Booing...where does fandom come into play?

[Pats726]

I have read some of the threads about the booing the last few days and I really wonder where one's fandom is with regards to this? Some I believe see a game like that in the larger picture..ONE loss among many many wins. See it as just a bump. Others it seems take evry loss like the end of the world and want to yell and scream about it with tons of boos. Some fans fans that have been with the team for ages would never boo a team that has accomplished so much. Yes, fans can boo and leave the game sure..but what does that say about their fandom? Is it thin?? Is it just an emotional outlet and really go with teh flow sort of thing? What si that saying? Can a real fan of the team boo like that?? If so, where is teh fandom? If one loves a team, why be so negative about that team? Perspectives on this?
I know it's not easy..but I am curious what people think. I would like to learn more from those that boo or think it's really great to boo to understand,

 

[CrazyDave]

Can't people just yell "Gee Whiz!!!" or something? I think that would be much better.
Maybe I'm just getting old (I just turned 40).

 

[JoeSixPat]

The Patriots just played the worst game in the history of Gillette Stadium. A lot of people booed. Go figure.

The only thing I'm scratching my head about is wondering when football became such a woosie sport where both players and fans are oversensitive about the shocking development of fans booing poor play.

 

[Tunescribe]

The only thing I'm scratching my head about is wondering when football became such a woosie sport where both players and fans are oversensitive about the shocking development of fans booing poor play.

The only thing I'm scratching MY head about is why some people think it's reasonable to boo poor play -- especially when the team being booed had won 21 straight. Go figure. Booing the home team serves no purpose beyond giving voice to one's own childish ignorance.

 

[CheerforTom]

I think what happened was a knee jerk reaction to seeing the team getting smashed by Miami. We all knew the winning streak would end and nobody had forgotten what it was like to see the Pats lose one - we just didn't think it would be against Miami and like that, and some of us reacted by yelling.

You can call that disgusting if you like, it's up to you.

 

[JoeSixPat]

The only thing I'm scratching MY head about is why some people think it's reasonable to boo poor play -- especially when the team being booed had won 21 straight. Go figure. Booing the home team serves no purpose beyond giving voice to one's own childish ignorance.

No offense - but REALLY?

People are really wondering why fans would boo a team that was playing as far below their ability as they've ever played?

So if you can't boo the worst loss in a decade, when CAN you boo?

I was not aware of the memo about how many games one must suspend booing for following a winning streak. If one was inclined to boo (and I did not on Sunday - though I was clinically in shock) - when would it be OK for one to boo again if the Patriots play as far below their ability as they did on Sunday?

Does one have to wait two games? 3? 30?

I've been to games in recent years - yes, following THREE Super Bowl Championships - where the fans booed poor play and often the players seemed to hear it, manned up, and came back out after halftime pumped to win and in fact did so. I was at a Chargers game the year after they won their third Super Bowl and people booed.

I can't recall any politically correct chiding of fans for booing back then. What changed?

So apparently it was OK to boo back then because no one made a big deal about it (unless their so fickle as to think its ok because they won that game). When did that change?

 

[unoriginal]

The only thing I'm scratching my head about is wondering when football became such a woosie sport where both players and fans are oversensitive about the shocking development of fans booing poor play.

I'm with you. When you're part of a 60,000 strong crowd on elevated ground drinking beer, you have no excuse not to be brave. Let those ****ers have it!

 

[muzz]

Just what we need, another discussion on whether Booing the GREAT Home team was irresponsible, childish, and even scumbag like.

Boy this is seriously going to add alot to the other discussions.....kinda like walking over to a lunch table in grade school, getting ready to sit down, only to realize that the smelliest kid in the whole school sat down there while you turned your head to tell your friends to "Meet me at this table"

No offense to the OP, but really.......

 

[Tunescribe]

No offense - but REALLY?

People are really wondering why fans would boo a team that was playing as far below their ability as they've ever played?

So if you can't boo the worst loss in a decade, when CAN you boo?

I was not aware of the memo about how many games one must suspend booing for following a winning streak. If one was inclined to boo (and I did not on Sunday - though I was clinically in shock) - when would it be OK for one to boo again if the Patriots play as far below their ability as they did on Sunday?

Does one have to wait two games? 3? 30?

I've been to games in recent years - yes, following THREE Super Bowl Championships - where the fans booed poor play and often the players seemed to hear it, manned up, and came back out after halftime pumped to win and in fact did so. I was at a Chargers game the year after they won their third Super Bowl and people booed.

I can't recall any politically correct chiding of fans for booing back then. What changed?

So apparently it was OK to boo back then because no one made a big deal about it (unless their so fickle as to think its ok because they won that game). When did that change?

Your premise that booing serves some sort of constructive purpose escapes me. Please explain how booing simply because you're disappointed makes things better. I know for a fact that hearing boos does not motivate players, coaches or ownership to perform at a higher level. Your suggestion that players "manned up" because they heard booing is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read.

 

[JMarr]

The only thing I'm scratching MY head about is why some people think it's reasonable to boo poor play -- especially when the team being booed had won 21 straight. Go figure. Booing the home team serves no purpose beyond giving voice to one's own childish ignorance.

I'm not advocating booing one's own team. But if it upsets you so much, maybe you could make a list of things that, in your opinion, winning 21 straight RS games gives the players a pass to do or not do. Maybe lying down just a little bit during a game? Not even showing up to the stadium on time b/c they've earned it? Taking every other quarter off? BB gets to go golfing instead of working the week of the Miami game because of what he's given us?

Or maybe you could come up with some kind of a scale for how poorly the team gets to perform (no booing allowed) in relation to how successful they've been in the past.

I'm fine if you feel like they deserve a mulligan or "one bad day at the office." Or that booing is classless based on what's been achieved in the past. That's your opinion.

 

[Pats726]

I think what happened was a knee jerk reaction to seeing the team getting smashed by Miami. We all knew the winning streak would end and nobody had forgotten what it was like to see the Pats lose one - we just didn't think it would be against Miami and like that, and some of us reacted by yelling.

You can call that disgusting if you like, it's up to you.

But what does that say about being a fan and booing that game? SO if it had been a loss to another team..the Colts, Bolts and like that that would have been different? Would it have been different if Brady had played and teh pats got blitzed like that? SO is it just an emotional reaction?? is that what being a fan is?? just emotion and no thought?? Just curious...

 

[Pats726]

The Patriots just played the worst game in the history of Gillette Stadium. A lot of people booed. Go figure.

The only thing I'm scratching my head about is wondering when football became such a woosie sport where both players and fans are oversensitive about the shocking development of fans booing poor play.

I doubt it was the worst or close to it...maybe the worst in 8 years..I am really just asking the question of what KIND of a fan boos like that? That is what I am asking about..trying to understand.. SO if a fan (by definition is a very FANATIC supporter of a team) boos...who is really the woos?? Someone who stands strong with the team in thick and thin or one that changes with the wind?? Just curious..

 

[Pats726]

I'm with you. When you're part of a 60,000 strong crowd on elevated ground drinking beer, you have no excuse not to be brave. Let those ****ers have it!

Just dumb blowhards..is that what it is all about? Is that fandom?

 

[Pats726]

Just what we need, another discussion on whether Booing the GREAT Home team was irresponsible, childish, and even scumbag like.

Boy this is seriously going to add alot to the other discussions.....kinda like walking over to a lunch table in grade school, getting ready to sit down, only to realize that the smelliest kid in the whole school sat down there while you turned your head to tell your friends to "Meet me at this table"

No offense to the OP, but really.......

Just trying yo understand the reasons why? Maybe beyond your scope..ESCUSE ME!!! Should some just say that those that boo really aren't fans of the team...but more fair weatrher fans? you tell me...

 

[Frezo]

There are all kinds of Pats fans from booers to non-booers and suit wearers to yahooers. There are snow boarders to computer geeks and health nuts to Wendys freaks. Some fans are so emotionally wrapped up in this team that not being here everyday is unacceptable. They wear their hearts on their sleeves while others with the same commitment wear their words on theirs. For some fans the Pats may be a second or third pastime with something like fishing being the main squeeze. There are young people that were born into this success story and others that became fans when the success became apparent. This doesn't make them some kind of hideous person. In fact if this team didn't garner any new fans due to it's success, we'd have to put up with things like blackouts and NFL handouts from other teams. Success breeds full stadiums while a lack thereof breeds empty seats.

From my point of view, if you want to boo, that's cool. If you don't want to, that's fine to. In the end we're all Patriots fans and that bond in itself should supersede everything else.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Your premise that booing serves some sort of constructive purpose escapes me. Please explain how booing simply because you're disappointed makes things better. I know for a fact that hearing boos does not motivate players, coaches or ownership to perform at a higher level. Your suggestion that players "manned up" because they heard booing is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read.

If there's some benefit to having fans cheer or boo a team, so be it. Some players respond to positive feedback - others respond to negative feedback.

You might not remember back when Parcells called Terry Glen "she". He didn't mispeak - that was an example of how Parcells would often use negaitve comments to try to motivate players. It's not quite as rediculous as you seem to think.

(For those who weren't following the team back then, Terry Glen was a rookie playing for the Patriots that season, and needed some extra motivation to work his way past an injury. Cheering and "attaboys" weren't doing the trick with him - Parcells instinct that negative feedback would spur him on helped do the trick and he caught 96 passes that year.)


All I'm really defending is the fact that there are good fans who expect a certain caliber of play from a team and boo when the team doesn not deliver.

Its not about winning or losing - its whether they gave their all on the field. Some fans just will never understand that.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I doubt it was the worst or close to it...maybe the worst in 8 years..I am really just asking the question of what KIND of a fan boos like that? That is what I am asking about..trying to understand.. SO if a fan (by definition is a very FANATIC supporter of a team) boos...who is really the woos?? Someone who stands strong with the team in thick and thin or one that changes with the wind?? Just curious..

It's only been refernced in about 200 articles, and I think the TV Commentators as the worst loss in the history of Gillette - and the worst loss since they were beaten by the Atlanta Falcons 41-10 on Nov. 8, 1998.

Basically I think there's clearly two kinds of fans - those that think they can tell other fans when its politically correct to boo and not to boo, and those who think good fans can still do whatever the hell they want to.

Count me among the latter.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

There are all kinds of Pats fans from booers to non-booers and suit wearers to yahooers. There are snow boarders to computer geeks and health nuts to Wendys freaks. Some fans are so emotionally wrapped up in this team that not being here everyday is unacceptable. They wear their hearts on their sleeves while others with the same commitment wear their words on theirs. For some fans the Pats may be a second or third pastime with something like fishing being the main squeeze. There are young people that were born into this success story and others that became fans when the success became apparent. This doesn't make them some kind of hideous person. In fact if this team didn't garner any new fans due to it's success, we'd have to put up with things like blackouts and NFL handouts from other teams. Success breeds full stadiums while a lack thereof breeds empty seats.

From my point of view, if you want to boo, that's cool. If you don't want to, that's fine to. In the end we're all Patriots fans and that bond in itself should supersede everything else.

Okay at first I was pi**ed off about it but now I just want to sing kumbayah.

I'll give it a rest, for my part.

 

[Tunescribe]

If there's some benefit to having fans cheer or boo a team, so be it. Some players respond to positive feedback - others respond to negative feedback.

You might not remember back when Parcells called Terry Glen "she". He didn't mispeak - that was an example of how Parcells would often use negaitve comments to try to motivate players. It's not quite as rediculous as you seem to think.

(For those who weren't following the team back then, Terry Glen was a rookie playing for the Patriots that season, and needed some extra motivation to work his way past an injury. Cheering and "attaboys" weren't doing the trick with him - Parcells instinct that negative feedback would spur him on helped do the trick and he caught 96 passes that year.)


All I'm really defending is the fact that there are good fans who expect a certain caliber of play from a team and boo when the team doesn not deliver.

Its not about winning or losing - its whether they gave their all on the field. Some fans just will never understand that.

We're addressing this same stuff in multiple threads, it seems. I don't believe there's correlation between fans booing and a coach getting on a player's case. By the way, when was the last time you heard fans boo perceived lack of effort when their team was ahead? My point, for the umpteenth time, is that booing has no constructive purpose; it heaps negativity upon negativity. And most of the time, it's the result of misunderstanding what really is going on.

 

[NJPatsfan26]

We're addressing this same stuff in multiple threads, it seems. I don't believe there's correlation between fans booing and a coach getting on a player's case. By the way, when was the last time you heard fans boo perceived lack of effort when their team was ahead? My point, for the umpteenth time, is that booing has no constructive purpose; it heaps negativity upon negativity. And most of the time, it's the result of misunderstanding what really is going on.

From all the threads about this....this statement seems to sum it all up.

Booing happens....its has a negative effect on everything. It has had a HUGE effect on this board for the past few days.

So lets just all say what happened on Sunday happened. Its in the past now. Lets try to look forward to the next game.