Comments on: Tweet of the Day: Denard Span wonders what “Natitude” is

By: razorbyrd

razorbyrd — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 22:25:05 +0000

complaining about petty little things like marketing slogans just shows how bitter you are about their success… sorry they’re not the lightning rod of jokes that they’ve been in the past, looks like you’ll have to find some other team to pick on…

By: crabcakesfootball

crabcakesfootball — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:53:11 +0000

And why is Craig making up that fans think this is some organic thing. Who is saying the fans created this. Of course the Nats did.

Of course it was marketing, but it worked and fans liked it. I guess we should feel awful for this?

By: crabcakesfootball

crabcakesfootball — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:42:40 +0000

It also doesnt hurt when people like Gio and Werth use the phrase all the time.

Why should the Nats fans not embrace it when our players ARE embracing it.

By: crabcakesfootball

crabcakesfootball — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:41:38 +0000

I think a lot of Nats fans really enjoyed it. You see it all over peoples facebook posts when they win. Its easy to just say, “oh so lame”, like your a teenager who hates everything (Mom shut up!!!), but its kind of fun and for it to come about when they started winning, I dont think its going anywhere.

Also, Is it bad that a marketing ploy (and a good team) actually worked? Are we all supposed to think that we are all so high and mighty that marketing doesnt work on us?

I will continue to ignite my natitude when we sign Grienke and win the divison again.

By: bozosforall

bozosforall — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:26:25 +0000

Denard, if you really want to know, just ask the Iggys…you know the Iggys With Natitude “aka IWN”. They comin straight outta Southeast in case you want to know where to find them.

By: raysfan1

raysfan1 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:58:00 +0000

…and the Braves fans weren’t even original in that. The Detroit Tigers fans did the same thing after a controversial call in the 1934 World Series.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?feature=related&v=lf3mgmEdfwg

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:03:36 +0000

Craig tried to double down on his trolling by suggesting that most of us (not just Nats fans, but fans in general) are dupes for teams’ marketing departments. Not only is that lame, it’s wrong. For ex., for all the ridicule we Nats fans have heaped upon the whole “Natitude” thing, he oughta know better.

By: maegreen18

maegreen18 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:54:14 +0000

Love this post. Natitude…give me a break.

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:53:02 +0000

Why anyone would thumbs-down such wit is beyond me.

BTW, I have it on good authority that Santa is a Nats fan. He wears the Nats’ colors, for cryin’ out loud!

By: pdowdy83

pdowdy83 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:26:45 +0000

Oops I fat fingered the thumbs down button on Craig’s response. Must remember to zoom before trying to hit a thumb on a smart phone…smh

By: pdowdy83

pdowdy83 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:24:34 +0000

I think Nationals fans mainly look at “Natitude” as a joke. I don’t think I know a single fan of the team that is trying to turn it into “an organic fan inspired” concept. From what I’ve seen it is viewed in a similar light as Craig’s viewing of the tomahawk chop.

By: natslady

natslady — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:03:06 +0000

Also, my grandmother was born in the year 1898 in North Dakota. She was 21 years of age in 1919. She didn’t have the right to vote. History makes me kinda sensitive.

By: natslady

natslady — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:02:23 +0000

I think Bobby Three-Sticks is a great player. I wish I could root for his team, but I can’t. That’s the difference between you and me, Craig. Sometimes symbols ARE important and not just “marketing and promotions.”

By: natslady

natslady — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:57:26 +0000

Let me just say that when Game 5 punched me in the gut, I was tempted to throw my red towel on the field. But the image of the garbage Atlanta fans threw on the field stayed my hand. I (and many other people) instead stood with tears held back and applauded the team that gave us a great season. That’s Natitude.

By: Craig Calcaterra

Craig Calcaterra — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:57:12 +0000

Except I am long on record — and consistently so — saying that the Tomahawk Chop is stupid and racist and that I hate it. Because, unlike most of you guys, I am fully able to root for my favorite baseball team without reflexively thinking that everything their marketing and promotions department does is righteous and wonderful.

By: recoveringcubsfan

recoveringcubsfan — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:51:15 +0000

We can all play this game!

Can somebody please explain to me what a ‘tomahawk chop’ is?!

Answer: it’s what Georgia crackers do to annoy the rest of us while we’re trying to watch the Braves game.

I swear, I have never seen a team – the players and coaches – with more class than the Braves, and a fan base that is more annoying. Of course, we might point the finger at the team leadership, since it, not the fans, plays that godawful, racist chop music nonstop. But “Natitude”? Man, you showed us, Craig.

But far be it from me to tell the great Calcaterra how stupid trolling is. He learned everything he knows about “dignity” from the stadium music at Turner Field, I guess.

By: kkolchak

kkolchak — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:30:24 +0000

I’ll never forgive Kasten for leaving Bozo Bowden in place as GM. Okay, the team cratering to the worst record in baseball in 2008-2009 got us Strasburg and Harper, but that was a case of extraordinarily good timing. Yes, Kasten did leave us with Rizzo, but who knows how that might have turned out had Bowden not self destructed in the wake of the Dominican payola scandal?

It seems to me that the Kasten’s most positive influences on the current Nats were lucky accidents rather than the result of “The Plan.”

By: natslady

natslady — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:21:03 +0000

Aw, Fillies fans aren’t taking the bait! It’s only 1/2 the fun!

By: natslady

natslady — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:18:19 +0000

You might be correct. The slogans were entirely forgettable. “Natitude” was pretty silly also, but it took on its own life when the Nats started to win and Fillies fans departed en masse. So, guess it’s part of the “culture” now.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:17:00 +0000

Hmmm, no “Natta Claus”?

By: Alex K

Alex K — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:59:53 +0000

I think that the Marlins would be Clay since no one likes them and they are always running a scam.

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:58:46 +0000

Worse. Stan Kasten actually went on Philly media encouraging Phillies fans to buy tickets at Nats Park.

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:56:10 +0000

But Craig is a journalist! A journalist would never lower him/herself to employment as a flack and spinner.

Wait, you say some journalists do lower themselves to such employment? Yeah, sure, I suppose you’re also gonna tell me there is no Santa Claus.

By: dennisund

dennisund — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:54:33 +0000

Was said encouragement through, say, allowing people that were willing to buy tickets buy tickets? Like every other sports team in the country?

By: indaburg

indaburg — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:51:19 +0000

You see, son, “natitude” is kind of like a platypus. An unholy mishmash of contradictory things.

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:50:49 +0000

I thought that was the 2010 slogan. Or, was “Expect It!” the 2010 slogan? Dunno, until 2012, I paid very little attention to the annual lame marketing slogan. I was going to buy tickets regardless.

For 2013, the test will be when we get our (half) season tickets. Will they say “Natitude” again? I fear it will.

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:46:04 +0000

From time to time, we have this discussion on this here blog right here. I, and others, have maintained that the real solution wasn’t some lame marketing campaign. The real solutiuon was to win. Attending several Phillies-Nats games this season, it wasn’t hard to see (and hear) the change in the mix of fans between the two teams.

In fairness to Stan Kasten, he put the organization in place that produced the team that won the games that encouraged more Nats fans to replace Phillies fans in the seats at Nats Park (which he helped get built).

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:34:42 +0000

You are correct. Thanks for the cultural reference.

By: kkolchak

kkolchak — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:34:39 +0000

If fairness, the current Nats regime had to go out of their way to sell tickets to their own team’s fans rather than invading fans from Philadelphia, because the previous regime (cough, cough, Stan Kasten, cough, cough) openly encouraged the invasion to start with.

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:30:11 +0000

Clearly, we stand in the presence of greatness. Alas, this means Craig will be even more insufferable than usual.

Craig has it right, except (of course) for the part about it being sad that the Nats won the division. I fear that “Natitude” has taken on a life of its own, and we’re stuck with it. It’s a downside of the team’s unexpected success. Well, that and how they exited the playoffs.