Sports is getting ugly. Or I should say, it’s getting uglier.
Before we even go into the upside-down spin of the COVID 19 pandemic that produced countless empty stadiums, the latest virus to wreak havoc is fan behavior. Let’s take a quick and detailed look at fans.
Fans at sporting events have gone bonkers. Punching and kicking, throwing blows to others who have a different kind of jersey that you are wearing. The violence needs to be corrected and fans’ safety should be job one. And they should give a double dosage of protection to athletes.
Still, this type of behavior makes it uncomfortable watching a game and cheering for your team. I have seen it firsthand and I am embarrassed by some fans’ child-like behavior. Something has gotta give and fast. We are much better than that.
Since the resumption of fans back to stadiums fields and arenas, the total mindset of some fans is to disrupt and interfere with the game or events before during and after the game ends.
Where has sportsmanship gone?
We have seen major brawls that led to major injuries and bloody faces. Fans being exited out of their seats and taking final verbal shots and threats at athletes. Â It has gone to another level which we have seldom seen. The look is dangerous and the visuals deter you away from attending live games and events.
When you buy a ticket it does not include shouting vulgar and threats at anyone, let alone athletes.
When you wish hardship, personal tragedy and death to family members then you have most definitely crossed the line. Sports is for our entertainment and pleasure and this type of caveman approach is not warranted or welcome. It’s only a game and we have lost our ground-floor level of respect.
I would welcome any football program, from high school to professional, to watch the replay of the Army-Navy game played weeks ago in New Jersey. Now if you want to learn how to represent and display sportsmanship and appreciation for the game, this is your guide.
From the coaches to the players of both Military academies, hats off to showing us what true competition and respect is all about. You watched that game and it brought back everything we were taught as kids playing the game we love.
After the game, win or lose, sportsmanship reigns supreme and is such a key component that has been lost recently in all sports.
More importantly, what message are we sending to our children and young adults? It’s okay to be arrogant and disruptive and be swayed away from how you should act and represent. For the fans, it’s another whole level to voice ugly, crude and extremely insensitive remarks.
Both are bad and both do not go hand in hand. Teaching our children should be a bi-product of making sports fun and enjoyable, without all the outside interferences that have no place in any athletic activity.
Our children are our lifeline in training them in respect, love and hard-fought competition. What they see is what they do. And what they do is not okay to imitate.
We got to get back to a healthy sports menu across the board. We went over a year with no fans allowed at sporting sites or venues and when we finally get back whole, fans make it so much more
difficult and ruin it for everyone else.
Somethings gotta give and we have no timeouts left.
See you on the radio 📻
9:00 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022
Race & Sports Radio 1090 AM themightier1090.com
And every Saturday morning!
