I was scanning around looking for info about the upcoming series up in Chavez Ravine and I found this reflection by Eric Neel, Dodger fan. He begins the piece with:

Here's my feeling. I don't necessarily "hate" the Dodgers (though I do intensely dislike Jayson Werth). It's their fans that do them in. The ill feeling that Eric Neel feels is actually directed more at those who root for the Dodgers than the Dodgers themselves. And I'll tell you why...

Dodger fans are pricks.

Sorry about the langauge.

Obviously, I don't mean all Dodger fans. But I could confidently say most male Dodger fans between the ages of 13 and 40 are pricks. And if you're a female Dodger fan, you're not a prick, but your boyfriend is. So is your husband, your dad and any brothers or sons you may have.

Some quick fan to word association:

Yankee fans... Cocky

Cardinal fans... Smart

Red Sox fans... Whiny (jbox said to say this. I originally said, "Long suffering")

Padres fans... Classy (OK fine... Fairweather)

Dodgers fans...

You see? "Prick" was the first thing that came to mind. And seriously, it's not just cause I prepped you for it. It's cause you know it's true.

Example: Opening day this year. Padres vs Pirates. I'm watching the Pirates take batting practice. Everybody's having a good time. Two pretty boys step into the outfield stands yelling, "Let's go Dodgers!" Over and over they yell. They yell it at people. They yell it to nobody in particular. But they continue till people are irritated and giving them angry looks.

Pricks.

Even if Dodger fan actually does show up to the correct game, it doesn't get any better. You go to Chavez Ravine for your average home game and Dodger fan will show up late, leave early, and will be mesmerized by the eleven beach balls being bounced around the crowd. A boo in any other stadium means something bad happened to the home team. A boo in Dodger stadium means security just took away a beach ball. A cheer means somebody inflated a new one.

Anyways a preview... Here's what it looks like this weekend: Friday, Woody (1-0, 8.68 ERA) vs Elmer (0-0. 3.18 ERA). Saturday, Tim Redding (0-1, 0.00 ERA) vs Scott Erickson (0-0, 12.46 ERA). Sunday, Eaton (1-0,2.53 ERA) vs Weaver (1-0, 6.55 ERA). I love early season lines. Redding has a 0.00 ERA but took the loss? How did Woody manage a win with an 8.68 ERA? Erickson with 12.46 ERA and no decision? I don't know why I even bothered looking up the stats.

Jbox and I are headed up to the game on Sunday. We went to a game up in LA last year that also happened to be a Sunday, Eaton vs Weaver matchup. One hit ball for seven innings by Eaton and only one other hit by Hoffman. I'm hoping for something similar this weekend.

Any predictions? I predict Padres sweep.