The miserable 'supporter'

[markp]

It's been touched on a few times this week, and we all know them... the 'supporter' at the footy who constantly bags the players and the Club.

I'm not beyond screaming the occasional 'No!' or 'what was that?!' myself, but these folk are only ever full of voice when we make an error, or (heaven forbid) kick sideways in attempt to keep possession and break the lines, and mysteriously go quiet when we kick a goal or start to do well.

I'm a firm believer that people feed off the energy around them, and surely in a game where every single % of advantage is crucial, it's not much of a stretch to think 'negative vibes' can and do effect players.

If you were at work and every time you picked up a pen or answered the phone people around you groaned and rolled their eyes, you may start to doubt yourself too, and your performance would suffer... It's got to be the same for our players, from Jimmy kicking out of defence to Roo lining up for goal. Confidence is a vital and fragile thing.

I actually feel sorry for this type of 'supporter', they are probably scarred from years of defeats, and like a prisoner who's become institutionalized, perhaps don't know how else to engage with the game. Maybe it's a perverse comfort to them too, that no matter what, they know the Saints will always be crap... When we do win our next flag they'll probably just say 'about bloody time.'

Is it the Saints, or is this just a variation on road-rage? (ie a symptom of pressure at work/home/etc.)... I'd like to hear the experiences of others, and their methods for dealing with it... How can we be spared, and they saved?

Surely as supporters, on game day the most helpful thing we can do is send out 'positive vibes'... and... support!

[karnak]

One of the posts of the year in my opinion.

I'm always the optimist and it's this sense of hope that makes me love the Saints.

I think in short some people are just sad sacks of s*** that really sweat the small stuff.

Take our favourite poster the Jigster for example. Now there is a bloke that clearly loves the Saints but is an optimist. And he has a ball at the footy you can read it in his posts.

Energy plays a huge part, whether you subscribe to string theory or not.

It is disappointing that in any club or large association of people you're going to get people that suck. It's purely the law of averages.

Just be thankful we've got a few less than the pies!

[yipper]

That is the essence of why we go and watch the saints. We love the team / club. You can have really good time at the footy if you have an optimistic outlook - as I do, I just love watching the Red, White and Black running out onto the ground every week - and I am thankful they still do this and are such a vibrant part of the AFL competition.

I love footy to, so I am disappointed when we get done - but never do I sit at a game and whinge all through it. Why bother going if it is such a painful experience!!?? Enjoy watching the mighty saints get out on the park and have a crack win,lose or draw. And be proud as I always am when they win and they play finals.

[stinger]

great post markp......great post......i share your feelings on this topic....still think shanahan should have knocked jarman out though......even then i only shook my head.....

[Animal Enclosure]

Footy is a stress relief for most of us & that sometimes results in people going a bit troppo in frustration.

I'm sure I would have been during the 1st quarter on Sat night (I had to go to an engagement party) & I'm sure I would have said unsavoury things about players that I didn't really mean.

I totally agree with the OP that it's exceptionally annoying when you have supporters whining about the ball going sideways or yelling 'just bloody kick it' (I have a weekly battle with an old fart behind me whose tactical book is from the 1950's).

But as for getting stuck into Grammy for being soft or Monty for blasting away without looking (which is more about frustration that they are not the quality of players that they should be), I will put up my hand & plead guilty as charged.

As long as I'm not swearing & offending my fellow supporters around me I don't see the issue with it.

[WayneJudson42]

The key is to direct your energies towards the opposition... providing you're confident of victory.

I prefer to inddulge myself by question Hall on his anger management, as well as telling him to retire.

Must admit that I let of a remark when Blake turned it over, but hey... such is life.

As the op stated, I think it's a case of people's personalities, and footy gives them an outlet to release their frustrations that they otherwise can't do at work or at home.

[noob]

It doesn't help that the club hasn't won a premiership for a long time so i guess the supporters are craving for success. I guess that builds pressure on the players to win a premiership. I'd like to think that if we won another there won't be that added pressure.

[fingers]

Great post - one of my pet hates. I would rather they stay home or go barrack for some other team. Perhaps Richmond would welcome them?

[saintsRrising]

It's been touched on a few times this week, and we all know them... the 'supporter' at the footy who constantly bags the players and the Club.

!

Yes he had the seat right behind me in the SC area at the Swans game.

So much so that I could not stand it and spent almost half the game standing and watching the game at the back instead!!!

His favourite line was that all our players were just "Cardboard Cut-outs" repeated ad-nauseum...

There was not one-second when he was not talking...99% negative..

Second and third quarters barely slowed him and down...and he almost seemed delighted when the Swans narrowed the gap in the last-quarter (obviously oblivious to our lack of interchange rotations due to injuries plus resting Roo..)

[BAM! (shhhh)]

I actually suspect we could win a premiership and these folks wouldn't change their tune.

People follow different teams for different reasons. Those who go to the footy build up their habits in the course of many years.

I suspect these folks go in order to vent their negative frustration in other areas. So they whinge and moan about how players aren't good enough, about how the gameplan sucks, bronx cheers and sarcastic praise (and 20 year old chants "kick it, KICK IT.", "straight up the guts!", "man up!").

It's something we all do occasionally when frustrated (like my sig - hasn't actually been true for a couple of years now that getting appointed captain is an invite to injury). The difference is that I think most on here would probably not come to a place like this if such was their style of venting. They're not really yelling at the Saints, they're venting things that others (Or at least myself vent in other areas.

It's the only way I can fathom it. Personally I have fun at the footy.

They drive me nuts. This team has been competing near the top of the ladder and just not quite there for 5 years now, they deserve more credit than those who still ride them like the wooden spooners of years gone by.

[yipper]

They drive me nuts. This team has been competing near the top of the ladder and just not quite there for 5 years now, they deserve more credit than those who still ride them like the wooden spooners of years gone by.

Absolutely spot on!! The most frustrating part. The Saints are actually a good team, have been for awhile. Yet, you'd think it was the same old team from the 80's running around.

[markp]

I'm always the optimist and it's this sense of hope that makes me love the Saints.

Yup, I love our 'story'... I love the legend of our solitary flag, the fact that it's one of, if not the most famous GF victories of all... and that our next one will be even bigger! I love that we were renowned for having the best disco, and the stories of steak meals before a game, that we idolized our heroes, that we have the best sledging supporters (because they've had to be), and that even in our worst years every goal was like a victory, and every victory like a flag.... we always found a way to keep the passion strong.

But it's the modern era now, and the past is gone.... we have as much chance of attaining 'the ultimate success' as any club. The only constant from the past till now is not the players, not the coach or administration, it's the supporter, and the mentality of the supporter.

We should always seek and expect to win, and losing is never acceptable... but being overly negative, particularly on game day, is poison.

And we should save that poison for the opposition... and the umpires

[markp]

They drive me nuts. This team has been competing near the top of the ladder and just not quite there for 5 years now, they deserve more credit than those who still ride them like the wooden spooners of years gone by.

Absolutely spot on!! The most frustrating part. The Saints are actually a good team, have been for awhile. Yet, you'd think it was the same old team from the 80's running around.

+1.... they're stuck in a time warp!... "Kick it long, who's on him, man-up, here we freakin go again!"... it's like they're on 80's auto pilot.

[joffaboy]

It is more the fact that too many "supporters" equate their self esteem and self worth with the fortunes of their football team. The teams failure reflects badly on them, therefore the abuse players, and boo the team.

It has to do with personal insecurities and the fact that because the STKFC has been a constant failure, it means their personal choice of supporting them is in question.


It is the unrequited love that upsets them the most

Just remember that ALL football teams let their supporters down, MOST of the time.


Here endeth the pop psychology lesson.

[steph]

i disagree with 90% of whats been said.

I am a culprit of this negativity, and its got nothing to do with my life outside footy, my job, or my self esteem. What a joke

I love the saints as much as anyone, but i hate losing, and even more than that, i hate mediocre performances. I understand the need to remain positive when competing, but if we are satisfied with always 'doing well' that's not enough for me. Fact is, we SHOULD have won a flag by now. We haven't and its clear that this complacent attitude is why.

We have missed opportunities in the past, and when we let ourselves down, i see it all happening over and over again. When we are playing well, i cheer more than anyone. When someone puts their head over the ball under a pack, i'm the first to commend the effort. But when someone continues to make the same mistake or just demonstrates a complete lack of effort, then i'm not going to sit back and remain positive about it.

There's no bad language, or anything offensive to others around me. And i never ever boo my own team. I purely call it how it is. If you aren't willing to listen to the reality of a situation, then watch the game at home and congratulate anyone in a saints jumper, even if their effort doesn't deserve it.

[GrumpyOne]

There are definately times at the footy where I would rather sit amongst opposition supporters than my own. At least you expect the oppo supporters to bag saints players, and you can adopt a mindset to ignore it.

However when you sit amongst your own supporters, and the invective to saints players is just as hostile, you wonder why you go to the footy at all.

[SENsei]

I am absolutely sick of these unprovoked attacks on the pessimists in our society. Pessimists have just as much right to their misery as you do to your optimism.

Why should the pessimist faction be forced look on the bright side of life? Why can't they have a glass that is half empty?
Why can't they moan about non-transferrable memberships?
Why can't that look at all that is wrong with the world?

I'm sorry, but this conformist attitude is tearing at the fabric of society. Conform or be damned.

It's not on. Don't stand for it. Stand up and shout...."I'm as mad as hell and if I want to see a cloudy horizon, if I want to see a frowning face, if I want to wake up with Monday-itis every day of the week, then by golly, I WILL DO IT!"

Don't you make me conform to your cheery outlook.......

[markp]

i disagree with 90% of whats been said.

I am a culprit of this negativity, and its got nothing to do with my life outside footy, my job, or my self esteem. What a joke

I love the saints as much as anyone, but i hate losing, and even more than that, i hate mediocre performances. I understand the need to remain positive when competing, but if we are satisfied with always 'doing well' that's not enough for me. Fact is, we SHOULD have won a flag by now. We haven't and its clear that this complacent attitude is why.

We have missed opportunities in the past, and when we let ourselves down, i see it all happening over and over again. When we are playing well, i cheer more than anyone. When someone puts their head over the ball under a pack, i'm the first to commend the effort. But when someone continues to make the same mistake or just demonstrates a complete lack of effort, then i'm not going to sit back and remain positive about it.

There's no bad language, or anything offensive to others around me. I purely call it how it is. If you aren't willing to listen to the reality of a situation, then watch the game at home and congratulate anyone in a saints jumper, even if their effort doesn't deserve it.

I would suggest that if you are someone who commends effort, then you may not be who I'm talking about.... we all vent, but I'm talking about the 'supporter' who revels in negativity, and has nothing encouraging to say at all.... There is a clear distinction between constructive criticism and outright abuse.

I'd also add that hating losing and expressing that with negativity and blaming will not lead to winning... do you think when Roo misses a shot early in a game it would be more constructive for his teammate to abuse him, and tell him how crap he is at set shots than to encourage him?... Has sacking countless coaches achieved anything?

In the victory room after the game on saturday one of the players spoke about RL telling them at quarter time to stay positive and focused, and how this helped... I would've been sorely tempted to give them a bake myself, but look what happened.....

We should strive to eliminate failure and negativity, not wallow in it.

[markp]

I am absolutely sick of these unprovoked attacks on the pessimists in our society. Pessimists have just as much right to their misery as you do to your optimism.

Why should the pessimist faction be forced look on the bright side of life? Why can't they have a glass that is half empty?
Why can't they moan about non-transferrable memberships?
Why can't that look at all that is wrong with the world?

I'm sorry, but this conformist attitude is tearing at the fabric of society. Conform or be damned.

It's not on. Don't stand for it. Stand up and shout...."I'm as mad as hell and if I want to see a cloudy horizon, if I want to see a frowning face, if I want to wake up with Monday-itis every day of the week, then by golly, I WILL DO IT!"

Don't you make me conform to your cheery outlook.......

Fair enough, but there's much to be said for suffering in silence....

[plugger66]

There is nothing wrong with getting upset with a player when he makes a basic skill error as that is usually just frustration coming out but I cannot for one moment ever imangine booing a player or the team. That doesnt mean you should clap them off if they lose a game where you dont think they have given their all maybe mentally or physically.

I must admit i also can not stand supporters who laugh and say well done boys after the opposition kick their 10th in a row. I think you should at least understamd the game and that isnt a laughing matter.

[SENsei]

Suffer in silence? Are you mad?

I want to make everyone conform with me.

Stuff calling it the Moorabbin Wing. I want it renamed the Misery Wing. I've contacted Etihad Stadium to have this change made.

I will have Kathy Bates at the renaming ceremony.

Only misery guts supporters will be able to attend.

You know it makes sense.

[St Marcus]

i disagree with 90% of whats been said.

I am a culprit of this negativity, and its got nothing to do with my life outside footy, my job, or my self esteem. What a joke

I love the saints as much as anyone, but i hate losing, and even more than that, i hate mediocre performances. I understand the need to remain positive when competing, but if we are satisfied with always 'doing well' that's not enough for me. Fact is, we SHOULD have won a flag by now. We haven't and its clear that this complacent attitude is why.

We have missed opportunities in the past, and when we let ourselves down, i see it all happening over and over again. When we are playing well, i cheer more than anyone. When someone puts their head over the ball under a pack, i'm the first to commend the effort. But when someone continues to make the same mistake or just demonstrates a complete lack of effort, then i'm not going to sit back and remain positive about it.

There's no bad language, or anything offensive to others around me. And i never ever boo my own team. I purely call it how it is. If you aren't willing to listen to the reality of a situation, then watch the game at home and congratulate anyone in a saints jumper, even if their effort doesn't deserve it.

I agree 100%. I also support loudly when we play with endeavour, regardless of if we win or lose. But I cannot accept a lack of effort or courage, I also never boo or use bad language but I do vocalise my disapproval

I think the problem with Saints supporters is a lot seem to accept mediocracy, I don't in life or with my football team.

[steph]

on a personal level, i'm ridiculously optimistic about the team - the way only a one-eyed supporter can be. at qtr time i even said to those i was with "if they can get that far up in one qtr, we can make up the difference in one qtr". i am all for the players to have a positive outlook and for the coach particularly to support them.

and if roo misses the first goal of the game so be it, i know they are going to make mistakes. the issue i have is when a player makes the same mistake over and again, highlighting he (or the coaching staff) isn't recognising the issues. if you cant identify problems, we'll never get better.

i have issues with supporters that boo their own team, thats just lame. but i also have issues with people who think anyone that wears a st.kilda jumper is untouchable and can do no wrong. i believe u have to earn that support and respect.

[markp]

Stuff calling it the Moorabbin Wing. I want it renamed the Misery Wing.

The Moorabbin whinge?

[meher baba]

Love this thread.....

I am so much in agreement with the OP.

I can't stand fans who make snide and vicious comments about individual players: I hate it when I am at a game, and I hate it on this forum. Constructive criticism is fine, but we all know that many people go way beyond this.

What gets me about the harsh critics you encounter at footy stadiums is that most of them are the most unathletic-looking specimens of humanity imaginable. In other words, it's a case of "those who can do, those who can't criticise".

If you support the Sainters, then you support the 22 guys who run out in red, white and black. You don't have to "suffer in silence": I think spontaneous cries of "oh no", "oh dear", "WTF did you do that for" and so forth are ok. But, if you want to make vicious attacks on the players, I think you are showing that you are not a genuine or loyal supporter.

Whenever I feel like screaming abuse at someone at the football, I scream abuse at the umps. Always works for me.