Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Jeers to the Unsportsmanlike Conduct

You know, as much as I love football and the "rivalries" that exist, I've never let my loyalties to my team get in the way of my character. In other words, I've never derided a player on an opposing team JUST because he was on the other team. Well, maybe with the exception of the team that shall not be named where a defender tried to rip the head off our quarterback... wasn't flagged for it... and then it became a big joke at that particular school. But I digress...

Some fans are true fans, and some fans are just FANatics. My personal beliefs say that sportsmanship is a must on and off the field, for those on the roster and those in the stands. Rivalries are supposed to be healthy and promote fun competition, not an excuse to make an ass of yourself.

Still, I understand, how some people might want to be a jerk to an opposing team. It's not very classy, but I can see how our culture tends to condone such actions. And it could be worse.

Which leads me to the Michigan fans. I call "bad form" to those of you who were at your HOME game last Saturday booing. Your. Own. Team. Man, that is just shameful all the way around. Those are kids on that field. Maybe you were booing the coaches. I don't know. But for those young kids playing their hearts out, getting hurt, and already feeling down because they're not playing well... the booing? That's what they heard from their fans.

So, jeers to the booing Michigan football fans. Do us all a favor and class it up. Either support your team or don't... but if you choose not to, I'm fairly certain someone else would love to have your tickets.

3 comments:

M.Amanda said...

Yes! One thing about the area where I live that has made me proud is how most people are good fans. They boo bad calls and occasionally when a player is noticeably just not trying and making his teammates work extra hard to pick up the slack, but usually a slump isn't an excuse to jeer at players on the field.

A few times at MLB games in the past couple seasons, I have heard people booing players who have been in slumps. It embarrassed me to have a fellow "fan" behave so badly.

stinkypaw said...

No class whatsoever! How often "non-violent" parents (or so they told me when they signed up their kids for karate) would be the first to scream "Hit him!" during karate fights... And then we wonder why kids are acting the way they do nowdays.

Nessa said...

Wow, that's just not right.