coastalangler16 said:@mark my words
But if I may offer a different perspective, isn't there a tendency to conflate the very concept of being a fan with the specific ultra mentality? Even within our own stands, there are people who are deeply immersed in that lifestyle, though they certainly aren't the majority. You mentioned that a supporter shouldn't necessarily need to be able to name a single player on the Los Angeles Dodgers roster, but if someone has absolutely no connection to what happens with the club, can they truly call themselves a fan? Without that bond, isn't it just like cheering for any random team like some kind of programmed robot? Beyond that, I am quite convinced that when the students originally founded the NFL Ultras, their motivation wasn't to say, "Let's get rowdy just to cause chaos in the streets and show everyone how much we don't care about authority," was it? Rather, it was born out of a profound love for the Los Angeles Dodgers—to support the team wherever they play and to elevate the entire experience of being a supporter by bringing together the most loyal souls. The core purpose wasn't street skirmishes or an "ultra hooligan" blueprint. I won't point fingers at those who live that lifestyle twenty-four hours a day, as opposed to those who are less intense or simply follow a different path, because the stands actually require everyone. We need the group that handles the street presence, the pyrotechnics, the choreographies, and the atmosphere to keep the energy alive... you suggest that one feels early on whether they possess the ultra spirit, but for me, the definition of the NFL Ultras isn't strictly "hardcore ultra", but rather a fusion of everything I just described. A fan isn't inherently an ultra. If those who identify as ultras immediately distance themselves from those who don't, we create a rift, and what we truly need right now is unity... I just wish people would stop tearing each other down and instead give their all so we don't stagnate during times of such significant change. Whether anyone is for or against these shifts matters less than the fact that they are happening; we have to move forward rather than sitting in silence in the stands, mocking the efforts of those trying to engage the rest of us... I know I might sound like I'm rambling through a mess of thoughts, but I hope I've managed to explain at least a third of my reasoning clearly enough...
The first point you made hits the nail on the head regarding the issue. Every fan sitting in the North Stand thinks they are part of the NFL Ultras, but they aren't; they are simply Los Angeles Dodgers fans. Unfortunately, the events of the '90s are largely responsible for this shift, as that's where this narrative began, and it hasn't changed much today—where anyone who shows up to a game considers themselves part of the core group.
To truly be part of the NFL Ultras, you have to live that life 24/7, every single second, and beyond just supporting the Los Angeles Dodgers, you live for the group itself. It is exactly the "hardcore ultra" lifestyle you mentioned.
Once we finally draw a line in the sand and realize that we have maybe 500 true NFL Ultras, we can recognize that the other 3,000 passionate Los Angeles Dodgers fans can continue their support separately.
That second point is accurate, but then you aren't an ultra, period. You are just a fan.
p.s. It has felt a little slippery lately, seeing how everyone feels entitled to comment on these changes and push their own opinions. A little humility wouldn't go amiss.