Booing at the stadium.

[Mike the Brit]

Well, I don't know how things are at football games, but my experience of great fans is that when their team is doing badly they don't boo -- they boo when there is a bad decision or when an opponent who has taken a cheap shot gets the ball.

The greatest fans I've seen turn it up a notch and sing louder. It must have been amazing when you were a Liverpool player and lost at home to hear the fans start singing "You'll never walk alone" as you walked off the field -- I know, I've been there and heard it.

The only time I would boo my own team is if I felt that the players were not playing with heart and pride. If they're not playing well, they need encouragement.

 

[Alk]

Your opinion in absolute crap. Spoken like someone who has never been.
I myself do not boo but don't blame those that do.
Being a fan watching a game is an emotional rollercoaster, your teams scores or makes a big play on D you stand up and cheer, why is that hmm you get excited or are happy an emotional response, your team comes out and plays flat and un-inspired you get frustrated hmm another emotional response thus some people boo.
Have you ever been sitting in your living room watching a game and cheer a good play ar yell at your tv over a bad call or coaching move, why they can't hear you oh yeah emotion.
booing or cheering shows your into the game one way or the other.
The idea New England fans enjoy being negative is absolute garbage perpetuated by hacks like Dan "shank" Shaunessy to sell his stupid books

Well, there are alot of people giving absolute crap opinions so I guess I fit right in now don't I? And you're right, I've never been to a Patriots home game but I have been multiple Nebraska games and I will say this, the "fans" at the Patriots games don't hold a candle to the Husker fans.

 

[Kingasaurus]

The only time I would boo my own team is if I felt that the players were not playing with heart and pride. If they're not playing well, they need encouragement.

Well, that's the big question, isn't it? How can you tell when the team isn't "playing with heart"? Is it obvious? I saw a team with superior talent look completely listless for an entire half against an inferior team - and in the home opener of a brand new season no less. When they've had a half of football so bad by their standards that the fans aren't used to seeing it, the team needs to know the fans are disappointed and have high expectations.

The Patriots aren't going to get booed if they are simply in a close game with a scrappy underdog. they will get booed if the fans feel the team isn't focused and playing with the proper discipline - and losing a game they should win because of it. The first play that gave the Bills a TD was a perfect example.

 

[Alk]

So I'm curious, had all of you been the coach in the final seconds, what would you have done? We had played like crap the whole half. Brady had completed about two passes for three yards. Should we have lobbed the ball down field risking an interception that could have possible been taken the other way and put us in a deeper whole than we were already in? Booing Belichick and his coaching staff is like the people who made fun of Eintstein. Every fan seems to think they know better than the coaching staff.

 

[Ahriman]

Well, I don't know how things are at football games, but my experience of great fans is that when their team is doing badly they don't boo -- they boo when there is a bad decision or when an opponent who has taken a cheap shot gets the ball.

Which is exactly why they were booing yesterday! I cannot understand how so man people are missing that simple point. It's as though everyone just wants to dull all sharp edges in the world. What the hell is wrong here?

It's very, very simple people. The offensive coordinator decided to run out the clock before the half. The fans felt there was a legitimate chance to take a couple of shots at getting into field goal position, or perhaps even the end zone.

There's too many whiny fans who just expect people to sit on their hands and not open their mouths as though we're all sitting in a movie theatre or something. Even worse, they expect people who go to professional sporting events to cheer the game the same way they would a youth soccer match. It's one thing to cheer a bunch of kids regardless of what they do. That's perfectly fine. However, it's another thing to pay good money to see excellence at the highest level of sports and not receive it.

Anyway, i'm veering off-topic here. To restate: the fans boo'd because the plays called on the last drive of the first half were deemed too conservative. END OF STORY.

 

[Smash-MouthD]

Well, there are alot of people giving absolute crap opinions so I guess I fit right in now don't I? And you're right, I've never been to a Patriots home game but I have been multiple Nebraska games and I will say this, the "fans" at the Patriots games don't hold a candle to the Husker fans.

I would agree the volume level at times is lacking and have been disapointed by that but all the playoff games I have been to have been quite loud.As a season ticket holder since 86 there has been a huge improvement.
As for husker games, I would say yes ncaa games beat nlf games hands down, I have been to many nfl stadiums and NE is not that much diff. But most ncaa stadiums hold more people how many people go to husker games 80-90,000.

 

[Kingasaurus]

Well, there are alot of people giving absolute crap opinions so I guess I fit right in now don't I? And you're right, I've never been to a Patriots home game but I have been multiple Nebraska games and I will say this, the "fans" at the Patriots games don't hold a candle to the Husker fans.

Sorry, but the college crowd and experience is different. There's much less feeling that one should boo college players, who are not professionals.

NFL players are PROS. They can handle it, and an NFL crowd is more willing to let them hear it. It's part of the deal. It doesn't just happen in Foxboro.

Nobody boos the players at a Patriots game to tell them they stink. They're booing because the fans know the first-half "effort" the team turned in yesterday was unacceptable for a team with that amount of talent and experience.

 

[Kingasaurus]

Anyway, i'm veering off-topic here. To restate: the fans boo'd because the plays called on the last drive of the first half were deemed too conservative. END OF STORY.

Even if that is true, I'm still arguing that booing an extremely sub-par performance is completely justified.

I think it's worth noting that Patriots fans aren't quick to boo, either. You really have to stink up the joint to get them to do it.

 

[Keegs]

But what if it was a new pats fan who just went to his first game??? Does he have a right to boo because he wasn't a fan before during their SB runs and he has never been to a game?

What about the Fan that has brady on his Fantasy Football team? does he have the right to boo?

What if they were all Deion Branch supporters who had that jerkass on their fantasy football team, is it ok for them to boo?

 

[Tunescribe]

THE MAJORITY OF THE FANS THAT WERE BOOING WERE BOOING THE FACT THAT THE PATS TOOK KNEES IN THE FINAL SECONDS OF THE FIRST HALF. THE BOOING BEGAN AS THE PLAYS WERE BEING RUN, NOT AS THE TEAM WAS LEAVING THE FIELD. THEY WERE BOOING THE DECISION NOT TO TAKE A CRACK AT MOVING THE BALL....BOOONG THE COACHES DECISIONS, NOT THE PLAYERS THEMSELVES.... AND, IMO, FULLY JUSTIFIED BOOING....

THOSE THAT THINK THE MAJORITY WERE BOOING THE PLAYERS ARE WROng. The booing was initiated because of the fact that the coaches quit, inthe final seconds.

Whether the decision was right, or wrong, that is what irked the majority of the fans and led to the booing, no somuch the way the players played.

The entire first half was a Patriot's coaching fiasco which led to the poor performance.

Ah yes, it was a bunch of NEMs in the stands doing the booing. They presume to know more than BB and his staff what to do at the end of the half. I'm sure the halftime discussion went like this:

BB: "Josh, I guess I made a mistake at the end of the half by having you run out the clock. Did you hear those NEMs out there booing us?"

McDaniel: "Yeah. I guess we did the wrong thing, didn't we. Now that the NEMs are mad at us because the Bills played so well, we better change our offensive philosophy in the second half."

BB: "Right. I never realized our fans cared so much. Now, I'm motivated to go out and call a better game. Let's get the captains into my office."

BB (to team captains): "OK fellas, did you hear the NEMs booing? I hope you stop being lazy out there and put out a better effort. They're right and we are wrong for letting Buffalo play so well."

Troy Brown: "Coach, we apologize for the fact that Buffalo played well in the first half. Of course, it's our fault as we have complete control over how well our opponent plays us. We didn't care enough in the first half, but now that the NEMs are angry, we need to perform better so they feel OK about us."

Meanwhile, in the other lockerroom:

**** Jauron (to his staff and players): "Guys, something is wrong here. We are not playing down to our capabilities and are embarrassing our hosts. The NEMs are booing because they know we're not as good as we played in the first half. I want you all to come back down to earth in the second half so the NEMs' view of reality is not altered. So let's put a halt to all that booing and lose one for Marv!"

 

[Kingasaurus]

As ridiculous as Tunescribe's parody is, equally ridiculous is the idea that football players are so emotionally fragile that they can't handle negative reaction from their own fans after playing beyond poorly.

Guys that fragile shouldn't be in the NFL. They should all quit and become accountants.

 

[Tunescribe]

As ridiculous as Tunescribe's parody is, equally ridiculous is the idea that football players are so emotionally fragile that they can't handle negative reaction from their own fans after playing beyond poorly.

Guys that fragile shouldn't be in the NFL. They should all quit and become accountants.

No one is suggesting the players are "emotionally fragile." They just shrug off booing as a childish display of fan ignorance, which is all it is. Reference Seymour's comment on the subject yesterday. (Paraphrasing) "Fans will be fans. They want us to win."

 

[thewaylifeshouldbe]

This is obviously a pretty divisive thread. I agree with those that the "boo's" were for finishing on a knee versus a more agressive tactic, and arguments could be made for either play being called, but they are the coaches and I trust their decisions regarding the game. Doesn't mean I don't question them at times, but to boo the choices they make seems fairly lacking in class and perspective given this is a staff that has brought some real intelligence to the field. Are they always correct? Probably not and they have never shown a problem with admitting that. Do they deserve more respect than this damn fanbase gives them at times? Absolutely.

I take more umbrage with the fans being inclined to voice displeasure with more gusto than they do encouragement. There are so many times that the team NEEDS some noise from the stands and the fans are clueless to it. Sure, they can make a little noise sometimes when a big play goes down, but they suck at maintaining that thrum of thousands of voices that helps to confuse the visiting team, and invigorates the spirit and mentality of the home team. That should not be a behavior limited to the playoffs only, it should be a constant...even when backs are against the wall.

Boo away, it's a fans privilege, but pull your head at of your ***** and give as loud a voice when you're not bellowing displeasure. That booing was the loudest rumble from the crowd all day.

Any of you who have ever played the game on a field instead of an X-box know exactly what I am talking about.

 

[atlpatsfan]

NOTHING the PATs can do for the next 10 years should rain down even one BOO! ..... NOTHING! there is no excuse for it .... none.

That's one of the most ridiculous, overblown statements I have ever heard. So we have to bow down and kiss there butts even if they come in dead last for a decade because they won some Superbowls. COME ON! So by your logic 49 fans had no right to boo for the last few years because Steve Young won them some Superbowls. GET A GRIP! They played bad and got booed. Welcome to New England.

 

[brady et al fan]

The boos were more an expression of displeasure at the coaching decision to run out the clock than at the performance of the team, awful though it was. They started after the second straight draw play and got louder after the 3rd.

And I also think the booing was more reflective of an intelligent fanbase than a classless fanbase. How else would a fan express that it disagrees with a coaching decision? Its not like you can climb over the fence and have a conversion with Belicheck. And I don't think Bill had his feelings hurt either.

And one more thing, I thought the noise was pretty good, esp. near the end zones whenever the Bills were inside the 20s. Certainly much louder than the boos anyway and I think we disrupted the Bills signal calling at times.

 

[Kingasaurus]

No one is suggesting the players are "emotionally fragile." They just shrug off booing as a childish display of fan ignorance, which is all it is. Reference Seymour's comment on the subject yesterday. (Paraphrasing) "Fans will be fans. They want us to win."

Seems like the only one calling it childish and ignorant are people of your ilk.

Seymour's right. We want them to win. When they play really poorly - and way below their capabilities, they hear it. Since it takes quite a level of ineptitude for the fans to actually boo, the last thing I'd call fans is "childish" and "ignorant" for usually showing restraint.

If the team hears booing at Gillette, they know their level of play is exceptionally low. Fans don't boo over a few mistakes, errors or occaisional missed assignments. If fans understand what the team is capable of, they have high standards and hate mail-it-in or sleepwalking performances. That's the opposite of ignorant.

 

[Tunescribe]

Seems like the only one calling it childish and ignorant are people of your ilk.

Seymour's right. We want them to win. When they play really poorly - and way below their capabilities, they hear it. Since it takes quite a level of ineptitude for the fans to actually boo, the last thing I'd call fans is "childish" and "ignorant" for usually showing restraint.

If the team hears booing at Gillette, they know their level of play is exceptionally low. Fans don't boo over a few mistakes, errors or occaisional missed assignments. If fans understand what the team is capable of, they have high standards and hate mail-it-in or sleepwalking performances. That's the opposite of ignorant.

Your perspective is a case in point -- tons of assumptions going on here. Could the "exceptionally low level of play" you're bemoaning possibly have something to do with the other team, and not the Patriots' alleged lack of effort? The Patriots are not a solo act performing in a vacuum, they do not have total control over what happens on the field of play. Sometimes, the other team plays well enough to make them look bad through no fault of their own in terms of preparation, effort, or coaching. Such was the case on Sunday. The difference between teams at this level of play is very slight, hence the phrase, "On any given Sunday."

 

[Kingasaurus]

Your perspective is a case in point -- tons of assumptions going on here. Could the "exceptionally low level of play" you're bemoaning possibly have something to do with the other team, and not the Patriots' alleged lack of effort? The Patriots are not a solo act performing in a vacuum, they do not have total control over what happens on the field of play. Sometimes, the other team plays well enough to make them look bad through no fault of their own in terms of preparation, effort, or coaching. Such was the case on Sunday. The difference between teams at this level of play is very slight, hence the phrase, "On any given Sunday."

I'm willing to assume that my own team doesn't have their head in the game when: a missed assignment results in a hideous defensive touchdown on the game's first play, the team gets flagged for 12 men in the huddle and the first half resulted in practically negative yards passing with Matt Light looking like a revolving door.

You're making plenty of assumptions yourself. I never claimed the team had "total control" of everything that happens. But they shouldn't play that badly in the home opener against a 5-11 team with an inexperienced QB and a first year head coach. If the Bills turn it around and end up being a decent team this year, I'll rethink my position. If you want to chalk up the patriots anemic first half performance to the brilliant preparation and performance of the Bills, you're free to do so. I'm willing to place some blame on my own squad, however.

Boo.

 

[Alk]

In the end, I don't think the booing does any good at all. The players and coaches couldn't care less about it and go about their jobs as usual. Please don't fool yourself into thinking that the booing had anything to do with the second half comeback. I guess it is pretty clear why the crowd didn't have the energy to cheer in the second half though. I'm a positive reinforcement guy myself. If I had been there, I would have cheered them coming off of the field.

 

[Tunescribe]

I'm willing to assume that my own team doesn't have their head in the game when: a missed assignment results in a hideous defensive touchdown on the game's first play, the team gets flagged for 12 men in the huddle and the first half resulted in practically negative yards passing with Matt Light looking like a revolving door.

You're making plenty of assumptions yourself. I never claimed the team had "total control" of everything that happens. But they shouldn't play that badly in the home opener against a 5-11 team with an inexperienced QB and a first year head coach. If the Bills turn it around and end up being a decent team this year, I'll rethink my position. If you want to chalk up the patriots anemic first half performance to the brilliant preparation and performance of the Bills, you're free to do so. I'm willing to place some blame on my own squad, however.

Boo.

Buffalo was 5-11 in 2005. This is 2006. Losman is not a rookie, and Jauron is an experienced head coach. It doesn't matter what the Bills do the rest of the season; on SUNDAY, they had the Pats' number in the first half. You're very quick to boo a team that had only ONE penalty all day (they didn't have their heads on the game?) and outperformed its opponent in all statistical categories except turnovers and return yardage. Sure, they made some mistakes, all teams do. I give the Bills credit for paying us tough. So, go ahead and boo what you "think" is going on down there. Just because you don't like what you see doesn't mean you've got it figured out.