Bad Boys
in Fans ·
Henry Flores3 said:Maybe we just need to change the mentality of this city. I moved here from the Midwest this year to finish my degree. Since I don't have a crew to go to games with, I tried convincing everyone in my study group to come along (they're all locals). Every single one of them laughed at me, saying they aren't interested in cheering for "some kids from middle school." Honestly, I want to know: where is the shame in supporting the symbol of your own city? Does it matter if you're 15, 20, or 30? After asking about ten different guys and getting the exact same response, I'm convinced this is how most people feel. Isn't it pathetic how they'll spend every weekend getting wasted to some trashy country music lyrics instead? That's the real issue right there. If we could actually rally 10,000 people for a protest—which should be easy—we'd have sent Mamić to the moon by now. This city needs to wake up. Sorry for the rant, but I can't stop thinking about it... See you at The North Stand in a few days. ☺
You can't shift the mindset of the general public overnight, but you can influence individuals. No group invitation is going to force someone—like a high schooler or a college student who’s never been to a game—to show up at the North Stand on their own for the first time. The only thing that works is exactly what you're doing: inviting friends and colleagues to join you just once so they can see what being part of the Bad Boys is actually about. That adrenaline and atmosphere will hook some people, while others won't; what can you do? The goal is to break through that initial resistance and those stupid prejudices.
I went through the exact same thing back in high school. You could ask ten guys and not find a single one willing to go to a game even if you were Saint Peter himself. But after five or six attempts, you finally break them down, bring them along, and lo and behold, they love it. Two years and a hundred invites later, I had a solid group of ten. It might not sound like much, but it's a tenfold improvement. Don't give up😉.
If everyone makes their own small contribution, we'll see massive progress.