I hope the title did not fool you. This is not a challenge to any type of screaming match, or some sort of backyard wrestling match.
This is a challenge to Chad Dukes to stand behind his words, if he so chooses to do so.
The debate between DC area baseball fans and whether or not to root for the Baltimore Orioles or the Washington Nationals is what started this whole thing. But that is a completely different argument that could go on forever, and not the topic of this article. And to be honest, I respect anyone’s opinion to root for whatever team they choose – as long as they are not just the bandwagon type. I knew plenty of hardcore baseball fans who have been lifelong Orioles fans, and chose to stick with the O’s when the Nats moved in to DC. I get that, and I respect that. I know many hardcore baseball fans who couldn’t have been more excited when the Nationals came to DC in 2005 and are just as passionate about their team as any other fan-base I know. I can certainly respect that. And just the same, I probably know just as many people who root for both the Orioles and the Nationals to be successful, whether they lean a little more toward the O’s or towards the Nats. It is a unique set of circumstances that brought about this situation, and everyone certainly should be able to understand people in that situation.
But again, this is not the topic of this article or of my twitter postings last night.
Chad Dukes has repeatedly said that DC area Orioles fans are a joke, shouldn’t be respected, and should without question have switched their loyalty to the Nats. Last night he even said on his twitter that he doesn’t hate the Baltimore teams, “just the DC fans that didn’t switch the the Nats.” I am not pointing this out because I believe he means that literally, and we shouldn’t read way into that because it is just something said while having a conversation on twitter. But I am pointing it out because that is how he feels about the situation. He feels anybody that lives closer to the Washington Nationals than they do the Baltimore Orioles should be required to switch to their fandom to the Nats.
That is fine to have that opinion, and Chad is certainly entitled to it. If you believe in something so strongly as he does, which is proven by the multiple, multiple times it has been brought up, more power to you. But as a person in his position as a radio host, someone who hosts a sports talk radio show in the DMV area, I believe he has a certain responsibility to his audience to respond when pressed on an issue he feels so strongly about.
He constantly says people should show loyalty, but giving up on a team you have loved for a long time is the exact opposite of loyalty.
-What about Kevin in the Wonder Years? His one true love Winnie moved across town and started to attend a new high school. Madeline, the new hot girl, was there for the taking. Kevin blew her off as he only really truly loves one girl, Winnie, and that is how it is going to be for life. Can you honestly not respect him for showing that kind of loyalty? It is the same with passionate sports fans and their teams.
Back on track.
The problem with his my-way-or-the-highway philosophy is that it doesn’t make any sense. The logic behind his reasoning is flawed. Why is he telling people who they have to root for anyway? Does he really feel that way or is it just a bit to get people riled up?
I figured since he is such a huge Washington Redskins fan, let’s use them in the same scenario and asked him on twitter:
When pressed on the issue with a legitimate challenge/question, he chose to retweet others who agreed with him, deflect by pointing out people’s grammar issues with their tweets, or when a similar version of the question was posed respond by saying that it doesn’t matter because it is hypothetical and he is dealing with reality.
(Again, I could care less about what he is actually tweeting at this moment, and I am sure he has 100s of idiots tweet raging and cursing at him just as he has 100s who agree with him. And he has no obligation to reply to me or anybody else for that matter. My intentions were not to personally attack him by any means, but to find out if he truly believes the principle he so firmly stands behind.)
As far as I know, he still has not answered the hypothetical question.
So my challenge to Chad Dukes is simple…..answer the question.
If a new NFL team moved into your backyard, do you instantly drop the Redskins and all the passion you have for them for this new team because they are closer?
I see a couple scenarios that could come out of this:
1.) Nothing. He doesn’t respond and continues to put his foot down without facing the music. And we all go on thinking he is just another person like Colin Cowherd and Skip Bayless who just says things to rile people up.
2.) He shows he is a true fan, and says he would stick with the Redskins through anything, therefore making his argument invalid.
3.) He stands by his argument and says he would adopt the new team, showing he is a terrible fan in the first place and doesn’t deserve REAL sports fans attention on the radio as he isn’t a true sports guy.
4.) He backs off of his stance and admits, even if just slightly, that it is flawed and things are not as black and white as he says, resulting in most of us respecting Chad a bit more.
So what say you Chad Dukes? Are you man enough to face the music?
1 Comment
Great article Trevor.
Geography does not make a fan. There are other reasons involved that create the fan of a sports team or player. It is ridiculous to think that distance to a team is what proves as the primary reason for a person’s “fanhood.”
Back in the day, I could see geography making a stronger case. The ESPNs, hundres of Fox Sports Channels, NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA league pass, MLB Extra Innings and MLB.TV, were not around back then, so most of the time, only the local team was on the local channel, and that was it.
However, people now have the option of seeing almost every team on during the week, either through “game of the week” games and primetime games. The NFL has expanded to Thursday night, MLB has Wednesday night and Sunday night baseball. NCAA football teams on the west coast (PAC-12 / WAC / MW) now get the late night game every Saturday.
Point is that no longer is the local team only seen and covered on regional TV.
Another point that should be made, is that family tradition is also a big consideration for reasons why people become a fan of a team. Understanding my previous argument, our fathers did not see all the teams on TV, but their local teams. The problem that the DC (DMV) area has though, is that we are typically a more transient region than other large city demographics. Due to the types of jobs located in the nation’s capital, there is a constant flow of relocation. Every city has that, and I understand that, but it is a part of our city, but with the government in our backyard, between primarily the Legislative and Executive Branches, turnover is high. (Take a look at this article in the Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/washingtons-sports-identity-reflects-dc-regions-population-makeup-and-growth/2011/10/19/gIQAr1nz4L_story.html)
Back to my point about family tradition. Because of the transient people in this area, a lot of people bring with them to DC, their fanhood from where they came from. Does not mean, that they are ‘poor fans’ that Chad Dukes is suggesting. To each their own. Personally, I’d take family tradition over geography, but again, that is just my opinion.
Sorry for the rant, but I wanted to weigh in. Good luck tonight to the Nationals and the Orioles. This area would love to see a Beltway series, whether you wear red/blue or orange/black. I know I would.