There's a growing and disturbing trend in Autzen stadium. We're turning into the fans we used to hate.
Boorish. Classless. Arrogant. Entitled.
Don't be the guy who turns without signalling or hogs the fast lane. Don't be the guy who makes obscene gestures and escalates the negative highway karma. Don't be the guy who boos an injured player.
Football is a violent game, a collision sport, and on any play every player takes a risk of being injured for life. For the most part it's a manageable risk, but still.
Do you want to be the fan that boos a guy who has just been permanently injured or critically injured? Do you want to be the fan base that has that reputation?
The Ducks win classy. LaMichael James scores 20 touchdowns, and he tosses the ball to the official and celebrates with his teammates. In interviews, the kids invariably give credit and respect to the other team. They've won with hard work, focus, and a fierce commitment to each other.
We ought to honor that by having a fierce commitment to respecting the game. Let the PAC-10 office monitor injury faking, and realize a player who fakes an injury has already punished himself. He's surrendered his integrity and his will to compete. Booing at random just sinks Oregon football to the same base, clueless, classless level.
If we want to be fans of a national champion, we should act like we expect to be here again.
There's something about success that breeds arrogance. We see it in sports, politics, business...
ReplyDeleteSo all we can do is set individual examples and say, "stay classy, Duck fans".