JAYS FANS.... CRAZY? NAH

There's an article posted at ArmchairGM called When Did Jays Fans Get So Crazy? Perhaps the question should be if Blue Jays crowds really are that rowdy, or if it's all relative since Toronto baseball fans have long been held up as the embodiment of subdued Hoserdom.

Yours truly has only had the chance to attend two games this season, and it was against the Yankees. That might not have been an accurate portrayal of what crowds are like, since the park was nearly full thanks to the pinstripe-lovers who drove up from New York state. To be honest, Jays fans still have a long ways go in the rowdiness department, and maybe that's not so bad.

Here's a couple theories, though, why the crowds are getting rowdier.

• Interest in the Jays seems to have rekindled among the 18-to-34 set, who were children and teens during the World Series years of '92-93. My fellow 20-something friend Neil Acharya points out that when we were kids, you were probably taken to games by your classy parents, who didn't yell or let you yell even when it was called for. Now you're independent, on your own, and you want to drink beer and chant, "STERRRR-oids!" at Jason Giambi.
• Neil, who attends more Jays games than I do. also suggests that the best thing that ever happened to Toronto baseball crowds was Toronto basketball crowds. The Raptors started in 1995, and for us Gen Xers, it was something we've had to make our own. You don't have to be Vince Carter to know Raptors crowds boo and cheer a lot louder than those at Jays or Maple Leafs game. Basketball also lends itself better to heckling.
• Personal theory: It's all about keeping up with the real rowdies, Red Sox and Yankees fans, who at times in '03 and '04 practically took over the Rogers Centre. Just like on the field, the Evil Empires' fans set the bar very high, and they don't even need the highest payrolls in the game to do it. Well done them.
• There's probably other general trends at hand -- one being that people in general are just more outspoken in general, since they're hoping to get on TV or have something to post on their MySpace page. That's for greater minds to figure out, however.

OTHER BUSINESS

• Bill Simmons' latest offers 33 ways to fix the sports world. A lapsed Boston Bruins fan, the Sports Guy does mention cutting the NHL regular season to 70 games. This is similar to an idea Mark Moore has in his book Saving The Game, as mentioned here back on June 19, the day of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.
• Speaking of lapsed and/or disgruntled Bruins fans, how many really believe anything will change with Harry Sinden supposedly out of the picture? That said, Harry's place is assured in hockey history -- he's the guy who guided Team Canada over Russia in '72.
• A former NHL enforcer is accused of assault out in British Columbia, but the police aren't saying who it is. That said, you can rule out (insert name of Euro-floater) here.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.