Football idiots and playoff games

[Alvaradobacker]

It's time once again for me to have to endure one of my biggest pet peeves: football idiots who haven't been to a game all year showing up for playoff games thinking they know it all. If the team struggles at all, they have all the answers. They're the ones shouting at the coaches, telling them what needs to be done. Does this bother anybody besides me?

[footballmom]

Amen!

[Atl_Rabb_Fan]

I agree 100% with you.But you have idiots at the game the whole season even before the playoffs.They seem act as if they went to college to become a coach and as if they are the ones down there playing.But what I hate worse than that is those that seem to think that it is ok to yell rude remarks to the kids as if this was some pro game or something.

[fox85]

Right on Alvarado. I want to go further. I can't stand people who think they know so much about football and loudly voice their opinions at the games. The coaches spend countless hours watching film and brainstorming about game plans. The dads in the stands( or moms for that matter) don't have a clue about what each player is capable or not capable of against a certain opponent. The fans should just root for their teams and not gripe about the coaches, whose is playing or not, and especially the play calling. These kids and coaches bust their butt to win the games, and it is absouutley uncalled for for the idiots to open their mouths to be negative. There is an old Chinese saying: It is better to be thought an idiot then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

[the claw]

It doesn't just upset other fans. Last year as players we could hear the fans booing our coaches and yelling rude remarks. Even though they aren't saying things about you personally it brings the confidence of the team down to hear stuff like that. So if you happen to be one of the "loud-mouths" that every town has, just remember that what you say doesn't affect the coaches, but it can have an effect on the kids who put their heart and soul into every game.

[dogdad]

As fans in the stands, I think we all have a responsibility to help exhibit the proper fan behavior and to hopefully get the idiots to change their ways. I don't mean we should have a confrontation with these poor saps. But if they see everyone else yelling is positive ways, that can rub-off eventually. If not, I have been known to make comments to people without even looking in their direction...in hopes they would get the message. Sadly, we cannot rid ourselves of all the idiots, but we can keep trying.

[Tiger Turtle]

You know, I once was one of those who loudly expressed my opinion of the coaches and players (usually negative). Then one night I yelled at a kid who had dropped a pass in the open field. A friend of mine tapped me on the shoulder and pointed out that the kid's dad was sitting right in front of me. I looked at the guy and his shoulders were slumped like he had been kicked. At that point I resolved to never be critical of players or coaches. I still reserve the right to get on the zebras, but I make it a policy to only encourage players and coaches on both sides. I remember from my own days as a lousy offensive lineman on a poorly coached team that even bad players and coaches are busting their butts and we as fans should be trying to help rather than tearing them down for mistakes.

[FryDayFBFun]

I am so amazed at the ignorance in the stands. We need to always remember, these are just kids and they have feelings too. I don't know anyone who has not made a mistake. I told a guy once, what if we came to his job, yelled and booed him when he made a mistake, would he like it? Football is a great game, just keep it in perspective! Good luck to ALL playoff teams this week !!

[lugnut]

Well put Turtle....coaches and players don't go to your jobs and tell you how to do it, because they know they are not qualified....fans you are NOT QUALIFIED to try to tell a coach how to coach. Your 5 yrs. as 3rd and 4th grade Pee Wee manager do not equate to the hours of time, training, clinics, etc...that professional coaches put in. If you want to have a say in it....get your degree in education, take 80-90 and sometimes more hours a week away from your family...and experience it first hand. If that's not your cup of tea...keep your mouth shut and be supportive!!!

[the claw]

I just wish every person that could see that look on a parents face after they say something negative about their kid would change there ways. The problem is that a lot of them don't care because they don't have kids so they don't understand what the parent is going through. Or they are upset that their children aren't playing, which is the case where I come from. But what they don't realize, and I'm sure you didn't either, is that the look we see on the faces of the player being talked about is ten times worse than the look on their parents face.

[Matthew328]

Exactly..it makes me mad that all the "bleacher coaches" out there question play calls and things like that..I pay attention to things like that since I am going to school to become a coach and I wanna know what things are like in the stands..it's ok to not agree with what play a coach calls or something like that...but don't second guess..it is pretty easy to do that after the result! As for the players I really try not to talk to negatively about a kid...after all they are just that...kids! But yes I also reserve the right to get on a ref every now and then but even then..those guys normally do a good job..I know I would never want their job!

[Centex]

I wish everyone was as supportive as you guys are. You seem to understand and see the "other side" of the coin. It helps my profession to know there are some who appreciate what we do.

[the claw]

In school there wasn't anybody that i respected more than the coaches. They put in tons of hours per week dedicated strictly to us. It takes a lot of dedication to spend so much time away from their families. Believe me you are very appreciated.

[Endword]

Football idiot and any game (especially playoff games)!!
The idiot that played, or wants you to think he played, long ago, that sees it as his duty to keep up a running dialogue of what the coach is doing wrong or should be doing that he is not, or why a certain player is not any good (or at least not as good as Billy Joe Bob that played when he did was), and why this team is not as strong as last years! He might be talking to you or he might not. He is just giving everyone within hearing distance the benefit of his "vast knowledge" of the game. It drives me crazy!!!!

[ProudMama]

I have to say thank you for your comments. The coaches put in an awful lot of time, time away from their own kids, to try to teach these guys discipline, respect, and good sportsmanship. They don't need to hear the loud mouths in the stands criticize them.