That's your Homefloor, Michael Gearon Jr...

[niremetal]

I personally hate the transplant mentality. If you move to an area, embrace that area as your new home. Become part of the community, including sports.

I'm not sure that's how people's brains are wired. I cheered for the Hawks, Braves, and Falcons from age 3 to age 18 living in Atlanta. It's basically a part of my DNA. I've lived in Philadelphia for the better part of the past decade and have made the occasional effort to become a Sixers/Eagles/Phils fan, but my heart's just not in it. I honestly think most people are the same way - unless you started rooting for a team as a kid, you're not likely to root for them as an adult. And if you rooted for a different team in the same league as a kid, it's doubly unlikely.

I don't think anyone is to blame. At all. The owners aren't responsible for the fact that Atlanta is the largest metro area in the developed world where most of the population was born elsewhere. And the transplants aren't responsible for the fact that they were born and raised elsewhere, often with longtime loyalties to other teams. It is what it is. I think it'll balance out in 15-20 years, which is when Atlanta will cross the threshold where most of the adult population was born in the area.

[Wretch]

What happened Sunday is a disgrace, but it's been happening for a LONG time. The worst being back in '96 when the Pacers bussed their fans down here for the playoffs. Can't blame the city though. There is no history here and we've not had a face/team that could put the city on it's back.

[macdaddy]

I'm not sure that's how people's brains are wired. I cheered for the Hawks, Braves, and Falcons from age 3 to age 18 living in Atlanta. It's basically a part of my DNA. I've lived in Philadelphia for the better part of the past decade and have made the occasional effort to become a Sixers/Eagles/Phils fan, but my heart's just not in it. I honestly think most people are the same way - unless you started rooting for a team as a kid, you're not likely to root for them as an adult. And if you rooted for a different team in the same league as a kid, it's doubly unlikely.

I don't think anyone is to blame. At all. The owners aren't responsible for the fact that Atlanta is the largest metro area in the developed world where most of the population was born elsewhere. And the transplants aren't responsible for the fact that they were born and raised elsewhere, often with longtime loyalties to other teams. It is what it is. I think it'll balance out in 15-20 years, which is when Atlanta will cross the threshold where most of the adult population was born in the area.

I"ve tried to have this rational, mature mentality but i've run into so many people who actually did grow up here and just became fans of the cubs, red sox, knicks, bulls, lakers, celtics for some reason. Its just sports so obviously they can do what they want. But I'm guessing you don't go to a lot of Eagles games in Falcons gear and cheer obnoxiously. I don't know. You're right there really isn't a solution but i think the people who can do the most about it are the owners. We need something to cheer for and max players who like to 'fly under the radar' don't exactly get people fired up.

[AUhawksfan]

The issue with big market teams (Knicks, Patriots, Cubs, etc.) is prevalent in any other arena, that's not going to change. That doesn't bother me. The northeast has pro sports ingrained in them and their fans always seem to fill up other arenas no matter the location.

The Braves and Falcons have shown that good ownership, marketing, and having players that draw a buzz can be successful in Atlanta. The issue is, what have we been able to get excited about in Atlanta basketball? Same team, same expectations, same f-ups, etc. If we were actually making progress in the playoffs it would be different but I think most fans are getting tired of seeing the same product on the floor night in and night out.

Just like a business, if your product isn't creating excitement for who you're trying to sell to then you need to make changes to get people motivated to buy your product again. You don't convince people they should support you and buy your product just because. That makes an educated fan base even more pissed at you when you know better. They're trying to blame us when it's really their problem to fix. These owners are so dumb.....

[Sothron]

+100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Been at Braves games where we've had to boo loudly just to be louder than fans of teams like the Cardinals and Cubs. It drives me crazy here in Raleigh to drive down the street because I see about 6 or 7 different NFL team logos. It's a problem all over the Southeast.

I personally hate the transplant mentality. If you move to an area, embrace that area as your new home. Become part of the community, including sports.

/two cents

Just had this fight with my inlaws this weekend. They are from around Chicago and have lived in Jacksonville for ten years now. They won't root for any pro teams from Florida or support them, the most they've done is cheer for University of Florida (gag). That's it.They were actually defending this while we were watching the Hawks game against the Knicks and they were asking me why the fans from "Atlanta" were cheering for the Knicks. They are no better. They won't change their sports loyalty and they are part of the problem.

This is what is wrong with Southern pro teams. They have native fans, sure, but these transplants never stop rooting for their old teams and even worse they poison the well by passing these loyalties to their kids. Now we have at least four generations of non Atlanta sports fans living around Atlanta who have zero ties to Atlanta pro teams.

[dlpin]

+100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Been at Braves games where we've had to boo loudly just to be louder than fans of teams like the Cardinals and Cubs. It drives me crazy here in Raleigh to drive down the street because I see about 6 or 7 different NFL team logos. It's a problem all over the Southeast.

I personally hate the transplant mentality. If you move to an area, embrace that area as your new home. Become part of the community, including sports.

/two cents

Are you not in NC right now? Shouldn't you be a fan of the bobcats, panthers and hurricanes?

Why should people stop caring about the teams they grew up caring about? How is becoming a hawks fan, a braves fan or a thrashers fan making anyone "part of the community?"

In fact, let's look at some of top users of this forum. Should Dolfan become a rockets fan? Should AHF become a Pacers fan?

Don't get me wrong, I want the hawks to do well as the NBA doing well in Atlanta is good for NBA fans here in general. But I won't stop being a celtics fan just because I moved here.

[AHF]

Should AHF become a Pacers fan?

That's not going to happen!

[ngc7]

Im in raleigh also and i do cheer for the home teams when they play against non atl teams but i still dont give a dam if they lose.

[Guest]

Are you not in NC right now? Shouldn't you be a fan of the bobcats, panthers and hurricanes?

Just curious, but do you realize how far away Raleigh is from Charlotte? MrH referred to what I would consider hometown teams, only one of those is a hometown team in Raleigh. I do think he was also promoting the hometown team while at the same time not claiming one suddenly does not become a fan of their previous team. In effect, one could have two teams they support. Imagine that.

[Diesel]

I went to the Falcons-Packers game and was with a guy who wore a packers shirt (he hid under a jacket until halftime. wuss) who lived in Wisconsin until he was 13. And he's lived in Atlanta for the last 25 friggin years!!!! Get a life. These folks need to be abused until they are embarrassed to come to a game to support some team that they think gives them more style points than supporting Atlanta. The Hawks are a mess, but the Falcons and Braves are damn good teams.

I have vowed to never attend another Knicks game in Atlanta. They had more fans than us even when they sucked and their so-called fans are just wannabe new yorkers who've spent their whole life here. Go ahead and move to NYC and see how you like it. By the way you'll need more than a blue and orange velour track suit to keep you warm.

See that's just it. The transplanted fan is a Loyal fan because their team is winning. When NY had Curry and Stoudamire and were a bunch of losers, they would never have filled the Phil... not even when were a 13 win team. There winning ways have inspired their transplanted fans to have a voice. The counter to that is that we have to dominate. That takes place in the owners both and in the GM's office. We have to have a group that cares enough to put together a winning franchise. Otherwise, we will always be away games when LAL, NY, BOS, and Orl comes to town. What Atlanta needs is Howard.

[mrhonline]

Are you not in NC right now? Shouldn't you be a fan of the bobcats, panthers and hurricanes?

Well, here's the thing. No one follows professional sports here but the NFL, which I don't watch. I've been to a Hurricanes game, but I don't really follow the NHL enough to justify the cost...

I've actually gone to two Bobcats' games, but HF is right, it's over 3 hours for me to get to Charlotte. The craziest thing is that they don't show the Bobcats' games on local TV here. It was the same way when I lived in Asheville. Locals here don't follow the NBA, FWIW.

There is a local soccer team I intend to root for in Cary, if that counts. I went a couple of nights ago to watch the Carolina v. Duke game with some local Tarheel fanatics. Doing things like that is how you fit in the sports culture here.

[HawkItus]

It's a cultural thing as well down here. Native Atlantan's have long found better things to do than attend a game. I know it's a fact with most of my friends and neighbors. No one says do you want to go to a game? No they say I've got some food on the grill, want to come over and watch the game. We take more a of a boxing mentality to pro-sports. Big screen, surround and good home cooked food trumps an arena any day. Now that's not everybody who feels this way. But, most of the people I know do.

[QuantumHawkz]

What part of "melting pot" do ya'll not understand? Atlanta is just that. You can walk the streets of Atlanta and ask where their from and 9/10 chance their going to say " not from Atlanta. Its not just hawks games, it happens at falcons games as well. And add in the fact that atlanta has a bunch of " banwagon fans", very few die hard fans. So don't blame ASG for the fans.

[Joker]

See that's just it. The transplanted fan is a Loyal fan because their team is winning. When NY had Curry and Stoudamire and were a bunch of losers, they would never have filled the Phil... not even when were a 13 win team. There winning ways have inspired their transplanted fans to have a voice. The counter to that is that we have to dominate. That takes place in the owners both and in the GM's office. We have to have a group that cares enough to put together a winning franchise. Otherwise, we will always be away games when LAL, NY, BOS, and Orl comes to town. What Atlanta needs is Howard.

Orlando needs him too. I think Dwight is the most impactful player in the NBA but it will take a lot to get him. He will have to ask for a trade and only to Atlanta like Melo did. We would still have to give a lot which doesn't matter but if we keep Smoove and Joe. I'm cool. They will without question want Horford and for us to take Turk and Gil's contract.

Clearly when the Hawks play Orlando, he has one the largest amount of player fans since MJ in Atlanta. I been to two Orlando games and he packs the place up with Dwight only fans. I think their are more Dwight only fans in Atlanta than Hawks fans. He's the closest player to Michael Vick in terms of popularity here.