Bears Blitz

Published by brett darchuk on January 26, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

If you haven’t read the report or haven’t seen the news video clips, I’ll sum it up.  A Green Bay Packers fan was terminated, from his job, for refusing to remove his Green Bay Packers neck tie.  Yes he was employed by a Bears fan. There will certainly be varying opinion about this, but this event is a microcosm of a bigger issue and what is becoming a black eye on professional sports.

Extremism has become a growing problem in our culture.  In many facets in our lives, the masses are lead to believe that there are only polar opinions/views for political, social, economical, ethical or religious issues facing us each day.  It seems that having an extreme point of view attracts the most attention and getting that attention seems to cause a vicious cycle of “how do you top that.”

Personally, I don’t think that the majority of people believe in only the extreme points of view.  There are countless gray areas that ordinary people dwell.  Yet, the majority continue to let the minority run amok.

For a lot of individuals like myself, a sporting event is a place to go to escape many of our every day (real) problems and enjoy the moment.  Unfortunately, the sporting event is often ruined by extreme fans.

The stories that show up nationally are often the best of the worst.  An eight year old boy was tackled at a Cleveland Browns game, and an eleven year old girl was intentionally thrown up on at a Philadelphia Phillies game.  

Now, a Packers fan is terminated from his job for wearing a neck tie?  This doesn’t seem as bad as the previously mentioned cases, but what does that say?

What about the actions that are never reported? How many games have normal fans been to, where someone is screaming obscene comments at players, coaches, officials and opposing fans?  From the upper levels, nonetheless, with children of all ages sitting within earshot.  How many parking lots have normal fans been in where we see ill-behaved fans drinking in excess, cursing, urinating, bullying opposing fans and all while surrounded by folks just looking to unwind and enjoy the game time atmosphere?  With hope this is not the new and acceptable atmosphere.  

At times there’s a feeling of being held hostage by a few extremists, who feel compelled to express their warped views at the expense of everyone else’s good time.  It may not be an every game occurrence, but it’s an all to familiar scene for a lot of normal fans.

It needs to end.  It’s time for the majority to take back the stands, the parking lots and the games.  If we see a “normal” fan intervening, don’t watch, join in and help them get rid of the crumbs. If you’re with a group of people and an extremist is in that group, don’t snicker at the behavior. Shut them up. Report the morons in your, row or section or group to security and have them ejected. The majority of fans do not have to be held hostage by a minority group of knuckleheads.  It’s easy to see that most people don’t like it, so why sit by and take it?

Professional sports is entertainment. It’s not a religion, a political view, an economic philosophy or a way of life. It’s supposed to be enjoyable.  I scream at my TV.  I express dissatisfaction with “my” team(s) and I debate topics.  I cheer. I applaud. I boo. And I have cried (when Elway retired:)).  So, safe to say I take sports too seriously.  But nobody has a right to bully someone else, just because they’re an opposing fan.  Not even an employer.

If you fall in the extremist category, you need to take a good look in the mirror and figure out how to grow up.  Hopefully a new trend will emerge at sporting events, because if people feel similar to me, eventually there will be more and more empty seats.

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