Saturday, September 22, 2007

I'm ticked...

I'm an unabashed, dyed-in-the-wool true blue (or red) Nebraska Cornhusker football fan. Today, the Huskers pulled out a squeaker (41-40) against a team that they were supposed to demolish. Ball State.

You know, the school known for producing that great NFL player named David Letterman.

I'm a little ticked about that (especially the way the defense played), but not much. I'm just happy they got the win. And the offense looked pretty darned good.

I'm ticked about the booing.

I heard booing today at the stadium. Not the little smattering from the student section when the opposing team took the field, not some general discontented grumbling when things weren't going our way, but full, all-out booing.

That's not to say that I don't boo at games. I boo for three things:

1) a bad call by the refs.
2) a cheap shot by either team.
3) unsportsmanlike showing off by either team.

In my opinion, keeping in mind the above caveats, you don't boo the other team, and you NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER boo your own team for not playing the way you'd like. Especially not college athletes.

There are those who will say the booing was directed at the coaching staff. Maybe. But unfortunately, the players on the field don't have a "boo filter" that tells them what's directed at the coaches and what's directed at them. How does booing help your team win? What purpose does it serve? Complain all you want later. Write letters, organize marches, have a sit-in at the stadium to protest the way the defensive coordinator's just sitting around letting things go to hell in a handbasket. Just don't boo during the game. You're only further demoralizing a team that obviously is in need of your support.

I hope I never hear that kind of display by the fans ever again at Memorial Stadium. Husker fans are rightfully proud of the good reputation they have. Today was a sad day for the "Best Fans In College Football."

"We'll all stick together, in all kinds of weather, at dear old Nebraska U..." as long as things are going the way we want them to.

Speaking of sticking together in weather, don't even get me STARTED on the fans who left last week's game against USC with a full quarter left to play...

...but that's for a different post.

Go Big Red!!!!

LH

2 comments:

LutherPunk said...

That really is tacky, especially when you consider these are 18-22 year olds out there...they are kids!

I was at a Florida game when the home crowd booed their own Gators, and I was livid. I am with you on this one.

BTW, Nebraska just had a hang over. They are way better than they played Saturday!

Scott said...

Yup.

Tacky.

'Nuff said.