Fans booing their hometown team

[Da Coach]

Here is an account of the University of Tennessee fans booing their own team in a home loss to Florida back on Sept. 20..
However, a couple of their committed recruits for next year were in attendance at the game, including a highly rated quarterback named Josh Nunes. He and his family were so upset after hearing the home fans boo their quarterback so vociferously, he backed out of his commitment to Tennessee and committed to Stanford.--
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/andy_staples/10/01/tennessee.boos/index.html

This isn't the first time I have heard of a recruit backing out on a school because of nasty fans.
Kirk Wessler had a blog about this--
http://www2.pjstar.com/index.php?/wessler

 

[PTownHawkeye]

Booing seeing to be more common this year than in recent memory. Just as a snapshot, I watched 2 football games yesterday, Bears vs Lions and Cowboys vs Texans and both home teams (Lions and Texans) were booed viciously. I simply don't remember this happening as often in the past.

 

[Scouter]

"Nunes said then and in an interview Tuesday that the boos had no influence on his decision."

 

[bigdaddystuck]

If that is what made the decision for him, then Tennessee is better off without him.

I have no problem with fans voicing their opinion at college or pro sporting events, to a point. Fans pay/donate a lot of money to these teams and expect a quality product. Now a few boos now and then are not a horrible thing. To make it in college or pro sports, you have to be thick skinned.

 

[Scouter]

If that is what made the decision for him, then Tennessee is better off without him.

I have no problem with fans voicing their opinion at college or pro sporting events, to a point. Fans pay/donate a lot of money to these teams and expect a quality product. Now a few boos now and then are not a horrible thing. To make it in college or pro sports, you have to be thick skinned.

Agreed.

 

[Da Coach]

"Nunes said then and in an interview Tuesday that the boos had no influence on his decision."

I would have tended to believe him here, except that the article also says--
Tampa, Fla., tailback Jarvis Giles (who was also a recruit at the game)....
Giles, also interviewed Tuesday, believes the boos had to have affected Nunes, who attended the game with his family.
"I think the boos scared Nunes away," said Giles, who remains committed to the Vols. "His dad was real hot about that."

So if you believe Nunes, then Giles is lying for no reason. I tend to believe the booing did affect Nunes and his family, and there is a reason he now says it didn't. They are just trying to stay away from controversy now. That makes sense, otherwise what reason would the other recruit Giles have for saying that?

The Sports Illustrated writer goes on to write his entire column believing the boos did effect Nunes, and quotes Giles further--
Tennessee commit Giles said he loves the school and its coaching staff, but he also had questions after the Florida game. "The boos kind of scare me," he said. "I don't want the fans to boo me." Giles said he was somewhat reassured after reading on the Internet that the fans were booing the decisions of the coaches and not the players themselves. Still, he couldn't help but notice that the booing reached its loudest points after mistakes by quarterback Crompton and tailback Arian Foster. Giles has resolved not to worry about that, though. "I'm going to do my thing," he said. "I'm going to give 110 percent so [the booing] doesn't happen to me."

This kind of fan behavior does not happen everywhere. There are only a few colleges and pro stadiums where it is seen commonly that an entire crowd will generate that kind of negative attacks on their own team. When a kid has a choice where he wants to play, I don't blame him if he chooses to play where the home fans are more supportive. I am not saying fans don't have a right to boo, but I don't see what purpose it serves. Nobody is forcing them to go to the game.

 

[RedbirdFan21]

There is a premium article on rivals somewhere... cant find it now... that said he changed his mind because Stanford just offered him a Schollie and he never expected them to... he had always wanted to go to Stanford, but since he didnt expect an offer, he committed somewhere else... I could see the Boo's playing a role though... especially if he is quoted as saying that they kind of scared him...

Edit: here is the article i was referring to.

http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?cid=855849

 

[SFP]

I have zero problems with people booing at a pro game. At a college game you need to be careful. These are student athletes (in most cases) and good fans need to expect that they are not and cannot be perfect. That is what makes college sports so much fun. On any given day the best may lose to a not so good team (OSU beating USC). I understand f they boo a play selection but booing your own players is just not right.

 

[Rusty 54]

I have zero problems with people booing at a pro game. At a college game you need to be careful. These are student athletes (in most cases) and good fans need to expect that they are not and cannot be perfect. That is what makes college sports so much fun. On any given day the best may lose to a not so good team (OSU beating USC). I understand f they boo a play selection but booing your own players is just not right.

Well, I was going to post, thanks a lot SFP

IMHO booing college players is iffy. I can kind of see booing if it's obvious that a player isn't putting forth effort.

 

[real fan]

Good fans do not boo their own team or their players; because of the amount of money that is paid to professional players and the high cost of tickets it has become fairly common to boo your team when they fail to meet expectations, I may not like the way the team has played or maybe been coached but I would never boo my own team.