Have our sporting icons become a little too precious? Should they be heading to Bunnings at the first available opportunity to buy some quick setting cement? How else can the recent complaining about our sporting stars being booed be explained? Earlier this year Michael Clarke, our one-day captain was booed from the field following (another) dismal batting display. Critics rounded on the baying hoards claiming it was disrespectful of his haughty office, of his talent to give him such a rabble rousing send off. And last week the much vaunted and all too frequently under achieving NSW Waratahs were similarly booed not once, not twice but three times in all during their desolate performance against the easy beat Cheetahs. On both occasions apologists for the teams concerned have been quick to defend the athletes saying it simply isn’t fair to hiss and jeer. Matt Burke even offered that because the crowd had never played under the pressure that Super 15 rugby exerts that they simply couldn’t know and therefore were under-qualified to boo! Ridiculous!! The people who pay the price of admission are entirely entitled to vent their spleen and hurl abuse when they wish, just as they can stand and pay homage. Indeed it is an essential part of sport. Our sporting stars can’t have their cake and eat it! They love the adulation, the standing ovations, the rousing cheers when it all comes together and things go well. They lap it up and positively revel in it and yes, profit from it. too So when things go awry and the crowd mood darkens, the players must surely realise this is part and parcel of the game. The yin and the yang. Far from whingeing they should suck it up and see to it that it doesn’t happen again! Do our precious players want sanitised stadia, bereft of atmosphere where the crowd stay rooted to their seats and politely clap when the big screen tells them too? I don’t think so.
This post first appeared as Monday’s Expert in the Northern Star on March 21st