Clearly, you are too embarrased to come to the game. Might as well not show up.
I recently attended a football game and there were quite a few observations that really pissed me off. I am curious if these things also irritate you, the fan, as well. These fall on the fan, players and announcers. Let me get this started.
300 Section Fan:
It never fails, every time I sit up in the 300 level (aka nose-bleeds) there is a guy screaming at the top of his lungs at an individual player. I can personally five-star guarantee the player can not hear you. Well, unless it is the second half of a Coug game against Oklahoma State and Kendall Hunter has rushed for almost 300 yards and four touchdowns in the first half. The stadium might be empty enough in the second half to reach the ears of the athlete. When the a stadium like Century Link Field is full, no one on the field can make out what you’re saying. This act just seems like such a waste of energy and voice. Save your voice for yelling when your squad is on defense. You are literally making yourself a worse fan by wrecking your voice before the fourth quarter when the defense needs you the most. All of you pointless yellers are welcome for the advice.
Booing Referees:
I may have touched on this in the past, but it still makes my blood boil (Do people still say that?). As a fan you can’t boo a referee for calling a blatant false start or pass interference on your team. Your tight end is three yards down field! Do you really think it is a bad call? No, you can’t think that, unless you are a complete moron, which I am not ruling out. Have some integrity as a fan. Only boo when it is actually a bad call, it may actually influence a referee some day, especially if we as fans can all get on the same page. Let’s unite and influence referees make the right calls.
The Played Out Celebration:
Being original with a celebration on the field is becoming a lost art. The unzipping motion to say you are Superman is played out. The feeding yourself motion is played out. Whatever happened the classic celebrations like the taser jiggle? I know the days of Sharpies in the sock and Chad Johnson proposing to cheerleaders are gone, but there are still great ways to celebrate. Terrell Owens going to the star in Dallas and Emmitt Smith doing it too is legendary. Even something simple like Jared Allen doing the lasso is original. There are great celebrations all over the league just ask Rocky Bernard, Victor Cruz or Stevie Johnson. Step it up players! We expect more.
Game Isn’t Over:
When your team is down 10 points with four minutes left and you are heading for the exits, you have become a horrible fan. This also goes for the announcer that deems the game as over. The first thing that goes through my head is I hope there is an epic comeback. I hope you are listening on your car radio and hear the awesomeness you are missing live, even though, later you will claim you were at that game and leave out the part of leaving early. Own up to the fact you left early, like Rich Roberge admitting to leaving at halftime of the Oklahoma-Boise State thriller. As for the announcer that said the game was over before this epic comeback, you better admit to being wrong. However, the announcers rarely say they were wrong. They just go with the cliche “its never over until its over” and “anything can happen, if you let your guard down.” I know these comebacks are rare, but it always worth sitting around for 15 mins just in case. That traffic is going to be there no matter what. Hold on to hope. That’s what a real fan does.
Think about these things next time you are at a game, any game. That’s all I ask.
