that was the closest game all season for him and he was thrilled to make the trip.

The NBA and NHL really don’t have many traveling fan bases. One exception to that rule is Montreal fans, they love their Habs, often they are young and travel in large groups.

Dr. Peter Venkman: What are some of the components that have to be taken into account when making a trip as a fan (beyond just air, hotel, car, food) that are often overlooked?

Sports Trekker: Price point is big for a lot of fan bases. But a big overlooked component would be travelers have connections to the host city. Miami almost always has a bunch of out of town fans on football Sundays, why? Because everyone has a cousin in Florida. Also organization (Alumni and “FillInATeam” Nation) is huge, the more people involved the more likely the average fan is going to travel too. For a lot of groups, it’s an all in or no go mentality, who wants to watch a game by themselves?

With baseball, a lot of people are already visiting the city and a ballgame is just a great way to fill their evening, I think ticket availability plays a large roll in that.

A sports pilgrimage is probably something else that’s often overlooked. If you are a diehard Bears fan, you should make your way to Soldier Field at least once, so you don’t sound like a complete tool. If you are a true fan, you’ll find your way there.

Dr. Peter Venkman: What has been your favorite place to travel and watch a game as a fan and why?

Sports Trekker: We are blessed to have so many great stadiums in the country. Wrigley is my favorite stadium to be at but there isn’t a whole lot of watching the game going on, it’s more about the scene there. The Rose Bowl is just a fantastic event but the stadium isn’t up to par. Camden Yards might be the most fun to go to and hang out with friends. But I just love the intensity of Fenway, there it’s all about the game, and the fans there are great. I hope to see a game every year there until the lights go out, either for me or for the ballpark. It’s constantly improving, that’s what makes it so great, and next season it will be 100 years old. Plus, there is a lot to do in Boston during the summer, it’s a great town. I would have to say Fenway is my favorite place to travel to.

Going somewhere? Let Dr. Venkman know about it so he can pass it along to the Trekker.

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Lord, He Was Born a Ramblin’ Fan Part 1- A Conversation with SportTrekker’s Collin Cooper

April 10, 2010

Even though he hasn’t necessarily been to Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota, Buffalo or Toronto, Collin Cooper is a fan on the road.

As he publishes to his site three times a week he has Sports Fans at heart, “We are all about you the fan. Instead of us regurgitating the typical sports travel rhetoric we offer first hand insight,” Cooper says on SportsTrekker.com.

Much like the back of a baseball card, Cooper, originally from Boston offered up of his particulars, which both makes him more of a fan and a real expert in the field of sporting event related travel. His favorite event he has attended has been the Rose Bowl, his favorite sports town is Pittsburgh, his family has season tickets at Beaver Stadium, while the best stadium he has been to is Qwest Field in Seattle. He wants to go to the 2012 Olympic Games. The most underrated sporting event in his estimation is the Travers Stakes in Saratoga, while the most overrated is anything at Madison Square Garden.

Most importantly his favorite beer is Dogfish Head 60 Min and his favorite chicken wing flavor is very hot Buffalo.

This of course piqued our interest, but we needed to know a little bit more about what it takes to be a sports fan on the road. As always, I have the ability to spin these yarns into a comprehensive tale, but market research dictates that you all enjoy reading Q&As instead of just me:

Dr. Peter Venkman: Of all of the major sports (MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL, College), what tends to be the best to travel to see a regular season game at?

Sports Trekker: It all really depends on you, the traveler. Personally, I find traveling to college football games the pinnacle. From the tailgating and the traditions unique to each school, plus the people you’ll meet, you can make it a real memorable experience. As a bonus you have Sunday to recover & travel home.

The NFL is America’s top sport, but traveling to games can get expensive and away fans at NFL games bring a different dynamic. Look at Chargers vs. Raiders and you’ll see what I am talking about. That being said, it’s still fun.

Baseball really has a place for sports travel because it’s the best sport to go to if you really want to learn about the city you are visiting. Most cities you can just walk up the day of the game and get tickets, so the stress level isn’t very high. Since the game is less action-packed you can people watch and actually wander around the stadium. Plus, baseball has the best food of any of the sports.

Dr. Peter Venkman: What is the best post season to travel to among those sports?

Sports Trekker: If you are hardcore fan and have the fortitude, nothing (at least in the U.S.) is more intense than playoff hockey. You’d better pick a side or else your neighbors will assume you are rooting for the road team. Cheering for an opposing team after a goal is a real adrenalin rush/ health hazard. Hockey is a cold weather sport, but once the playoffs come around the ice has thawed out a bit and that makes a big difference.

College football bowl games can be fun but they are too inconsistent to claim the top spot. Some bowls are just amazing (Rose, Orange) then there are those games that have 25,000 in attendance.

Going somewhere? Let Dr. Venkman know about it so he can pass it along to the Trekker.

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