Where is Reds Country, exactly?
by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Feb 1, 2011 8:18 PM EST
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PrintThe annual Winter Caravan sends Reds players and dignitaries to outposts of fandom in four states: Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. The farthest reaches of the tour can be said to sketch rough boundaries of the team's geographical turf, though these terminal destinations naturally favor larger populations centers over a smaller town that might be at the "true border." Dispatches from Muncie, Charleston and Lima got me thinking about where the regional limits of the Reds' allegiances lie - and to what extent these limits have become less relevant from the Radio Age to Satellite TV (not really an Age) to the present.
In virtual terms, the Reds' fan community exists anywhere there's an internet connection. (I'm sure both the ownership and MLB Advanced Media appreciates the reminder.) Compared to the NFL - and possibly other big sports biz like the NBA and global club soccer - baseball attracts less interest across regions from "general sports fans." I think this is due in part to factors like: the approximately 528-game season, more entrenched/old-timey fanbases and the uniqueness of ballparks as elements of the local landscape. For whatever reason, fans seem less likely to tune in to baseball in the absence of a team allegiance, even if that allegiance is "I hate the Yankees."
Traditional regional boundaries remain important for baseball clubs, especially those with smaller national profiles like the Reds. The existence of the Caravan, presumably a reflection not just of general goodwill but also market research, is evidence. Maintaining ties to the regional fans matters - especially in late January, when everyone who doesn't drive by Great American Ballpark on their commute can barely remember the team exists.
At the extremes, the Caravan visited Bloomington to the West (130 mi driving), Bowling Green, KY to the SW (220 mi driving) Charleston, WV to the SE (200 mi driving), encroached on Pirates' territory in Parkersburg, WV (200 mi driving) and Indians' territory in Lima, OH (130 mi) to the North. That works out to a rough 150-200 mile radius from Cincinnati, though the territory is greater from East to West. These are all points no more than about 3.5 hours driving. So Reds Country might extend to wherever you can make a day-trip from and spend less than half your waking hours in the car.
These destinations also all fall roughly within the Reds' chunk of the MLB Blackout map, which overlaps with the Cubs, Indians, Pirates, Tigers - and the Braves and Cards too apparently.
(via Biz of Baseball; view full-size here)
The Reds TV broadcast blackout territory is decent cipher for where Reds Country is, though the lines are blurred in the overlap with other clubs. Fox Sports Ohio does the lion's share of Reds regular season TV coverage and their broadcast territory, according to Wikpedia, theoretically extends throughout "Ohio and parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Northwest Pennsylvania, the border communities of West Virginia, and extreme Southwest New York." Much of that coverage on the periphery is subject to being superseded or bumped to an alternate channel by more local sports coverage.
Given the Reds' exclusive broadcast claim to Southwest Ohio and a vast swath of Central Kentucky, it's tempting to see this as the sweet spot for Reds Country. I-75 and I-71 connect Cincinnati to Louisville, Lexington and Dayton within that swatch, with Columbus looming to the north as a swing market for both Cincinnati and Cleveland. Louisville and Dayton are also home to Reds affiliates, which further ties them to the big league hub. Taken with relatively high population density and a lack of competing MLB, NFL or NBA franchises, this corridor is the critical secondary market within the Reds Country. Peytonmanningtown, IN, may be a major population center, but it's just not as ripe for the picking.
There's also radio. Specifically, 700 WLW. The 500 kW signal used to reach Canada, but the sharp shears of the FCC clipped the Big One's wings. On a recent drive between Cincinnati and Washington, DC, I was able to get a weak signal somewhere in Maryland, though I could not tell if Joey Votto had had doubled twice or had been dubbed "Lead Ice." It's a cool nickname regardless. WLW probably doesn't help extend Reds Country much beyond its broadcast TV boundaries anymore, but it does provide a lifeline to fill in blackout gaps. To the extent that its the preferred form of media for purists, the cable-less and people whose cars don't have XM radio, its also the only way to get the game.
Print media also does some evangelizing for the team, though I'm pressed to find a newspaper beyond the broadcast area that syndicates the Reds' beat reporters or offers coverage beyond what might be found in USA Today. Any potential source for expanding the reach of the Reds media empire through text is going to be, for better or worse, in the blogosphere.
Satellite TV, MLB Extra Innings, XM, streaming TV/radio broadcasts (both pirate and legitimate) and the web in general allow Reds' coverage to stretch around the globe. I don't have a handle on how much fandom this generates or sustains, so I thought I'd put it to the group, with the likelihood that this survey will oversample fans from beyond the Greater Cincinnati area. And model railroad enthusiasts, law students, animated GIF collectors...
I should note that Jamie Ramsey has done some excellent work straw polling where Reds fans are located throughout the 50 states.
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I voted first!
Evidently, 100% of the Reds fandom lives in the US, but at least 200 miles away from Cincinnati. Good thing this isn’t the result of something that gets brought up a lot on RR.
"there no countrey called west xylophone" Youtube
Wait, what do you mean?
Need the number of that store where they make ceramics in an oven made out of damaged circus supplies. It's called Rumpled Stilts Kiln. - Jon Wurster
by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Feb 1, 2011 8:25 PM EST up reply actions
She means that she was kidnapped by a train
and forced to live away from Cincinnati because she smokes and listens to the Black Keys.
"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."
by crolfer on Feb 1, 2011 8:28 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
A Racist Renting Railcar!
"there no countrey called west xylophone" Youtube
by andromache on Feb 1, 2011 8:35 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
ohio governor in town this morning
told the Chamber that he wasnt interested in bringing passenger rail to Ohio…and that the Cincy Streetcar might not have “legs” after all!
he also told the locals to fix the airport, he would help.
today was a good day.
"Yahan Sentona's strikeouts are way down this year" Jake Liscow
how does one fix the airport?
it now has fairs in line with the rest of the country, and its service is still bigger than most cities the size of Cincinnati?
He also told State Senator Nina Turner “I don’t need your people”, when the leader of the Ohio Black Caucus offered to simply assist him in the process of selecting his cabinet, which is all white and mostly male.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
Can an Ohio governor fix an airport that's in Kentucky?
/honest question
by Brendanukkah on Feb 1, 2011 10:25 PM EST up reply actions
i guess he could give an airline a subsidy for service
The Cincinnati Chamber of commerce has been trying to get Cincinnati businesses to agree to subsidize new service.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
by justin007000 on Feb 1, 2011 10:33 PM EST up reply actions
There was a problem with the rail system
Even after the huge amount of Federal subsidy money the system would still cost Ohio a ton of money. There was no way it was financially solvent.
The main reason is….. no one was going to use it, or at least not with the ticket prices they would have to charge.
Plus it would actually be 2x faster to drive the same route to Columbus or Cleveland than ride the rail.
"Me carrying a briefcase is like a hot dog wearing earrings." ~ Sparky Anderson
by BigBabyBruce on Feb 1, 2011 11:01 PM EST up reply actions
but what will people say when gas is up to $8 a gallon?
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
OPEC'll never let it get that high
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
that's what they said about $100 oil
Only a few years ago, they insisted that oil should be $20-25 a barrel.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
the oil supply will last forever
we should make no plans for a world post-peak oil.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
I was thinking more along the lines of an increase in prices at the pump
If gas ever did reach that high a lot of people would be looking to find alternative ways to get around or else they’d start buying Hybrid’s and EV’s.
The last time oil hit near $5/gallon in 2007 was when the Prius saw their highest US Sales.
I’d imagine the last thing OPEC countries want is for Americans to lessen their demand for oil – unless of course another country, or countries, can replace that demand. And I think they’ll do everything in their power to not let gas prices get too high
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
China and India are emerging industrial economies with large populations
They also both have emerging middle classes which means increased energy consumption as well.
Supply isn’t going to increase that greatly but demand is increasing.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
Couldn't supply increase in Iraq?
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
i don't think supply from Iraq
will come close to feeding the booming populations of Asia.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
Well, they've got time
China still has a ways to go and I’m not sure when India is really going to take off
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
More cars were sold in China than America in 2009.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
Well sure
US automakers had better success in China due to the newer market and the financial crisis in the US.
But there are still more vehiclesg in the US than in China
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
I spent a short time in Beijing and Shanghi
China has a strong emerging middle class that is going to buy cars, travel, and buy other luxury goods such as Ipods, computers, and what not, all of which involve energy.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
and hopefully as China grows
they will be more responsible than America, and continue to use their mass transit systems, maintain their railways, and grow their urban systems with their cities.
If they end up consuming energy at the rate that Americans do, the world is in serious trouble.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
Agree with a lot of what you said
I’m just not sure on a timeline. There’s no denying they have an emerging middle class but they’re going to be facing a lot of problems in the future – not the least of which is to figure out how to continue expanding their economy at a rate of around 8-9%/yr.
Maybe they’ll catch up with the US in 5-10 years, maybe in another 20 or more
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
I really do believe RR travel is the future
I think that in my life time I think the current way Americans travel by cars will become too expensive for the middle class to continue. I remember when I was in 5th grade, my folks and I drove to Florida and my dad bitched when he had to pay more than $0.90 a gallon. In 2008 we had gas at $4.00 a gallon, so there was a 400% increase.
I think that American regions that have strong transportation systems, street cars, subways, buses, and commuter rail to the suburbs, will be more viable places to live and more viable centers of commerce.
Plus as the population continues to grow our roads are going to become more and more congested.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
I like your think
Although I don’t think cars will ever go away, I can certainly see regions developing more around mass transit and walkability.
In fact, I think we’re seeing that now especially on the East Coast in NYC, DC, Boston, Philly, etc. But I’m just not sure if it’ll ever be viable in the Mid West. I mean I can see something like this happening in Indy but from where I grew up in Indiana or where I went to school in Ohio – I just can’t see that radical of a change occurring in those places.
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
i don't think that cars will disappear either
But I think car travel will be reduced. People who live in rural areas won’t have a choice.
I think a majority of families will have cars, but daily commutes will go more to mass transit.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
by justin007000 on Feb 2, 2011 11:00 PM EST up reply actions
I think the OPEC countries are conflicted
In the old days, they worried about demand for oil dropping. I don’t think they worry about it much any more. Oil has gone from $25 barrel to as high as $150 a barrel, and they found demand didn’t drop all that much. In addition to the burgeoning market in China and India, there’s increasingly tight supplies. Oil production is not keeping up with demand (which is why prices are so high). The reason BP was drilling so damned deep is because the easy oil is gone.
I think even if OPEC wanted to lower prices, they can’t. They don’t have the spare capacity any more. (Not to mention, their own people are using more and more oil, leaving less to export.)
Also…in many countries, gas is much more expensive than here, because other countries tax it more. Last time I checked, the price of gasoline in European countries like the UK and Germany was about $8 a gallon. Prices can go a lot higher here,
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Well we subsidize a lot of gas/oil
Not to mention mass transit is a lot more accessible in the UK and environmentalism/conservationism is looked on a lot more favorably.
And I believe OPEC can lower prices by releasing more oil, which they’ve done in the recent past.
I agree with you that supplies are getting limited and we may eventually run out of gasoline – but when?
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
barring a disaster
like a hurricane or terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia, we probably won’t run out. Instead, it will just get more and more expensive. Until it breaks the economy. Again.
I don’t think OPEC can lower prices much. They couldn’t when oil spiked to $150 a barrel. Oil production has been flat to declining since about 2005.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Actually OPEC can lower oil prices
According to this FT article it looks like Saudi Arabia is quietly increasing output as the price of oil climbs towards $100
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
I think Saudi is probably one of the few OPEC countries that can increase production
But not by much. It’s not like they can open up the taps and flood the market, like they used to.
Oil Movements says OPEC production increased 1.7%,,,and it’s all going to Asia. I think it’s more a matter of them wanting to take advantage of the current high prices than that they want to lower prices. Whether it’s sustainable for more than a month or three is questionable.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
To your last point, that shouldn't always be the case.
Eventually, it should actually be a high speed rail system. But you have to start somewhere. Also, not everyone has a car and even for those that do, many would rather have the chance to read, work, or do other things rather than sit behind the wheel for four hours.
by the finest muffins on Feb 2, 2011 6:17 PM EST up reply actions
if i am going somewhere which mass transit is pratical i prefer it
if amtrak between Chicago and Cincinnati wasn’t twice as long as the drive, the times I made the trek up here last summer, I would have take the train.
In a train you can sit, relax, read and just watch the countryside, and it is just less stressful. The few times I’ve taken the Metra around the Chicagoarea, I love it, and I would much rather not drive.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
If I could take the Acela/Amtrak from DC to NY at a reasonable price, I would
But the last couple times we’ve looked for prices it just hasn’t been economical. We can drive up for less – in about the same time – including paying the tolls in DE, NJ and NY. I really wish it was cheaper.
And if I still work out in Tyson’s Corner in another 3 or so years and the metro is going out there, I’ll take that to work everyday instead of sitting on 66
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
Yeah, but that drive sucks
I’d much rather relax in the bar car then getting cut off on the NJ turnpike.
Non-acela’s not that pricey, is it? Philly to NY is still under $50 one way.
by ken on Feb 2, 2011 7:04 PM EST up reply actions
I actually don't mind the drive that much
And the price for non acela was still pricey last time we checked – I’m thinking it was well over 50 and may have been closer to $100.
We actually go an hour north of the city. Going up stinks as we’re pretty much in traffic from DC to Baltimore, but after that it’s normally smooth sailing. And driving back we usually leave early in the morning and try to get back to DC before noon. It makes it much easier when you have very little traffic on the NJ turnpike
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
Yeah, if you're starting point or destination is a hike from the main train station,
then you’re probably better off driving.
For about six months I lived right off exit 8 of the NJ Tpke (as glamorous as it sounds). That’s right before it splits into cars only and cars/trucks. It would get pretty jammed up before the division, so I’d do my best to avoid it.
seriously
I live about an hour from Chicago and mlb.tv considers Porter County in the Reds footprint, so I can’t get their TV. I can get it when I go west one county to Lake County. So I can say the NW boundary is that, from the MLB website.
Otherwise, I hope this helps.
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
Good thing this isn’t the result of something that gets brought up a lot on RR.
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
Jake, are you in Merrillville?
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
it is so bad Lake Shore Drive is closed
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
It's not that bad here yet but I imagine it will be when I'm trying to get to the hospital tomorrow.
are you that bad of a house guest?
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
by justin007000 on Feb 1, 2011 10:13 PM EST up reply actions
snowed in ... merrillville
it could be worse.
nah.
I am snowed in here in Valparaiso and that IS worse.
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
which rent-a-rack are you staying?
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
I still hold out hope that the roving Reds A+/AA franchise will settle in Lexington.
Is that too much to ask for?
Astros? Really?
Set the gearshift to the high gear of your soul.
by Kevin Mitchell is Batman on Feb 1, 2011 8:52 PM EST reply actions
During my era of job hunting, I shuttled back and forth between DC and Cincinnati many times.
One of these times, I was taking the train from DC to Cincinnati, with a Reds game happening during the time my route hugged the Ohio River. So resourceful little me decided to do some research and map out the Reds’ affiliates along my route, bring along my radio, flip stations regularly, and enjoy some baseball as I zoomed toward home.
I think I managed to get approximately one minute of play-by-play the whole game. It was so disappointing. Either I couldn’t get a signal or, when I could, the game had been preempted for high school football games. Thanks for nothing, West Virginia.
by the finest muffins on Feb 1, 2011 8:58 PM EST reply actions
I didn't realize you could take trains anywhere West of the East Coast
I’ve taken the train to Philly for work a couple times (only b/c my team decided to travel as a team, and it was the most cost effective to do so, and there was no way in Hell we were getting the company jet), but I only thought trains really went between Boston and DC, and then maybe around the Chicagoland area.
by Highlifeman21 on Feb 1, 2011 10:43 PM EST up reply actions
Amtrak has routes across the country. My friend took the train from Baltimore to Seattle once.
But in between the coasts the routes are much more limited in both where they go and how often they run. From Cincinnati, you can only go to DC or Chicago, and the trains only run three times a week. Also, it takes 14 hours for me to get between my two homes— or 17 if you hit a car on the tracks in Virginia.
The upside is that it’s really, really cheap, yet still miles better than Greyhound. Only $60 one way. So when I have the luxury of time, like when I’m traveling home for longer than a weekend, I usually take the train.
by the finest muffins on Feb 1, 2011 11:13 PM EST up reply actions
well, that is the issue
the luxury of time.
Spending a lot of time going there or getting their fast and taking it slow, as the do in Kokomo.
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
the WLW signals get there fast
and then they take it slow
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
by Cy Schourek on Feb 2, 2011 9:49 AM EST up reply actions 4 recs
Also the trains leave at like 4 in the am on Sunday Tuesday and Thursday
And they take 9 hours to get to Chicago. At least that’s what they were a couple years ago when I checked. And it cost more than airfare. They should just rip up the tracks if that ‘s how it’s going to be.
by Brian B on Feb 2, 2011 12:45 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I was with you until "cost more than airfare."
Really?
by the finest muffins on Feb 2, 2011 8:16 AM EST up reply actions
the chicago to Cincinnati is cheaper than most plane tickets, unless I get a deal
but longer trips say like Chicago to New York, generally you would do just as well with a plane ticket.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
I took the Texas Eagle from Chicago to St. Louis once
I thought that was really, really, cool. And I met a guy who took the train from Seattle to Chicago, but the tracks got frozen east of Missoula and he was stuck iced-in for 20 hours. Sooo that kinda sucked for him.
But I’d love to take that southern route from Houston to L.A. one day.
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
this makes me want to play Railroad Tycoon now
by Highlifeman21 on Feb 2, 2011 10:37 AM EST up reply actions
ooh forgot about that game
I just wish the game didn’t basically force your empire to become insolvent by 1950….
They thought it was insolvent ...
but you know, it’s hard to kill everything. The mutants do survive.
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
unless you get the diesel
and then you can make the game go into the 80s no problem
or if you play on the Euro side and you get the TGV, and then you’re set for a long ass time
by Highlifeman21 on Feb 3, 2011 10:11 PM EST up reply actions
I didn't realize WLW had their signal strength cut by the FCC.
I think that the wide coverage area of WLW probably made a lot of people Reds fans back in the pre-internet days, much like Cubs fans b/c of WGN or Braves fans b/c of TBS. I remember as a kid growing up outside of Dallas, my dad would sit in the car in the garage and listen to Reds games on WLW clear as a bell.
Watch it, ass blood.
if you ever have the chance to go to Dallas, take it from me, pass it by
"Yahan Sentona's strikeouts are way down this year" Jake Liscow
by obc2 on Feb 1, 2011 9:11 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
No shit.
My family moved away when I was 12. I am convinced I am a better person because of that.
Watch it, ass blood.
rec'd.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
Every once in a long while, I can hear WLW just west of Philly
by ken on Feb 1, 2011 9:55 PM EST up reply actions
i could barely get it in the Lima area
i could also barely get the Lima affiliate, so I had to get mlbradio.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
I can get WLW here in NWI
decent at night, not so great during the day.
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
according to
Wikipedia, the clipping occurred in 1939.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
During WWI
It reached all the way to Europe. I actually live about 6 miles away from the tower, its pretty cool to pass anytime I’m going to Mason for anything. They say back in the day you could hook up speaker wire to a chain link fence and pick up WLW
If you get a chance, tour the transmitter building
They usually open it up once a year during hamfest for all the nerds to come through and take a look. The 500KW transmitter is freaking awesome. One of my first times there I ran across a tx log book just lying around that had entries from August 1941 in it.
"He’s like if Ron Gant and Eric Davis had a white baby." -- GlennBraggsSwingAndMissBrokenBat on Drew Stubbs
I hear tell of Tennessee being "Reds Country"
I think largely because of WLW, and also because Tennessee is always a lot closer to Cincinnati than I think it is. Plus we’ve had minor league affiliates down there for awhile.
by Brendanukkah on Feb 1, 2011 10:27 PM EST up reply actions
i think some of it also dates back to pre-Braves
the Braves have only existed for a couple of generations, middle aged people growing up in Tennessee grew up with parents whose only choice was the Reds or Cardinals.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
by justin007000 on Feb 1, 2011 10:34 PM EST up reply actions
There are a few fans down here
but most are Braves fans. I’ve lived here for 3 years now and the first year, I didn’t get to see many games because I didn’t get FSN OH, but now FSN South picks up all the games which is pretty sweet. I believe more people in TN will become Reds fans just for the simple fact that they are on TV all the time now.
Consume excrement and expire......
Appalachia I think tends to be Reds country
except for, as justin and adair said, TBS and Ted blew it up
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
WLW was for years ...
not the Reds flagship station, but has been for the last 40 or so.
There used to be a lot of affiliate stations in Indiana, KY and WVa, even some in Tennessee.
When I was a kid, the Reds hopped around on the radio, WKRC was one station, WCKY, I think as well.
Not much TV in those days, the early 60s.
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
It was cut because of all of the inane 'so-called' news and political punditry...
WLW finally fell below the Jerry Springer Line…the FCC had no choice
Fred Lewis and EdRent together are not worth One Laynce Nix
Signal strength cut? They've been at 50,000 Watts forever
"He’s like if Ron Gant and Eric Davis had a white baby." -- GlennBraggsSwingAndMissBrokenBat on Drew Stubbs
so far
It looks like the average RR doesn’t live close enough to Cincinnati to actually go to many games.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
it is a lot of people over 200 miles, but
the good thing is, we have a lot people annoy fans at other teams parks.
/cubsfan’d
I hate to say this, but this place is getting to me. I think I'm getting the Fear.
by Corky's Stache on Feb 1, 2011 9:23 PM EST up reply actions
I try to make it to every game of theirs at National Park
But there it’s no special thing to outnumber the home fans.
by Brendanukkah on Feb 1, 2011 10:29 PM EST up reply actions
After I retire in a couple of weeks, I will be in Reds country more often.
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
Ahh the "Big One"
I remember listening to Reds games in Toronto on vacation. Many moons ago, of course.
I hate to say this, but this place is getting to me. I think I'm getting the Fear.
98.8 miles from GABP
for the past 3 or 4 years I have attended between 1-3 games a year. Would love to go for more, but that’s difficult. My bachelor “party” was at GABP (yeah I’m a crazy guy), so you know I look for excuses to go to Reds games!
I just moved in to a new pace on 5th St in Covington.
I can see the GABP lights from my porch. I cannot wait for this season. Walking to games is going to be the snacks!
Watch it, ass blood.
Can I crash at your place after imbibing too much at a game?
"He’s like if Ron Gant and Eric Davis had a white baby." -- GlennBraggsSwingAndMissBrokenBat on Drew Stubbs
Crash?
More like Trainwreck!
Set the gearshift to the high gear of your soul.
by Kevin Mitchell is Batman on Feb 2, 2011 2:27 PM EST up reply actions
Felipe Lopez
will get a minor league deal with the Rays.
After signing a one-year, $1MM deal with the Cardinals last year, the club cut ties with the 30-year-old due to behavioral problems. Lopez’s flat offense didn’t help his case either as he hit just .233/.311/.345 in 109 games before signing with Boston. The Red Sox wisely offered the Type B infielder arbitration, but a minor league deal means that they won’t receive a compensatory draft pick.
I guess he should have accepted arbitration…
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
"behavioral problems"?
Does Felipe eat paste or something?
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
That's always been the knock against him, right?
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
when he was a Red, didn't he knock up a Reds employee?
pretty sure that was one of the reasons he was included in The Trade
by Highlifeman21 on Feb 2, 2011 10:42 AM EST up reply actions
he knocked her up?
I heard he was boinking her. Didn’t know he’d knocked her up.
So, is there a little Felipe running around Cincinnati?
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
and can he sport a .350 obp AND play SS?
Set the gearshift to the high gear of your soul.
by Kevin Mitchell is Batman on Feb 2, 2011 2:27 PM EST up reply actions
he really can't play shortstop
it was fun having EdE and FFL on the left side of the infield…
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
Red Country is a State of Mind
Fred Lewis and EdRent together are not worth One Laynce Nix
by Madville on Feb 1, 2011 9:47 PM EST reply actions 5 recs
maybe he's hiding his 2010 central division champion t-shirt in there
by NikoliVoltron on Feb 2, 2011 10:04 AM EST up reply actions
I was gonna say that it's probably just some Rolen going on...
But I’ll riff on Bavasi’s comment and say that it’s just more baseball player. Check out Let’s Go Tribe’s take on our front office.
Touche.
How about you agree to waive the fine and I promise not to email you the remaining eighty six photos of my dog dressed as a bear.
by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2011 10:24 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
"Hey Bill!"
“Check out my tux! That’s what I call any suit.”
That is good.
by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 2, 2011 11:00 AM EST up reply actions
Lima was interesting
It was split between the Reds and Indians, with probably more Indians fans. But there were no Tigers fans despite Detroit being pretty much even distance as Cincinnati, and much shorter drive than Cleveland. I guess that state line makes a big difference.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
I would have expected more Detroit fans than Cleveland fans
From what I assume, Toledo has a lot of Tigers fans.
by Brendanukkah on Feb 1, 2011 10:30 PM EST up reply actions
Lima is 80 miles south of Toledo
It is the halfway point between Dayton and Toledo on I-75, at the Ohio 81 the sign reads I-75 North Toledo 78 miles, I 75 South Dayton 78 miles.
Lima is a huge area for Ohio State fans, so it could be that state nationalism.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
by justin007000 on Feb 1, 2011 10:39 PM EST up reply actions
Toledo Mud Hens are an affiliate
so that helps. I just don’t think people live in Toledo.
/midwestghosttown’d
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
I live in Toledo
Our local TV cable system carries the Reds, Indians, and Tigers, which is extremely unique! There are more Tigers fans here than anything. We are much closer to Detroit than Cleveland and I think the Mud Hens being a long-time Tigers afflilate helps. You’ll see a lot of Reds fans come out though when the Mud Hens play Louisville.
I prefer Adriana Lima
"He’s like if Ron Gant and Eric Davis had a white baby." -- GlennBraggsSwingAndMissBrokenBat on Drew Stubbs
Would love to see the caravan in Nashville
literally they could just send Rick Stowe, Gapper, and a cardboard cutout of Ryan Hanigan and they would have dozens of folks show up
Born and raised in Erie, PA
I live 45 miles south of Erie now, and can still pick up WLW after 9:00 on clear nights..
I used to fall asleep listening to the REDS with the radio under my pillow so my parents wouldn’t hear it and make me turn it off. Slept with 2 older brothers, and didn’t dare wake them, either!
Reds fan for 40 years!
Have you seen That Thing You Do!?
“You gotta be quick! I’m from Eria, PA” is a popular line in my family. It’s pretty much all I can think of when someone mentions Erie.
by the finest muffins on Feb 1, 2011 10:31 PM EST up reply actions
"Steubenville!"
Also “Got any threeeeeeeees?”
"Guys... Chad fell down"
is another favorite.
by the finest muffins on Feb 2, 2011 9:33 AM EST up reply actions
Okay two more
“I’ve found that a hit record is like a stew. All the ingredients have to come together just right. Otherwise, it’s just soup. "
And
“There was this one time, we stayed up wayyyyy past midnight. . . (laughing)”
Lenny from That Thing You Do is one of the most quotable characters maybe ever.
In that same interview from your second quote, he lists “Cap’n Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters” as one of his musical influences. “Presidential flashcards?” is also another favorite.
by the finest muffins on Feb 2, 2011 2:50 PM EST up reply actions
Reds Country overlaps with the Cards territory as well.
Here in southwestern Indiana, we are blacked out from the Reds, Cards, and both Chicago teams. This means there are nights where I wouldn’t be able to watch a single NL Central game on mlb.tv.
And they want me to subscribe?
You're never as bad as you look when you lose. You're never as good as you look when you win.
I can get the Birdbrains, but neither Chicago team
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
Lima area
Is almost all Reds fans. I live about 30 miles southwest (Mercer County) and I cannot even think of a Indians fan. Once you start to get up towards Findlay, Bowling Green, and Toledo you start to run into more Tribe Fans.
I honestly think it has more to do with what highway you are closest to. In the Lima area we are very close to I-75 which is a straight shot to the stadium, plus I think the team history has something to do with it. I’m from the area of Wally Post, so that has something do with it. I know farther up in Northwest Ohio you have I-80/90 and that is a straight shot to Cleveland.
It may not end up being much of a theory, but it works for me. I would guess that you would see a 50/50 split between Reds/Tribe in Columbus.
When I was in Tennessee last summer I would say the fanbase was 50/50 Reds/Braves.
"Me carrying a briefcase is like a hot dog wearing earrings." ~ Sparky Anderson
I'm from Mercer county!
You’re in St. Henry? I’m a Parkway guy living in Columbus now.
And you’re exactly right, it’s all Reds fans.
Calmer than you are.
by 3 Fast 3 Furious on Feb 2, 2011 9:08 AM EST up reply actions
Me too!!
Coldwater native….Dayton bum now..
I hate to say this, but this place is getting to me. I think I'm getting the Fear.
by Corky's Stache on Feb 2, 2011 11:05 AM EST up reply actions
Nice.
I’m shocked there are so many Mercer Countyians (Countians?). Most people from back home have barely heard of the internet let alone blogs.
“Blog? What is that? like a birch log?”
Calmer than you are.
by 3 Fast 3 Furious on Feb 2, 2011 11:11 AM EST up reply actions
i think it may be "Countyites" ???
either way…yeah a little behind the times back there.
I hate to say this, but this place is getting to me. I think I'm getting the Fear.
by Corky's Stache on Feb 2, 2011 11:39 AM EST up reply actions
No I graduated from Parkway in 2006
I just used Wally Post as an example because I couldn’t think of any other player from the area that played for the Reds.
Plus I was somehow trying to justify my statement.
"Me carrying a briefcase is like a hot dog wearing earrings." ~ Sparky Anderson
by BigBabyBruce on Feb 2, 2011 12:12 PM EST up reply actions
Nice to see another Panther here.
I’m an ’01 grad
Calmer than you are.
by 3 Fast 3 Furious on Feb 2, 2011 12:26 PM EST up reply actions
Isn't he from Brazil?
Or maybe I just think he is because his avatar is Blanka-Votto.
by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 2, 2011 10:24 AM EST up reply actions
Well, damn.
I accidentally voted for outside of the United States.
"I bet that sex Bengals fan is really pissed now." -DT3428
300 miles and 2 feet in Chicago
Thats three hundred highway miles and two feet of snow. Yeesh.
"Live every week like it's shark week. And dress everyday like you're gonna get murdered in those clothes." - Tracey Jordan
by RedinWrigleyville on Feb 2, 2011 12:42 AM EST reply actions
the local news here in NY
Sent a news crew to Chicago. They got stranded by the snow on the way to their hotel.
They said they’re near Obama’s house. The video is pretty much just a block of white. The reporter was standing in the middle of a usually busy street, snow up to her knees. You could barely see anything though, because of the blowing snow.
It’s not that bad in NY. Yet.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Why'd a NY station send a crew to Chicago?
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
because they were expecting bad weather in Chicago
New York is a big enough city that the local news stations cover more than local news.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
that seems kind of backwards
like the Lima local news barely had enough news to fill a 30 minute broadcast, NYC outta have more than enough.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
the local news runs 2 hours
Well, 1-1/2, then the half-hour network news.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Lake Shore Drive this morning.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
ho-lee crap
How are they going to get that road opened up?
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
i don't know why the city waited so long to close it
they closed it at 7:50PM yesterday; basically when it became like that.
Rescue crews spent most of the evening and early morning walking up and down lake shore drive knocking on windows looking for stranded people.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
the other bad thing is now tempatures are going to dip
we are going to have very frigid cold temperatures, which won’t help.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
My sister just sent photos and an update.
She said they’re expecting wind chills in the -20 range tonight, which means that even the roads that got cleared will freeze over. And THAT’s why I didn’t move to Chicago.
by the finest muffins on Feb 2, 2011 6:17 PM EST up reply actions
an abandon bus on Lake Shore Drive
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
i actually had a lot of fun playing in the snow today
i drank with friends last night during the worst of it, and i played outside today.
Nice communal feel in the city today.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
i love it
last night i went out around 9:30 to go to the liquor store and a friends place, i slipped and feel flat on my black, and it took me 40 minutes to walk about 5 blocks.
I actually really love this.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
My parents' house is 8 miles.
Growing up, I could hear the fireworks after home runs if I opened the back door.
by the finest muffins on Feb 2, 2011 8:19 AM EST up reply actions
I can hear fwx from my yard in the kenwood area, good times :)
"He’s like if Ron Gant and Eric Davis had a white baby." -- GlennBraggsSwingAndMissBrokenBat on Drew Stubbs
Aaaaah... wtf mate?
MLB 2K10 freezes every time I try to fire Dusty Baker…
"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."
MLB 2K10 has stock in toothpicks
They need to keep toothpicks in the public mind.
If you fire Dusty then who will be the public champion of the toothpick.
6-2, 185
As a Kentucky Reds fan...
We consider Cincinnati part of Kentucky and Louisville part of Indiana. How can you be part of such a backward state you ask? Doesn’t matter, we have all the guns. Enjoy paying the Mike Brown tax!
I'm sure I've already told this story 100 times
But even though I voted for “out of the country” that’s kind of a technicality.
My dad was a Phillies fan because he went to high school in Philadelphia. But when he moved to UC for college in the early 70’s he immediately went to the Reds. There was no ESPN, no sort of national sports news…you just didn’t hear of any team outside of your local paper back then. So moving to a new town, he decided to jump on the bandwagon of the biggest thing in town, that it’d help him make friends. I can’t say I blame him.
Fast forward a bunch of years and I’m born in South Bend, IN. We go to plenty Silver Hawks games (an A+ affiliate of the White Sox at the time, now D-Backs) where I learn to keep score and watch baseball. APBA helps me grow the love affair, as do the Silver Hawks’ fresh fresh jerseys at the time: forest green and silver. But we make pilgrimages to Riverfront in the summer and Ohio Stadium in the fall. The grandparents still live in Cincinnati and promise Entemann’s donuts for breakfast and Graeter’s for desert, so that helps.
So even though I’ve never lived in Cincinnati, I’m pretty much a Cincinnati nationalist. And it’s all because of the Big Red Machine and the fact that it was never really a serious option to root for the Cubs.
Also, who the heck are the other 15 people abroad? Verka? Daedelus? And…?
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
80 percent of visitors never post
if this site is like most.
Maybe there’s a bunch of Canucks here, looking for Votto coverage.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
/not really abroad'd
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
so
You’re one of those Americans who consider Canada the 51st state?
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
hardly
I think its fair to say that the /___’d is my way of using the sarcasm font.
/obvious’d
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
/___'d
Van Gough’d
How about you agree to waive the fine and I promise not to email you the remaining eighty six photos of my dog dressed as a bear.
by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2011 12:45 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Cool that there's another person here who grew up on Midwest League ball
My local affiliate was Padres for most of my childhood, giving me the privilege of seeing Brian Lawrence, Wil Nieves, and Rodrigo Lopez (and virtually no one else who ended up being decent). We switched to the Reds in ’99, and I got to see big names like Ben Broussard and Brad Salmon (when he was still a starter). This also explains why I have an undying admiration for Jose Acevedo, who was the ace of the staff at that time.
"Aroldis Chapman is a seven course meal followed by four hours of sex on the table with a nymphomaniac model heiress who owns her own brewery." - jch24
by BK on Feb 3, 2011 12:03 AM EST up reply actions
I had high hopes for Acevedo when he came to the bigs
nice velocity, a nice slider.
Apparently I was just high.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
by justin007000 on Feb 3, 2011 12:05 AM EST up reply actions
so were his fastballs
he was no Luke Hudson.
I pick the worst role models.
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
Connecticut is within a day's drive
WHEN THE REDS ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS!!!!!!
by within a day, you mean 11 hours
then yes, you’re correct….
by Highlifeman21 on Feb 2, 2011 10:46 AM EST up reply actions
Located in Cleveland
About 20 miles outside of the 200+ range. Thankfully only in the Indians blackout region but STO provides coverage of all their games on tv anyway.
My guess is our poll result is skewed...
To folks not in “Reds Country” who come to this blog to be educated and have friendly discussions on their favorite team…. something that people who are in “Reds Country” can do by heading to the local watering hole or at the water-cooler at work.
This is what I was thinking
44% of responses are 200+ miles away, myself included. We can’t talk to anyone locally, so it makes sense that we’d seek out this kind of outlet.
Still, 44% is higher than I would have expected!
-j
I write at:
Beyond the Boxscore | Red Reporter | Basement-Dwellers.com | Twitter: @jinazreds
I just thought of this..
I’d bet if Fay posted the same poll at Cincinnati.com you’d see a lot more responses from those inside a 150-mile or 200-mile radius. Those of us away from Cincinnati would be less inclined to look for Reds coverage at a source originating in Cincinnati because everything else that source offers means little to us while everything else that SBNation posts or offers links to (soccer-style NFL jerseys, anyone?) might be worth checking out (Yes, the jerseys are worth checking out :)
I know that around here we like to think that Fay readers are typically those just not smart enough to click outside the box but I bet a lot of his his readers – maybe not necessarily those who comment on Fay’s fluff – might just be more subdued, more pragmatic Reds fans who want to stay a little bit closer to all things Cincinnati.
How about you agree to waive the fine and I promise not to email you the remaining eighty six photos of my dog dressed as a bear.
by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2011 10:15 AM EST up reply actions
that guy should get smart and find a jersey screener to make those, stat
just take away the logos and you have a great deal.
Or, the NFL will do it for him.
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
I wish him luck but I think he's already in over his head.
On his blog he says, “Golly gee! I didn’t realize people would like these but I guess you do so I better post em here rather than let them scatter all over the internet.”
Too. Late.
How about you agree to waive the fine and I promise not to email you the remaining eighty six photos of my dog dressed as a bear.
by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2011 10:27 AM EST up reply actions
Those are badass
The New England and Seattle ones look very much like their MLS counterparts. Actually, this Seahawks jersey is even better than the Sounders jerseys, which are uggo.
I like 'em
but I love hilighter colors
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
Don't forget, that 200 miles doesn't cover that big of an area
And 56% of the people are still within that range.
There’s a lot of land out there still.
Follow on Twitter: @redreporter. Buy The Wire-to-Wire Reds today!
"Henri, what is that over there?"
“Oh, that is more America!”
by Brendanukkah on Feb 3, 2011 11:05 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
hey Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, and Pittsburgh
all your suburbs belong to us.
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
we get Stuebenville!
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
There's something to this theory but also consider the time of year that the poll is being conducted.
I think that people who are on the ‘outside’ might be checking in here more often through the winter when it is difficult to get Reds news from local sources – water-coolers and watering holes included (is there a Reds water nymph I should know about somewhere?)
Folks on the ‘inside’ (of the 50-100 mile radius) probably feel that they’re not going to miss big news like an Edgar Renteria signing and they’re not gonna miss a chance to blab their opinions about it.
Now, once the boys start playing actual games (even if they’re only Spring Training games) I’d bet you see more traffic from diehard Reds fans across the board- insiders and outsiders.
How about you agree to waive the fine and I promise not to email you the remaining eighty six photos of my dog dressed as a bear.
by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2011 10:02 AM EST up reply actions
That's kinda why I said this:
Satellite TV, MLB Extra Innings, XM, streaming TV/radio broadcasts (both pirate and legitimate) and the web in general allow Reds’ coverage to stretch around the globe. I don’t have a handle on how much fandom this generates or sustains, so I thought I’d put it to the group, with the likelihood that this survey will oversample fans from beyond the Greater Cincinnati area.
The poll isn’t going to be an accurate sample of “Reds Country,” but more of a snapshot for the site – and to shed some light on how far away people can be removed from their team and still be ardent fans (as I assume most people who visit this site and answer a poll would be).
Need the number of that store where they make ceramics in an oven made out of damaged circus supplies. It's called Rumpled Stilts Kiln. - Jon Wurster
by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Feb 2, 2011 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
Also, I'm guessing this is one of the splits between us and John Fay's blog
Depending on how you define it, the Cincinnati metro area is polling at a little less than 20% of users above.
Need the number of that store where they make ceramics in an oven made out of damaged circus supplies. It's called Rumpled Stilts Kiln. - Jon Wurster
by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Feb 2, 2011 10:21 AM EST up reply actions
"be educated and have friendly discussions...."
What blog are you reading and what watering hole/water cooler are you around?
"He’s like if Ron Gant and Eric Davis had a white baby." -- GlennBraggsSwingAndMissBrokenBat on Drew Stubbs
Most of West Virginia, except the far north
and maybe the eastern panhandle, follows the Reds, I’ve found. The two largest cities — Charleston and Huntington — are Reds territory, even though Charleston features a Pirates affiliate. The coalfields generally follow the Reds. Even a good many as far north as Parkersburg are Reds fans. The eastern panhandle has some Oriole allegiance and probably has picked up some Nats followers.
We Are ... Marshall!
by Thundering Turtle on Feb 2, 2011 9:37 AM EST reply actions
You're absolutely right
The southern WV coalfields are Reds country but for some reason my parents who live in southwestern WV have gotten the FS Pittsburgh on their cable television system since the mid/late 1990s. No one down there is a Pirates fan — their local station is a Reds affiliate.
For a few years in the early 2000s the radio station switched over to the Braves and people were in an uproar about it, so thay switched back to the Reds. I’m not sure why the TV hasn’t switched, I’m sure people have complained about it.
that makes sense
if nothing else the PItt/West Virgina rivalry shows some animosity between the city of Pittsburgh and West Virgina.
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
Good point
but, unfortuately, that doen’t seem to cross over to the NFL — there are A LOT of Steelers fans in WV.
Now we’re into a whole new fan geography conversation… From my experience growing up there, most people are Steelers fans. The Bengals are more popular in the Ohio River Valley area (i.e. Huntington). My dad is a Browns fan, so that’s who I grew up rooting for. I would say, overall, the Browns would rank #2 in WV behind the Steelers. It’s also not that uncommon to see Redskins fans in some parts of the state.
The Steelers also aren't terrible
"I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. I enjoy myself. I can’t imagine being with a better team."
-Joey Votto
Success probably has a lot to do with it...
When I was growing up in the 80s, it wasn’t hard to be a Browns fan. Yeah, there were those crushing defeats (“The Drive” etc.) but at least the team was good and competive.
I would suspect that if your formative years were the 70s, most of the 90s, and 2000s (and you had a choice, geographically) you would probably chose the Steelers over the Browns.
I grew up in the '90s
and my step-dad was a tremendous Steelers fan.
That’s why I’m a Bengals fan.
by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 3, 2011 7:13 PM EST up reply actions
Oh yeah
and I grew up outside Parkersburg. So that’s why that’s relevant.
by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 3, 2011 7:13 PM EST up reply actions
Have the Ravens have made any inroads into WV?
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
Not that I know of but...
… we southern West Virginians don’t even consider the northern and eastern panhandles part of the state — they might as well belong to PA and MD.
This is my experience as well
Most folks around Parkersburg have two stickers on their trucks: Steelers and Mountaineers. I always got the impression that baseball was an afterthought.
by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 2, 2011 7:13 PM EST up reply actions
having just graduated college...
i was job-hunting near Cincinnati for no other reason than to be near GABP. but unfortunately, I accepted a job that was too good to pass up in southwestern IN. now, i have to live with a 3.5 hour drive to Cincinnati (up from my 1.5 hour drive growing up).
would it be inadvisable to quit my job, and panhandle for money to buy Reds tickets? good or bad career choice?
your job is in SW IN, sooo probably
Just kidding! Congrats on graduating and finding a job legally, that’s more than I’ve ever accomplished. I just have to get my knocks in on the southern half of my state.
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
I'm from Michigan.
Easy way to figure out where in it is to take your right hand, turn it palm-side up, and put your finger in the center of your palm. I’m a little south of that. I go to college about thirty minutes north of Toledo but I keep trying to get WLW on the radio here and all I get is this foreign channel.
Here near Toledo
I can get WLW in on my truck radio but on in the house. If you have a few extra dollars, I highly suggest XM — I’ve subscribed to it since 2004. The MLB Audio from MLB.com is also pretty good, I did that for a few years before XM.
Yeh, I'm not sure what's up with it. May be the positioning of the radio but the only window faces North.
My dad suggested some makeshift antennae but I’ll figure something out.
make/buy an AM loop antenna
"He’s like if Ron Gant and Eric Davis had a white baby." -- GlennBraggsSwingAndMissBrokenBat on Drew Stubbs
Vermont is hardly really baseball country at all, but it seems like mostly Boston, with a fair share of New York as well.
Since the people at school are from just about everywhere, it’s interesting to see short term team enthusiasm cycle through my classmates. Last year, Phillies hats were pretty common, and this year all the west coasters started donning SF caps. Oh, and the guy who seems to alternate Angels and White Sox hats every other day. I don’t get that.
"there no countrey called west xylophone" Youtube
I forget where I found this
"Joe is baseball in Cincinnati...We can lose players, managers and coaches, but we can't afford to lose Joe Nuxhall." - Sparky Anderson
by boohiss on Feb 2, 2011 12:10 PM EST reply actions 3 recs
i like it
No Hawaii, though…
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
No Alaska either
You could probably support a short season rookie team there.
"Me carrying a briefcase is like a hot dog wearing earrings." ~ Sparky Anderson
by BigBabyBruce on Feb 2, 2011 12:19 PM EST up reply actions
only problem is
You need more than one. Hawaii runs into that problem a lot.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
The Alaskan League
It can start as a good scouting circle for the Inuit’s that always go unscouted. You know there has to be some good pitchers with all the snow ball fights that go up there.
That wasn’t racist was it? How many words for fastball do the Eskimo’s have?
"Me carrying a briefcase is like a hot dog wearing earrings." ~ Sparky Anderson
by BigBabyBruce on Feb 2, 2011 12:27 PM EST up reply actions
I agree that Columbus is Indian country.
(Though that will continue to change if Jay and Joey keep raising flags while Shin-Shoo leads the Tribe to more fourth place finishes.)
But I’ve spent some time in Zanesville, Cambridge, Marietta, Parkersburg and Huntington and those good folks could care less about American League baseball. Athens has Indians fans but only until all the loudmouth assholes go back to Cleveland for the summer.
How about you agree to waive the fine and I promise not to email you the remaining eighty six photos of my dog dressed as a bear.
by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2011 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
Nike did that in 2007.
It’s been the desktop wallpaper on my laptop since then.
by the finest muffins on Feb 2, 2011 12:44 PM EST up reply actions
Looking at this again...
I always found it absurd that they had Cardinals territory coming right up to the Indiana/Ohio border.
by the finest muffins on Feb 2, 2011 6:19 PM EST up reply actions
really? They don't give two shits for Kansas?
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
Dude... If there's one thing most Missourians hate more than the Cubs
It’s fucking Kansas.
"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."
And if this were VEB, this comment would totally be greener than an Emerald Ash Borer.
Maybe.
"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."
That's true and I think it works both ways...
I lived in Manhattan, KS for a few years. Not being a native Kansan, I really couldn’t care less but I thought the mutual animosity was a humerous thing to observe.
Here's the Royals Radio Network, just since we're talking Kansas
A link to the Royals radio affiliates (I wish they had this is map form). It’s a REALLY big slice of the country but you’ve got to remember populations are small.
If you ever read Royals Review, they’ve done a cool series on towns of the Royals Radio Network. Here’s one on Salina, KS.
Manhattan's a shithole.
My dad taught at K State for years.
"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."
Tupelo, honey
That surprises me. I’d think that would be Braves territory.
Need the number of that store where they make ceramics in an oven made out of damaged circus supplies. It's called Rumpled Stilts Kiln. - Jon Wurster
by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Feb 4, 2011 12:18 PM EST up reply actions
Here's the Reds equivalent:
Asked and answered. I guess this thread is over now.
Need the number of that store where they make ceramics in an oven made out of damaged circus supplies. It's called Rumpled Stilts Kiln. - Jon Wurster
by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Feb 4, 2011 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
probably from Nike
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
My personal geography of Reds Country
I grew up a Reds fan in southern WV. My grandfather was a Reds fan we used to sit on the porch and listen to games on our local radio station which was, and still is, part of the Reds radio network. I went to college in southern Ohio and then moved to Kansas for graduate school. While in Kansas I continued my Reds fandom, just as you said, via XM radio and the internet. I moved back to Ohio, this time in extreme NW Ohio near Toledo, and my local cable system carries FS Ohio. I can get WLW on my truck radio but not in the house, so I still subscribe to XM to listen the the Reds broadcasts.
Bloomington
I’m currently at IU in Bloomington, so was elated when the Caravan stopped at College Mall here. Got in line early and was able to get autographs from everyone, and talked to Mesoraco, Phillips, and Marty briefly. Brandon said he remembered me from last year, when I went to the game on his birthday and had a sign for him and everything. Had a great time and the turnout was amazing—-didn’t know the Reds had such a solid fan base here in B-town. Quite a bit of the student body here at IU is from Chicago, so we have a ton of Cubs fans (yuck) and ChiSox fans, along with a lot of Cardinals fans from St. Louis. Some Reds fans but outnumbered by Chicago and STL, so good to see a lot of support for the Redlegs.
I hail from and still permanently live in Batesville, IN though, which is much closer to Cincy than Bloomington, and is very proud of the local radio station (103.9 WRBI) being a Reds affiliate. The Caravan stopped there as well at the famous Sherman House restaurant, which apparently has become a permanent stop on the western leg of the trip, probably due to the great food.
Batesville!
The world’s best coffins come from Batesville!
"College actually kind of beat that out of me, making me more, well, of an asshole."
They've coffin cornered the market!
Need the number of that store where they make ceramics in an oven made out of damaged circus supplies. It's called Rumpled Stilts Kiln. - Jon Wurster
by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Feb 3, 2011 11:18 AM EST up reply actions
They also can keep you comfy
in the hospital until you get ready to go.
Hillenbrand is everywhere.
BTW, I was born in that horse pistol in Batesville.
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
Reference to WV coal miners as Reds fans
In Denise Giardina’s book The Unquite Earth about coal miners in southern WV, she makes several references to people in the town wearing Cincinnati Reds baseball hats.
by Deaner on Feb 2, 2011 12:39 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
That's really interesting
Southern WV surprises me, but looks like that book covers 1930-present (sez Amazon). WLW would have had its matress-spring grade signal for much of that time, and there would have been stretch (I think) with no team in DC, Baltimore or Atlanta.
I’m guessing the BRM helped make a lot of inroads in the mid-70s, especially with Pete Rose as a sort of blue collar hero.
Need the number of that store where they make ceramics in an oven made out of damaged circus supplies. It's called Rumpled Stilts Kiln. - Jon Wurster
by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Feb 2, 2011 12:55 PM EST up reply actions
The Senators/Nationals were in DC from the early 1900's to 1960's
And the Orioles have been in Baltimore since ’54
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
You're right
It looks like there wasn’t a time when DC-Baltimore had no team.
Need the number of that store where they make ceramics in an oven made out of damaged circus supplies. It's called Rumpled Stilts Kiln. - Jon Wurster
by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Feb 2, 2011 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
Although I found the reference interesting, it didn't really surprise me
I grew up in Logan, WV in late 70s/early 80s and always remember our local radio station carrying the Reds games. They did switch over to the Braves for a couple of season in the mid 2000s but quickly switched back due to public uproar. Just about everyone I knew growing up was a Reds fan. I’m not sure if WVOW would have carried the game in the 1930s but they could have done reproductions of the games.
The Reds have recognized the loyal fan base in Logan County, WV the past couple of years by hosting a “Logan County Day” at GABP. They’ve also make winter caravan stops there for the past couple of years (although they’ve been exclusive and not open to the public).
My mom's family grew up around Logan.
They were big Reds fans. When they got older, they all moved to the DC area. My uncle was my tee ball coach, and my grandfather lived with us until he died. I’ve followed in their footsteps as a Reds fan even though I’ve never been able to do anything but follow the team from afar.
The Indians are in New Delhi
Easy mistake.
by Brendanukkah on Feb 2, 2011 9:23 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I like that we've gotten quite a bit of mileage out of this topic
by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 2, 2011 1:28 PM EST reply actions
I had no idea any part of New York state was Reds country. Cool.
"Don't turn off the TV if we've still got bats in our hands." - Dusty Baker
I'm dumbfounded that the Reds haven't linked up with a Sister City in Japan...
…with which to share our Reds fandom.
"Don't turn off the TV if we've still got bats in our hands." - Dusty Baker
The carp!
Bart: "Dad, what's a Muppet?"
Homer: "Well, it's not quite a mop, not quite a puppet, but man... (laughs, then pauses) So, to answer you question, I don't know."
I'd even listen to English broadcasts of our sister team and root about as hard as I do for Dayton. :)
"Don't turn off the TV if we've still got bats in our hands." - Dusty Baker
Gifu is Cincy's sister city
They don’t have a NPB team.
by ken on Feb 2, 2011 8:35 PM EST up reply actions
they have a cap though
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
Many cities have multiple sister cities, even from the same country.
"Don't turn off the TV if we've still got bats in our hands." - Dusty Baker
Gifu is the official and only Cincy sister city in Japan
by ken on Feb 4, 2011 2:48 PM EST up reply actions
And I am saying that Cincy should expand to also having a sister city that has a team.
"Don't turn off the TV if we've still got bats in our hands." - Dusty Baker
Northwest Reds headquarters
are here in Medford, Oregon. One of these days I’ll make the pilgrimage
to the Queen City, but for now it’s catching them in SF, Oakland or San
Diego. Of course, after many years of vacationing in Phoenix for Spring
Training, I’m looking forward to getting to Goodyear to check out the new
complex. Living in the heart of SF & Oakland territory is tough, but fond
memories of the 1990 sweep always fend off the mutants from their buzzing.
I’m sure this upcoming season will be insufferable with the Giants fans
continued talk of a repeat.
GO REDS !!
It's GO time !
Reds Print Media Footprint
To whatever point it matters, the Indy Star baseball coverage pretty much reflects whomever is winning between the Reds and Cubs. The winner gets an AP game story on the first half of the baseball spread in the sports section, the loser gets included with all the other two graf recaps/boxscores.
I rarely see the Cardinals mentioned, though that is probably because the Star doesn’t have as many readers SW on I-70 as it does NW on I-65, NE on I-69, or S, SE on I-65 and I-74.
There are at least 2 reds fans in Korea
and the potential for more. Spent most of my life away from USA. Could get WLW on the car radio cetain summer nights driving from Texas to Oklahoma. Could here it super clear in STL decades ago. MLB at bat is cool, but the time zone difference is a rough one. 7PM CST is like 10AM over here and I work. The computer network at work bans live straming, so unless I have a holiday, weekends it is. Beats hearing zero and reading about it all the time.
Rollin' in the left lane.
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