Since when did being a “true supporter” and being able to criticise your team for mistakes, sloppy play or not giving enough become mutually exclusive?
These days, any person online who dare criticise their team gets shouted down, abused and labelled “not a true supporter” or a “keyboard warrior”.
When did giving an opinion become offensive? Isn’t a fan that takes a loss hard and tries to see how the team can perform better just as valid a fan as one that just blindly follows the team?
I would say that being able to give solid opinions with other like-minded fans is one of the things that makes the sport great. I have had a lot of fantastic conversations with other fans even from other teams about how teams could perform better, what the team needs to change, where each team is going to end up at the end of the year.
Let’s look at this from another angle. These players are paid money that most people can only dream of to play a game. Most of us would give our proverbial left legs to be in that situation.
We fans who don’t earn this sort of money pay memberships, game tickets, and devote our time to attend these matches that allows these clubs to function and players to get paid this sort of money. The players and the teams are nothing without the fans.
If we didn’t perform in our jobs, we would possibly get a warning, or depending on the bosses, fired on the spot. Why aren’t players earning much more than us held to these same standards? Why can’t they and the team as a whole be criticised?
I can understand if people are being pointlessly offensive that they should be blocked or be removed from the page or forum, but having a civil debate on the merits and shortfalls of a team in my eyes should be wholeheartedly encouraged.
Just because someone is a regular everyday fan a “couch coach”, doesn’t mean that they don’t have a valid point of view.
Daniel "Darius" Boyd
Roar Rookie
100%! A fan is a fan, there are no requirements to be one, and the clubs need as many as they can get.
Bruz
Roar Rookie
100% Daniel, nothing better than so called sports banter and picking out your favourite teams faults, as a good fan does.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I like the guys that sling shade from Monday to Thursday about off field incidents but disappear Friday to Sunday when everyone’s talking footy because they’ve got nothing and know they’ll get caught out...
mushi
Roar Guru
It's also a double edged sword. You want to bag out someone... but don't want others to do the same towards you.
Over here
Roar Rookie
in social media, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and if everyone stuck to just that, their opinion, everything would be sweet. but boys sometimes let testosterone overtake their thinking and start getting personal. and this is when i love social media because you get to see real live idiots up close and personal without having to go outside your house. i was a broncos fan who saw their first game in the sydney competition, but i gave them the flick a few years ago when they sacked players for minor mis-deeds, but kept a certain little ex-halfback around despite numerous drinking and gambling problems, just the sort of influence you wouldn't want on younger players. i wandered down the road to titansland and have been a fan/supporter through thick and thin ever since and never had the urge to wander back up the M1 to the broncos corral. i note that a few broncos staff/players have recently joined me down at the titans. we're the real deal and building a great club
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The main problem with some of the couch spuddies is that they are very happy to dish it up to coaches and players but when their abusive predictions prove to be very wayward they don't like the blow torch being pointed in their direction. They usually react by declaring that they have a right to express an opinion but nobody ever tells them they can't.
Paul
Roar Guru
Yep, it is broad isn't it? What really does my head in TB, is people thinking they're empowered to abuse someone because of the position they've taken, when they've never met the person they're abusing. I also tend to suspect people who have to attack the person rather than the position, have the IQ of a number on a footy jumper and have no come back to the point being made, so a personal attack's the only way they can vent.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Unfortunately some people (maybe just one) can’t determine where the rather broad line is between objectively unpacking and debating an issue or personal abuse...
Paul
Roar Guru
I think you make an excellent point in the following; "I can understand if people are being pointlessly offensive that they should be blocked or be removed from the page or forum, but having a civil debate on the merits and shortfalls of a team in my eyes should be wholeheartedly encouraged". I think the line needs to be drawn when a comment "attacks" a person, rather than the point the person's trying to make. I switch off when I read remarks that start "You're insane", or "You have no idea". These are tame compared to some starting sentences but you get the point? I have no issues with someone disagreeing with me and I'm sure I've learnt lots because people with better knowledge have disagreed with me - and said why. Intelligent posts like "your idea sucks and so do you", just don't cut it for me!!
Wayne Turner
Guest
I agree with this article. Spot on. Being critical,does not mean you don't follow your team/the game.As long,as it's constructive and NOT just abuse.
Brendan Jones
Roar Rookie
Agree 100% BA, there is no written formula to be a fan, just watching the game or sport is really the only requirement to being a fan. Its the difference of interpretation of what a fan could or should be is where the conflict begins. Unfortunately many of this site (well not really just one in particular) think that thier way of support, the diehard - support the team until thier flag is drapped on my coffin is the only way to go and anything else other than that is unacceptable. It these sorts that ruin it for everybody else that just wants to enjoy the sport.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
I hate the term "true supporter". Being a supporter isn't an obligation. There are no set requirements. people have different competing responsibilities, different economic capacities, different family commitments, different geographic challenges. People watch sport for different reasons and through different lenses. Some want to see the upset, some want to see the best showcase their skills, some just want to watch their team. A team like Parramatta gets 12,000 to a game, but the moment they are a sniff of the playoffs they get 22,000. Doesn't make those extra 10,000 any less supporters, or their opinions less relevant. Infact their opinions could be argued matter more. Where have you been? why couldn't we keep you coming to the games?
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
She also said ‘ I don’t mind dumb blonde jokes. I know I’m not dumb and I also know I’m not Blonde’ Nietzsche and Dolly are my two favourite philosophers.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I think it comes down to how constructive the commentary is. After the Bulldogs first two games, I was calling for Sue, Fualalo and Montoya to be dropped and Meaney, Martin and Ogden to come in. I was definitely a frustrated supporter but I’d like to think I was still reasonably objective in the reasons why. Unfortunately in the often abbreviated world of social media, you get a lot of “everyone’s s..t” sack them all” sort of comments. The other one you see a lot is “if they don’t win I’m cancelling my membership / never going to another game / supporting someone else” That’s where the “true supporter” call comes in. A true supporter follows their team through thick and thin...they don’t abandon their team as soon as results go bad. They don’t pick up other team(s) on a whim. They stay true. To be honest supporters who do that are missing out in some ways. Like a lot of areas of life, sometimes it’s the bad times that really make you appreciate the good. You appreciate a premiership more when you’ve suffered through some lean years. “You can’t have the rainbow without the rain.” Do you know which philosopher said that? Dolly Parton.
Rob
Guest
The best part about being a fan of any sport is it gives people an avenue for communication around the table or work place that doesn't involve politics, religion or backstabbing fellow workers. Some weeks you can be right and proclaim you're a genius and other weeks you can be totally wrong and admit you're clueless with your opinions. People can have a bit of fun giving it or copping with the banter. A true supporter wins and loses with their team they never abandon them especially when times are tough IMO.