OT: The psychology of booing

[panerd]

I am sitting here watching the Cards/Dodgers game and messing around on the computer when a Cardinal hits a line drive to centerfield and Burnitz misplays it allowing a run to score. Almost immediately the crowd begins to boo the new Dodger. I got to wondering, why would you ever boo one of your own players? Now, I will admit I am a fan of one of the most apoligetic teams in the nation. (We gave Tino Martinez standing ovations when he would go 1 for 5 with an RBI single last year) But to me this situation is quite simple and easy to make an analogy for...

You ever been golfing with a group of friends, having a few beers, and just hitting everything perfect? You go into the clubhouse on the 10th hole to get something to eat and everyone is talking about how "on" you are. Think about how you feel teeing off on the tenth hole.

Now think about a time when you got paired up with a couple of strangers and nothing was going right. You were hitting tee shots and mulligens into the scrubs directly to the right of the tee. Your friend is acting like he doesn't know you. How do you feel on every tee shot?

Why would professional athletes be any different? Why would a true fan want one of his own to be at a disadvantage. I know there is a theory that some people strive on neagitive pressure, but I think it is bullshit. What do you guys think?

1) Do you ever boo?

2)Is it less appropriate to boo at a college game? (Me and my friends have had this heated discussion many times)

I think this could be an interesting discussion.

[RPI-Fan]

At RPI hockey games, people booed when our Freshman goalie would get taken out a couple years ago because he played so poorly. That doesn't do any good.

OTOH, some games the whole team would come out flat, and there would be jeering. But that's not singling out, so it's different.

In short, no, unless someone does something dirty or something, booing isn't a good idea for your own team.

[panerd]

Originally posted by RPI-Fan
At RPI hockey games, people booed when our Freshman goalie would get taken out a couple years ago because he played so poorly. That doesn't do any good.

OTOH, some games the whole team would come out flat, and there would be jeering. But that's not singling out, so it's different.

In short, no, unless someone does something dirty or something, booing isn't a good idea for your own team.

Being a longtime Bengal fan, I can sympathize. But then I think about it. The fans are mad at Mike Brown. These guys are terrible, but I bet they playing 100%. They just aren't good. So what good is booing the Bengals, who are probably thinking the same things about Mike Brown that we are?

[Dutch]

Who knows, but most players are probably so focused on what they are doing that they don't pay attention to the fans. And if they do and it affects them, they probably won't last long...

Just my .02

[TroyF]

Two things I've never understood that fans do:

1) Boo. Especially a college kid. Trust me, he does hear it and it does impact him. Even booing the coach can have a negative impact on the team as a whole. I rarely boo an opposing player, much less my own.

2) The chant OVER-RATED. Why in the hell would you EVER chant that? OK, my team is upsetting the #1 team in the country. This is one of the biggest wins in school history. Now I'm going to say that the #1 team was really overrated and had this coming all along? Sorry, I want that team to be every bit as good as advertised. I want them to win every game after they play me. It makes the win look that much sweeter.

Oh well, you pay your money you can do what you want. :)

TroyF

[kcchief19]

Occassionally the hometown players simply do something that is deserving of jeering. I was at a Royals game early in the season when Carlos Beltran gave up on routine ground ball. The Mariners bobbled it and he would have been safe if he had run it out, but he didn't and got thrown out the boos came down pretty hard, especially since this wasn't the first time we saw Mr. Beltran pull that shtick.

I'm not one of the root, root for the home team blindly people. If your team or a player on your team is playing like crap, they deserve a kick in the pants. Sure, there are times when a player screws up and just needs a pat on the back rather than a butt-chewing, but I think fans have just about as good a sense of that as coaches do.

I don't recall really ever booing a home team college player, although I did start a fan revolt in calling for Larry Smith to dump struggling Jeff Handy for Brandon Corso (didn't make a difference).

[Daimyo]

Originally posted by panerd
Why would professional athletes be any different?
I thinkt he big difference is that to become a professional athlete and to succeed on the level you need to succeed to even sniff the major leagues you pretty much have to be immune to pressure. The guys who let shit like that affect them probably don't make it to the big leagues and if they do they probably don't last long.

I do agree with you however. It is never justified to boo your own team unless they give up or play dirty.

[MrBug708]

Raaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuulllllllllll


I swear, it always felt like Dodger fans booed Raul, but it wasn't the case. Well, until he said Dodger management sucked.

Barry gets booed everytime though. Louder then any cheer saved when Gagne comes into the game

[Tekneek]

Professional players, in the top leagues, make enough money, and the fans pay enough money, that it has to be dealt with. It comes with the job. With your minimum salary in the league, which is probably higher than the average salary in this nation, you get to deal with the fans. If you don't like booing when you are screwing up or playing poorly, quit and get a real job.

I would never boo a non-professional athelete. If I booed at a college event, it would be directed at the officials or the coaching staff. Those people get paid, so they can deal with it or quit.

[korme]

Remember Rivera's base running "The worst base running ever?"

Last night, my boy Reggie Taylor topped this and got a massive amount of deserved boos.

[VPI97]

I wouldn't boo a member of "my" team....but I would boo a member of the opposition, especially if I thought it would have a negative effect on their performance.

TroyF - I was in Blacksburg last season when VT beat LSU by a couple of touchdowns. At the end of the game, VT fans started chanting 'overrated' at LSU (we were both ranked) and I didn't have a problem with it. Personally, I don't think that lessened the win in any way. If we had only beaten them by a field goal, I don't think the chant would have been appropriate, but dominating a team that (according to the rankings) was supposed to be equal to you is validation enough for an 'overrated' chant.

[cthomer5000]

I think one potential effect of the booing would be to get the coach/manager to make a move based upon the poor play of the player in question. It's not all about ruining the psyche of the player.

[Ksyrup]

I think most people boo a hometown player or the entire team if they are not playing up to expectations/abilities.

Interesting topic, considering that Tom Glavine started today against the Braves in Atlanta. And he got booed mercilessly. Now, this one I don't understand. Putting aside the idea that all players should be able to take advantage of their free agency, in this particular case, there's a very good chance that Atlanta didn't really want Glavine back anyway. They made him a 3 year offer, but he said he wanted 4 years. And when he didn't sign with them, they gave Maddux a 1 year deal and traded Millwood. I think that means they didn't have room for Glavine, and considering that they saved themselves $14 Million and 2 years (had Glavine accepted the 3 year, $30M offer) by signing Maddux for 1 year at $16 Million, the Braves actually put themselves in a better position going into next year, given the way Glavine and Maddux have pitched this year.

So basically, the Braves fans booed a guy the team didn't really want and who, by not signing with them, actually put the team in a better position for the next 2 years.

And then, of course, there IS the fact that he gave Atlanta 16 years of his career and was one of the main reasons for their success for the past 12 years.

Fans are morons.

[EagleFan]

Fans have the right to boo. They pay the money to see the game being played, which is costing more and more with the inflated slaries, and when they feel that one of their own isn't living up to the billing, they have to let them know it.

Booing one of your own that went elsewhere is common, if that player left through free agency and the fans' understanding of that move is the player being greedy. That usually calms down after the first couple times they see that player, unless the player comes out and says something stupid.

Plus there's always Santa Claus, who should be booed when he shows up at games.


But, just because you hear booing on the TV, it doesn't mean the whole crowd is doing it. Booing is much easier to hear than cheering over a broadcast so all it may take is a small portion of the crowd, especially if they are near a mic, to make it sound like everyone in tthe stadium hates a player.

[DeToxRox]

If you can't handle booing in college, why turn pro?

I think people chanting "YOU SUCK DICK" and other thing's I've heard over the years at some games is too extreme, but just booing a guy when they do something is fine.

For me, it let's out some anger building up from a team not performing well.

If we didn't boo, it could get kinda' ugly.

[MrBug708]

When Odalis had a no-no going, a ball was hit to shallow right field. Green didn't appeal to go all out for it and it fell about 7-8 feet in front of him. He's been a little upset because he's in a slump, and the Dodger fans booed Green for his half ass effort or so it appeared

[andy m]

don't boo, instead come up with a witty insult. i have been to 2 football games (barnet vs doncaster rovers, and norwich city vs coventry city) where fat guys on away team have had to be substituted after they went to pieces due to home fans giving them stick for being fat in various creative ways. both players just completely lost their rag and would have been red carded if it wasn't for the intervention of their managers. so a round of applause to mickey quinn and gary brabin - fat bassas who couldn't handle the pressure!

[Tekneek]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
Fans are morons.

Fans keep the business going. Whether that makes them moronic or not, is actually up for discussion.

Glavine has walked the razor's edge for a long time, anyway. He was a union rep, and repeatedly said smartass things to the press/fans when labor negotiations were heating up. People already disliked him a lot of the time but held it back because he was with the home team. Once he shows up in Mets gear, there is absolutely no reason to hold back. Glavine burned up the goodwill from the fans all by himself, and worked hard at it. I don't feel bad for the guy for that.

I don't like the smartass comments he has made in the past, and I do hold those against him. Bolting to the Mets for a loaded contract? I don't care at all.

[Ksyrup]

He was a player rep. He was going to get the brunt of it anyway you look at it. I don't find any of the things he said (that I've heard/read anyway) to be in the "Lou Whitaker" class of insensitivity, but YMMV. The idea that he bolted Atlanta for a better contract - again, I think that's the perception the Braves want you to have, but I don't think they wanted him back and purposely gave him an offer they knew someone else would beat by a wide margin.

I think it was posturing, similar to the A's/Giambi situation last year. There's good reason to believe that the A's purposely held off with the no-trade clause because they knew it was a dealbreaker, and then when they agreed to add it back in after it was too late, they made Giambi look bad. They never wanted to resign him because they knew they couldn't afford him and field a competitive team.

As for the fans being moronic - they aren't moronic because they keep the business going. They are moronic because of the choices they make about who they boo, whether the manager is doing a good job, who should be playing, etc. Most people in the stands haven't got a clue how to run a sports team, other than the suggestions they get from the local newspaper. And of course, most sportswriters haven't got many more clues than the morons in the stands.

[Tekneek]

Well, without the fans, those guys don't have those jobs, do they? Guess they have to take the good with the bad.

I don't care what happened between Glavine and the Braves. The Braves certainly look smarter letting Glavine walk right now, with the numbers he has right now, and the fact they are something like 24 games up on the Mets.

None of this is really important. I don't even like baseball. :)

[SteelerFan448]

In the Pros, if a player is making the same mistakes over and over again, coaches aren't making adjustments when you're losing or something like that, I can understand the booing. Sometimes players make dumb comments that deserve to be booed too. I really don't boo myself, but I could care less if others do.

[EagleFan]

Originally posted by SteelerFan448
I really don't boo myself, but I could care less if others do.

That would be neat to see, someone booing themself. Like Barry Bonds gets announced to bat and he's seen walking out of the dugout booing and screaming 'You Suck' at himself. Talk about issues. :D

[tucker342]

The only player that I've ever felt like booing that was on one of my favorite teams, was a QB for the University of Iowa named Kyle McCann. He sucked.

But booing your own team is pretty worthless.

[Balldog]

I've been to a HS basketball game were they booed there own team when they were down by 5 at the half. They came out and ended up winning by 25+.

Its a basketball community, they live and die basketball. If it wasn't for Lebron James they probably would have been to state the last two years.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by Tekneek
I don't care what happened between Glavine and the Braves. The Braves certainly look smarter letting Glavine walk right now, with the numbers he has right now, and the fact they are something like 24 games up on the Mets.

That's my point - this has worked out well for the Braves. They should be cheering their team, not booing one of the 3 guys who defined their dominance in the 90's simply because he got old and the team let him walk.

[Easy Mac]

Lets see the guy on your favorite team leave for less per annual money to your biggest rival, and see if you boo.

[Ksyrup]

I don't boo.

And Glavine's contract with the Mets is 3 years, $35 Million, with incentives up to $42.5 Million. He was offered 3 years, $30 Million by Atlanta.

[Anrhydeddu]

In all of my years of attending pro and college sports games, I never booed...I never cheered either.