PSA: Booing is NOT okay

Submitted by LebronJames on

 

https://twitter.com/grant_newsome/status/906620103525101568

Hearing the Michigan 'faithful' boo today made me sick. Completely disappointed in that display of 'fandom'.

Expressing yourself by rolling your lips in just before forcing out your foul breath is not okay. If you are not willing to cheer and encourage your team on while they are not performing up to expectations, don't buy a ticket or go to the game. Just because you spend money on entertainment does not entitle you to act that way.

If you want someone to succeed, do you boo them to or do you encourage them to push through and persevere? People forget these are impressionable young men who hear that and are affected by it. Yes, they need to be able to play through adversity. Do you really want to be the cause of that? These players want to hear you cheering loud and proud. Do it.

The masses need to know this is not okay. Don't let anyone in your section get away with this without ridicule. This needs to stop now.

 

 

MGoBoard
Football

Blue from Ohio

September 9th, 2017 at 6:13 PM ^

I fully agree.  I wasn't at the game, but my yelling at the tv wasn't as much directed at the players, but the coaches.  Those guys make millions of dollars a year to handle criticism.  Watching the game early on atleast, it did look to me (personal opinion caveat), the players didn't have the same edge to them as the Florida game. But again, when I was pissed, it was directed towards the coaches for not motivating / coaching them better.  This is inevitably going to happen at a place like Michigan, where winning is expected.  The unfortunate thing about boos is, as a player, they are not able to decipher who they're directed at.  When you come to play football at a place like Michigan, the expectations are high so you have to deal with it.  And if you're at any other high level football program, like OSU, Alabama, etc., if the team doesn't perform well at all, you will hear the same thing.  Overall lesson is, if you're a big time football player at  big time program, this is what you deal with.

Joined: 08/30/2013

MGoPoints: 769

mgoberling

September 9th, 2017 at 6:21 PM ^

I've never understood what the purpose of booing is. OP has a good point. It's important to show unending support for your team, your family, or really anyone "on your side". Do you really think booing these young men is going to spark a fire in them? It's really not.

Cheer, cheer, and cheer. Booing is for entitled losers and armchair coaches who haven't the slightest idea how much that type of culture can hamper a team's enthusiasm.

Joined: 08/30/2017

MGoPoints: 98

Stringer Bell

September 9th, 2017 at 6:11 PM ^

I was at the game and most of the booing, at least that I noticed, was directed at the officials, who were once again awful today.  It's scary to think that these clowns will be in a position where they can really hurt us in a close game.  And we just can't seem to get a fair shake against Ohio based teams.

Joined: 11/06/2014

MGoPoints: 53125

GBBlue

September 9th, 2017 at 6:12 PM ^

Too bad so many are apparently pro-booing. It's unfair, and a terrible look. There were recruits at the game, and I guarantee you, booing makes a negative impression. And, quite frankly, screw the "I'm a paying customer " argument. These are student-athletes, not slaves. Are you arguing Speight deserved it? Seriously? And we won 36-14. This is the kind of entitled, and amnesiac (remember Hoke) that gives UM fans a bad name...

Joined: 06/13/2013

MGoPoints: 1786

mgoberling

September 9th, 2017 at 6:27 PM ^

The whole entire point of playing at home is to create an advantage by firing up the squad. What is even the point of booing? Good fanbases have the ability to energize their teams in adverse conditions. It makes no sense to boo. The team is already doing bad.. might as well try your best as a crowd to pick them up. Just do what you can to increase morale. 

Joined: 08/30/2017

MGoPoints: 98

Heptarch

September 9th, 2017 at 8:21 PM ^

Perhaps you'd like to show me where I said I think they owe me anything. 

If anything they owe it to themselves and to the university to give their very best.  If they give poor effort, it's only logical for people to point it out.

 

Joined: 12/29/2014

MGoPoints: 7062

Heptarch

September 9th, 2017 at 9:21 PM ^

The game has plenty to do with me.  It wouldn't exist in the form it does without fans. 

When fans boo a performance it's because they have every right to see the performer's best efforts.  That isn't to say that those performers can't make mistakes.  But when it becomes clear that the performers are not collectively giving their best effort, it's perfectly reasonable to remind them of it.

Joined: 12/29/2014

MGoPoints: 7062

GBBlue

September 9th, 2017 at 6:12 PM ^

Too bad so many are apparently pro-booing. It's unfair, and a terrible look. There were recruits at the game, and I guarantee you, booing makes a negative impression. And, quite frankly, screw the "I'm a paying customer " argument. These are student-athletes, not slaves. Are you arguing Speight deserved it? Seriously? And we won 36-14. This is the kind of entitled, and amnesiac (remember Hoke) that gives UM fans a bad name...

Joined: 06/13/2013

MGoPoints: 1786

GBBlue

September 9th, 2017 at 6:12 PM ^

bad so many are apparently pro-booing. It's unfair, and a terrible look. There were recruits at the game, and I guarantee you, booing makes a negative impression. And, quite frankly, screw the "I'm a paying customer " argument. These are student-athletes, not slaves. Are you arguing Speight deserved it? Seriously? And we won 36-14. This is the kind of entitled, and amnesiac (remember Hoke) that gives UM fans a bad name...

Joined: 06/13/2013

MGoPoints: 1786

trappedinohio

September 9th, 2017 at 6:22 PM ^

No, people like you are what gives UM fans a bad name. You look at the final score as if it's an accurate representation of how the game was played while conveniently ignoring the fact that we played like shit against a shitty team. I'm sure you're the typical Rich Rod / Hoke apologist who comments in game threads "We won and that's all the playoff committee cares about" as if we even have a shot at getting to the playoff in our current state. Are they student-athletes? Yes. But they're also getting a free education at a school that would cost me $200,000 to attend. I think they can handle a little criticsm when they don't show up for a game they should've dominated. 

Joined: 09/09/2017

MGoPoints: 1018

bronxblue

September 9th, 2017 at 6:32 PM ^

Glad to see you have an accurate take on the preparation of the team. Guess what - you made the argument that people are terrible because they subjectively view a performance in a certain light, then counter that by saying, in your own subjective view, they didn't perform to your high standards and because they "get a free education" (and all the loaded horseshit that comment contains) and so you can boo. Pot and kettle and all that. I hate people who boo and think they are childish brats who can't handle adult emotions. I'd like to see them try to do whatever they do and boo the shit out of them on a day they perform poorly.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 172112

bronxblue

September 9th, 2017 at 7:07 PM ^

I personally thing booing college students for "underperforming" and then saying "they get a free education so they should take it" is dumb and offensive to the students.  Feel free to think otherwise; I really could care less.  Apparently voicing that feeling in this thread is deemed as histeronics.  

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 172112

GBBlue

September 9th, 2017 at 6:47 PM ^

who you think I am reinforces my point. Again, you use your expenditures, undoubtedly forced at gunpoint, to treat the players -- who are human beings -- like crap. It's not a defense. It's not even an excuse. It's just poor form. When players tell you it hurts their performance, you and your cohorts in this thread simply deny the firsthand account. It's irrational. In defense of what? Booing? Everyone wants their team to do great all the time. But when it doesn't, it's no excuse to be a jerk. Some folks need more self-awareness.

Joined: 06/13/2013

MGoPoints: 1786

maizemama

September 9th, 2017 at 6:19 PM ^

So, we were at the game and there was some booing (not by me). But there was a robust round of "bullshit" at the refs and the crowd went insane when Gary flattened the QB after the near targeting call - it was really loud. We were so loud that the lady behind us asked us to quiet down. When the offense was flat, the fans were flat, but we perked up at appropriate spots. And the refs were bullshit.

Joined: 01/12/2011

MGoPoints: 1623

killerseafood3

September 9th, 2017 at 6:22 PM ^

Pretty easy to play the hindsight card here. Let's be honest, a high majority of the people at these guys are not sober, are amped up for a big win in the season opener, and is their escape from the reality of the real world. People are going to be assholes - the world is filled with them. It is what it is, but rehashing this tired argument every year is annoying. But hey, maybe you can be an usher and escort anyone that boos out of the game going forward.

Joined: 12/06/2014

MGoPoints: 32977

bronxblue

September 9th, 2017 at 6:28 PM ^

So the other option is to just ignore people being assholes because it's already been pointed out? To all those who boo: learn to handle your liquor better or shut the fuck up, you fucking spoiled children.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 172112