re: Supporting the team VS. agreeing with decisions

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geauxaddai

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you missed every point I tried to make.

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I never have liked the word "deserve" very much. There's mot much in life that I think I or anybody else deserve. Most people use the most "deserve" as sort of an entitlement. I hear you using it in the context of "I've paid my money so I can say what I want." There are many people who think that if a thought comes to them they can just voice it....to their spouse, their kids...much less in a stadium. Forget self restraint....just let it out. Yeah, yeah "It's a free country." I hate that phrase too. I personally chose not to voice my frustration and dissatisfaction about a coaches decision or a player by booing them in Tiger Stadium. I personally have a few choice friends I vent my frustrations to. I don't even like to talk negative about LSU to strangers or casual friends. You do it your way and I do it my way. We just go about it differently.

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again, I didn't boo.

I commend the original poster for identifying the key dysfunction that afflicts this board and tranforms an otherwise enjoyable forum into a bloodletting. It's the extremists. For example, there is a certain niche of fanatical Miles devotees on this board who simply will not and constitutionally cannot tolerate any criticism of the head coach, no matter how well articulated or well founded. Rather than responding to the particular point the critic is making, said ideologue usually retorts with one of the following two gambits:

(1) The Papal Premise. Any choice Miles makes is correct by definition, simply because he made it. Miles is infallible because he (a) is the head coach; (b) has coached for many years; (c) attends practice; (d) is a "good/honorable/stand-up/dignified/decent" man; or my personal favorite (e) makes millions of dollars. Miles is not responsible for any negative on-field or off-field developments, but will be accorded full and unmitigated credit for any and all victories. Any criticism of Miles constitutes unpardonable heresy, no matter how obviously correct. I swear there are people who lurk for hours with angrily clenched sphincters, eagerly awaiting a post that even smacks of good faith criticism, so that they can unveil some new version of this same nonsense.

(2) The Ad Hominem Attack. The original critic is an inferior, morally reprehensible, and inadequate Tiger fan. A "true" fan would not utter any blasphemous words against the program or the head coach. The criticism in question will invariably destroy LSU's recruiting, undermine team morale, contribute to the decline of modern America, and result in eternal damnation of the immortal soul. Les Miles, upon hearing the criticism, will depart for some utopia - the University of Elysian Fields - where he will never be criticized by the fan base. In his absence, LSU will be unable to hire any qualified successor and will immediately revert to the Curly Hallman era.

There is no real way to respond to such sycophants. Obviously, no coach is infallible, as history has amply demonstrated. Our last two coaches (Miles and Saban), have made plenty of errors, many of which could be readily identified by anyone with functioning senses and a passing knowledge of the game. Similarly, expressing reasoned dissatisfaction with the program isn't high treason.

There are other categories of extremist at work here as well. There are the JJ extremists. The JLee extremists. The apathy extremists. A small but vocal hardcore anti-Miles contingent who want him fired now. It's all tiresome.

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You CAN "boo". But, it reveals you as a worthless, immature dick-head.

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So does booing 18-21 year-old kids because they wear another jersey or don't play for the team you cheer for make you less of a dick-head?

You don't know the difference between booing an oponent and booing your own team? REEEEALLY!

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Just commenting on the fact that booing college kids that play for another team is widely accepted(see the post above your response) and I do not see the difference

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Ahhh...we agree.


Sorry about that. I know how it is when you reply to one person but are directing the comment at another

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Sorry about that. I know how it is when you reply to one person but are directing the comment at another

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One thing I think needs to happen here is that Miles needs to teach these kids some life lessons. Responding to ignorance(booing/whatever triggered the Shady's fight) is what got this team in trouble to start the season.

Allowing these kids to lash out against the fanbase through twitter condones the same course of action that led to the trouble at Shady's. These kids need to be taught to be the bigger men in the situation, as tough as it may be at times.

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Excellent point