Gabe Oppenheim’s piece for the Washington Post on the John Lannan Q&A yesterday is quite the kick in the face to Nats fans. We’re already having a tough season, so Oppenheim takes aim - not at the Front Office, but at fans for being naive and pathetic, illogically supporting a last place team and hoping for brighter days.
He suggests throughout the piece that Nats fans only consist of middle-aged men that lost the Senators in their youth, waited patiently for baseball to return, and cherish having the national pastime in the nation’s capitol regardless of wins and losses. Nevermind us girls and regional transplants. I may be bitter, but I believe and hope that Lannan, Zimmerman, Flores and Dukes are the foundation for something better here in Washington.
Oppenheim ignored the fact that several knowledgeable female fans were in attendance at yesterday’s event, including ladies that attend close to 80 home games every year. Several answered trivia questions correctly.
Oppenheim continues the piece by taking a shot at Boone, followed by a shot at pitcher John Lannan. He forgets to mention Lannan’s stellar ERA, his composure under pressure or his long shot run for Rookie of the Year. Instead, he reminds readers that Lannan got ejected from his debut.
So Aaron Boone wound up with the Nationals, scheduled to appear in the ESPN Zone. But then he injured himself again, and had a rehab game Tuesday, and now here is Lannan, 23 (yes, the Nats have to use backups even for PR appearances). Lannan was ejected from his Major League debut, in pure Nationals style, for hitting two batters in a row.
There’s no need for the Post to kick us while we’re down. There’s certainly other more worthy targets than Boone, Lannan and the small base of fans that support this team. Thanks to Cheryl, Denise, Danielle and the crew for passing along the story and filling us in on the event.
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August 14th, 2008 at 7:47 am
That was pretty pointless.
August 14th, 2008 at 7:49 am
His piece? I thought so. Why even bother to cover it?
August 14th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Yes, his piece, not you post.
August 14th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Thanks Kristen, That was one of the most negative Nationals article I have ever seen. I know a few of the men that were sitting at the table and I wonder if they were offended and how the article was written? I know I would be.
August 14th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I am a middle aged male Senators fan and I was offended by the article! The stadium is full of fans from all backgrounds, ages and gender. The woman who sits in front of me and routinely heckles Chipper Jones would probably be offended as would the family to my left at Nationals Park or the two women in their late 20’s who sit behind me.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Well, I was one of them. I knew it was going to be stupid. He had a pathetic angle to play up from jump. This is the team with the worst record in MLB,how do you….? Whatever. I kept telling, there’s the guy from Nats 320,check him out. This person over there comes everytime,they might have something to say. Tried to steer him to the topic we’ve signed all but a very important draft pick…you know the #1? He sat there the whole time,I couldn’t tell if the guy was bemused,bewildered or besotted the way he was staring. I’m in the tank for team and could talk Nationals with anyone. But,he really should check the crowd out.It’s one of the things I enjoy the most at the games.A huge range of demograph’s The fact that so many kids go and love it. Great for building future fans. How many little girls go with their Dad’s,with their gloves and Curly W caps. He missed so many chances to get it right. The bit about winning tickets to a game one would go to anyway. I usually give them away or donate them to Most Valuable Kids,a great orginiazation that gives kids a chance to go,that otherwise might not be able to. But what was really pathetic, picturing a bunch of loser’s sitting in their diapers waiting for baseball to come back. I go to Caps,Redskins,all kind of concerts,played in bands till recently. This guy was pretty clueless. I feel sorry for his girlfriend.
August 14th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
I’m so sorry that he offended so many great Nats fans. I think we know one of the guys interviewed in that story too (it might even be you ridgely). That said, it’s great to see Nats fans sticking up for each other here, around the blogosphere and on the Post’s comments section.
August 14th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Wow, if the Post reporter thought the guys at the Q & A were delusional, I’d hate to see what he’d write about me and my friends. We flew to Milwaukee for the series last weekend!
August 14th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I also flew to Milwaukee this weekend for the games, and I got to talk a lot with some of the players and announcers. I had a blast. I love this team. Why? Because I choose to. Not because they win. Not because they have the best record. Not because they have the best players. They’re my team. And I’m sick to death of two things…
1) People who give me a hard time for being a fan
2) All the so-called fans who just seem to be bitter complainers who want to put down anything. They can take a good thing and find something wrong with it. Fair weather fans.
In 2005 I looked at The Nationals as a chance to root for a team from Day 1 and throw my whole support behind, and so I decided that was what I was going to do. There hasn’t been a single game that I have gone to that I have not enjoyed - win or lose. It’s baseball, it’s summer, and I get to go and eat pretzel dogs and be happy! That’s all that matters.
And I am not a middle aged man longing for the Senators. I am a woman. And a season ticket holder, too!
August 14th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I just have to add this I saw the comment delusional above. You want to know delusional? Try beliievng what you read in a newspaper. I asked this guy pointed questions. What are the Nationals doing being buried on page 8 of the hometown sports page. That’s happened more than once lately. Why is a DC paper covering a Baltimore team with a daily beat writer? Why does almost every thing the Post print have a negative agenda towards the team? I didn’t see any of that in there.
August 14th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Ridgely, you didn’t see it because Mr. Oppenheim is a Style Reporter, not a Sports Reporter. want to know what the Post thinks of you (and me, and all Nats fans)? they sent a Style Reporter to write a sports story.
August 15th, 2008 at 5:36 am
Thanks for the background on the crowd at the event. I know that the fan demographic consists of more than was represented in the piece (not to denigrate former Senators fans) but was wondering whether the ESPN crowd may have been less diverse. Sounds like Mr. Oppenheim misrepresented the crowd, and perhaps entered the event with the story already written in his mind. Thanks, too, for the link. I wasn’t aware that one could comment on his piece.
August 15th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Does anyone have this guy’s e-mail address? They seemed to have removed it.
August 15th, 2008 at 10:15 am
You can leave comments at least - Lots of Nats fans have.