Thursday, March 26, 2009

FanGuy unmasked


One of SLANTblog's readers sent us this image. The reader says it's a picture of the blogosphere's own FanGuy, the mysterious, outspoken and prolific spokesperson for baseball in Shockoe Bottom.

A wee sampling of FanGuy's writing style can be found here. His picture looks familiar, but I can't place where I've seen it before.

Of course, our source for the image must remain anonymous, but they have assured us they own no property in Shockoe Bottom, they hate baseball and they aren't affiliated with any restaurants on the Boulevard, or even in Scott's Addition.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

"FanGuy" is a douchey name to go by.

F.T. Rea said...

Matt M,

Never saw/heard "douchey" before. But I think I get your drift.

Paul Hammond said...

Conspiracy unmasked. Great detective work.

Disclaimer: I hope to get a job as a peanut vendor someday and move on to cracker jacks if things go well at the old ball game.

p.s. This picture only bears a mild resemblance to the author.

Anonymous said...

Terry - it seems your posts used to be more constructive and engaging, but since the baseball thing has come up you now consistently insult and belittle people like Fan Guy and claim anonymous conspiracists are tools of the developers are cowards. I don't know if they are tools of the developers or not but you have offered no proof contrary.

And if you resort to name calling and insult them I can see why they might not sign their name to it.

I'd hate to think what you'd say if someone belittled the Biograph.

Anonymous said...

In other words Tom, consistency in viewpoint and opinion MUST be the hallmark of a well coordinated conspiracy! Didn't you know that?

I am flattered to hear that my singular efforts have been equated to that of a "propaganda machine." LOL.

That idea is especially ludicrous when you consider the developers don't even have a website up! To think that they are so ingenius as to have a coordinated blog propaganda machine, all the while without having a basic website to pass along information, is the height of idiocy. Kind of reminds me of the idiots who claimed George W. Bush was a bumbling idiot and an evil genius all at the same time!

F.T. Rea said...

Tom,

SLANTblog hasn't changed, so I doubt you've been much of a regular reader, whoever you are.

FanGuy isn't a person. It is a propaganda machine. I don't have to prove that. For months FanGuy's attack style has been consistent here and at other blogs/publications.

Maybe you don't now that, but I suspect you do, Tom.

However, when readers such as the FanGuy come to my web site and hurl a raft of insults at me and at others -- and there's plenty of that -- why should I take that without answering back, sarcastically?

You apparently don't know me very well, if you think I would take such guff. And, I've heard lots of people belittle the Biograph.

What's the Biograph got to do with a debate over where to build a baseball stadium?

Anonymous said...

Tom, don't you get it? If you have a consistent viewpoint and opinion and it's in support of Shockoe Center, you MUST be part of the Great Conspiracy!

Of course, never mind the fact that the developers don't even have a website up! I'm sure that rather than having a website to pass along information, they thought it would be more productive to have a well coordinated blog propaganda campaign. That's really the way to reach the masses! They are so internet savy! LOL.

FT's conspiracy theory makes about as much sense as those folks who complained that G.W. Bush was an evil genius AND a bumbling idiot all at the same time.

Paul Hammond said...

Well, this is a sad little mudfight. Kinda makes me think Don, Scott and I are well behaved. Well maybe not Don and Scott.

Anonymous said...

Terry - I think I made my point because you accused me of not being a regular or long time reader, in which case you would be wrong.

I included the Biograph reference because it is something you regularly write about. It was an idea and an institution I did not experience but you write with passion and feeling. You never belittled anyone who thought differently or siad "good riddance" because they may nto have had the emotional connection you have.

The accusations of a cabal are kind of silly. Why can't someone have the passion for baseball that you had for the Biograph? And why can you accuse them without proof? If you had proof the developers were behind it I would be behind you.

I will not defend Fan Guys responses but will say that as you are a lontime writer on the Richmond scene, it is a shame to see you and them resort to low ball name calling tactics when I thought you were above it. The issue itself is irrelevant.

Everyone knows you oppose baseball downtown. It would be nice if both sides could do it without insults and unproven theories, I just thought you would be the one to stay above the fray rather than be down in the mud hurling it.

F.T. Rea said...

Tom,

I appreciate your comments. I didn't accuse you of anything. I indicated that I "doubt" you're a regular reader, if my responses to FanGuy's tactics surprised you so much.

If you have stuck to reading my posts about sports, or entertainment, or nostalgia, I am happy you've taken the time to read them. Thank you.

If you've read much of my political stuff -- my commentary on politics and sports has been published under several Richmond mastheads for 25 years -- your disappointment about the tone of my reaction to being called a "liar" by the so-called FanGuy doesn't make much sense.

If you want to play the victim, and say I have accused you of something and you're deeply offended, you're starting to sound like FanGuy.

F.T. Rea said...

Paul H,

Why sad?

Paul Hammond said...

Your site, your decision, your reasons. Just doesn't seem up to your usual standards.

Anonymous said...

Terry - thanks for making my point rather than addressing the issue I was discussing, which is to take the high road in the whole debate.

I haven't read you for your 25 years, but have been around here long enough to get your drift on your posts. I never said I was offended - those are your words - just that you ASSUMED I didn't read your blog rather than ask first.

And I have nothing to do with you OR the Fan Guy but now I am on his side according to your logic. That's too bad you see it that way. Another misconception you are happy to oblige and I doubt I could persuade you from otherwise.

F.T. Rea said...

Tom, Paul H,

Please stop, you're breaking my heart.

Paul Hammond said...

Hey, I'm just a fan and haven't written enough to have a usual standard to live up to.

It's OK to have an off day.

As long as you let me pick on you now and then, I'll keep on reading. I loved your piece on Satchel Paige and the Biograph JellyMan piece was an excellent read.

Feel Better?

F.T. Rea said...

Paul H,

SLANTblog has been online since 2003. With all of the art and written material I've posted, no doubt, sometimes the quality of the work has varied.

However, your comments usually don't seem to be about my work, or the point a particular piece might be about. They usually seem to be about you.

This time you want to talk about your expectations. This post was meant to be a silly joke. Not a mean joke.

If you don't think it's funny, that's fine. But please spare me the guilt trip over what you expect from me.

Paul Hammond said...

OK you are feeling awnry. I'll spare you future unwelcome comments and leave you to your fan club.

Thanks for being Frank, or Terry.

F.T. Rea said...

Paul H,

You come to SLANTblog on your own. I have allowed you to say whatever you like here.

Sometimes you seem to be implying that we know one another. But I don't believe we've ever met.

And, I don't remember ever going over to your blog to scold you, put you down, or pretend we are colleagues.

If you're now unhappy with how you've been treated here, it will be easy to avoid more of the same.

Meanwhile, I hope your support for FanGuy, et al, will do as much for his cause as your similar support did for Bill Pantele.

Finally, I'm not at all interested in the feuds you've instigated with Don Harrison, or Scott Burger, or any other writers in town. And, it seems you'd like to draw me into the same sort of thing.

It's not gong to happen.

Dennis said...

See, this is why you oldsters shouldn't be allowed on the Internet.