Do Passive Fans Make a Franchise Unsuccessful ?

ZRF80, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no credibility, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Originally posted by YourHuckleberry:
ZRF80, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no credibility, and may God have mercy on your soul.

You know you really shouldn't hold back. How do you really feel?

what kind of thread question is this? seriously.

Are you seriously asking this?

Weeeee, uppercase!

Passive fans have nothing to do with it...the reason those other franchises are always in contention is because of their owners, who hire top GM's and coaches. Those guys find the best players, so the talent level remains high. So, naturally the fans of those teams are continually stoked because of the high level of play and the fact they legitimately feel their teams have a shot at the playoffs and/or SB every season. We used to be that kind of team, but no more. I really think it'll take the York's selling the team and the new ownership to hire top-notch management to return the Niners to glory.

Originally posted by ZRF80:
Take a look at other franchises in the league folks. Teams like the Cowboys, Steelers, and even the Giants never go through droughts of unsuccess like we're currently having. Now, back in the hayday, one could blame the attraction of the high profile media market.......where an unsalaried cap could buy you all the players you needed to make a dominant football team (see the NY Yankees in MLB). But in today's game, all the teams in the league are on the same page (eg salary cap). So what keeps the teams I just mentioned on top of their game year in and year out, while teams like the 49ers can almost go through an entire decade winless and held unaccountable for ?

Maybe its the fans. I read through some of the threads on this forum, and it's appalling how accustomed to losing we've become as 49er fans. Mind you, I think the forum serves as a good sample population for the Niners fanbase, as the majority of you are from the city itself, not to mention that we have fans on this site of all ages that have been following the team from different eras. With that said, there was a time (at least for me) when I used to get pissed at the Niners for not beating teams with wider margins. Sometimes Id get upset if the team didnt pick up a first down on a 2nd down play. This is what I grew up with. It was a winning tradition. And somewhere along the line, we lost that tradition, which is ok.......because the NFL is designed to give every team an opportunity to win in this league.

But here we are, 7 years removed from our last playoff appearance.....2 head coaches fired in between that time.....at least 5 starting QBs throwing in that term (Brett Favre had outlasted all of them, btw), and our fans are still content with "we are still rebuilding, and rebuilding takes time". I mean, seriously ? I waste 8 months of my life every year, looking forward to the regular season, hoping that "this is it" and that the team will finally turn around and amke an impact in the league. And I get the same results each and every time. And instead of me (and my fellow brethren) calling the team, front management, players, etc. out on this pathetic excuse of a franchise, I (we) instead excuse it as "rebuilding" and hope that we'll emerge as a powerhouse the following year.

Why is it that teams like the Cowboys, Steelers, and Giants cant go 5 years without success, while teams like the Niners can go an entire decade going unnoticed ? I'll tell you why. It's the fans. If the fans cant hold their team accountable; if the fans cant call out front management for their mistakes; if the fans cant show their dislike for losing ways; then the organization will always think they are making the right moves.

Like I said, I read some of the posts on this board and I half laugh/half cry. 7 years since the Mooch era ended and we're still "rebuilding". And we're ok with that as a fanbase. What a sad state of affairs for a once storied franchise.

Are you talking about passive fans in general, or passivity at the game. If its the latter, the 49ers have to have the worst fans (at the stadium) in the NFL.

The season ticket holders at the game are majority baby boomer yuppie Marin County-ites who care more about their wine-and-cheese party in the parking lot than the game. You can silence the niners stadium in a heartbeat.

Hopefully, we'll get a major turnover in season ticket holders when we move to the South Bay -- the current season ticket holders can save their money to buy Viagra and Depends.

Fans don't scout players, draft players, sign free agents, game plan...


In a nut shell, FANS DON'T WIN GAMES.

You grossly overestimate your impact on the game.

Originally posted by ZRF80:
Take a look at other franchises in the league folks. Teams like the Cowboys, Steelers, and even the Giants never go through droughts of unsuccess like we're currently having. Now, back in the hayday, one could blame the attraction of the high profile media market.......where an unsalaried cap could buy you all the players you needed to make a dominant football team (see the NY Yankees in MLB). But in today's game, all the teams in the league are on the same page (eg salary cap). So what keeps the teams I just mentioned on top of their game year in and year out, while teams like the 49ers can almost go through an entire decade winless and held unaccountable for ?

Maybe its the fans. I read through some of the threads on this forum, and it's appalling how accustomed to losing we've become as 49er fans. Mind you, I think the forum serves as a good sample population for the Niners fanbase, as the majority of you are from the city itself, not to mention that we have fans on this site of all ages that have been following the team from different eras. With that said, there was a time (at least for me) when I used to get pissed at the Niners for not beating teams with wider margins. Sometimes Id get upset if the team didnt pick up a first down on a 2nd down play. This is what I grew up with. It was a winning tradition. And somewhere along the line, we lost that tradition, which is ok.......because the NFL is designed to give every team an opportunity to win in this league.

But here we are, 7 years removed from our last playoff appearance.....2 head coaches fired in between that time.....at least 5 starting QBs throwing in that term (Brett Favre had outlasted all of them, btw), and our fans are still content with "we are still rebuilding, and rebuilding takes time". I mean, seriously ? I waste 8 months of my life every year, looking forward to the regular season, hoping that "this is it" and that the team will finally turn around and amke an impact in the league. And I get the same results each and every time. And instead of me (and my fellow brethren) calling the team, front management, players, etc. out on this pathetic excuse of a franchise, I (we) instead excuse it as "rebuilding" and hope that we'll emerge as a powerhouse the following year.

Why is it that teams like the Cowboys, Steelers, and Giants cant go 5 years without success, while teams like the Niners can go an entire decade going unnoticed ? I'll tell you why. It's the fans. If the fans cant hold their team accountable; if the fans cant call out front management for their mistakes; if the fans cant show their dislike for losing ways; then the organization will always think they are making the right moves.

Like I said, I read some of the posts on this board and I half laugh/half cry. 7 years since the Mooch era ended and we're still "rebuilding". And we're ok with that as a fanbase. What a sad state of affairs for a once storied franchise.

Young padawan, do you not remember the early and mid 80's when the cowboys were HORRIBLE? early to mid 80's when the steelers weren't very good? I mean I know it's been a while since we have had anything to be proud of as Niner fans, but EVERY team goes through periods like our most recent slide.

Originally posted by YourHuckleberry:
ZRF80, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no credibility, and may God have mercy on your soul.

You know what....I'm shocked people even responded to this thread. But..... I just did so I guess I'm also guilty for wasting 2 minutes out of my life.

The Cowboys have not won a playoff game since 1996.

It would be different if we weren't trying to bring a better team. In the past 2 years we have seen many changes and a lot of them are for the better. Of course there are some bad changes but every team has those.

It would be a lot different for me if we still had Nolan and Hostler running things around here. I believe in giving a coach at least 2 years to show improvement. So I am 100% behind coach Sing. Rather you want to admit it or not, we are improved. Are record doesn't necessary indicate it but it doesn't hirt my eyes to watch the 49ers like it did a few years ago.

Originally posted by NineFourNiner:
Dallas = no playoff wins in over 12 years.

That is not success.

Dallas also had a 6 or 7 year skid of 500 or worse teams in the late 80s through 1990.

The Giants never saw the post season during the 70s. And they only won 40% of their games in that decade.

With all do respect Vet...You are a clown for this post. The fans are the ones that made terrible draft choices in the early 2000's? The fans are the ones that hired Mike "Blame everyone around me so everyone hates me" Nolan?

Seriously the Giants are always good because they are run like a first rate organization. From Ernie to the new GM they have found GEMS in the draft over the last decade that have put them in a place to always win (See there entire offensive line except McKenzie and the entire defensive line minus canty). The Steelers have one of the greatest Defensive minds of all time as thier Defensive coordinator and again a founding family of the NFL who know how to run an organization. And the Cowboys haven't won a playoff game in over a decade so I will not even respond to that one.

Good teams start from the top down. The Kraft's figured out how to run a good organization and that is why they are succeeding. You want a fall guy look at the ownership and the GM's. Don't dare blame the fans who spend hundreds or thousands of dollars a year to support the garbage they have been putting on the field.