AFL Fans and the booing of players

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

I find it incredibly complex to analyse, justify and explain

Adam Goodes was an ageing champion, hanging on by a thread as he aged - he may have acted for the odd free kick, but having seen it what Adam went through I am just uncomfortable with booing an indigenous Australian player on an AFL ground

[JanLorMill]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

It's Collingwood, they boo anything or anyone not Collingwood. They don't know why. A non football person asked me yesterday why everyone hates Collingwood and it fans. I should have given this as an example.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

As a booer I see it as my right to boo and express my displeasure with a player, former players, umpires, AFL officials etc.

Why I boo depends on the player, but I would never boo a player because of their race, stance on race or politics in general - sport is not the place for this sort of discourse (its on forums where you can be anonymous and wind people up aka troll!).

So if I wanted to boo Franklin because he is a good player who regularly tears my team a new one then I will. If people want to join me mindlessly and not think for themselves then that says more about them than me, but let them. If Franklin as a player can't channel the energy to lift he game to a level where he silences the boos then maybe he isn't the "champion" player that he has a reputation being.

For the record, I like Franklin and he is not on my boo list. Neither is Horne-Francis.....I don't blame the kid for wanting out of that sh*t show. Dunkley though is very firmly in my cross hairs as a player I would boo. One because he left my beloved team for a quick buck and a sun tan and two because he just comes across as a bit of a w*nker and deserves a good boo. To be fair to Dunk's he seems to be able to channel those boos pretty well.

On Adam Goodes - that was never ok. To boo someone for standing up to racial vilification and abuse is pretty sad......a reflection that you are OK with the vilification they have received.

[jeemak]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

So Fredi, I guess we're then asking supporters to be sensitive towards players who might be good and also scarred by booing inflicted on someone of the same skin colour......who was also good?

[jeemak]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

Whatever's happening aside, I was so pumped for Adam Goodes and those who he said he was representing when he threw that invisible spear at the Carlton crowd.

After it we had people suggesting he should have cleared his right to protest or enact a celebration with the AFL before doing it, and suggesting that he shouldn't have been doing something that might have been inflammatory in the first place.

It was the best example of how far we have to come as a society expressed on a footy field outside of the Winmar gesture. Protest as long as you have permission to, speak up only if you clear what you have to say with us first.

Yep it made people uncomfortable, but when you have no other levers to pull.........

[jeemak]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

Can anyone imagine the sanctioned protest scenario? This is my best take on it:

Announcer: Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand in preparation for Adam Goodes' protest dance

Adam Goodes: Oooggidy boogidy oogidy boogidiy.....throws invisible spear

Crowd: Boooooooooooo (at best - most likely the stadium would have been invaded)

[hujsh]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

We all like to joke but I lost a loved one to that invisible spear. But I guess it's not 'PC' to talk about the real victims.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

Can anyone imagine the sanctioned protest scenario? This is my best take on it:

Announcer: Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand in preparation for Adam Goodes' protest dance

Adam Goodes: Oooggidy boogidy oogidy boogidiy.....throws invisible spear

Crowd: Boooooooooooo (at best - most likely the stadium would have been invaded)

I'm not sure where we get to with the booing debate. Yeah its not nice, but it is a form of instant feedback even if you aren't sure why they are booing you. Personally I think people boo for a couple of reasons, but they genuinely don't like an individual.....think Toby Greene, Steven Milne......people boo because you are a past player whose leaving has hurt.....think Ryan Griffin, Josh Dunkley, Sol Campbell......people boo because everyone else is doing it and we have a natural inclination to follow the herd......its safe, it offers security, its allows us to conform with our peers even if we don't know why we are booing.

You can't/shouldn't stop the public expression of displeasure in a performance. We no longer throw rotten fruit at poor performances and we should know better than to use slurs of any kind. Booing though is a means of expression that I honestly believ will sanitise the game/sport/theatre to a point where it will be boring!

[FrediKanoute]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

We all like to joke but I lost a loved one to that invisible spear. But I guess it's not 'PC' to talk about the real victims.

Pray tell? Would interested to know if this was metaphorical or actual

[Topdog]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

Whatever's happening aside, I was so pumped for Adam Goodes and those who he said he was representing when he threw that invisible spear at the Carlton crowd.

After it we had people suggesting he should have cleared his right to protest or enact a celebration with the AFL before doing it, and suggesting that he shouldn't have been doing something that might have been inflammatory in the first place.
.

I must have missed it, what was he protesting?

[D Mitchell]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

I don’t boo, at the footy anyway, so I’m not going to say anything in case I say something.

[Grantysghost]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

The spear thing was nuts however I assume he was at his wit's end by then so I understand it.

[GVGjr]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

The spear thing was nuts however I assume he was at his wit's end by then so I understand it.

He should never have done that and it just made the whole mess worse. I just hate the fact that there was a prolonged campaign to target him and especially to now know how it impacted him.

[hujsh]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

Pray tell? Would interested to know if this was metaphorical or actual

I was kinda confused by the question for a moment (how can someone die to an invisible spear?) but assume you mean did I know someone in the crowd and the answer is no, I was just joking about how stupid it is for anyone to have been upset by that (ooohhh he threatened us, a crowd of randos, with his invisible spear)

[hujsh]

Re: AFL Fans and the booing of players

He should never have done that and it just made the whole mess worse. I just hate the fact that there was a prolonged campaign to target him and especially to now know how it impacted him.

I think in some ways it's a perfect response. Revealed a lot about our country and certain groups within that it was even a point of discussion.