| Over the past couple of weeks, I've had multiple | | | | then I go on a two week stretch where I'm as |
| conversations with friends about booing. These | | | | worthless as Sammy Sosa without 'roids, you |
| conversations culminated with a discussion about | | | | better believe someone is going to say something. |
| Cleveland fans' decision to boo LeBron James and | | | | Why are fans supposed to ignore a sloppy two |
| the lousy Cavaliers on Tuesday night. Simply put, | | | | week stretch (at the most important time of the |
| I'm all for booing if the situation is right. Allow me | | | | year nonetheless)? Because the team gave us an |
| to explain why with a few examples from the | | | | enjoyable regular season? No thank you. The |
| 2010 NBA and NHL Playoffs. | | | | greatest thing about "sports" is its simplicity. Only |
| Obviously (as noted in my Alexander the Goat | | | | one thing matters; championships. Fans aren't |
| article a few weeks back), I believed the | | | | rooting for a rosy regular season. We want titles. |
| Washington Capitals deserved to be serenaded | | | | Obviously, the season(s) building up to that title |
| with boos. I would have even tolerated litter on | | | | are appreciated and celebrated, but once a team |
| the ice. Yes, throwing trash onto the ice is childish, | | | | gets stagnant in that pursuit (Capitals, Atlanta |
| illegal, and dangerous, but all three adjectives | | | | Hawks), fans get fed up. |
| describe how most professional athletes behave in | | | | The Philadelphia Eagles epitomize stagnant. Philly |
| society anyway, so have at it. (Just kidding...about | | | | fans loved the early 2000's as Donovan McNabb |
| tolerating things being thrown onto the ice, not | | | | and the birds rose to prominence. We didn't boo |
| how athletes behave.) The Capitals deserved their | | | | when the Giants beat us in the Divisional Round or |
| fans' disgust. Instead, they received a round of | | | | when St. Louis squeaked out a win in the |
| applause. Shame on you, Capital fans. | | | | Conference Championship. Losing is an integral |
| Yes, losing happens; it's a part of sports. | | | | part of winning. However, once the Eagles |
| However, losing isn't what requires booing, it's the | | | | dropped three consecutive NFC Championships |
| frequency and severity of losing that makes | | | | (two to lesser opponents), the natives got |
| booing necessary. The Capitals have shriveled up | | | | restless. A half-decade later, we're still restless. |
| and died in the playoffs for three straight years. | | | | The Eagles have been running in place since the |
| When that happens, you boo...loudly, and you don't | | | | Patriots won Super Bowl XXXIX. |
| stop until you've chased them off the ice. I even | | | | To further prove that losing doesn't always |
| booed the Capitals and Alexander Ovechkin from | | | | deserve booing, let's look at the Philadelphia Flyers |
| my couch...and I'm a Flyers fan. The same formula | | | | and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Flyers were |
| should be applied to the New Jersey Devils. | | | | down 0-3 in a seven game series to the Boston |
| Another example of a regular season bully that | | | | Bruins. They've since battled back to tie the series |
| goes M.I.A. come playoff time. | | | | at three. Let's pretend the Flyers were swept by |
| In the NBA playoffs, the Atlanta Hawks come to | | | | the Bruins in four games, the final loss coming at |
| mind. No one expected the Hawks to beat the | | | | the Wachovia Center. I'm almost certain the |
| Orlando Magic in round two. However, Atlanta | | | | Philadelphia crowd would have applauded the |
| fans (and all basketball fans) were appalled at the | | | | Flyers. They were overmatched, shorthanded, |
| lack of effort and intensity demonstrated by the | | | | and battling injuries that plagued them all year. A |
| Hawks. After being blown out by more than 40 | | | | sweep would have been disheartening, but no one |
| points in the series opener, Atlanta responded by | | | | could question the Flyers effort. |
| getting trounced in their next three outings and | | | | The same is true for the Thunder. In their first |
| was swept from the playoffs. Sweeps happen. | | | | playoff appearance, the young Thunder went |
| Getting beaten by a better team happens. Even | | | | head to head to with the powerful Lakers and |
| getting blown out by a superior opponent is | | | | extended the series to six games. The Thunder |
| understandable, but to exert no effort and zero | | | | played hard and attacked the favored Lakers, but |
| intensity is unacceptable, especially in the playoffs. | | | | still fell in defeat. Losing in the 2010 playoffs was |
| The Hawks don't really have a fan base, but the | | | | an early step in building a successful team that |
| few fans they do have should still be booing. | | | | should compete for the NBA title for years to |
| As for the Cavaliers being booed by their own | | | | come. Did the players want to lose? Of course |
| fans in what could have been LeBron's final home | | | | not. Kevin Durant shrugged off talk of moral |
| game? I loved it. LeBron has held those fans | | | | victories immediately after the series ended. |
| hostage for the last two years. They're scared to | | | | When asked how he felt, he responded, "Like I |
| death about whether he'll leave or stay. On | | | | just lost a playoff series." I'm sure Durant |
| Tuesday night, LeBron and the Cavaliers were so | | | | understands getting postseason experience (even |
| putrid that Cleveland fans finally stood up and said, | | | | losing) is part of the process, but no player with |
| ENOUGH! Even great players need to be told they | | | | aspirations for greatness would accept that as an |
| stink from time to time. By booing LeBron, | | | | excuse for defeat. The Thunder faithful clearly |
| Cleveland may have pushed him away for good. | | | | understood the situation. After game six the |
| If that's the case, good for them. Any player that | | | | Thunder were treated to a rousing and |
| can't take some boos, especially after a lousy | | | | well-deserved ovation from their crowd. The fans |
| game like that, doesn't deserve the blind devotion | | | | appreciated the team's development over the |
| that Cleveland has given to LeBron. Given is the | | | | past year and thanked them for their efforts and |
| key word. LeBron is a fantastic player, but he | | | | success. Now, if OKC is still getting bumped in the |
| hasn't earned anything yet. He has one NBA Finals | | | | first round two years from now, you better |
| appearance, no wins and zero championships. At | | | | believe those fans will start booing, and so they |
| this point, he owes Cleveland more than they | | | | should. |
| owe him. Booing his lackadaisical effort on | | | | Too conclude, I don't have a problem with fans |
| Tuesday night was the right call-we obviously | | | | not booing. To boo or not to boo is a choice that |
| want you to stay, but this is unacceptable. | | | | every fan can make. However, if a multi-millionaire |
| Cleveland's season isn't over, but sometimes a | | | | athlete isn't giving his best effort in the playoffs; |
| single game deserves a chorus of boos. Cleveland | | | | you better believe I'm going to let him hear about |
| fans hit all the right notes on Tuesday night. | | | | it. After all, I get scolded at work if I misread a |
| Let's break it down in real world terms. If I have | | | | zip code. |
| a great year at work, everyone loves me, and | | | | |