This is the text from the article on MLB.com
"CHICAGO -- Lou Piniella defended Wrigley Field fans in response to
Cincinnati broadcaster Marty Brennaman's comments that Cubs fans are
"obnoxious." Fans at Wrigley Field traditionally throw the opposing
team's home runs back onto the field, but after Adam Dunn connected
Wednesday in the eighth inning, they got carried away and tossed 15
balls onto the field. Brennaman said the behavior was "obnoxious" and
the type of action that "makes you want to see this Chicago Cubs team
lose."
"Marty's a Cincinnati guy, obviously, he's rooting for the Reds,"
Piniella said Friday. "I don't think our fans are obnoxious. I think
they get into the ballgame. They enjoy coming out to a ballgame and
that's why they draw here the way they do. It's a fun environment and
they get into it.
"As far as winning the division -- hey, I like Marty Brennaman, I
really do, I was over there for three years -- but he has nothing to
do with the Cubs winning or losing, I can tell you that," Piniella
said.
Piniella had not heard a tape of Brennaman's comments.
"Those are his opinions," said the Cubs manager, who managed the Reds
from 1990-92. "Everybody's entitled to their opinions and, obviously,
everybody's got opinions. I don't think that will have anything to do
with us winning or losing this year."
The Cubs players also defended their fans.
"I don't want to get into a war of words with him," Chicago's Mark
DeRosa said. "I respect how he handles his profession, but I didn't
agree with what he said. I think he could've used different wording.
"They're very passionate people and passionate fans," DeRosa said.
"You're torn in situations like that [when they threw balls back] --
you get a chuckle out of it, and at the same time, it wastes 10
minutes of your life. I don't think he needed to go that far with the
comments. Obviously, he has some deep-seated hatred for Chicago." "
It isnt just Marty who thinks Cubs fans are obnoxious. I reckon any
team that has regular dealings with the Cubs has a fan base that
especially dislikes the Cubs fans. Of all the fans of teams that
travel to Cinci, in my experience Cubs fans are the most annoying and
immature, whether the Cubs are having a good year or not. I once made
a trip to Chicago and saw a game at Comiskey and talked to some people
who assured me that Cubs fans were mostly jerks. Several people
sitting around chimed in in agreement. These are Chicago residents who
cant stand these fans. When I took a tour boat on Lake Michigan, the
tour guide made several derogatory comments as we passed North of
downtown about "drunken yuppie cub fans live there".
Where did those 15 balls come from that were thrown on the field? Did
some Cubs fans bring balls to the game for that purpose. That would be
just stupid. Maybe its a new trend at Wrigley or perhaps just for
Dunns bombs.
And just what exactly do Cubs fans have to celebrate? The Cubs havent
won a Series in 100 years and they have to spend money like drunken
sailors just to be competitive. To be truthful, Cubs fans should all
put paper bags over their heads and tape their mouths shut until the
Cubs actually do something to be proud of.
Cubs fans < Raiders fans < Bengals fans < Wrestling fans
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