Cub fans booing Uecker thread on NSBB.com...

[billyhallfan]

I have to say it was pretty classless of the Cubs fans to boo Uecker, what did he ever do to them, Uecker sings it that way every year, and from my knowledge had never been booed. I thought it was cool how Cubs fans sang it again after, but just some of the morons that go to Wrigley really tick me off. It is not only this, this really has nothing to do with it, I can't stand the throwing garbage on the field, I can't believe one of the posters said that the people in Chicago are welcoming to opposing fans. Mabybe down by the dugout, but I was there on June 29th, and got beer spilled on me, and I don't think it was an accident. The Cubs franchise, even though most people on here hate them, is suposed to be one of the best in sports. I find it a shame that drunken morons have to make them look like garbage. Contrary to belief around here, I have met some really knowledgable and cool cub fans, however, none of them have been at Wrigley Field.

 

Take a look at the thread, they are right about Uecker being a jerk, there is no doubt about that, he is a grumpy old man off of the microphone.

 

NSBB, has some real fans, and not the idiots that try and start fights and drink more beer than anyone else.

 

http://www.northsidebaseball.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=43727

 

 

(added tag --1992)

[TooLiveBrew]

My favorite response: "Un-classy response to an classy guy. Stop booing everything guys, you're embarrassing yourselves."

 

Amen. But they are right that he can really be a prick off the air.

 

EDIT: and proof that those beer-swilling morons have computers, too: "As we all know, the mood at Wrigley changes from "beer garden" to really intense on the rare occasion that there are meaningful late-season games. I had no problem with it"

 

The mood never changes from beer garden at Wrigley. It just goes to really intense, overreacting beer garden when games actually matter.

[Nearsighted Views]

Booing? I thought they were saying UUUUUEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK

 

Edit* It was kind of stupid to boo him but I get it. Pennant race. All that. This may be a bad example, but I can't imagine Harry Caray would get a warm reception if he did something similar at MP. (I imagine the people would be down right freaked out!)

[naivin]

One of my best friends for 20 years now is a life long, dyed in the wool Cub fan, and believe me, he and many others feel the same way. The way I generally describe it, the shirtless, waxed chest, backward hat wearing, Wrigley Field A$$ Clowns have hi-jacked Wrigley Field and the entire culture of Cubs baseball with the running on the field, booing Uecker, throwing garbage etc. It very much dates back to the Sammy Sosa era where even if the Cubs lost 8-1, so long as that run came on a Sosa home run, they all went home happy. We Got Wood...Yelling "CUBBBBBIES!" for no apparent reason...just hanging out on Waveland during the playoffs...the list goes on and on, and real Cub fans are equally annoyed by it.

[Nearsighted Views]

One of my best friends for 20 years now is a life long, dyed in the wool Cub fan, and believe me, he and many others feel the same way. The way I generally describe it, the shirtless, waxed chest, backward hat wearing, Wrigley Field A$$ Clowns have hi-jacked Wrigley Field and the entire culture of Cubs baseball with the running on the field, booing Uecker, throwing garbage etc. It very much dates back to the Sammy Sosa era where even if the Cubs lost 8-1, so long as that run came on a Sosa home run, they all went home happy. We Got Wood...Yelling "CUBBBBBIES!" for no apparent reason...just hanging out on Waveland during the playoffs...the list goes on and on, and real Cub fans are equally annoyed by it.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I was pleased to know that when I met some good Cubs fans that they are as annoyed as anyone else. I've accepted that Cubs fans that act like that are like that drunken uncle nobody likes. You don't want to have to deal with him but he's always gonna be there.

[1992casey]

NSBB, has some real fans, and not the idiots that try and start fights and drink more beer than anyone else.

I'm glad you mentioned that. When I've read that forum, I've found lot of good discussion over there.

 

While I'm not a huge fan of booing, I put this in the category of having some fun. It's kind of like booing the umps. I wouldn't get too bent out of shape about it.

[Paul77]

I've met Uecker before. It was about 13 years ago. I pulled every string I could to get into the press area after a game, I talked to everyone I knew, every usher I considered a friend (or more accurately an acquaintance) but it worked. It was my girlfriends birthday and I had already arranged to have Uecker to wish her a happy birthday on the air, which he did much to the surprise and delight of her loyal Brewer fan family members listening at home.

 

Immediately after the game we were ushered to an area on the mezzanine level. We had to wait outside a door to the press box for about 10 minutes or so (maybe longer, this is all off memory). When he came out he was polite but not what I would call friendly. He stopped, shook hands and talked briefly. My girlfriend thanked him for wishing her happy birthday on the air and he wished her happy birthday again. it was a thrill for us, but he certainly was just going through the motions.

 

I don't blame him though, you've got to remember EVERYBODY wants a piece of him - all the time - no matter where he is. Unlike other local radio/tv broadcasters who have highly localized psudo-fame, Uecker is a bona fide star in every city he travels to. Add to that the fact that he is ultra protective of his privacy (See: Ladd, Ann) and his "image" and you have the making for some outward "grumpiness.

[bthurley19]

The stretch is our thing. If Uecker wants to butcher our tradition he deserves to get booed. Cheers to all who did boo him.

 

Good to see the Cubs fans showing there brillance again. For those who don't know, the 7th inning stretch was not invented by the Cubs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_inning_stretch

[naivin]

The whole TMOTTBG 7th inning stretch is very much associated with Harry Carey, and is a staple at Wrigley. I'll grant him that, but the fact that anyone would still be proud or protective of the abomination it has become is disturbing. It was bad enough when Carey was there, but it manged to actually get worse since he died - appreciably worse. The time to retire the whole having someone sing it passed about a dozen drunk "celebrity" versions ago. The fact that Uecker wasn't hammered should be reason enough not to boo him.

 

Yet another example of the prevailing ********* culture at Wrigley Field that I completely overlooked.

 

 

(Note: Circumventing the word filter violates forum rules, but saying "ass" doesn't... I've edited the word into the text above. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif --1992)

[1992casey]

The seventh inning stretch is everyone's tradition. "Root for the Cubbies" is their tradition. Bob goes against that tradition once annually, and he's booed once annually. I say the fans should be cut some slack to happily boo him.

[Brian the Automator]

At least our announcer's still alive.

[Braminano]

Uecker should've pulled the Bernie Mac "Root root root for the CHAMPS" 7th inning Stretch.

Mac performed during Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS.

[billyhallfan]

92casey, they didn't only boo him after he said root for the Brewers, they booed him when he was announced, before he even got a word out, why???

[hart attack 2006]

Uecker has sang there at least twice before and not really gotten booed (except when he sings "root root for the Brewers"). This year was different because the Brewers-Cubs games are meaningful. He's getting booed because he represents the Brewers.

 

If MP had a similar guest singer for the stretch, and Ron Santo sang it, I'm positive he would get booed by most Brewers fans, myself included. Ron does alot of great charity work and seems to be an overall good guy (but a bad broadcaster), but I would boo him loudly as he represents the Cubs.

[billyhallfan]

not me, Ron is a guy that belongs in the hall and loves his team, why boo a guy that has passion for his team and was a great player? He may be a bad broadcaster, but he is still a great guy, it is a shame that Brewers fans would do the same...

[hart attack 2006]

Like I said, Ron is a great guy...might do more for charities than any other MLB broadcaster. knowing that, he would still get razzed as he represents the Cubbies.

 

It;s like in football when people boo the opponents' chearleaders. Chances are that they aren't booing attractive girls in short skirts.

[1992casey]

Bob was booed because fans knew exactly what he was about to do. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif In a different context, it would have been classless to boo him.

 

In Santo's case, I'd hope Milwaukee fans wouldn't automatically boo him simply because he represents the Cubs. That would also be classless. If he tried to get the crowd to cheer for the Cubs, that'd be different.

[billyhallfan]

so they didn't want him to sing? Half the people that were there were drunk and had no idea what was going on any way...

 

booing santo would just be stupid...

[rluzinski]

I have a working theory that the people who most often complain about celebrities being grumpy or unfriendly to the public are the kind of people who made them that way to begin with. I'm sure Uecker gets hounded all the time and it probably got old in about the 80's.

[billyhallfan]

so rluzinski--at the Brewers on deck when I got a ball signed by Uecker, the first time I've ever been within a foot of him, and he was acting like it was a pain to be there and wasn't nice at all, that is my fault?

 

That makes a whole lot of sense.

[HebrewHammer]

I me t Bob when I was younger and he was nice. We had passes at County Stadium to the press boxes and such before the game. (We got to sit in a press box for the entire game, it was cool) We met Bob and he seemed a little surprised to see people in the press box. He shook the adults hands and said hi to us kids. He then spent about 5 minutes telling a story to us all the way Bob Uecker tells stories about how he got into broadcasting and his first game on the air. It had to do with why he announces solo mainly. He was with a crew for a game when he was just starting up and they went out of the booth between innings to get some food or smoke or something. They closed the door and didn't come back. He was freaking out a bit as the game was about to resume and they were coming back on the air and looked out to see them all standing there laughing. He knew he had a show to do and just kept going. The rest is history. Before we left he signed some baseballs we got and were having various players, etc sign during BP (we got to go on the field!).

 

All in all, he seemed like a nice enough guy. Especially since he was obviously preparing for his show. It was really cool.

 

I mean, the Bob Uecker we here on the radio and see on TV is an act. People realize this, right? I mean, he's not a circus or anything, but he's a showman putting on a show for his audience. You can't expect him to be the guy he plays on radio and TV in person. He's just a man. He's not going to please 100% of the people 100% of the time.

[M Skjellyfetti]

When I first read that thread, I was kind of shocked by how many people were justifying booing Uecker because they're playing against a rival in a pennant race. That justification doesn't sit well with me, because it just doesn't make much sense in my mind. Now, I do believe that a lot of it was possibly just good-natured ribbing. I suppose that doesn't bug me too much--it's not what I would do, but I'm not really a boo-er, so I guess I don't understand the whole mindset.

[HebrewHammer]

I have a working theory that the people who most often complain about celebrities being grumpy or unfriendly to the public are the kind of people who made them that way to begin with. I'm sure Uecker gets hounded all the time and it probably got old in about the 80's.

I'd probably agree with that. People always say it's just a minute they want, but when you have a million people that only want a minute, it doesn't scale well. People don't seem to be able to differentiate between fantasy and the real world. Many famous people are famous for the show they put on. They aren't really these people, but I've heard countless showmen say people always expect them to be like the person they are on TV or whatever.

Jerry Seinfeld has said it's tough meeting fans and such because they always expect him to be funny and entertaining. He's just a guy most of the time like anyone else.

 

Same with Uecker I'd imagine. He's funny, personable and entertaining on his show. But that's why he has a show. In reality he's just another guy. He can't be that guy all the time. You can't expect a guy to be like how you perceive him when you meet him. And when the false perception doesn't live up to the reality, people call them jerks.

[rluzinski]

so rluzinski--at the Brewers on deck when I got a ball signed by Uecker, the first time I've ever been within a foot of him, and he was acting like it was a pain to be there and wasn't nice at all, that is my fault?

 

What did he do to you that you considered, "not nice".

[T B0NE 10]

doesnt uecker say "ill root root for the brewers and you the same for the cubs...." thats what i heard him say last time he sang it