Manny Ramirez recent comments sparked this idea of a discussion. There are definetly fans out there that go over board but my questions here are where do we draw the line? Whats the difference between die hard and over board?

First off how much should we invest in a team? What is an acceptable amount of emotion and passion for the game before your going over board?

Second, if you run into a player in public what is acceptable in terms of behavior? Saying absolutely nothing? Shaking the guys hand or something minor like that? Or more in terms of bugging them and following them around?

Third, what kind of fan are you? What would you do if you ran into a player in public? How much emotion and passion do you find yourself investing into your team? Superstition levels are also welcome for this discussion.

When I have run into actors (usually in Williamstown) I have particularly enjoyed, I have quickly smiled and said something like, "Thanks so much for your performance in Whatever." Then I keep walking or turn away and engage my spouse in conversation so that they don't feel they have to talk to me. In every case I have gotten a big smile and a thank you in return. That seems like enough and not too much. I have never run into a member of the Red Sox, but I fantasize running into Dave Roberts just so I could thank him for the Steal and then leave him alone.

I am an obsessed fan who reads about, thinks about the Red Sox and baseball in general every day of my life. But I don't think that entitles me to personal contact with the players.

I'm with Parker on that. I hate seeing people act like an ass around guys.

What about behavior? I big peeve of mine is face painting and ridiculous costume type stuff at pro games. College? Fine. But nothing screams "dork" like 5000 Colts fans with their faces painted blue.

It depends on the situation. I was in the NYC ESPN Zone a few years ago and David Wells came in to have lunch with his family. People kept bugging him for autographs all throughout his meal, which I thought was obnoxious.

If you're walking down the street and you recognize someone, I think I quick hello is okay, but just keep moving.

Myself personally, I just leave them alone.

It seems to go both ways for me, as far as where to draw the line.

I met Kevin Youkilis at a private function we both were invited to a couple years ago, so it was a little easier to go up and shake his hand than if I had seen him on the street. Like others have said, I shook his hand, thanked him and the team for kicking some ass, and left him alone. Didn't ask for an autograph, because I think that ship left the dock when I was 8.

That being said, I was in Modell's the day of the '04 parade, and Mike Myers was walking around with his wife. I was there to buy an '04 WS fitted hat, he was there post-parade, probably doing the same? A few people went up to him and he didn't appear bothered, so I introduced myself and passed him my WS hat that I hadn't even bought yet. I thanked him for the season, and left him alone. Considering the magnitude of '04, I don't think any of us were above an autograph from someone who had a part in changing the landscape of Sox fandom forever. Never have worn the hat either. It's only Mike Myers, but it sits on the mantle fresh as the day I bought it.

I usually draw the line at $40 for a ticket. =)

I walked past Theo and his wife going the opposite direction on a sidewalk in downtown Denver last October the day of Game 4, and I resisted the tremendous urge to bug him. Just said "Great job Theo" as we passed in a normal voice so I didnt draw attention to him. I got a "Thanks man" back.

If I see a player engaging in what is probably a daily activity (i.e. I used to see Manny at the gym a lot), I will never bother them. It would drive me nuts if I couldn't get through a workout, the grocery store, etc. without 942 people intruding on me. So I would not ever want to put someone else in that position. I was backstage at a concert in 2004, and a lot of the Red Sox happened to be there. It was insane how many people were bothering them for autographs/pictures/etc. when all they probably wanted to do was enjoy the buffet/time with their spouse/etc. One woman kept tapping Doug Mirabelli on the arm with her pen when he was trying to get food.

If I'm at an event where they're supposed to be engaging with fans (i.e. an autograph signing or charity function), then I feel OK asking for a picture/autograph. Or a couple years ago in St. Louis (during interleague in 2005), I was going back to my hotel from a bar and Johnny Damon was in the center of a crowd of Cardinals fans signing autographs. Decked out in Sox gear, I had no problem stopping and asking him to sign my ticket, and he was super nice and actually took the time to ask me about my trip down there.

If I see them on the street, I may just say "hi", or comment on last night's game, but only in passing (never stopping them to ask for an autograph or picture). I think I'm like this because I hate when people intrude on my time/space, so I can empathize with how someone else (especially a public figure) would not want that.

I'm not a big fan of autographs. Not that I'd turn down if someone was offering, but I think it's cooler to actually shake someone's hand and talk to a guy. I ran into Joe Morgan two years ago at a function that he was going to and I was leaving, and I basically stammered a hi, shook his hand, and said I liked his commentary (which I don't, but it's better than saying You are the best second baseman I never saw because I wasn't born yet). That was cooler than Joe just writing his name on a ticket stub.

It's all about judiciousness. The worst incident I ever saw with a player was the ex-Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini. He literally got chased down the street by about 20 grown men in his car, stopped to pick up some friends, and then had people trying to shove their hands into his car for an autograph while his friends were getting in his car. It would have taken a lot of self-control not to run those annoying morons over, but I guess he didn't want to dent his Maserati.

When I am at a game I might get an autograph, If the player is sighning for people. Other than that I wont bother anyone on the street. When I was at a Braves and Dodgers game, During BP James Loney was warming up and he was nice enough to walk over and sighn my glove. No one was there so he talked for a sec. I thought that was really cool.