Prince's gesture towards the fans of Cleveland

[lcbj68c]

I agree with TLB. Since when does being a professional not include a little playful interaction with the fans? It's not like he flipped them the bird, cussed out their momma, or something to that effect. I don't think he did something so obvious that young children would have been offended. Sports in all forms is getting to the point of providing more and more side entertainment than just the game. Baseball purists won't like it, but it's just the way it's become.

[Patrick425]

Regardless of the how the fans act, you are supposed to be a professional

 

I won't ever tell you what to like about a player, Patrick, but this is just your opinion of what is professional. For Prince's profession, all imo that's required to be professional is what you mention -- playing hard, etc. Actions like this most recent one fall under the label of being an entertainer, which like it or not, these guys are as well.

Well, I guess I'm not "entertained" by that gesture. I find it childish.

[TooLiveBrew]

Fair enough. I can't say I loved it either, but it didn't bother me at all. What I enjoy seeing is these young guys having a blast playing pro ball. Honestly when things are clicking they are about the most up-beat & loose team in MLB. They are a ton of fun to watch imho.

 

And I may have posted this in another thread, but I love Braun & Prince's new HR celebration this season. Always puts a smile on my face. Well, maybe that's from the HR they hit, but ... you know. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Blancofan1]

just got to detroit after going to all three games in cleveland and i can't disagree more with the experience we had. all of the fans we dealt with were knowledgable and polite. maybe it's because we had fairly pricey seats but even fans at the bars were great. btw: brewer fans started the "gamel toe" chant not indians fans. the only bad thing we found were the dollar hot dogs--those were not good at all

[PaulRigdon]

We were in the second row behind the brewers dougout so we had pricey seats and had an aweful experience with all the fans around us.

[EinhornIsFinkle]

I was in Cleveland for all three games and thought the fans were excellent and very nice and even funny and I sat in the bleachers in right, behind home plate and in the front row of the upper level behind home plate. I'm not sure you should judge an entire fan base on a few fans who happened to sit next to you.

[strawbossisevil]

I am embarrassed as a Brewers fan about what Prince did. It is extremely unclassy and idiotic. You are a professional baseball player, you ought to take heckling in stride (and not go telling annoying fans to...well, you know. I was flabbergasted that someone would honestly give "props" for such a classless gesture.

[brains and braun]

This is baseball, not tea with the Queen. I see other's point of view, but also like the passion Prince puts into the game. I have no problem when it erupts that way.

[bullox]

such a classless gesture.

Your thoughts on chewing tobacco and spitting? How about the mess the dugout is after a game? The occasional brawl?

 

It's baseball. It's not the opera.

[strawbossisevil]

Baseball should stay on the field as that is where the game is played, the fans play no part in the outcome of the game. A player ought not make obscene gestures at people in the crowd. How is this any different than a player flipping off a person in the crowd. Both are classless and neither ought to happen.

 

And two strawman arguments in a row, does that break a board record?

[Fatter than Joey]

This is baseball, not tea with the Queen.... It's baseball. It's not the opera.

 

I don't like arguments like this -- Baseball is not opera or tea with the Queen -- but it isn't Dogfighting, or an afternoon with Jayson Williams either. There is a middle ground, where there is fun, but some sense of decorum and reasonable behavior occurs.

 

Fair enough. I can't say I loved it either, but it didn't bother me at all.

 

This is probably where I fall in this discussion -- I'd hate to see it happen all the time, and I wouldn't like every player doing it.

 

I guess I'd rather Prince do his talking with his bat rather than his crotch.

 

And two strawman arguments in a row, does that break a board record?

 

Not even close.

[Invader3K]

While it may have been slightly immature, what Prince did, I can understand the reasoning behind it. How would you feel if you showed up at your job and some group of people you didn't know was constantly heckling you? I bet at some point, no matter how much money you make, you would lash out a bit too.

[Fatter than Joey]

How would you feel if you showed up at your job and some group of people you didn't know was constantly heckling you?

 

This happens all day, every day for many many people that deal with the general public -- I have had jobs from fast food to million dollar clients, and the one common thread I have had with all these jobs, is at no point could I do crotch chops.

 

As an employee, you are expected to behave, even if your client/customer is pushing your patience.

[bullox]

but it isn't Dogfighting, or an afternoon with Jayson Williams either.

And you just pushed that argument where I wasn't going.

 

Like I said, you will see grown men chewing tobacco, a seriously disgusting habit that will rot your teeth and gums completely. You will also see grown men screaming at each other on a fairly regular basis arguing balls and strikes. No dogs or limo drivers are dying, but this isn't a teaparty. There is a middle ground.

 

I am not exactly a fan of Prince's antics but I am not shocked and appalled that it happened at a baseball game.

[strawbossisevil]

Like I said, if they want to direct such intensity and emotion in how they go about actually playing the game, that´s one thing. Making a gesture toward someone not even involved in the game itself, that is crossing a line. Baseball games, like it or not, are still a family event. Inappropriate hand and body gestures have no place. I would have actually considered a game suspension for such vulgarity as being completely defensible.

 

I think it speaks a lot to Prince´s character that he would allow the heckling of some idiot fans get under his skin. Why, after how many years he´s been in the league and been heckled probably everywhere he goes, does he even listen to what the opposing fans think? This only confirms for me the fact that Prince is indeed a hot head. He is not the type of player that I am happy that I have to cheer for. Do we really think that Prince could handle the constant heckling he would get, were he to be come a Yankee someday?

 

Play the game on the field, let your emotions out there, and ignore the fans that heckle you. Most players can do that just fine. It´s the rare few that can´t seem to figure that out, and end up getting into trouble.

[TooLiveBrew]

I really don't think one action is worth questioning Prince over. I'm sure this type of stuff happened a lot more than anyone will ever know prior to every game being televised... aka the Golden Years

[strawbossisevil]

If it was just this one action, then yes. Trouble is, it´s just one of a number of things that shows him to be a hot head. It´s a reputation he´s earned as far as I´m concerned. While I appreciate the offense he gives our team, I will not shed a tear when he moves on.

[TooLiveBrew]

Are you citing anything beyond the Parra altercation? I'm not sure I can think of "a number of things"

 

And you're projecting maliciousness on this when it just as easily could have been playful. Just because you don't like it doesn't automatically make it 'bad'

 

Kobe Bryant (iirc) got in trouble for a throat-slashing gesture... I can't think of a pro athlete I would describe as less of a hothead than Bryant. (ok, one... Craig Counsell!)

[strawbossisevil]

Oh yeah, I forgot the instances where telling someone to "suck it" is a ´good´ thing. My mistake.

 

The Parra instance is one that stands out (I know some Prince "fans" want to give him a pass on that one, but throwing punches at your own teammate, no matter what they did is without question out of line.)

 

There are a couple of other isolated incidents that occur to me (one against the Astros, but I forget the exact circumstances). Also the incident where he was suspended for three games for bumping an umpire. He seems to be one who struggles to maintain his "cool", that has been noted by many on this site. This hand gesture incident is only the latest example of it.

[PeaveyFury]

but throwing punches at your own teammate

 

I believe he shoved him, not threw punches.

[Invader3K]

Baseball games are supposed to be played with some intensity, and occasionally an athlete is going to go over the line just a little bit, due to the testosterone flowing, and the excitement of the game. I can't see sitting here and judging them for something so minor.

[pretendastronaut]

I think way to much is being read into this event to start using it against Prince as some sort of embarrassing hot head who can't control himself. I throughly suggest reading up some entries at The Doorman's Blog to see just how much this type of stuff goes on with fans up front and players on the field, and how much of it is taken in stride by players and fans alike.

[strawbossisevil]

Well you all are entitled to your opinions, I am entitled to mine. If I see Prince as a hot head, and look forward to the day when I no longer have to cheer for him, that is my prerogative. You have to admit though, of all the players on the team, he has the hottest head.

 

 

That video shows that after the shove, Prince throws his hands at Parra´s face (it wasn´t a clenched fist punch, but it was clearly meant to cause pain).

 

I should add, I´ve cruised back over a month in the Doorman´s blog, and so far, the only person who he mentions as cussing him out or responding to him negatively is AJ P. (CWS catcher). No surprise there, he´s a hot head as well!

[pretendastronaut]

Well you all are entitled to your opinions, I am entitled to mine. If I see Prince as a hot head, and look forward to the day when I no longer have to cheer for him, that is my prerogative. You have to admit though, of all the players on the team, he has the hottest head.

 

Two things

1. You don't have to cheer for him now.

2. You realize you just essentially said, "we're both entitled to our opinions, but you have to agree, mine is more correct" right?

As for the blog link, my point with the link wasn't "hey look, other players do things you may consider hot headed", but rather that, there is a dialog that goes on between certain fans and players that we're normally not privy too, which was most obviously the case between Fielder and some fans in Cleveland. (And for the record, that isn't the first time I've seen Prince have a reaction for some fans who were obviously jawing with him.) Heck, there's an infamous story I linked around here last season I believe, where Griffey Jr threw a jock strap at a fan who was ribbing him during the game. These things happen. You don't have to like it, but I don't think it's strong proof for your belief that Prince is a hot head.

[TooLiveBrew]

Straw I just find it confusing why you are acting so entitled on this. No one called you out or anything, yet your tone in things like

 

Oh yeah, I forgot the instances where telling someone to "suck it" is a ´good´ thing. My mistake.

 

Is just so darn arrogant. Not sure why this topic bugs you so much, but like I said earlier in this thread to Patrick, I will never tell a fan which players to like/dislike.