Mississippi State basketball games have been one of my favorite activities since I first set foot on this campus. However, at the past few games, I haven’t been enjoying myself as much. Although the last two games were heartbreakers, the recent losses aren’t the reason my delight in basketball games has been lessening. It’s actually other students.
Maybe I’m singular, but I find it distracting for a MSU fan to be yelling at a nearby referee while Jamont Gordon is shooting free throws. Especially when said fan is yelling tirelessly and at the top of his lungs that the refs aren’t calling enough fouls, when obviously a foul has just been called.
This is just one example of fan behavior that, to me, takes away from the heart of the game. I am all about cheering for and supporting your team, but there are boundaries.
The Florida game Wednesday was the worst example of fan behavior I have experienced this season. Most of it was directed toward the referees. I heard multiple obscenities, extremely detrimental or abusive language and excessive complaining, all being screamed at the referees.
Now, it’s one thing to complain about a truly bad call. As fans, we should let the refs know what we think about that. I have often joined a chorus of “Ref, you suck” after a blatantly terrible call.
However, after a moment or so of berating the referee, just let it go. You personally are not going to get the referee to change his mind, and yelling consistently for the next eight minutes is unnecessary and distracting to other people.
One thing that really bothers me is when people yell at the referees even when they haven’t made a particularly questionable call. Is it worth expending that kind of effort to let the ref know that you think he needs to make a three-second call?
There is never a need to hurl obscenities or offensive words toward the referees. Does such language positively impact any aspect of the game? Does it make the Bulldogs play better? Does it make the referee call better? Unlikely.
During the Florida game, one phrase I heard consistently from somewhere behind me had something to do with someone’s mother and a whorehouse. Excuse me, perhaps I’m a bit sheltered, but when is saying that ever appropriate or necessary?
Think about it logically. If you’re a referee attempting to make unbiased and accurate calls, and the student section is loudly disparaging every call you make and you personally, how would you react? Anger would be natural.
I doubt that a person would be inclined to favor the home team in such a situation. In fact, such rude yelling might push some refs to make more bad calls as they attempt not to give in to the pressure. MSU gains no advantage when fans berate a referee.
I’m not meaning to criticize or dissuade the majority of students from cheering at basketball games. It’s only a handful of people that act this way. But those few people make a large impact.
It is distracting to other fans when there is a person who keeps riding the referee as though they have been personally offended or affected by the call. It injects a negative spirit into the already highly-charged atmosphere.
Constantly yelling at the refs requires a lot of energy and vocal strength. Wouldn’t it be better to channel all that into cheering for the Bulldogs? Instead of reaming out a ref for a poor call, how about encouraging the team to keep on playing hard?
The referees do impact the game, but they are not the main reason fans exist. Fans are there to encourage and cheer for their team. That’s what I’d like to see a little more of in the Hump. Let’s keep it positive.