Markieff & Marcus Morris: "Suns have worst fans in the NBA"

[Covert Rain]

This is a two way street. If they can call out the fans for lack of support I am more than sure they are OK when fans call them out for laying an egg on the court.

 

[TJ]

The Cards biggest problem was the garbage dump of a stadium they played in, the crowds started showing up as soon as they got a legit building and they certainly were not any good yet.

The Dbacks, somehow, have middle of the road attendance the last few years despite being a dumpster fire.

The Suns problem is they were a good team for so long, unlike the Cards and Dbacks, that the fan base got spoiled. Mediocrity hasn't sat well and being downright bad sat worse. The franchise has also done a piss poor job of marketing the team, they put a lot of stock in some baaaad guys to try and sell the fans on and it has burned them.

They need to settle on an image too. Aesthetically they've got some ugly stuff going on, and I think that is an underrated issue. A mess of logos and colors (halloween?) and a hideous floor scheme. They need to embrace the past, back when it was not a bandwagon fan base.

Even when the Cards got their own stadium, while the attendance went up, the passion behind the team was lackluster at best. The support didn't come until the Super Bowl appearance, and when there was a mass exodus of talent in 2010, the support quickly vanquished. Just like when the Suns lost Amare, Nash, etc. Yes, attendance is an indicator for support, but it really isnt the end-all-be-all. Look at the way we discuss this team versus the Cardinals. We're genuinely excited to talk about possible championships versus just surviving with the Suns.

The D-Backs ranked 22nd in the league in attendance at roughly 25k per game, which is a 33% dip from their championship run; and most of their games are dominated by transplant Dodger, Cub, etc. fans.

Markieff's statement holds water, but it was in poor taste. If he wants to increase the fan support, he and his teammates can't get throttled at home by one of our most hated rivals.

 

[82CardsGrad]

They're not a likable team. Their best players have zero charisma, they don't share the ball, and they make incredibly stupid mistakes. Even diehard fans on this board find them difficult to watch. I'm not in the least bit surprised that the crowd is apathetic.

Len is the most likeable player on the team... Incredible to think we have just one...

 

[asudevil83]

Len is the most likeable player on the team... Incredible to think we have just one...

This is the general consensus. But less we forget, that MOST of us wanted Len gone after 3 months into last season.

I have a curious question. Want about every other player makes them unlikable. I know there are obvious reason for some players, but i'm truely curious.

 

[elindholm]

This is the general consensus. But less we forget, that MOST of us wanted Len gone after 3 months into last season.

True, and I was leading that charge. I'm still not sold on Len, but I agree that he's the most promising player on the team as things currently stand.

I have a curious question. Want about every other player makes them unlikable. I know there are obvious reason for some players, but i'm truely curious.

Bledsoe always looks depressed and avoids eye contact with his teammates; even his celebratory jump-bumps seem strained and dutiful. The Morrises are soft posers, awkwardly trying to don tough-guy personas in order to mask how weird they are. Green shoots every time he touches the ball and pouts if he misses a few in a row, as though it's anyone's fault but his. Tucker is a menace to society; on the court, his energy is positive but he consistently hurts the team by trying to do too much, especially on fast breaks. Knight hasn't done anything to distinguish himself; admittedly, I don't recognize him well yet, but I go through long stretches of not being aware that he's on the floor.

Those are the main guys. Warren and Goodwin seem okay, and Wright is pretty anonymous.

 

[Errntknght]

I find Archie Goodwin quite likeable and I used to think PJ was. Bullock, Knight, and Thornton are too new to tell. I don't feel like I've seen enough of Barron or Warren either. The Morri have these permanent scowls it seems. I imagine for people we don't actually know their facial expressions are what we use to judge them likeable or not. In PJ's case what I liked was his exuberance.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't think every player on the team is unlikable but as a unit, they are. Some of that is due to the lack of good leadership.

Steve

 

[chickenhead]

The Suns by and large have enjoyed great fan support for close to 50 years now. Players who've only been on the team for a few years and who didn't grow up cheering for it don't really know anything about anything. It's also pretty ridiculous for Markief to tell a fan that "you have to take the good with the bad" when he can't even handle a dip in crowd enthusiasm.

I used to point out the disadvantages Phoenix sometimes has a market compared to others with larger corporate based and fewer transplants, but the reality is that after having lived in a number of cities with "storied" franchises, I don't find Phoenix's supposed bandwagon nature to be all that unique. Fans get frustrated everywhere, and "unwavering" support almost never holds true across all of a city's teams.

 

[sunsfan88]

This is a two way street. If they can call out the fans for lack of support I am more than sure they are OK when fans call them out for laying an egg on the court.

Ah but see a fan did just that, and this is how Marcus Morris responded

https://twitter.com/ScottHoward42/status/571931715565953024

 

[mojorizen7]

Good. Maybe the paying fanbase is finally getting smart. I hope they continue to stop coming.
The franchise needs a sports culture enema, starting at the top with the owner. Sadly, this may be the only way that we can get rid of Sarver. He's a savvy business man...not a quality NBA owner.

Get an owner, GM, HC and players in here who know what it takes to compete for a championship and play top 5 defense on a nightly basis.

Suns fans are passionate, loyal and dedicated but i've often questioned the intelligence of those who have seemingly enabled this culture of offensive-oriented basketball...yet wonder why the trophy case is still empty in PHX.

I've said it before, Suns fans, the team and this town deserve a championship...but until the culture changes it'll never happen IMO. Fans have a partial responsibility to that culture.

Morris: What a really dumb thing to say as a member of a professional sports team.

 

[JCSunsfan]

They're not a likable team. Their best players have zero charisma, they don't share the ball, and they make incredibly stupid mistakes. Even diehard fans on this board find them difficult to watch. I'm not in the least bit surprised that the crowd is apathetic.

Alas, tis true.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Its part of the problem in professional sports today. Players treat fans like they are their followers, the pawns on the chessboard. This is not a college or high school where you go out to support your boys.

This is the entertainment industry. The fans are the customers. They pay the bills. It is the team's responsibility for the team to put a product on the floor that ignites the fans.

The Cardinals did it, and not just because they built a stadium. That building and the run that they had under Kurt Warner showed a potential for winning. The Cardinals also were enduring a declining owner (age etc) and were able to make the transition to a new owner.

 

[Phrazbit]

Its part of the problem in professional sports today. Players treat fans like they are their followers, the pawns on the chessboard. This is not a college or high school where you go out to support your boys.

This is the entertainment industry. The fans are the customers. They pay the bills. It is the team's responsibility for the team to put a product on the floor that ignites the fans.

The Cardinals did it, and not just because they built a stadium. That building and the run that they had under Kurt Warner showed a potential for winning. The Cardinals also were enduring a declining owner (age etc) and were able to make the transition to a new owner.

I'm not saying it was entirely the new stadium that got the fans supporting them, but I do think the OLD stadium was a serious problem and it kept a lot of people who genuinely liked the team away. I went to games at SDS and sitting on metal bleachers at 2pm in September is not an enjoyable experience.

 

[sunsfan88]

They're not a likable team. Their best players have zero charisma, they don't share the ball, and they make incredibly stupid mistakes. Even diehard fans on this board find them difficult to watch. I'm not in the least bit surprised that the crowd is apathetic.

I wish I could say this wasn't the case.

Steve

Len is the most likeable player on the team... Incredible to think we have just one...

Alas, tis true.

Agreed.

 

[BC867]

Knight hasn't done anything to distinguish himself; admittedly, I don't recognize him well yet, but I go through long stretches of not being aware that he's on the floor.

Because he is another Point Guard who wants to be the man running the offense and, just as Dragic, he is not.

I'll bet he is counting the days until he is a free agent. Some of us posted after the trade that he would not be happy here.

Just another testimonial to the obsession of Ryan McDonough and his recent quote that, as long as he is here, the Suns are going to start a 2-Point Guard lineup.

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

I don't want to keep posting this. I want to see a Suns team that is balanced and consistent . . . and draws fans.

 

[Bert]

I cant believe anyone would even remotely justify these clowns by even insinuating; "thats phoenix" or "Welcome to AZ."

The Suns haven't made the playoffs in 5 years. The Suns have made one moronic move after another. The suns have traded away or let walk every fan favorite for the past 10 years. People dont like the owner, they dont like Babby, they dont like our players.

But none of that matters, it's not the fans fault. The idiot twins have shown one thing perfectly clear this year, they are immature, selfish little crybabies who take no accountability for anything they do. Blame the refs, blame the fans, anyone but the two morons wearing orange.

You NEVER EVER blame the fans. under any circumstance. You dont do it. Total fail, they owe me and every other Suns fan an apology. You're a freaking professional, do your job you little wuss.

PS I was at the Golden State game the other night and the place was rocking.

Screw both the twins. Weak minded little victims who blame everyone but themselves. "It aint fair!" Really Markief? It aint fair? How many games have your tech's cost us this year? Every game counts Markief? How bout that game before the all star break you guys gave away because you "needed a break." Your selfishness is what is not fair. The fact that you get paid millions of dollars to play a game while others work themselves to death to barely scrape by is not fair. Do you really want to get in a discussion about what is fair you morons?

Suns fan for life, will never ever cheer for the Morris crybabies again. I would love it if every Suns fan at the next home game would turn his back on him every time he's at the foul line.

 

[sunsfan88]

Because he is another Point Guard who wants to be the man running the offense and, just as Dragic, he is not.

I'll bet he is counting the days until he is a free agent. Some of us posted after the trade that he would not be happy here.

Just another testimonial to the obsession of Ryan McDonough and his recent quote that, as long as he is here, the Suns are going to start a 2-Point Guard lineup.

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

I don't want to keep posting this. I want to see a Suns team that is balanced and consistent . . . and draws fans.

Like I said on another forum, there really isn't anything positive about this team right now.

 

[SirStefan32]

They're not a likable team. Their best players have zero charisma, they don't share the ball, and they make incredibly stupid mistakes. Even diehard fans on this board find them difficult to watch. I'm not in the least bit surprised that the crowd is apathetic.

I couldn't agree more. If it weren't for Len (and to a lesser degree TJ and Archie, though they are not getting much playing time), I would not even bother turning the games on. Can't make it through an entire game anyway.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Like I said on another forum, there really isn't anything positive about this team right now.

I wouldn't go this far. I still enjoying watching them play most nights. As a team they aren't as enjoyable as they have been in season's past and all told they aren't a particularly likable group. But I think saying there is nothing positive goes way overboard. Just one game ago people were talking excitedly about the OKC performance.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

the twins are complete morons.

 

[sunsfan88]

The Suns by and large have enjoyed great fan support for close to 50 years now. Players who've only been on the team for a few years and who didn't grow up cheering for it don't really know anything about anything. It's also pretty ridiculous for Markief to tell a fan that "you have to take the good with the bad" when he can't even handle a dip in crowd enthusiasm.

I used to point out the disadvantages Phoenix sometimes has a market compared to others with larger corporate based and fewer transplants, but the reality is that after having lived in a number of cities with "storied" franchises, I don't find Phoenix's supposed bandwagon nature to be all that unique. Fans get frustrated everywhere, and "unwavering" support almost never holds true across all of a city's teams.

Exactly and not only that, the fans have been fine when the team has been actually good.

Even season ticket holders can attest to that

https://twitter.com/ScottHoward42/status/571922044545187840

 

[binkar]

My family had season tickets for 28 years ending in 2011. The crowd got incredibly corporate and less passionate. When the second half would start it seemed like two-thirds of the crowd weren't in their seats. The lower bowl looked like a high-end fashion show. It's a completely different type of crowd than any other I've been in, including the other local teams.

 

[GatorAZ]

I think the twins are trying to get traded at this point.

 

[AZCrazy]

My family had season tickets for 28 years ending in 2011. The crowd got incredibly corporate and less passionate. When the second half would start it seemed like two-thirds of the crowd weren't in their seats. The lower bowl looked like a high-end fashion show. It's a completely different type of crowd than any other I've been in, including the other local teams.

True enough. It's like that in most sports venues now.
Once ticket prices soar past $100 per seat per ticket, passionate (read: working class) fans aren't coming any more.

If taking my family of four to a game means an outlay of more than five hundred dollars, it's not happening more than once a year. And to watch this cast of no-names put of one of the worst performances in 50 years and then complain about the tepid fan enthusiasm after the game - all but guarantees I won't waste my dollars again anytime soon.

 

[Bert]

True enough. It's like that in most sports venues now.
Once ticket prices soar past $100 per seat per ticket, passionate (read: working class) fans aren't coming any more.

If taking my family of four to a game means an outlay of more than five hundred dollars, it's not happening more than once a year. And to watch this cast of no-names put of one of the worst performances in 50 years and then complain about the tepid fan enthusiasm after the game - all but guarantees I won't waste my dollars again anytime soon.

Couldn't agree more.

Bickley, who I dont agree with that often, absolutely crushed it on 12 Sports Night tonight.

Just talked about how bad the Suns have been and how it's a miracle anyone is still going with how much of a circus it has been with all the drama and stuff.

Then he talked about the Moron twins and how they have been costing the team games with technicals, then they showed Marcus screaming and stepping to Hornacek during a game. Basically just told both twins to shut up, grow up and show up instead of whining.

This town doesn't owe the Suns anything. The Suns owe us a championship. We have been as patient and loyal as one could expect especially from a city full of transplants. I'm a native and have jumped for joy way less often than I have cried in agony when it comes to the Suns. The Suns owe us a championship.