Is it now accepted behavior for fans to cheer when opposing players are injured?

[HuckleB]

I was a bit taken aback during the game yesterday, when our hosts began to cheer excitedly and loudly when a Packer was shown hobbling into the locker room. I had let it go, but, today, a coworker brought this up on his own. He watched the game at a sports bar, and he was stunned to see fans of both teams cheering loudly each time a player on the opposing team was hurt.

I no longer pay attention to football like I did a decade or so ago, and I haven't been to a live game since 2003, but I don't remember this type of thing being widespread. Are these anecdotes just that, or do others see this around them, too?

Just had to ask.

[madinmaryland]

1. That was originated by eagles fans in the early 90's with their cheering when

Michael Irvin broke an ankle on the SHITTY turf in the old vet stadium.

Dumbasses.

:grr:

[MrSlayer]

2. Yes, Eagle fans are to blame for everything bad.

I've really had it with your bullshit. You have no clue at all about what you are talking about. First of all, any Cowgirl fan worth his salt knows that Irvin suffered a neck injury on that play, it ended his frigging career. Secondly, the fans were booing that asshole Sanders for what he was doing as Irvin lie injured on the field. Acting like a complete jackass. I was there, I know what happened. You come off as a right old fraud and a hater who just cheap shots Philly fans any chance you get. I doubt you've ever even been to game to see your allegedly beloved Dallas team play. You don't seem to know your own team's history and you sure as fuck know nothing about Eagle fans. I invite you to come up for a game next year and see what we're really like. Ticket on me, tailgate on my boys and I.

[wilt the stilt]

3. you are probaly right about that incident

but they did boo the kids on the Easter egg hunt and pelted Santa Claus with snow balls.

[MrSlayer]

7. And there are the real stories behind those incidents as well.

The fucknut Howard Cosell is the real reason the Santa story is portrayed as it is. He turned what was basically a nothing story into some horrific scene out of the Roman Empire. 54,000 people showed up to watch a 2-11 team after 15 hours of snow, that's dedication.

http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/sports/smf/1201732777.shtml

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/eagles/2003-11-27-santa-snowballs_x.htm

The Easter egg story is a myth. Bob Uecker made it up.


Philly is no worse than any other sports town, we just get saddled with this reputation because of idiots like Cosell, Joe Morgan and other national media people who have no idea what they're talking about. And of course by the other idiots who perpetuate the bullshit without knowing the facts.


I'm sure you all loved us when the Flyer fans booed Sarah Palin out of the arena.

[wilt the stilt]

8. I don't think the article exactly exonerates them

they were still pelting the guy. The NY Giant fans did it also. As a business man I have traveled a lot of Cities and my favorite joke is Philadelphia"City of Brotherly love".

[madinmaryland]

4. Yes he injured his neck and was cheered when he was injured.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- They brawl, boo and hurl batteries and snowballs. Philadelphia fans have earned their reputation as among the most surly in sports.

By cheering Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin as he lay motionless on the turf Sunday with a neck injury, the fans brought the city's reputation for boorishness to new lows. It disgusted even those who thought they had seen it all in the "City of Brotherly Love."

"Unspeakable, even for us," proclaimed a headline in the Philadelphia Daily News.

..snip

"I couldn't believe they cheered when Michael Irvin got hurt," said Donovan McNabb, the team's No. 1 pick who was nearly booed off the stage by Eagles fans attending the draft. "You don't know what to expect from them."

..snip

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/news/1999/10/11/philly_fans_ap/

Classy, very classy.

Since you were there you must have known that the fans were cheering him getting injured or were one of those cheering his injury, also?

Even your governor, Mr. Rendell, was appalled by the display.

[MrSlayer]

6. Oh yes we all cheered when he first went down.

You have to realize just how much he was hated here and still is. I mean blazing hatred. But after he didn't move for a short while it all stopped because we knew it was serious. Then Sanders started his asshole "look at me" act and we let him have it. The latter was mistaken for the former. It took the media here a few days to sort it out.

So, do you want to come to game, get some real flavor instead of the bullshit the national media spews? I'm dead serious.

[KamaAina]

12. But they threw those batteries at Barroid Bonds.

You despise Barroid Bonds. Ergo, you must be a Philly fan. Q.E.D. :P

[madinmaryland]

14. Nice try, KA, but it doesn't fly.

Just because I despise what he and the rest of the roiders did, does not mean that I condone throwing shit at him.

Sheesh!

[Forkboy]

18. You're right, it doesn't fly.

You need something more aerodynamic than a battery. :P

[JonLP24]

5. I don't think so

I remember attending a game where Cardinals fans were cheering when Kent Graham was laying on the turf. This is different than the Irvin thing because Graham played for the Cardinals. But it did happen before the Irvin thing.

[HuckleB]

9. This is a mildly entertaining "discussion," but does anyone have a more general opinion?

Thanks!

[Iggo]

10. Yes.

[seabeyond]

11. was in highly competitive sport for a couple decades. what i valued, was shared remorse/empathy

for the player injured by both teams and fans. i have always appreciated the athlete/team that won with good sportsmanship. it was character.

not all teams, or fans do this. i saw a game this season a player hurt and the one that hurt him immediately called in the refs to help.... that is the good

what you are saying, is the bad. and i dont respect the team or fan base that encourage or condone this.

[KamaAina]

13. Saints fans once cheered their *own* player's injury!

QB Wade Wilson wasn't getting it done. Then he went down. Cheers ensued. This happened to be a nationally televised game. The announcer said, "For those of you taping this at home to watch later, I hope you hear this. You are classless pigs!"

[ScreamingMeemie]

15. Lions fans are known to do that as well. We were at a game where the

then, QB Charlie Batch was injured. The cheers were sickening. Even for this Packer fan.

[Auggie]

16. Didn't Browns' fans do the same to Tim Couch once?

[Ptah]

17. The worst fan behavior I remember was at Arizona State University,

"On Jan. 18, 1984, Kerr was murdered by Islamic militants for the crime of
running that school. Two nights later, Steve cried before tipoff and then
delivered his best game as an Arizona freshman, making five of seven shots
against Arizona State.

He played to escape the pain. He even played the night an ASU crowd hit
him with a sick chant of "PLO," sending Steve into a 20-point first-half rage."


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/oconnor/2003-06-13-oconnor_x.htm

:thumbsdown:

[HuckleB]

20. Yeah, that was quite sick.

[Ptah]

22. I'm glad he responded as he did.

Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve Kerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

[bigwillq]

19. Yes

For NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA...any professional sport, I feel it's ok if a fan cheers.
I don't, because as a fan of the opposing team, I would want to beat that team with their best players on the field.

[HuckleB]

21. So you actually think it's fine for your fellow human beings to cheer when someone is hurt?

Or am I misreading your post?

[bigwillq]

23. It's part of being a fan.

HATE the opposition when the game is going on.
Soon as the game is over, we're all friends again.

As I said, I would never do it. Never have. But I think it's acceptable.

[HuckleB]

24. Unfortunately, those who act in this manner are not likely to be...

... friends after the game. If they were, they'd find a different way of "enjoying" the game.

And that doesn't even address many of the issues with such behavior.