Why should we dislike the 49ers?

[BirdsCommaAngry]

This is either the best troll ever, or you have no clue. Do you think you have uncovered a big secret that we are all too glib to understand? It's not that serious bud, you're wasting your time on a football message board. Your attitude is the right one but most everyone knows that, this is entertainment. Breaking news for you, the WWE is fake too.

It can be that serious if people in our stadium start killing each other. I don't mean people should change what they're doing for the sake of lowering an already low likelihood of something bad happening, but it's something to think about when rationalizing our own behavior.

The WWE is a bad example of the "it's only entertainment" style of philosophy. They've had way too many wrestlers die off before reaching the age of 50 because of brain damage from their careers for it to be a "fake" sport. Darren Drozdov became a paraplegic and Owen Hart fell to his death during parts of their programming for God's sake.

 

[Bakergirl]

This is either the best troll ever, or you have no clue. Do you think you have uncovered a big secret that we are all too glib to understand? It's not that serious bud, you're wasting your time on a football message board. Your attitude is the right one but most everyone knows that, this is entertainment. Breaking news for you, the WWE is fake too.

It can be that serious if people in our stadium start killing each other. I don't mean people should change what they're doing for the sake of lowering an already low likelihood of something bad happening, but it's something to think about when rationalizing our own behavior.

The WWE is a bad example of the "it's only entertainment" style of philosophy. They've had way too many wrestlers die off before reaching the age of 50 because of brain damage from their careers for it to be a "fake" sport. Darren Drozdov became a paraplegic and Owen Hart fell to his death during parts of their programming for God's sake.

No one around here is going to kill any 9er fans we'll happily leave that embarassment/shaming of their teams business between Raider/49er fans. :mrgreen:

 

[BlueTalon]

Why should I check this thread?









'Cause I'm gullible.

 

[AgentDib]

Funny, cuz to me 49er fans are EXACTLY like Husky fans. Every time you try and have a discussion with them it always reverts back to... well, 20 years ago... or, look at the history and the all time records.... or, How many Championships do you have??!?

It is only natural that 49er fans emphasize eras in which they have been successful. The result is the hilarious "we're only going to count the last two years and the 1980's" strategy. However, all fans try to do the same thing. Husky fans want to ignore most of the last decade, and Duck fans want to ignore most of the century before that.

The real difference in my opinion is that Husky fans and Hawk fans are less likely to be classless hooligans while attending games. The Ducks have had a good program for nine years, which should be more than enough time for fans to grow accustomed to success. Once they learn how to behave decently towards opposing fans they can work on forming an O with their hands instead of a triangle or a diamond.

 

[dunceface]

Of course, but like another poster mentioned, sports fandom is generally an escape from the serious things in ife, and taking sides doesn't hurt others... unless you're a 49er fan that stabs people. Thus, this discussion has reached full circle.

Lmao, you're right. We're back to the part of this about personal joy and preference, or just fun, to put it simply. I suppose that makes it pretty clear how this is all playing out at its core. Fun is the motivation I was talking about and human nature dictates how we go about trying to have fun. But somethings missing... why football specifically? Human nature can say we're naturally tribal, animal-like, violent, or what have you, and football can fulfill these urges but so can other institutions and activities. So why football specifically? I think we're missing a big part here that's only been vaguely alluded so far and that's the effect of American culture on fandom.

Once again I will reiterate my belief that the infatuation with the violent sport of football is a direct result of our intrinsically violent culture. Simple as that. Sports fanaticism is just one of the myriad of ways the current media culture breeds complacency and consumerism. If you don't understand that, you're just hopelessly lost. GO HAWKS!

 

[SNDavidson]

This is either the best troll ever, or you have no clue. Do you think you have uncovered a big secret that we are all too glib to understand? It's not that serious bud, you're wasting your time on a football message board. Your attitude is the right one but most everyone knows that, this is entertainment. Breaking news for you, the WWE is fake too.

It can be that serious if people in our stadium start killing each other. I don't mean people should change what they're doing for the sake of lowering an already low likelihood of something bad happening, but it's something to think about when rationalizing our own behavior.

The WWE is a bad example of the "it's only entertainment" style of philosophy. They've had way too many wrestlers die off before reaching the age of 50 because of brain damage from their careers for it to be a "fake" sport. Darren Drozdov became a paraplegic and Owen Hart fell to his death during parts of their programming for God's sake.

The behavior is not worth rationalizing because it is irrational and we all know that. You make it sound like we are all knuckledraggers. So because people got hurt while performing for the WWE it is a bad example? Call me crazy but I thought we were discussing the hype and hyperbole among fans of such events not the danger of the events themselves. Roy got mauled by a tiger during a magic show, do you think anyone seriously cheered that on? Should magic be outlawed? Should the WWE be outlawed? How about the NFL, where people get seriously hurt literally every day?

Thought your thread was about how we all mindlessly hate other people because we're dumb and barbaric. My point is that we don't, you are misguided here, and your preaching would be better suited in an area of real need where people truly have malice in their hearts.

 

[birdman5]

Fan, short for fanatic. Fanatics engage in fanaticism. Sports centered in this case for sure. I doubt any of us wish ill will on any player, coach, or member of the organization.

 

[hawk45]

If I'm interpreting correctly you're wondering why rivalries are more fun than jellybeans? I'm not sure I'm understanding the question here. Humans are animals, animals are tribal, when we divide into tribes over stuff that really matters it's stressful, when we divide into tribes over stuff that doesn't matter like sports it's a way to let off steam and also forget about our real worries for a time while we pretend we give a crap about sports. People enjoy that, people enjoy books, people enjoy jellybeans, there's a lot of stuff people enjoy.

I think you're bored.

My question was why engage in the behaviors of football rivalries over the alternatives. I like the tribal explanation you're offering. It suits football very well in my opinion. But it doesn't answer why people prefer embracing this singular part of football over, say, other tribal sorts of things that are arguably more beneficial and maybe even more enjoyable, like cross-fit, book clubs, sports we play instead of watching, certain kinds of video games, etc (or more of these things if it's something we're already active in).

Dude come out of your sports-colored dome. There are plenty of people in the world who far prefer other activities to dwelling on sports rivalries. You're on a sports message board here you're not getting a random sampling of humanity.

And even most of these folks only really focus on the rivalry on game day during the season. The other 99% of the time they're doing these other things.

You're seeing a mystery where there is none. I realize fan message boards are places to inflate the tiniest issue into something of momentous importance, but this is weak tea even for a message board.

.

 

[60niners]

Do any of you remember hating the Rams the same way we hate the whiners now? I sure do. I look forward to the Rams/Seahawks rivalry and the whiners returning to their rightful annual third place finish in the division. Back when the Rams were good, their fans weren't the major arseholes we see in whiner fan now. I think that 99.999% of the dickish whiner fans weren't alive when the niners won their last Superbowl but they are the first to bring up their team's championships.

Let's not get carried away here..... To say the Niner's rightful place is third in the division is ridiculous coming from a realignment team. Since we're talking about the past, it would only be fair to take a tally of NFC West division titles... And I'll even throw in a cheat for you all, you can add AFC West titles to your total.

No, it would only be fair to count division titles since both SF and Seattle have been in the same division (2002-present):

SEA- 5
SF-3
AZ-2
STL-1

That wouldn't be fair one bit. It's ignorant to set arbitrary constraints to make the numbers appear in your teams favor. It is no fault of the 49ers that the divisions realigned... They are original members of the NFCW and therefore you cannot just discount their division titles.

 

[HAWKNUTZ]

Asking this Question is like asking a Dawgs fan why do you hate the ducks. It was instilled in me at birth as I have instilled in my children to hate the Ducks, niners and the Steelers. My grandson will be born any day now and trust me when I say it will be instilled in him as well!

 

[dunceface]

IS IT SEPTEMBER YET??!?!?!!!?!!

 

[Blitzer88]

Because they are division rivals as mentioned earlier.

 

[gspin2k1]

I don't dislike the 49ers. In fact I used to love them as a kid when I didn't live in this area (I live in Guam, so no real team from there).

however, now that I'm here. I dislike their troll fans because indeed they have a lot of things they can talk sh*t against us about that we can't exactly beat. 5 SBs, and even the most recent trip. Lets face it, they beat ATL and we didn't. But what sucks is their fans on ESPN are annoying as hell making it a strong point to troll our Seahawk articles. Where as I don't see a lot of Seahawk fans trolling Niner articles (or maybe I'm wrong).

I dislike the public persona of CK. But Admittedly Richard Sherman is not much better.

 

[SalishHawkFan]

I've heard our arguments against the 'Niners. Most of them are of an assorted but consistent variety:

"Their coach is a whiner and a prick!"
"Their fans are arrogant, band-wagoners, and/or not knowledgeable!"
"[insert SF player/coach/FO member] is overrated!"
"People think they're better than us and they're not!"
"Their our rivals. We're supposed to dislike them!"

Most of these views are supported with inarguable evidence of sorts but none offer a real answer.

If Harbaugh is indeed a whiner and a prick and these are indeed reasons to dislike someone, why should we dislike the entire organization? If Harbaugh is worth disliking, why not just dislike him and him alone? The same logic applies across the board. If their fans are arrogant or band-wagoners, why not just dislike their fans? If someone says the 49ers are the better team and you truly believe they're wrong, why not just dislike that someone? We've all heard not to throw the baby out with the bathwater but we do so gingerly.

Even the one argument that actually targets the entirety of their organization, the argument about the nature of rivalries, is flawed. Really, who is it that says we're supposed to dislike them? The media, players, coaches, and other fans do. The media has a prerogative to up-sell the sport and provide as much content as their efforts will allow. Rivalries are staple among their arsenal. Players and coaches have a similar prerogative as well as attempting to motivate one another for their upcoming games. For the professionals, rivalries aren't so much a reality as they are a tool for achievement.

Fans buy into the concept because we believe it's real. We think so from our own personal experiences with and interpretations of players, coaches, fans, statistics, and all the other nuances involved in our personal analysis. But those experiences and interpretations have produced the faulty statements I questioned above. We're merely supporting a stance with misinterpreted information which makes the stance faulty by definition. Our communicated understanding of rivalries is wrong!

There is, however, one reason we don't mention and it's probably the sole reason for the fan support of rivalries. Everything about a rivalry, whether its anticipating the highs of victory, talking up our own greatness, belittling the other guy for even the most impractical of reasons, or just simplifying the dislike of a few individuals down to the common denominator that is their team, makes us feel good. To that little part of the brain that makes us feel pleasure, saying "Forty-Whiners" might as well be a Snickers. Shouting "Fluke!" or "The refs are playing for you, huh?" after losing a game that wasn't even close might as well be a game of fetch with the dog. It's all fun and it all feels good but so much else can accomplish these same simple feats.

My question to each of you is why should we dislike the 49ers or any team for that matter over all the other alternatives for our own enjoyment? Why does this phenomenon pique your interest while others do not?

3 comments to your very well put post:

1: Tribal mentality. Men - and let's face it, most of us on here are men - like to say women are emotionally driven and irrational, but tribal mentality is an emotionally driven, irrational reaction. Death by association.

2: I'm willing to bet - and I didn't read a single reply yet - that people will react negatively to you for even suggesting their feelings are irrational. I'm wondering if you got labeled a niner troll.

3: "We've all heard not to throw the baby out with the bathwater but we do so gingerly." That's because gingers have no souls.

 

[SalishHawkFan]

Daddy, why is dirt?

That ones easy. Because.

There's a way better way to answer that one.

Well, honey, let me explain by asking you a question: What's the largest creature alive right now?
Child: I don't know.
Daddy: The Gray Whale. And what does the Gray Whale eat?
Child: Fishes?
Daddy: Nope, Gollum eats fishes, Gollum! Gollum! The Gray Whale eats plankton. Do you know what plankton is?
Child: No, Daddy.
Daddy: It's the smallest creature in the ocean. So the Gray Whale has to eat and eat all day long just to get full. He doesn't have time to play or do anything else. Do you know why?
Child: uh, uh.
Daddy: Cause that's just the way it is.

 

[SalishHawkFan]

It can be that serious if people in our stadium start killing each other. I don't mean people should change what they're doing for the sake of lowering an already low likelihood of something bad happening, but it's something to think about when rationalizing our own behavior.

The WWE is a bad example of the "it's only entertainment" style of philosophy. They've had way too many wrestlers die off before reaching the age of 50 because of brain damage from their careers for it to be a "fake" sport. Darren Drozdov became a paraplegic and Owen Hart fell to his death during parts of their programming for God's sake.

The behavior is not worth rationalizing because it is irrational and we all know that. You make it sound like we are all knuckledraggers. So because people got hurt while performing for the WWE it is a bad example? Call me crazy but I thought we were discussing the hype and hyperbole among fans of such events not the danger of the events themselves. Roy got mauled by a tiger during a magic show, do you think anyone seriously cheered that on? Should magic be outlawed? Should the WWE be outlawed? How about the NFL, where people get seriously hurt literally every day?

Thought your thread was about how we all mindlessly hate other people because we're dumb and barbaric. My point is that we don't, you are misguided here, and your preaching would be better suited in an area of real need where people truly have malice in their hearts.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/0 ... -violence/

An assault victim and a shooting victim remain in serious condition after a violent night at Candlestick Park Saturday, according to officials at San Francisco General Hospital.

Three people were hospitalized after two men were found shot in the parking lot at around 8 p.m., and another man was beaten unconscious in a bathroom inside the stadium between 7:15 and 7:30 p.m.

The incidents happened during a preseason football game between the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers.

A preseason game between two non-conference teams. If by "we" you mean you, I and the OP don't mindlessly hate, then you are correct. If you mean we the human race, however, you're sadly mistaken. This is a good discussion because the stupidity of the tribal mentality leads to death, violence, bigotry and even war.

 

[SE174]

Let's not get carried away here..... To say the Niner's rightful place is third in the division is ridiculous coming from a realignment team. Since we're talking about the past, it would only be fair to take a tally of NFC West division titles... And I'll even throw in a cheat for you all, you can add AFC West titles to your total.

No, it would only be fair to count division titles since both SF and Seattle have been in the same division (2002-present):

SEA- 5
SF-3
AZ-2
STL-1

That wouldn't be fair one bit. It's ignorant to set arbitrary constraints to make the numbers appear in your teams favor. It is no fault of the 49ers that the divisions realigned... They are original members of the NFCW and therefore you cannot just discount their division titles.

Ignorant and arbitrary? No, that would be counting titles the 49ers didn't have to beat Seattle to earn. I mean, we are comparing Seattle and SF, right?

 

[SE174]

A much better, and shorter thread would be Why Shouldn't We Dislike The 49ers?

 

[Seahawker86]

B/C....b/c...b/c we are supposed to...why even ask a question like that. Do you not know how sports work? You're never supposed to like you division rivals or other teams that are in your surrounding area...

 

[3Girls'HawkDad]

Daddy, why is dirt?

That ones easy. Because.

There's a way better way to answer that one.

Well, honey, let me explain by asking you a question: What's the largest creature alive right now?
Child: I don't know.
Daddy: The Gray Whale. And what does the Gray Whale eat?
Child: Fishes?
Daddy: Nope, Gollum eats fishes, Gollum! Gollum! The Gray Whale eats plankton. Do you know what plankton is?
Child: No, Daddy.
Daddy: It's the smallest creature in the ocean. So the Gray Whale has to eat and eat all day long just to get full. He doesn't have time to play or do anything else. Do you know why?
Child: uh, uh.
Daddy: Cause that's just the way it is.

What?!