Question about Nats culture from a newbie (Astros refugee)

[_sturt_]

I'm new and I'll probably have dozens of questions before the 2014 season is put to bed.

First, I would appreciate some of you talking to me about the Washington Nationals fan culture... it seems like it must be so unique from any other fan base ever because the city has had the first Senators (now Twins, right?), then the second Senators (now Rangers, right?), and now the former Expos.

So, to what degree does Joe Nats Fan embrace the Expos as his own? Do Nats fans pay homage to Rusty Staub to any degree?... to Steve Rogers to any degree?... or Warren Cromartie or Andre Dawson or Gary Carter? Or does Joe Nats Fan more commonly connect with the Washington-ness of the franchise, and thus, with Senators history?

Any response to those or any other comments related to "Nats culture" would be great.

OH... and... full disclosure... is one allowed to support the Nats if... as football season rolls around... one is a Cowboys fan?... that could be important... hehe.

P.S. I first started to be a Nats fan two years ago, but please understand that it's been difficult to even watch baseball, let alone acclimating myself to a whole different team from the one into which I invested 40 years of my life. But much like one comes to the conclusion that it's just time to get over that relationship that's gone bad, it's just time for me to move on from the Jim Crane-owned franchise located in Houston, Texas, previously known as the Houston Astros National League Baseball Club, Inc.

[HalfSmokes]

So, to what degree does Joe Nats Fan embrace the Expos as his own? Do Nats fans pay homage to Rusty Staub to any degree?... to Steve Rogers to any degree?... or Warren Cromartie or Andre Dawson or Gary Carter? Or does Joe Nats Fan more commonly connect with the Washington-ness of the franchise, and thus, with Senators history?

there is some lip service here and there and a smattering of reminders around the park, but Walter Johnson is more prominent than Andre Dawson. Some fans embrace the expos, others couldn't care less.

[spidernat]

Walter Johnson is more prominent ....others couldn't care less.

[spidernat]

And we do have one Nats fan who roots for the cowboys but at times he's a lions fan as well. 

Some freaking people can't seem to stick with one team. 

[imref]

you'll see a few Expos jerseys in the crowd, and we've got a couple of expos honored in the stadium, but the owners try to tie the team much more to D.C. baseball history than to the Expos.  We didn't really do anything special to honor the passing of Gary Carter for example.  When we wear throwbacks, it isn't Expos gear, it's Senators/Grays (though i have to wonder that Todd Coffey would look like in an Expos jersey).

[Dave301]

Even though the Nats organization honors both Expos history and DC baseball history (Senators and Grays), it's more DC baseball history than anything else. Walk around Nats park, and you'll see pictures and memorabilia of DC baseball history. Gary Carter and Andre Dawson are honored in the Nats Ring of Honor, however.

As far as Nats fans, the fan base is made up of mostly former Senators fans and DC area Orioles fans. The Orioles became the "local" team after the Senators left. Nats fans have a connection to those teams' history more than any other. There are a few Nats fans that try to honor the Expos history in their own way, although many of those fans actually have some roots in Montreal.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Most of us don't really care one way or another about the Expos.  We have one old crank here who is obsessed with tying the Nats to the Expos and insists that past DC teams should have nothing to do with the Nats.  He's kind of just yelling at clouds, though.

[_sturt_]

We didn't really do anything special to honor the passing of Gary Carter for example. 

Not even a moment of silence?

Seems odd to have a guy in the ring of honor, but zero recognition at his passing... no?

[_sturt_]

Even though the Nats organization honors both Expos history and DC baseball history (Senators and Grays), it's more DC baseball history than anything else. Walk around Nats park, and you'll see pictures and memorabilia of DC baseball history. Gary Carter and Andre Dawson are honored in the Nats Ring of Honor, however.

As far as Nats fans, the fan base is made up of mostly former Senators fans and DC area Orioles fans. The Orioles became the "local" team after the Senators left. Nats fans have a connection to those teams' history more than any other. There are a few Nats fans that try to honor the Expos history in their own way, although many of those fans actually have some roots in Montreal.

This is helpful. As a baby boomer, I'm much more versed on the Expos than the Senators, so I see I do indeed need to bone-up on my Senators history.

[_sturt_]

And we do have one Nats fan who roots for the cowboys but at times he's a lions fan as well. 

Some freaking people can't seem to stick with one team. 

Fwiw, Cowboys fan since the days of Craig Morton... ie, just before Staubach. Hated George Allen with the best of 'em... hehe.

[HalfSmokes]

Not even a moment of silence?

Seems odd to have a guy in the ring of honor, but zero recognition at his passing... no?

to put the ring of honor in perspective, there are more Homestead Greys there than expos. The expos seem like an after thought, almost like they made something to honor DC baseball, then realized they should throw in a couple of expos. Of the tree statues at the park, the originals Senators have Walter Johnson, the expansion Senators have Frank Howard and the Greys have Josh Gibson- there are no expos

[Dave301]

Not even a moment of silence?

Seems odd to have a guy in the ring of honor, but zero recognition at his passing... no?

I'm pretty sure they had a moment of silence.

[UMDNats]

the expos are randomly thrown in as part of nationals history for some reason, the nats kind of try to include them but not really, it's actually bizarre. most fans are indifferent about montreal and the expos

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Not even a moment of silence?

Seems odd to have a guy in the ring of honor, but zero recognition at his passing... no?

actually, I think there was a moment of silence.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

to put the ring of honor in perspective, there are more Homestead Greys there than expos. The expos seem like an after thought, almost like they made something to honor DC baseball, then realized they should throw in a couple of expos. Of the tree statues at the park, the originals Senators have Walter Johnson, the expansion Senators have Frank Howard and the Greys have Josh Gibson- there are no expos

I think they did something nice when Dawson and Carter were added.

The Lerners are Washington people, 99% of the attendees are Washington locals or transplants, so the nostalgia is for Washington teams.   I don't see an event planned for the '94 Expos on the schedule, which would be easy to do.  They don't do Expo throwbacks for Canada Day.  I think they acknowledge Expo  records as franchise records, and that's about it.

[imref]

actually, I think there was a moment of silence.

yeah, that was it, but no patch or anything like that.

[JMW IV]

I think they did something nice when Dawson and Carter were added.

The Lerners are Washington people, 99% of the attendees are Washington locals or transplants, so the nostalgia is for Washington teams.   I don't see an event planned for the '94 Expos on the schedule, which would be easy to do.  They don't do Expo throwbacks for Canada Day.  I think they acknowledge Expo  records as franchise records, and that's about it.

and they really shouldn't even do that, imo.

Montreal's baseball legacy belongs to Montreal, not us.

just my opinion, we should have treated the Nats like an expansion team when they moved here.

[spidernat]

and they really shouldn't even do that, imo.

Montreal's baseball legacy belongs to Montreal, not us.

just my opinion, we should have treated the Nats like an expansion team when they moved here.

[Baseball is Life]

No one really cares about the Expos. And it's never a good idea to declare yourself a Cowgirls fan around these parts.

[imref]

they certainly played like one....

[Baseball is Life]

and they really shouldn't even do that, imo.

Montreal's baseball legacy belongs to Montreal, not us.

just my opinion, we should have treated the Nats like an expansion team when they moved here.

Exactly.

[_sturt_]

No one really cares about the Expos. And it's never a good idea to declare yourself a Cowgirls fan around these parts.

hehe... understood... I just prefer to be transparent... if you smell something, you know it's probably something on the bottom of my shoes... 

[Baseball is Life]

hehe... understood... I just prefer to be transparent... if you smell something, you know it's probably something on the bottom of my shoes... 

Whatever. Just don't bring up that football team around here. They are reviled, as you know, and that hatred will transfer to you personally. Kidding, kidding....

[_sturt_]

So... again, just getting a grip on the culture... it sounds like there's both some who connect with the Expos and some who it could be fairly said are even "anti-Expos" (?)... but that the vast majority probably would consider themselves neutral on the topic (?).

To be honest, I was kinda hoping to learn that they there was broad embrace of both the Senators and the Expos heritages under one big tent.

I mean, when you think about it, sure you could have had the Expos franchise talent completely dispersed through a draft, and then a whole new Nats team in turn emerge from an expansion draft... but it seems to me there almost inherently had to be some advantage to avoiding any of that and just re-labeling the Expos just as it occurred... no?

[Baseball is Life]

So... again, just getting a grip on the culture... it sounds like there's both some who connect with the Expos and some who it could be fairly said are even "anti-Expos" (?)... but that the vast majority probably would consider themselves neutral on the topic (?).

To be honest, I was kinda hoping to learn that they there was broad embrace of both the Senators and the Expos heritages under one big tent.

I mean, when you think about it, sure you could have had the Expos franchise talent completely dispersed through a draft, and then a whole new Nats team in turn emerge from an expansion draft... but it seems to me there almost inherently had to be some advantage to avoiding any of that and just re-labeling the Expos just as it occurred... no?

Whoa, whoa...no one is anti-Expos. We just don't connect with a team that played in another city. Just like the BOreoles.