# Whose NFL fanbase do you most pity (preferably not your own)? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 17, 2014, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481 "2014-12-17T10:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/21 "2014-12-17T18:13:24Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Another vote for the Cleveland Browns. Their absence from this thread’s list is puzzling. The Browns are playing .500 ball in a tough division. They have a good defnese and a very good offensive line. With even a decent game manager at QB, I think they’d make the playoffs. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/22 "2014-12-17T18:19:47Z")
but their fans remain disappointed, year after year ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/23 "2014-12-17T18:43:19Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > but their fans remain disappointed, year after year Instead of massively multi-quoting I’ll just do this. And this is why I voted for Browns. They’re always “bad” to “eh” every year and never seem to break through ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/24 "2014-12-17T18:56:34Z")
Okay, I’ll admit it, I’m a shellfish prig and I’m voting for my own team - da Bears. Doesn’t mean I don’t love them. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t fight you in the street if you spoke against them, but dayyum, it’s tough to be a fan this year, what with the Canadian Catastrophe, the Querulous Quarterback, and the fact the the inmates (individual players) are running the asylum (the team), while the owners continue to cheap out on everything. No matter how bad da boys have been in years past (and make no mistake about it, they’ve had some abysmal years), the one thing you could count on was the defense. So what does the collection of Mensa members known as team management decide to do this year? Dismantle the defense and redesign the offense around the underappreciated (coughCutlercough) talents of the offense. As a payoff for this genius strategy, we now have neither offense nor defense. The mind boggles, the fist shakes, and Papa Bear is no doubt spinning at top speed in his grave. Ok, rant over. In other years, it would have been the Detroit Lions. They are getting better, but they are in Detroit, the purgatory of the football world. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/25 "2014-12-17T19:12:26Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > So what does the collection of Mensa members known as team management decide to do this year? Dismantle the defense and redesign the offense around the underappreciated (coughCutlercough) talents of the offense. As a payoff for this genius strategy, we now have neither offense nor defense. The mind boggles, the fist shakes, and Papa Bear is no doubt spinning at top speed in his grave. But that was exactly what the vast majority of Bears fans I know (which is quite a few after living there for over a decade) wanted. They grew tired of crappy offenses, so they were fine with giving away the farm for Cutler, fine with torpedoing their depth and having to put up with his garbage for Marshall, were fine with letting the defense grow old and slow without talent behind them, in order to get an O Line, a TE, and another WR to put on offense. And they were pleased as punch last year where, despite going from 10-6 to 8-8, they at least had a fantastic offense. It’s only now that they realize that it was a crappy plan to begin with (I did try to tell them, many times), so they get angry. To me, that doesn’t get them any pity at all. Instead, I have a huge helping of “I told you so” for them. My vote would be for the long-suffering Browns. Whether it’s Josh Gordon, or Tim Couch, or Tommy Vardell, they always seem to have a positive outlook … and then the games start. For a team with such a great history and seemingly dedicated, positive fans, they have to be the least return on fan investment in the league. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/26 "2014-12-17T19:27:32Z")
Hamlet, I now live in Denver, although I grew up in da Region, so I knew what da Bears were getting when they got Cutler. I may have been the only one hollering about it back in the day when this all happened, but I wasn’t a fan of the move then and am especially not now. So maybe there’s no pity for those other fans, but dang it, I deserve some. lol ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/27 "2014-12-17T19:31:20Z")
It’s gotta be the Browns. It has to be. Cleveland fans love their teams so much and get so little in return… especially when it comes to the Browns. The Lions have an abysmal history but right now they’re 10-4 so it’s hard to feel quite as bad for them at this moment. Some of thee other teams are worse but when you’re talking about Washington or the Bears of the Niners, those teams have won the Super Bowl. A Niners fan can say “I saw my team win it all.” Maybe five times. For true pity, it must be a team whose fans have never felt that joy, either because it’s never happened or it happened so long ago the fans of the time are mostly dead. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/28 "2014-12-17T20:10:37Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Some of thee other teams are worse but when you’re talking about Washington or the Bears of the Niners, those teams have won the Super Bowl. A Niners fan can say “I saw my team win it all.” Maybe five times. For true pity, it must be a team whose fans have never felt that joy, either because it’s never happened or it happened so long ago the fans of the time are mostly dead. Ah RickJay, you just struck a chord in my calloused, beaten up, kicked in the gutter Cubs fan heart. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/29 "2014-12-17T21:09:29Z")
Browns or Bills. Except for the Jags, nobody on the poll is worthy of pity. Contemptuous pointing and laughing maybe. I’m glad nobody has voted for us Niner fans. This season has sucked on and off the field, but our recent and historic success makes us poor targets of pity. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/30 "2014-12-18T00:21:01Z")
Yes, the Browns was an oversight. My apologies. And it seems that the “disappointment could outweigh consistent failure” argument only flies with the disappointed. 🙂 Interesting! ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/31 "2014-12-18T15:14:42Z")
I had to go with the Jags. Other teams on the list are bad, but at least they had some glory years that the fans can look back on fondly. The Jags saw the playoffs once. Once. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/32 "2014-12-18T15:17:02Z")
I voted Da Bears, only because I have no real sympathy for any of the other teams on the poll. IMHO, I probably wouldn’t shed a tear if all their team planes collided with each other in mid-air. I’m not even specifically a Bears fan; I want them to do well, but for the sake of wanting several of my children to be happy, only second-best behind one of their division mates. What I don’t want is for them to suck. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/33 "2014-12-18T15:18:55Z")
I think it would have to be the Los Angeles fan base. ---
**Author:** ![tonyfop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@tonyfop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonyfop)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/34 "2014-12-18T15:29:56Z")
I voted for the Redskins. I am a Jet fan, have been all of my life, but I am not into self-pity. I live in Maryland now, and I realize that there is recent enough history on this team that a majority of the fanbase has seen them win, and they know that their team can win, they have just been making dumb move after dumb move for the last few years, culminating with the RGIII trade. My jets last won a year before I was born. I have no idea what having my team win a super bowl feels like. I expect them to do mediocre every year, so when they make the playoffs I am really happy. But 'Skins fans? They have it worse… ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/35 "2014-12-18T15:49:53Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > I think it would have to be the Los Angeles fan base. Why? They’ve had a couple chances and both times failed to support the team that was there. Screw 'em. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/36 "2014-12-18T16:15:04Z")
The \*\*Browns \*\*fans are so pitiful, Leaper couldn’t even remember us. It’s ok, we’re used to it… (Seriously tho…no Lions either?) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/37 "2014-12-18T18:02:18Z")
One of Simmons’ main points regarding Deadskin fans was that Dan Snyder is only 50 years old and has a good 30 years of franchise-wreckin’ left in him. A Washington Post reporter told him (Simmons) that he thought, given the option of losing the franchise to another city with the promise of getting a new one after three years (a time of no football locally), that 75% of the fans would make the deal in an instant. I guess some of them would get physically ill if we told them about how the Bundesliga operates. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/38 "2014-12-18T22:33:02Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > I may have been the only one hollering about it back in the day when this all happened, but I wasn’t a fan of the move then and am especially not now. There was a vocal minority here in Chicago (at least among my friends) that absolutely hated Cutler. I can’t remember exactly what they were picking up on, but he already had a reputation in '09 as being a bit of a prima donna. (Not really unusual for a QB.) Now, I was not one of those people. I thought he was a good pick at the time. But he had his share of detractors back in '09 here. For me, the answer to this poll is either Lions fans or Browns fans. I would have said Lions myself, but the argument for Cleveland is equally compelling. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/39 "2014-12-18T22:51:33Z")
I’d say the Browns, but I do think the fans of my Falcons deserve some pity as well. I mean the franchise never had back to back winning seasons until 2008 and 2009. We had to go through the Vick stuff. And the all-time regular season record is under .500 (mostly due to the fact that while the Falcons haven’t had back to back winning seasons until a few years back, they definitely had back to back [and beyond] losing seasons). ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481/40 "2014-12-18T22:55:11Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Why? They’ve had a couple chances and both times failed to support the team that was there. Screw 'em. r Actually, three: The Chargers were also originally a Los Angeles team, besides the Rams and the Raiders. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-nfl-fanbase-do-you-most-pity-preferably-not-your-own/707481.md?page=3)