Commerce/Bridgeport Game

[interested bystander]

Great Game....but as I sat on the Tigers side..I have never seen such a bigoted group of people...Whats up with that...Thought Bridgeport played with a lot of class...was very disappointed in my East Texas team and the crap they and their fans pulled.

[zztop]

please elaborate...i'm quite interested. what did commerce's fans do that was disappointing? did they whine? i once had a girlfriend that did that. she's no longer in the picture. http://bbs.3adownlow.com/ubb/smile.gif
thanks.
zz

[Jacket2000]

I can elaborate some. For instance, every, and I do mean EVERY time B'port got any kind of positive play off, the Commerce fans would scream for a holding call or a facemask penalty. Any time the refs threw a flag on Commerce(Commerce was the beneficiary of 95% of the bad calls, and there were many of them), the Commerce fans would boo and curse at the refs. I also sat on the Commerce side during the '99 championship game, and the fans didnt act this way at all. I guess this is what one championship will do to a town. At least our own Eye of the Tiger doesnt seem to act this way.
J2K

[zztop]

i understand that all teams are going to have them kind of people. and those are the same ones who 'swipe-the-forehead' when a no-call on their team is missed. gotta love 'em, right!!!!
the fans are extemely important to the players. we all have to not let our emotions get the best of us. i yelled a 'come on ref, where were you looking' on one call last night myself actually, but just that one moment of disbelief. it was 3rd down and the leps had the ball in the 4th qtr. anderle threw a pass a few yards past the first-down marker and the ball was caught right in front of us. the play was called incomplete. we did not score on that drive. i'm not a boo-bird by no means, but i thought it was clear reception. i'm just glad it didnt decide the game.
zz

[interested bystander]

The comments were pretty consistent about the crackers etc. I also think if you watch the game film with an open mind, the majority of the calls went the tigers way. I am not saying enough to change the outcome of the game but certainly enough to change the tempo and momentum. Pretty tainted td pass in my opinion. Receiver clearly pushed off. I ws also pretty embarassed by the personal fouls. We didnt need to do that and I dont by the intimidation factor of late hits out of bounds etc.

[Jacket2000]

I agree, there were some horrible calls, and most of them went the Tigers way. That intentional grounding call was ridiculous; and how do you get illegal proceedure against the defense?

[ethsfbnut]

Know it doesn`t make it right, but heard a lot of boos from other side of field too. And got to agree with them also, there were questionable calls both ways.

Come to think of it, cannot remember to many games where fans of both teams involved did not let out a round boos when they thought they were getting a raw deal. And these games involved neither Commerce
nor Bridgeport.

Wouldn`t criticize fans of any team for booing a call. If you`re into the game some people just react. Now booing a player or coach that`s a different matter.

With all said, the referees have one of most difficult and least appreciated jobs around. Guess we do need to show them more respect.

BTW...don`t say ya`ll have never booed at a game.


Go TIGERS!!!!!

[left2soon]

folks..i have to tell ya, i have never heard a neg. remark about commerce fans before. they are very supportive of the players on the field...they cheer for and dont try to coach the players. and lets face it they have been there enough to know good football. many playoff games have the bandwagon fans that jump on board. i think if you got in amongst the fans that were there for game one not just 13,14,15 and 16 you not find a better fan base than commerce has. and those clappers are a thousand times better than the ballbearings for us that are there just there to enjoy a ballgame. you can always find jerks in a crowd of 9,000. get there early and sit in the middle of the crowd that sits at the 50. commerce has great fans. i have followed them for years now in the playoffs.

[cosmicowgirl]

Yes, B'Port did have a class act team - their boys played and acted with lots class on the field...and our boys recognized that as well. I wish I could say the same about their fans all week long! You don't know about the faxes all the banks in Commerce received all week putting our team and kids down, now do you? Is that a class act? You shouldn't throw stones when you don't know all the facts.

Are you the perfect fan at a game? I am not sure any team has one of those.

I am not saying all the boos and trash talk in the stands is always called for. Sometimes it may be just a reaction and sometimes the reaction may be something totally uncalled for but you can't judge a whole town on a certain group of people you personally chose to sit around.

Yes, the refs do have a thankless job - and yes they are human and miss a call. And yes fans usually think their team is getting the wrong call but they all paid for their ticket and that is just part of the job to listen to them, as most refs will tell you. (And I can say that having had refs in the family.)

Sounds like maybe we all should be more open mind. And all fans should be more aware of what we yell.

Go Tigers! DO WHAT YOU DO BEST!

[cosmicowgirl]

You know I have been sitting here contemplating some of your statements after posting my first reply...I don't mean to come across as rude or arrogant by any means but you know that old addage really is true - EVERYBODY HATES A WINNER! (Don't they)

[interested bystander]

I hope you didnt misunderstand my post...I was not talking about yelling at the refs...thats gonna happen...the thing that bothered me was all the talk about crackers, calling the other team the Klan, that sort of thing. I dont really know or care what a bunch of old ladies at a bank did. One guy said he didnt think Bridgeport belonged...no way a bunch of white kids gonna play with this team....I am not painting all of Commerce with the same brush...but I was a stranger to this guy...why in the world would they be talking like that to me? It has been a couple of years since I was at a Tigers game...it sure wasn't that way before.

[Owen B]

Commerce is one of the most racially balanced teams you will find, with a few more whites than blacks. I'm sure there are a few racists here but I've never heard racial slurs against either whites or blacks from Commerce fans in the stands. From what you wrote, I gather that both you and the few bigots you had the misfortune to sit near are black but bigotry is just as disgusting, no matter from whom or to whom it is directed. It would be a mistake to judge the many wonderful Commerce fans of all races by those few jerks.

[This message has been edited by Owen B (edited December 16, 2001).]

[cosmicowgirl]

I agree with Owen B and thank you for your post - I am sorry "interestedbystander" that you were offended. I think I would have had to of gotten up and moved because I would not have sat there and listened to such. But please be assured not all Commerce Fans are like that!!!!!!!!

[cecilsav]

I am from Commrce, but moved away 10 years ago. I pull for them of course, but I like high school football as a whole.
Anytime you have a large crowd like say at a high school game, that group will pretty much relfect society as a whole. I'm sure the gentlmen did here some racial slurs on the commerce side because I'm sure there were bigoted people on the Commerce side. But if you had sat on the Bridgeport side you would also be able to find racial slurs.
If not, then lets all move to Bridgeport because we have found Nirvana.
The good thing is that the majority of people on both sides respected the effort on the field and race never entered their minds.
For the record, I am black and I saw many Bridgeport kids who could play for me anytime.