For many Pirate’s fans, they spent a large part of their life supporting a dreck franchise unable to sniff a winning season let alone a pennant or championship. While other teams in the city were adding rings to their thumb and hoisting Stanley Cups, the Pirates continued to be the cities largest blemish. 

It was easy to ignore the Buccos and the organization knew that and worked hard to entice ticket sales. A new ball park played host to all kinds of fun games between innings including the pierogi races and the mystery box trivia.  After years catering to the kids and non-traditional baseball fans something happened, the Pirates got good. 

They added a face of the franchise, drafted the local hot shot and elevated the play of players other teams sold at pennies on the dollar believing the tank was empty. These days the play on the field is championship level but unfortunately those in the stands are not doing their part to turn in championship performances. 

It’s all cute and fun when the game is telecast on Root Sports but it’s becoming a real issue when these clowns are shown on ESPN and being mocked by cities with hardcore baseball fans in Philly, Chicago, and St Louis. 

Take this guy for example. 

 
The worst people at a ballgame are those wearing the hat of a team not even playing. I’ll welcome the out of town trolls under the conditions that they welcome being openly mocked when they’re swept in a 4 game series nationally televised. *Cough cough* Cardinals. I have no idea what this call, well refer to him as BJ, was thinking buying tickets to a Pirates – Dodgers game nor why BJ brought and dressed up his date. 

The next equally offensive Yinzer in attendance was real excited to catch a game under the lights. So excited in fact that that he thought he’d bring his camera along for a few snapshots. 
  

This issue extends outside the confines of PNC park. Under no circumstance is it acceptable to whip your your iPad and use its camera to capture a moment. A. You look like a first ballot assclown and B. Technically speaking, the lens in an iPad is garbage and you’re better off using the tablet to google a picture someone else likely already took with a real camera. 

I don’t mean to offend all 38,362 paying customers but unfortunately the director for these marquee games will find the laughing stocks in the stands and exploit them to the national audience. We need to make a concerted effort now to nip this in the bud. If the Pirates are going to continue their winning ways we need PNC to be the kind of place that heckles the shit out of the bad guys. Remember Johnny Cueto turning to mush in the 2013 Wild Card game after those Cueeeeee-to chants? We need that every night. 

Last month when Sunday Night Baseball was in town for the final game of the Cardinals series we were coming off the most exciting comeback on the previous night. In that contest the Bucs dug the self another hole and when they gained some momentum late in the game the people in the house were more interested in a wave going around the ball park than Cutch at the plate in a position to tie the game. 

The real MVP of last night was the Nana who after 60 years as a season ticket holder finally got that souvenir every fan longs for. 

  
Ata girl.