Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Just What Kind of Dodger Fan Do You Think You Are?

You're here, which means you're a Dodger fan. But what kind of Dodger fan are you?

LEVEL 1: CASUAL. Maybe you're a fan because a friend or family member is one too. You don't follow the Dodgers on a daily basis but check the standings occasionally. You probably can't name more than a handful of current players, but think it's nice the Dodgers have found their Kobe in Manny.

LEVEL 2: INTERESTED. You know when the Dodgers last won the World Series, and maybe you even remember watching it. Perhaps you attend a few games a year, as much to spend time with friends or family as to see the game. You'll catch a game if it's on TV, but usually you read the wrap-up the day after.

LEVEL 3: INVOLVED. You want to know how the Dodgers do every day, preferably before tucking in at night. If you're a local, maybe you go to, say, five games a year. If the Dodgers are on TV, you're good for a few innings. (Dodgers and Lakers on at the same time? Lots of channel flipping.) If you're an out-of-towner, you've been tempted to purchase MLB.TV to catch more games live. Or perhaps the MLB.com At Bat app for the iPhone.

LEVEL 4: DIE-HARD. You follow every game live, whether in person, on television, on the radio, online, or on your wireless device. This is just one of many Dodger blogs you visit. Maybe you even have your own Dodger blog. You not only know of all the players on the Dodgers' roster, but you're familiar with a lot of the front office personnel as well. To you, it doesn't get much better than the classic Garvey-Lopes-Cey-Russell infield. Off-days suck.

LEVEL 5: ELITE. You have season tickets, or a season ticket package. Watching the Dodgers takes precedence over all other forms of entertainment (and sometimes obligation). You can't recall your Social Security number, but the Dodgers' World Championship years are always on the tip of your tongue. Quite possibly you maintain some sort of Dodgers shrine, either at home or at work. You read Jon Weisman's book and thought, Tell me something I don't know. You hate Chase Carey.

So, what kind of Dodger fan are you, anyway?
Level 1: Casual
Level 2: Interested
Level 3: Involved
Level 4: Die-Hard
Level 5: Elite
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com

top photo by Blanca Jacinto/LA Times
bottom two photos from Dodgers Top Buzz

17 comments:

Fred's Brim said...

Just spent too much money on Dodgers - Mets tickets at New Shea in July

Erin said...

I chose Die-hard, though I think I fall between Die-hard and Elite. I definitely fit the bill for Die-hard (down to the Dodger blog, of course), but I also have a season ticket plan, and the Dodgers do take precedence over other entertainment and obligations. But since I haven't used my ticket plan yet this season, I decided it would be wrong to claim Elite status.

And now you know my methodology for voting in this poll.

berkowit28 said...

"You'll catch a game if it's on TV"? Are there games that aren't?

Eric Karros said...

Depends where you live Berko.

Jimbo said...

I voted for "die-hard," with a vengeance.

- Although I live in Arizona, I follow most of the games online via mlb.tv.

- Before I go to sleep, and after I wake up, I check several Dodger blogs (this one, firenedcollettinow, truebluela, dodgerthoughts, and MSTI) before I even check my email of the status of my ebay auctions.

- When I visit family back in LA, I plan the trip around the Dodger home schedule to catch at least two games.

- I have a Dodgers desktop on my home and work computer (Koufax and Valenzuela, respectively).

- I've had arguments with my girlfriend regarding raising our kids as Dodger fans. She's a Diamondbacks fan, as is her family.

- I'm the "go to" baseball guy at work.

- I'd rather listen to Creed than cheer for the Giants.

Damon said...

I don't live close enough to be elite

Ben Pratt said...

Elite status requires you to hate Chase Carey, huh? I've always thought the Piazza apologists were loose with the facts. That linked article inclusive. To say that $100 million was a negociating point is disingenuous. Mike wanted badly to be the first $100 million dollar man, and flatly regected the $80M offer. To say months later that he would have taken the offer if he knew the alternative was to be traded is simply speculation. Piazza over-valued his worth and was hung up on the prestige of $100M, and Carey was a man with a hair trigger finger that didn't understand the player/celebrity quotient in sports. That was a terrible combo. In the end, blame is 65/35 fox/mike. But the apologists would prefer to put Carey's head on a pig pole, and nominate Piazza for sainthood.

Dean H. said...

I'd say somewhere between "Involved" and "Die Hard", but I do hate Chase Carey. I'd guess even casual fans would hate Chase Carey if you told them who he was.

Steve Sax said...

I would put that kid in the opening photo as a level 3, though he probably doesn't have an iPhone.

Furthermore, I think his attributes line up STR 6, INT 10, WIS 12, DEX 3, CON 7, CHA 18.

Orel said...

Well put, Gil. But you don't have to be an apologist to realize the trade hurt the Dodgers far more than Piazza.

Now where's my pig pole?

patm14 said...

C'mon Sax, gotta hook the guy up with a little more dexterity points...

Eric Stephen said...

I qualify for everything in level 5 except for season tickets, so I voted for level 4.

Steve Sax said...

EricS, it could be a partial season package as well. I have a feeling you're Level 5.

patm14, nice to see that someone caught the reference! Come on, the poor kid can barely grip a baseball. Dexterity has to be his achilles.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Are you a die hard or are you an elite if you have a pair of Shawn Green batting gloves and a Raul Mondesi Glove that don't fit your hands?

karina said...

Neeebs, the Shawn Green batting glove and the Rauuuuul glove means you are persistent with puzzles, just kidding!

I voted Die-Hard because i'm an out of towner who happens to live in a country that has foreign currency exchange control...however, as Erin, i do take precedence over other entertainment, obligations and i'd say much less hours of sleep to follow the boys in Dodger blue. Maybe if i lived in L.A., i'd be pretty much the same as with my winter baseball team:never miss a game with nice field level season tickets (i've missed 11 games in 4 four years, including postseason, only for very important reasons, before that the average was 15, 16 games attended in a home schedule of 30, 32 games ), even when they are last on standings, if they are on the road, i always have my radio on EVERYWHERE, including college classes and family parties...
baseball off days? those are boriiiing and empty days, i don't know how guys do it for four months a year...maybe i just feel lusty passionate love for baseball...

Orel said...

"maybe i just feel lusty passionate love for baseball"

You just got a lot of guys' attention.

Falling LEAVes said...

i haven't been a fan very long (9-2-06) and can't afford season tickets, but since I became a fan, I have gone to 40+ games (17 in 2007, 22 in 2008, and 7 so far in 2009). Diehard pretty much explains me, though you haven't seen my room yet, have you? You've seen my scrapbook and autograph collection... but just wait till you see my room and car.