In all sports, grace is treated like a character flaw. Miami Heat and former Laker Coach Pat Riley fines his players for helping an opponent off the floor. Hearing boos directed at college athletes really rankles me. My perception is that most boo-birds are unhappy in their daily lives and look to release some nastiness at the ball game. Sure, people take out their everyday frustrations at a game, no question, confirms Dr. William Parham, chief psychologist with UCLA s athletic department.
Fans feel like today s players are a little bit spoiled, that they re pampered.
There s this spoiled-brat mentality that the public isn t liking. Of course, the unattractive behavior fans are identifying in athletes is the very way they re acting themselves. It takes a lot more energy and a dollop of faith to be positive and believe that your team can reverse the tide and rally to victory. It s only a game. We root for the underdog, revel in the us vs. them-ness of it all.