I know I’m like three months late in blog time for this one,
but in the fallout of Jimmy Rollins’ initial attack against Philadelphia fans :
“you’re all frontunners” and then his : “just kidding, you’re
just mean-spirited ner’-do-wells who don’t seem to understand matters of
anthropologic nature, or baseball” apology. I thought I’d toss my hat into the ring and take a stab at
trying to break down what was said, and why. 

Let us start at the start. Jimmy said that; unlike fans in St. Louis who were blindly loyal, or fans in Oakland which don’t seem to care about baseball, Philadelphia fans will
support you when you’re up, but will kick you when you’re down.  He
referred to this action as “front-running.”

To a Philadelphia
fan using the word “front-runner” is indefensible.  It is akin
to calling us fans of the 90s Hooker-and-Blow Cowboys, the Yankee Way (rocking thongs and banging
Madonna, apparently), or Coach FrontButt
and Notre Dame.  There is no longer insult amongst Philadelphians.
 True sports fans wouldn’t have a drink with a front-runner and they
wouldn’t let their sister date a front-runner.  You can argue semantics -
as Jimmy did – but not understanding what that word means here shows a basic
misunderstanding of Philadelphia.
 For Jimmy, who has been here for eight years, not to know that that
wasn’t an appropriate word to use reveals a disconnect with the fans.

Jimmy seems to long for St.
Louis’ unquestioning support, where fuck ups are
greeted with a little-league-esque congratulating attitude, and holds it as
some type of ideal.  Personally I’m
uncomfortable with the idea that unquestioned loyalty to any monolithic body
that controls something you have strong allegiance towards is good.  If a large managing body (like, say, the
ownership group of a baseball team) is left unchecked is seems plausible that they could get
themselves into some trouble looking out for their personal interests as
opposed to the good of the whole – seen here as the paying customers.  If the Cardinals brass, secure in their
understanding that their fanbase is filled with simpletons and inbreds, would forgo
improving their team and reap the towards of unquestioned suppert … Missed your
bunt attempt? It was a hell of a try.
Lost the game on an unfortunate error? Get
em next time. Can’t tie the laces on your sandals because you’re a
slow-witted Midwesterner who doesn’t realize that string is the devils work? We’ll get you some Velcro to play with.  … Think that way too long and you’re cutting the product on the field.  You don’t need to feed a pig caviar, knamean?

Maybe I’m crazy, but expressing displeasure with a fucked up
situation seems not only analytically smart, but right, and probably even
good.  Also, I think it’s fair to add
that those bud-drinking farmers have won more chips than anyone else in the
history of the national league. Tell you what Jimmy, you get us a chip and I’ll
shut up for 45 minutes.

Still, lets work under the assumption that it was a slip of
the tongue (and ignore that he has denied that it was a slip of the tongue … calling his definition the
“accurate” definition) or that he is a moron and focus instead of his
point: Philadelphia
fans will have your back if are you performing well, but will turn quickly and
viciously if are not.  A lot of people have simplified this to saying that
“hey, sometimes Philly fans’ booing is counterproductive,” but I
there might be a little more there than just that. 

Lets look at both sides

WHY YOU SHOULDN’T BOO

I’m of the mind that sports fan view teams as their extended
families.  While you would certainly
chide a family member if they were doing something irresponsible and fixable (”you’re not paying attention” or “your shirt looks stupid“), you would
never attack them for something they couldn’t change (”your feet are too big” or “way
to have lupus you fuckup“).  The former is reasonable, the latter? uncool.  Booing
should be the same way.  If players play
hard and focus and aren’t blocking some type of superstar behind them, they
shouldn’t hear it from fans.

Some of what Rollins was saying was that booing is, or comes
off to the players, as knee-jerk reaction.  He feels like that if he hit the ball hard
five times, and five times it was at someone he would be booed.  I’d like to think that’s incorrect, but if that is true that is rightly fucked up. 

In Carlos Ruiz, Jimmy found the perfect guy to frame the
argument around.  Chooch is a perfect example of a guy fans should lay
off.  He plays hard, he doesn’t have an unreasonable contract, he’s never
been in trouble off the field, his contributions – he plays great defense and
the staff has a significantly lower ERA when he’s catching – don’t show up on
the stat sheet and Coste, his backup, openly admits that he is better suited as
a part-time guy.  From a players’ perspective booing Ruiz is like yelling
“I’m a moron!” Loudly.

What is the point? Players know they’re struggling – do we
want them to feel about it? Do we think that Chooch is suddenly going to
realize “I thought not hitting was okay, but now that the fans think I’m
doing poorly I really need to step it up.”?  Of course not.

With a guy like him isn’t hard to see why the fans are
upset, but by taking it out on the player in question is more counterproductive
than John McCain endorsing Paris Hilton’s energy policy.

Beyond that, it isn’t a secret that players hear the crowd.
 Home field is an advantage for a reason, but when the crowd turns on
their team it gives the visitors an edge.  Jimmy, seeing this only from
his side, finds it crazy that his fans wouldn’t want him to win.  Jimmy said that “energy can lift you, that
negative energy can bring you down.” That is right, and should be
considered.  Fans booing players on
opening day – a tradition round these parts – is ignorant and
counterproductive.

WHY YOU NEED TO BOO

Let me start by saying that, of course, booing is a
right.  You paid your hard-earned money
to go to the game, and going to the game and wearing you colors you are directly
helping the team – your cheers may inspire the players, or make them feel
better about themselves, but your ticket, concession, and apparel money pays
their salaries and, theoretically, allows them to replace the guys you boo with
more qualified players.  Going to the ballpark is like buying a small
amount of stock in the team, and booing is your small way as minority owner of
requesting change.

Tickets are expensive and this
is Philly.  It might not be best for the team to boo, but expecting a blue
collar town to sympathize with the struggles of Brett Myers – a known wife beater
making ten million this year – isn’t reasonable, nor does it seem right.

Besides, you don’t owe
the players anything.  Sports are
entertainment, if you’re not entertained you can turn away, if you’re going to
turn away booing is like warning side. 
So while I’m going to make a moral argument about when you should be, I completely understand that
there is no point when you can’t boo.
This is ‘Merika, dammit.

The counter to the ‘extended family’ argument is that booing
is letting your family know you want
them to get better.  If your sister is dating a front-runner it would be
crazy not to let her know.

Further, fans might argue booing makes it clear which
players can perform under pressure – if you can’t face the fans how are you
going to be able to face Johan Santana?

Booing sends a message, and certain situations call for boos

• When a player shows a discernable lack of effort (Like
  when Freddy Garcia didn’t try to run out that gounder), they should be booed.
• When a player is noticeably out of shape or unprepared
• If a manager makes a decision that seems crazy on
  paper, and that decision doesn’t work out (Like leaving Pedro out there).  Those decisions are not aimed at the player
  but rather the manager.  The player may
  be the symptom, but the booing is aimed at the cause.  Here fans will suffer a momentarily
  disadvantage (the confidence of the player is hurt) in search of a greater good
  (the manager stops making dumb decisions)
• When a grossly overpaid player underperforms.  While this booing may hurt the player, it is
  not intended at him but rather the ownership group that made the decision to
  give him that money
• in response to an inexcusably dumb decision 
• when a player shows a lack of commitment to the team,
  city, or fans (you know, like calling your fans a bunch of front-runners)

–

Summerized, I think the
point here is that – with some exceptions – fans should be cheering the team.  Fans matter, and
should try to positively influence the game.  Still, fans – like players – are human, and have human emotions.  If a guy plays hard and is beat, don’t do.  If a guy turns his back on your city – have at him.

So Jimmy Rollins is right: we should stop booing
Chooch.  After all, shouldn’t we save our
effort for the guy who trashed us on national TV?

UPDATE: Crashburn Alley kills Jimmy, line by line. Be sure
to check that out.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 15th, 2008 at 2:28 pm and is filed under Jimmy Rollins, fans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.