I watch because I keep telling myself… there’s no way they’re THIS bad. But they are. I keep waiting for an improvement, but it never happens. I love Joey V, but I can’t even get excited for 2010. I mentioned in the game thread how much better an organization I think StL is right now. I just want Walt to build the Reds up the same way, but he has a long ways to go.

And EdE would be included. The Reds are so fucking stupid it’s unbelievable.

Several times I gone ‘cold turkey’ but I’ve never been able, even with interventions and therapy to beat this thing.
Now with the creation of RR at least I have a secondary fix, a kind of pro-baseball addiction methadone.

what really keeps me coming back is the "Ridiculousness ofHhope.’ (title of my newest book)
mostly these days I enjoy watching the vottos and Bruces and Cuetos and Hanigans…and hanging with the gang here at RR.

And the timelessness of the game

although i do check the boxscore, because votto’s on my fantasy team

I really can’t explain it. I’m a fan of a bunch of sports, and have been a fan of other teams as long as the Reds, but there are no other teams that I stick with as long as these guys.

I’m a pretty fairweather fan with most other sports, but I just can’t quit you, Redlegs.

for some perspective, which I found over at the Toronto Star’s Blue Jays blog. The mailbag samples a whole lot of pissed off fans wondering why the BJs are so determined to dump Halladay. Oh, and wondering what happened to being “one year away.”

i came here specifically to post why i still watch and, lo and behold…

Not that I was ever “watching” to being with. It’s pretty easy to give up following on GameDay. For instance, yesterday and today I was helping a friend move. I was moving heavy furniture in the July heat in Baltimore in a neighborhood where someone had spraypainted “Snitch” under the “STOP” on the sign. And at now point did I say to myself, “I wish I was watching the Reds game.”

Why do I still follow? Tradition/inertia, the chance to yuk it up with you weirdos, and occasionally put together a decent game recap thread. ‘S about it. I’ve given up on this season utterly, and see little hope for 2010. I’ve pretty much done the same with the Bengals, though I only have to watch them once a week. Meanwhile, DC United is in the final of one tournament (US Open Cup), second in the Eastern Conference standings, about to begin CONCACAF Champions League play, and has an exhibition coming up with Real Madrid. If you wonder why I seem intent on turning this into a soccer blog, it’s because the team I like has things to play for (not to mention USA v. Mexico tomorrow in the Gold Cup final).

To quote Madville, the Reds can blow me.

I was 9 when we won the World Series in ‘90. I proudly hung the Wire-to-Wire poster in my bedroom, with my framed Red October SI cover. I went to 2-3 games a year as a youngster, and always sought out “Grandma Marge” to get her and Schotzie’s autograph. I have pulled for the Reds in every game but one; I had a ticket to game 4 of the opening round of the ’95 playoffs. The Reds swept the Dodgers in 3 (if you can believe that!)

I was thrilled in ’99 when we won 96(?) games, and heartbroken when Al Leiter shut us out in the play-in game. I was thrilled when Junior came home, and my heart broke a little every time he tore a hammy or hurt his knee.

Since then, it’s been a sad state of affairs. It’s hard to care, and it hurts not to care. And I don’t think I would want to not care. But I can’t say why I subject myself to watching or listening to them 150+ times a year. We aren’t (and haven’t been for a while) playing good baseball. There is no rational reason for me to keep tuning in, but I do.

??

One thing I’ve really enjoyed is finding this site during this past off-season. I stumbled across it while looking for the pitch-repertoire of…I don’t even remember. Owings, maybe? But when I typed in (whoever) pitch repertoire in google, the Red Report of individual players came up. It’s just nice to know that I don’t have to suffer alone!

The unfortunate thing about following a sports team like we do, is that if that team falls out of contention, the will to keep watching usually goes away pretty quickly. Exactly what happens every Bengals season, but I think there’s something more this year. As any Bengals fans here can attest, when you as a fan realize that the people running the team aren’t doing as much as they can be doing to win games, it’s easy to question why you should tune into the game. And as much as I hate to say it, that same attitude is starting to set in with the Reds. Big Bob promised me a winner, and this team isn’t doing that.

So why keep watching the games? For one, the community here makes it hard to ignore them. I still follow the minor league teams, because of that eternal hope that help is on the way, and to keep the optimism up that there’s something to be excited about on the horizon. If I was an Astros fan, or a fan of a team without a decent farm system, I’d be far more apathetic.

For the rest of the summer, I’ll be tracking the development of the prospects (as chronicled semi-daily), and as Brendan said, watching soccer and following the Bengals (until they’re mathematically eliminated in Week 4). I get more out of following the Columbus Crew and Liverpool than I do any other team, because as a fan, I’m getting something back. Those teams spend money, they win games, they get things done. They’re in contention, and that’s fun to follow. I have some optimism for the Bengals this year, like I do every year at this time, because on paper, they have a team that can do a few things, like the Reds were at the beginning of this season. If they fall out of favor, I’ll probably cut back on watching them accordingly. And I’ll probably keep watching Reds games here and there, because I’m starting to get anxious for 2010. As Caleb has always preached on this site, hope springs eternal.

I guess because it’s a nice way to relax during the summer break from college, and nothing really beats seeing them win—even if it’s only one game. I was at the Diamondbacks game where they came back and won in the tenth and it was incredible—not only did the team rally, they seemed to be on the up. And for the Reds at least, no single game is ever an easy win—every game is close.
I guess the worst thing about it is the feeling that the team has absolutely no direction right now. Watching the game today and the various amounts of errors that this team commits makes me believe Baker has lost the team. I would be ecstatic if the management manned up and fired him mid-season—I believe it would spark the team (doubt they’ll make the playoffs but maybe a winning season). The games would be much more interesting without the Dustbag on the sideline.
Oh well…just more ranting from a Reds fan who will keep watching them keep losing. I wonder if they reach ten straight losses what will happen…

to post (finally) the eyewitness thread.

As usual, I’m disappointed.

outranks Reds games on the thrill-o-meter. but it has happened folks. I could tell around the Bardzilla that the season was almost lost. By Zip’s, and Arroyo’s TOR start, i was almost certain. Five Guys put the nail in the coffin, for me.

I’ll still watch the games and even see them in person but i’m not a fool. anyone care to guess on the ballclub’s record over the past 50 games? It’s eerily reminiscent of the Vern Rapp administration.

Winning baseball, baby. At least Danny O’B and Kriv dawg are finally exonerated. Got Walt?

Joey Votto is an excellent reason to keep checking in. He is having a great year and shaping up to be a new Pujols. I should say a way better Pujols (maybe a slight exaggeration), all the new guys will be “Joey Votto’s” and not "Pujols’ ". The plural for those names is more difficult than I thought it would be.

I’m not sure why I keep watching though. Actually, and oddly, this is the first year in a while that I have really followed the team. Maybe it’s because Griffey and Dunn are gone and it seemed like a whole new era could begin. Whatever it is, I still enjoy watching on occasion and going to the stadium. The best part is the trade gossip and the nasty jokes you guys always come up with concerning Jim Day.

I watch for the excellent analysis provided by grande and welsh.

Also, you guys are wrong about the Rolen deal. If you have the opportunity to trade EDE for Scott Rolen you have to do it.

that’ll keep me watching

So, I have to watch the games or the conversation will dry up and I’ll be like Taveras and never reach any of the metaphorical bases.

anyone have a shot of Joey V that displays his fetching Rosie style socks? I have a theory on why he chose to wear them (I’m not just that weird lol)

everyday that the ‘Legs get Rolen, Rios and Halladay, trade EE, Harang, And everything they want out of our minor league system to get it. All I want out of the ownership is to see a FUCKIN winner NOW!!!!!!! I’m so damn sick of STL making trades to improve and the Reds not doing SOMETHING to try to win.

so he can walk into the clubhouse and proclaim “The ship is sinking!”

He’s an experienced player no one else wants; how does 1 yr – $3M sound?

because of teams like the 82-83 Reds, and the fact that they are all I know. My family has always been Reds fans (OMG we must be masochists) coming out of eastern Kentucky. First following the Reds in the mid 60’s the Reds were always decent, some times even pretty good. Then came the 70’s and it was great to be a Reds fan. Then came the true test 1982-83. It had been a long time since Cincy had seen teams that bad. Survive that and your fandom could survive anything! Now we are reduced to glimmers of hope ‘90, ’95’, and 99 got us through that decade. Bringing in JR was supposed to do it for this one but that didn’t go as planned. Now it is the little things; watching Dunn hit bombs, the waiting for the arrival of Bailey, the start of Bruce’s career. The hope that the front office will get it together and put together a winner and build the franchise back up to where it belongs. And yes BK, hope does spring eternal!!

a firing, a resignation, a trade, a call up. Something before this next home stand kicks off

that’s the radio and tv broadcast i get the easiest. when i lived in columbia, missouri (95-97) it was the cardinals (not too late to switch crofer). when i lived in tucson, arizona (99-01) it was the diamondbacks. i’ve been back in indiana since 02 and haven’t had a winning season since. i’ve been through boone and narron and now dusty (i’d still rather have dusty than the previous two).

people, if you feel your love for the game starting to fade, then go find ken burns’ baseball documentary and watch it. i do it every few years and it recharges my batteries even for this sad sack of a team.

anyone catch the top 10 plays on Sportscenter this morning?

I’d never seen a goal in a professional soccer match that was struck from midfield until today. Then the hole in one that ricocheted off a ball already on the green topped it. (bonus points since the golfer won a BMW for scoring an ace on that particular hole)

I can follow the reds because I can ignore the season as a whole. I love that the Reds (like any baseball team) have a decent chance to win a single game. Each game is special.

I also like how something interesting happens at every game. I was stuck in traffic when Harang came to the plate the other day and I kept thinking about how awesome it would be if he hit a home run b/c his teammates hate to score for him. Then he did it. I love baseball because 4 of the Reds starters are as likely to throw a perfect game as Mark Buehrle is at this point in Buehrle’s career.

A good RR thread also helps.

you can sleep. BS with everyone. Just hang out. take your honey. Take your kids. Take your grandkids. and it usually (unless there are Brewer ir cub’s fan there) is laid back and easy. I love the dynamics of every pitch and there are times when i just like being there. Of course it is also acceptable to drink mass beers prior to and during the game which helps dull the pain of mediocre baseball.

Roenicke is back.

Oh, and Hanigan’s “next” is still sore. Gonzalez and Tatum are batting ahead of Micah today.

Chris Dickerson 9
Willy Taveras 8
Joey Votto 3
Brandon Phillips 4
Edwin Encarnacion 5
Jonny Gomes 7
Alex Gonzalez 6
Craig Tatum 2
Micah Owings 1

this year it was Albert Pujol’s grandslam off of Weathers.

I am having a harder and harder time staying interested. In 2003 and 2004 I watched everygame I could, even in September, I couldn’t watch them during the school year after I got ot ONU, and now when I’m not working, I’m almost waiting for an excuse to stop watching and read my book.