When the most clutch kicker in NFL history returned to his old stomping grounds last Sunday night, I expected Adam Vinatieri to be cheered every time he stepped on to the field.
Boy was I wrong.
Vinatieri, who signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts, propelled the New England Patriots to three Super Bowl titles. Yet when he returned to Gillette Stadium as a visiting player, all the goodwill he had achieved clearly didn’t matter.
He was booed.
How could this happen? How could the home fans boo Vinatieri even though they realized what a huge role he played in their success over the years? This got me thinking…there needs to be some rules on booing, because let’s face it, sports fans aren’t the most logical creatures on earth. There is an art form to booing and fans must realize that. They can’t go around booing all the time because then the jeer loses its luster. Fans need to know when it is ok and not ok to boo. So without further ado, here are The Booing Rules.
When it is not ok to boo...
Rule 1a: Fans should never boo a former player if he was a crucial member in helping your team win a championship. Despite signing with a rival team, Vinatieri should never have been booed by the New England fans. It’s just that simple.
I remember sitting at Yankee Stadium when Tino Martinez retuned as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. He received such a huge ovation from us; it went on for a few minutes and you could tell he appreciated it. (Note: Roger Clemens picked up his 300th victory and 4,000th strikeout that game.)
Rule 1b: Fans should never boo a home player if that player has never played for another team. For example: Derek Jeter is a “real” Yankee. He has never played for another team, which makes him somewhat like a member of the family. You would never boo your Dad/brother/son/cousin/nephew etc. if he screwed up on the field, would you? I didn’t think so, thus you should never boo an original member of the team.
When it is ok to boo...
Rule 2a: Fans are allowed to boo a returning player if he did not help your team win a championship and he left your team to collect a huge payoff from another team. For example: Alex Rodriguez deserved to be booed when he retuned to Seattle as a member of the Texas Rangers.
Rule 2b: Fans are allowed to boo a home player if he is not an original member of the team. For example: I hate to pick on A-Rod, but he is just a great model for booing. Now, when A-Rod struggled with the Yankees this past season, fans booed him. Why…because he isn’t a real Yankee. I know what you’re thinking, it’s not right, but that’s just the way it is.
Fans lose respect from players and come across as misinformed when they boo for no reason. The boo is a powerful tool and should always be used correctly in order to achieve the maximum effect.
