I wish Suns fans were as hardcore as other NBA team fans.

[moninghaly]

suns have fans?

thats new to me, i thought they all bandwagoners, take a look at the seats when the lakers play the suns

 

[moninghaly]

we should trade Nash

 

[TucsonDevil]

I haven't posted in the Forum much over the past couple of years, but I want to speak up and defend Suns' fans.

Having grown up in the Valley, those that are fairly new residents don't realize the growth that Phoenix has endured in the last 40 years - even the last 15 years. Its tough to compare East Coast Cities/Fan bases since those areas have grown mainly generational births, and have a net loss in migration patterns over that same time span. The country as a whole has moved West over the past 30 years to escape the East Coast congestion. In addition, CA has been spilling over into Arizona/Colorado/Nevada quite heavily in the past couple of decades.

Why is this relevant? Transplants have heavily watered down the fan base. It's hard for outsiders to understand and comprehend why there isn't more Suns paraphernalia being worn on the streets, few cars with Suns colors/bumper stickers/decals... The truth is, the guy standing next to you at the grocery store probably moved here 7-8 years ago and likes the Bulls. Don't take lake of public display as evidence of apathy. Its just the physical numbers greatly offset the fan base numbers, and that is a reality in Phoenix.

BTW, I recently moved away from Arizona - and, for the first time ever, I purchased NBA League Pass this year to watch the Suns... I will also be going to one of their games here in SLC, wearing my Raja Bell Suns Jersey

 

[Gaddabout]

I think he's referring to the atmosphere in the old building...and he's right.

I practically lived in that building as a kid, and all I remember is people shouting at my dad to sit down and stop yelling. LOL Fans would get up for the Lakers and Boston, but in general it was pretty sleepy. There were definitely more drunks back then, but it didn't really translate to energy.

I would agree with you in general during the playoffs, because the Suns fanbase has always had a chip on its shoulders ... back when it was a small town desperately wanting to prove it was a big city. That culminated in the early 80s for those amazing defenses. By the mid-80s those fans disappeared and Colangelo was easily the most-hated man in Arizona. When Colangelo bought the team, he knew the only way he was going to get butts in the seats was to reinvent the team as a corporate draw, and that's exactly what you got with the team at America West Arena.

Now, ASU football, those fans back in the day were nuts, but that disappeared around the same time.

 

[devilalum]

You mean like when I was a kid and they were giving away two free Suns tickets in every Sunday Republic? I would never call Suns fans fanatical. Not as a group. And Suns were about two minutes away from being moved to San Diego -- because the drug scandal had taken a mediocre fan base and turned it into about 10,000 empty seats -- before Colangelo stepped in and bought the team in the late 80s.

The drug scandal wasn't the fans fault and if there was ever a reason to abandon your cities team I think that was it.

 

[Mulli]

Colangelo was most hated in Az I'm mid 80s? I don't remember that.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Colangelo was most hated in Az I'm mid 80s? I don't remember that.

There were some that hated him and apparently Matt traveled in that circle. AFAIC, Jerry was nowhere near the top of that most hated list although he did climb a bit higher in the 90's because he was blamed for the fact that public funds were used.

Steve

 

[JCSunsfan]

There were some that hated him and apparently Matt traveled in that circle. AFAIC, Jerry was nowhere near the top of that most hated list although he did climb a bit higher in the 90's because he was blamed for the fact that public funds were used.

Steve

Agreed. When he put together an ownership group to keep the team here he was nearly SAINTED.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Agreed. When he put together an ownership group to keep the team here he was nearly SAINTED.

Even if Jerry had turned evil we had more than enough car salesmen turned politicians to keep him on a lower rung.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

Agreed. When he put together an ownership group to keep the team here he was nearly SAINTED.

Before this happened I used to watch the low attendance records at Suns games and wonder, how long would the Suns be able to survive in Phoenix. I even remember going to the State fair and getting free Suns tickets with fair admission. I don't think many Suns fans realize how close Phoenix was to losing the Suns. JC being able to keep the Suns in Phoenix will always win him a warm spot in my heart.

 

[Gaddabout]

The drug scandal wasn't the fans fault and if there was ever a reason to abandon your cities team I think that was it.

Wasn't saying it was, but the fanbase was week already. The drug scandal scattered most of the remaining die-hards. By the time Colangelo came around, he had to rebuild the fanbase with new people.

 

[Gaddabout]

Colangelo was most hated in Az I'm mid 80s? I don't remember that.

All you had to do was listen to 620. Colangelo was reviled for being incompetent. He took the blame for bad ownership. Oh, and DJ-for-Robey. That kind of sealed the deal. And Georgi Gluchkov, who was an 8th round pick, but was still way over-hyped before arriving.

 

[Mainstreet]

All you had to do was listen to 620. Colangelo was reviled for being incompetent. He took the blame for bad ownership. Oh, and DJ-for-Robey. That kind of sealed the deal. And Georgi Gluchkov, who was an 8th round pick, but was still way over-hyped before arriving.

Maybe this is open to interpretation. Yes, Jerry made mistakes but he always tried to remedy his mistakes. The Robey trade was obviously a mistake. Also when he tried coaching the Suns was a mistake. However, no matter how the ball bounced, JC learned from his mistakes.

 

[Gaddabout]

Maybe this is open to interpretation. Yes, Jerry made mistakes but he always tried to remedy his mistakes. The Robey trade was obviously a mistake. Also when he tried coaching the Suns was a mistake. However, no matter how the ball bounced, JC learned from his mistakes.

I don't disagree with that and I never hated Colangelo. I always blamed DIAL ownership. Colangelo was always restricted in what he could do because he had to keep salaries down.

 

[mojorizen7]

I wish Colangelo had never left....or at least had left and returned. This franchise is in dire need of resurrection and Sarver isn't the man for the job obviously.

 

[BC867]

Check this out. I wonder if they ever visit Phoenix and know how to spell "Sarver" and "yourself".

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/sh...ne-banner-calling-for-firing-?urn=nfl-wp14979

 

[ninous26]

Check this out. I wonder if they ever visit Phoenix and know how to spell "Sarver" and "yourself".

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/sh...ne-banner-calling-for-firing-?urn=nfl-wp14979

This would never happen in PHX. No one cares enough or is willing to spend money on that.