(The Mistake by the Lake - via www.rdharch.com)

So I'm driving to work this morning and, as per usual, I have the FAN590 on.  I'm listening to Mike Hogan blast Jays fans for not showing up for ball games.  The reason for this, of course, is that without the resultant revenue from the paid attendance, the Jays can't hope to compete with the Yanks and BoSox and top-level players such as Halladay can't be acquired or kept. 

Jays fans apparently only show up to see a winner and this not only makes them fair-weather fans, it keeps the team from ever really competing.  (It's not "Let's put together an exciting team so that people will come to see it," but rather, "Come see us so we can put together a decent team.")

The real fans - those in other cities - show up whether the team is good or not.

Contrast this with the reason typically given for the lack of championships won by the local hockey team.

"The Leafs don't have to win because the sucker fan base show up all the time regardless."

So which is it?  Jays fans don't deserve a winner because they don't show up.  Leaf fans don't deserve a winner because they do.