{mosimage}Marty Brennaman had every right to call Cubs fans obnoxious during last Wednesday night’s game at Wrigley Field.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Brennaman is entirely right either.

The Reds’ Hall of Fame broadcaster began ranting on-air after Cubs fans threw nearly 20 baseballs onto the field after an eighth inning bomb by Adam Dunn that landed on Sheffield Avenue.

Click here to listen.

Of course, throwing visiting home run balls back onto the field has been a long standing tradition with Cubs fans at Wrigley. However, this isolated incident at Wrigley (Dunn’s home run) Wednesday night is not.

Unfortunately, Brennaman decided the actions of a few too many knuckleheads sitting in the bleachers are grounds to label all of Cubs Nation obnoxious.

Typically, making sweeping generalities about a group of people is a bad habit to fall victim too, as is the case here.

Not to mention, I was in attendance for the game and will vouch Marty embellished the situation.

On the other hand, stereotypes exist for a reason. And, many Cubs fans repeatedly cross the line of what is, and is not, appropriate actions while watching a game at Wrigley.

I believe Cubs Nation is a victim of its own success. The popularity of Cubs games being broadcast on super station WGN, Harry Carey, day-game baseball and Wrigley Field has sold Cubs baseball nationwide to both good and bad fans alike.

Now, it’s a game of percentages in Chicago. Simply put, the more fans a team has, the larger percentages of idiots attend the games too. And, that applies to just about every sports organization (sweeping generality!), Cincinnati included.

Believe me; the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t need to install an in-stadium fan hot-line to help identify obnoxious fans when the team was going 2-14. Only true Bengals fans were attending games during the lean years. And, where there’s no party, they’re fewer knuckleheads.

Wrigley is very much a party. After all, who wouldn’t want to cut out of work early to play in a theme park full of bars, babes and baseball known as Wrigleyville?

That being said, hangin’ in Wrigleyville is no excuse to be a jerk at the game, which presents the current problem on display Wednesday night.

While the perception of the Cubs outside Chicago may be that of a bunch of beer drinking yuppies, we know that’s not true of all its fans. To say so is a stupid comment.

Yet, we also know that when there’s a social place to be seen all different kinds of people will grace us with their presence, whether it’s at the newest nightclub or a baseball park. And, without question, Wrigley Field is a red carpet on the north side.

Wrigley Field is also undoubtedly full of true baseball fans and loyal Cub supporters, although, it’s count of gutter-balls fans we know, is high too. That, of course, is a downside of both the Cubs’ popularity and recent success on the field.

On the other hand, I actually applaud Brennaman for calling out the bleacher bums (literally), they deserved to be criticized for the ball throwing Wednesday night.

However, for Marty to suggest that the Cubs’ organization doesn’t win championships because of a few unruly fans is utterly ridiculous.

While Brennaman is entitled to his opinions (and he has a few of them), his tone sounded bitter over the air.

Perhaps, it’s Marty’s old age, the Reds losing ways, the steroids era or the thousands of Cubs fans that pack Great American Ballpark that’s gotten under Brennaman’s skin?

Still, to simply claim adventures such as the one Wednesday night in Wrigley is limited solely to the Windy City is inaccurate as well as unprofessional.

In fact, there are numerous similar, if not worse, incidences with other major team followings that rival the bleacher bums performance this week.

For instance, take the threatening emails sent to Ohio State tight end Ryan Hamby for dropping a touchdown pass against Texas in 2005, or the Illini student body chanting obscenities this season at Indiana basketball player Eric Gordon for breaking a verbal commitment to play basketball for the school?

More specifically to baseball, how about the two south side Chicago fans who went after Royals first base coach Tom Gamboa during a game in 2002.

And, Marty has to look no further than his own back yard to the Reds' Opening Day game in 1995 where Reds fans delayed the game (against the Cubs) at Riverfront by littering centerfield ith beer cups.

The point is, this type of embarrasment infects sporting events all around the world, and yes, in many different MLB ball parks besides Wrigley Field too.

Recently, Marty has reformed his comments after his Thursday interview on ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago. However, Marty still stands by his opinions expressed on the air.

Cubs skipper Lou Piniella, who worked with Marty for three seasons in Cincinnati, defended Cubs Nation after hearing the broadcaster's on-air tiff.

What’s not debatable is Lou pointing out that Brennaman has virtually nothing to do with the Cubs winning or losing ballgames.

The one thing Marty does control, however, is the Reds’ fan base. If anything, this division match-up has gone from friendly to rivalry overnight. Now, that’s something worth ranting about on radio!

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JEH45 said:

	So Marty went off? Wish i could have heard it on reds radio!
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April 23, 2008
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Bullpen Brian said:

JEH45, you can listen to the call on Reds Radio by visiting this link. http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-080417-marty-brennaman-chicago-cubs-reds,1,6962881.mp3file Chicago fans continued to comment on Marty's call all weekend on talk-radio in Chicago! Of course, it was mainly true Cubs fans that had a beef with the comments. Really, I just thought Brennaman went too far, and, I'm a huge fan of the Hall of Famer.

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April 23, 2008
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JEH45 said:

	Thanks- will check it out. Many great nights spent with Marty & Joe on Reds Radio! That was growing up and raising a family-then decided year around fishin was more important than money!
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April 23, 2008
Votes: +0

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