3 Reasons to stop being a Mariners fan... and 3 reasons you should never leave

Anyone who is a fan of the Mariners, well, that has been for more than the last 3-4 years, knows a harsh truth. It can be hard to be a fan sometimes when it comes to rooting for this team.

We love the Mariners, there is no doubt about that. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here, rooting for the team, listening to the games, putting together plots and schemes and proposals on what they could do to make the team better. It's all part of being a fan.

At the same time, it's tough. A lot of people, at some point or another, have had that stray thought run through their mind of "What would it be like if I stopped rooting for the Mariners?". Shoot, I've seen and heard it a lot this offseason. There are varying levels to the complaints, some with a decent bit of thought behind them and others that just make people sound like morons.

There's no getting around it that there was a long period where you just knew that you were rooting for a losing team. One that didn't have a shot at making the playoffs or contending. I know some of you are sitting there thinking "yeah, since 1977 that's been the case", which, is fair to a point. 5 playoff appearances since the team's inception is gross. Especially when they set the modern-day record for the longest streak without making the playoffs.

I won't lie. The whiners and complainers who just seem to be looking for a way out... GO! I don't want to hear that negativity. Go bug some other team. Be an Angels fan or something. If you're looking to get out, I'll give you three reasons you can hang your hat on.

For those more reasonable and realistic fans, I have the flipside for you. 3 reasons to stick around and keep rooting for this team. Let's get to it, and get the negative out of the way first.