This is the second in a running feature at ECB. We'll be rating NFL Fanbases by annoyingness and picking a winner for each division. After that, we'll select wild card teams, and have ourselves a little playoff. If you have suggestions for upcoming divisions or wildcard selections, send them to eastcoastbiasblog@gmail.com.


St. Louis Rams


Quick Reaction: Seriously, Google Image the phrase "St. Louis Rams fans" and see what you get. You find a few pictures of St. Louis fans wearing paper bags on their heads at a road game in Arizona last year. That's it. That about says it all.

Rams fans enjoyed the "Greatest Show on Turf" and a Super Bowl win. They were out in droves after the team moved from L.A. and replaced the relocated Cardinals. Lately they've suffered nothing but pain, victimized by the fact that Kyle Boller is their fill-in starting QB and now dealing with a bid by Rush Limbaugh to purchase the team. And the worst part for the Rams is that even a 2-14 or 1-15 finish this year might not get them the #1 overall pick next year.

We feel for Rams fans. That's why we'll just give them the picture above and end this discussion.


Arizona Cardinals


Quick Reaction: It's understandable that the Cardinals had trouble filling Sun Devil Stadium in September when it was 110+ degrees and fans got to sit on metal bleachers. However, the above picture was taken at a game in November. Arizona in November = beautiful.

Suddenly the Cardinals become decent, enjoy a flash-in-the-pan 9-7 season and Super Bowl appearance and the NFL can't sell Boldin and Fitzgerald jerseys fast enough. I'd venture to guess most Cardinals "fans" couldn't tell you where the team used to be located. Or who Kurt Warner won a prior Super Bowl with.

Wait until the 6-10 seasons start up again. That flashy new stadium will only be filled for Super Bowl games.


San Francisco 49ers


Quick Reaction: You really do have to admire 49ers fans, even though there are many jokes that I could make about the picture above given San Francisco's stereotypical acceptance of alternative lifestyles and the presence of 9 men squeezing up against each other while wearing leather.

They stuck with the team through the really down late 90s and 2000s after the insanely good Montana and Steve Young years. They still fill the decrepit Candlestick Park (formerly Monster Park, formerly 3Com Park, formerly Candlestick Park) Sunday in and Sunday out.

And 49ers fans can take solace that no matter how bad things get, Al Davis is safely ensconsced across the Bay in Oakland, running that team into the ground.


Seattle Seahawks


Quick Reaction: You'd think that Seahawks fans would be latte-sipping alt-rock loving peaceniks. Not so fast, my friends.

Seahawks fans turn Qwest Field into one of the loudest, if not the loudest and hostile venues for opposing teams to visit. A friend of mine who visited Qwest Field for a Redskins-Seahawks game a few years ago swears that he was treated more harshly by Seahawks fans than Eagles fans. Not in terms of physical assaults, but in terms of constant verbal barrage of creative and well-thought-out insults, both personal and addressing the Redskins.

Plus, there's serious Microsoft money behind the Seahawks. I'm a PC, so I like that.


The Big Winner

Arizona Cardinals - In a division that is largely irrelevant and not known for its rabid fanbases, somebody has to be the "winner." We at ECB have no tolerance for bandwagon fans who couldn't give the time of day to a team for year after year, then suddenly profess long-standing fandom for that team as soon as they enjoy a modicum of success.

Next week one of us will tackle the AFC South.