Are You a Good Or A Bad Fan? How Much Is Too Much?

Now please don't get me wrong, I am a fan and I will only root for my team, no questions asked there.  But, sometimes people take it too far, almost to a point where things can get hostile.

(I apologize if the picture for this article offends anyone, I'm just trying to make a point.)

I was unfortunate enough to be at the Bulls playoff game tonight in Chicago, for Game 3 against the Boston Celtics.  

It was all good fun, people were into the game with chants of "Let's Go Bulls!" and "Boston SUCKS!" which is a good atmosphere to be in.  People were having a great time and it was a good environment for Bulls fans and Celtics fans, up until the fourth quarter.  

The Bulls were down huge, about 35 points or so, and that's when things got ugly. 

A couple of kids, maybe 17 or 18, were sitting in front of us and they were getting a little rowdy, maybe because of the people sitting in front of them who were now belligerently drunk, replacing "Boston SUCKS!" with chants of "F*** Boston!"  

I'm all for occasional profanity, I think it comes standard whenever you go to a ball game, but this was taking it too far.  The next thing I know, they're throwing food, and beer at people wearing Celtic colors and jerseys.

Now please excuse me if you think I'm out of line, but they weren't only throwing it at adults, these idiots were throwing it at kids.  I'm sorry, but all a kid wants to do is enjoy the game and have fun.  

Now picture yourself as a nine or 10-year-old watching your favorite team for the first time live, and all of a sudden an empty Nacho container with cheese still in it hits you in the head, or a plastic cup with beer splashes you in the face.  

That doesn't sound like a fun time to me.

At that point, with 10 minutes left, we wanted to leave.  The people that were the victims of this stupidity, were angry.  Angry enough to leave their seats and confront the idiots who threw crap at them, one of them was even a Bulls fan.  

We didn't care that it was a blow out, we just didn't want to get caught up in something we weren't apart of, and that to me is so wrong.

It almost makes you feel unsafe to go somewhere and show your team colors.  I'm going to Cincinnati for a Cubs series, and it worries me because I know that there are idiots like this all over the world.

I think it's great if you're supporting your team, but to throw crap at other people is unacceptable to me.  Respect people around you, by all means cheer on your team and boo the other, that's completely fine.  

But to throw trash, and swear at another teams fans?  Don't make it a hostile environment. They have a sign in the bleachers at Wrigley; "please keep the friendly confines friendly."  

I think people need a reminder.  I think they forgot how it is to be a real fan.

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