Fans
The unusual sight of the official Nets Twitter feed criticizing Nets fans for not cheering loudly enough – followed by another tweet saying "disregard previous tweet" – has set off some interesting debate about whether Nets fans are, to use the technical term, lame.
This idea certainly jibes with a fan we quoted a few days earlier who said of the last home game, “Terrible barely engaged crowd. Never had any intensity.” Most commenters seem to agree.
Seeing thousands of Raptors fans gathered outside their arena cheering gave extra weight to the accusation. Fan Chris Fattorusso writes of the last home game, “3/4 the fans were late they weren't loud during team introductions and have to be told when to chant. Basically it will be years if ever Brooklyn ever has a rabid Fan base for this team.”
A few theories that have occurred to us or were suggested by fans about why Nets fans may lack sufficient intensity:
The Nets beat reporter Lenn Robbins tweeted from the Nets official account:
#Nets fans take note- this is what a playoff crowd sounds like..set your DVD and take notes #RAPTORSvNETS - LR
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) May 1, 2014
UPDATE: The Nets put out this tweet this morning:
Lenn Robbins' tweet last night didn't represent our organization's feelings. We have great fans. Looking frwrd to seeing u Friday for Game 6
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) May 1, 2014
More on this topic: Are the Nets fans sluggish?
Some responses to the Nets tweet:
Ouch. RT @BrooklynNets: #Nets fans take note- this is what a playoff crowd sounds like
— Faraz Hyder (@angrybrownguy) May 1, 2014
@TheBKGame @BrooklynNets it's truthier than Paul Pierce
— chet desai (@chet_desai) May 1, 2014
... MORE →
UPDATE: Brooklyn Nets beat reporter Lenn Robbins tweeted this during Game 5 in the Air Canada Centre in Toronto:
#Nets fans take note- this is what a playoff crowd sounds like..set your DVD and take notes #RAPTORSvNETS - LR
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) May 1, 2014
Discussion below.
A friend who attended last night's game wrote:
"Terrible barely engaged crowd. Never had any intensity. Seats were empty in significant number well into the 1st and 3rd quarters. Turn on just for a few minutes games in any of the markets that are involved now with the possible exceptions of DC and Charlotte and you'll immediately sense college level fierce intensity. I was flabbergasted. The PA guy had to plead with the crowd."
Do you agree?
Some responses:
@BSchulzBKN @TheBKGame it was OK. Its a reactionary crowd not a crowd that makes it happen. BK chant sucks
— Fat Nose (@bambambigganose) April 28, 2014
@thebklynbrigade @thebkgame BKN Nets fans need a chant to get the crowd hype. NJ didn't do that bcuz we didn't need it
— Joey Alonso (@JLAroxx24) April 28, 2014
@TheBKGame It's not the crowd's fault if team's effort is lackluster. Players get paid big $$$ to show up+get it done, regardless of crowd.
— dca (@jersey_dca) April 28, 2014
@TheBKGame the fans were not sluggish last night. Check out my video of the crowd last night. Down 6, 2 min to go. http://t.co/xZoxyMnK3w
— Anderson Varejao (@NickGiglioo) April 28, 2014
@BSchulzBKN @TheBKGame nets dont have a good crowd bc the fans arent die hards
— Fat Nose (@bambambigganose) April 28, 2014
@TheBKGame "Fans" too busy buying merch, getting drinks, eating, and seeing the arena for the first time to get into the game
— Deo (@LEOEIV) April 28, 2014
... MORE →
Our friends at Brooklyn Based (a great source for stuff to do and things to eat in Brooklyn) interviewed Toko Shenegalia, who, as they note, is the closest thing the Brooklyn Nets have to someone actual living in Brooklyn. His cousins live in Bensonhurst.
When Steven Weinberg asked Toko where in Brooklyn he would take his girlfriend for dinner he says Nobu -- which, yes, is in Manhattan. He describes the spectacularly good and expensive and acclaimed restaurant as "a pretty good place."
If the Brooklyn Nets are going to insist on not living in Brooklyn, could they at least eat here?
Other interesting bit in the brief interview:
How are home games in Brooklyn different from games you’ve played in other places?
In Europe it’s big difference I would say. For instance some of the team fans just stand the whole game and sing and dance, and it doesn’t stop. They would be throwing coins and everything on the court. So, pretty much crazy, crazier fans than we have here.
Brooklyn fans are less crazy than Europeans? Are we going to take that?
Here are your grades for Friday's game against the Bobcats. Dont forget to vote for tonight's game here.
... MORE →
