Prince's "It's poor for the fans to boo us" comment (merged with "Prince blasts fans")

[bucksman4]

Helms made sure of it in the 11th, as the former Brewer silenced the booing fans.

"That is just the nature of this city," said Helms, who played in Milwaukee from 2003 to 2005. "They do it to every player that comes back that used to play here.

"I think fans don't realize that actually pumps a player up, and it makes me want to beat them."


I think this pretty much is in line with what we're talking about here. Although we know Helmsie has an extra little chip on his shoulder being the only Brewer who was booed on opening day when all the players were introduced a few years ago. Having said this, I'm glad Prince pointed that out if it was bugging him, but at the same time, I agree that if fans pay their hard-earned money to attend an event, they have a right to express their feelings if they don't feel they're getting their money's worth because of shoddy play.

[PKBadger]

Someone should tell Wes that we didn't boo Paul Molitor, mainly because he was good at things like getting hits, running fast, and not hitting spectators with errant throws to first.

[SheetsCyYoung04]

What's the point of booing Moeller, for instance? All it would accomplish to to serve my own desire to vent frustrations.

 

I guess the point would be to send a message to management that fans dont want to watch Chad Moeller. When Chad Moeller comes to town in a different uniform I guess there is little purpose. Booing Helms is showing displeasure that he never lived up to his contract. There is a point, it might not be a good point but a point nonetheless.

[brewmann04]

Well I disagree with Prince and a fan can boo if they are dispeased with there effort.

[dlk9s]

I think acting like New York fans is a good way to make players not want to play here.

 

Then why do all the good players ultimately end up in NY?

1) Money.

2) Exposure.

3) Winning.

 

3) The money that comes from exposure and winning.

 

[mothershipconnection]

I "have the right" to eat a jar of Vick's Vapo Rub and then tell everyone how insane my bowel movements were. That doesn't mean I should do it.

[rickey24]

I'm sorry but I just think anyone who booed Cordero after today's performance should turn in their Brewers gear and go cheer for the Cubs. I agree 100% with what Prince was talking about, booing Bush after his performance yesterday? Pathetic. Booing Cordero after blowing the save today? Disgusting.

I've seen some REALLY BAD baseball in Milwaukee over the past 25+ years, and I can see booing Alex Sanchez when he fails to run out a ball, or gives it 50% when the game is still on the line, but booing someone for making a mistake or not having his best day is just bush league if you ask me.

Yes I did get into it with a fan today who was booing Cordero, it made me sick to see and frankly, I was more annoyed with that crap than I was seeing the Brewers lose probably the worst loss I've ever witnessed.

Rickey

[Mr QL]

What are the fans suppose to do when the team plays like this? Sit perfectly silent or even cheer?

[TabbertBB]

Did "standing" and cheering really help today in the 9th???

[rickey24]

What are the fans suppose to do when the team plays like this? Sit perfectly silent or even cheer?

 

I'll tell you what you don't do...boo. I was upset as anyone else in the park today, but you didn't see me booing the play, if the effort is there you have no reason to boo, if the player is just dogging it, like Sanchez et al, then you should boo, but booing because Cordero didn't get the job done? Pathetic.

[MessiahRp]

I think acting like New York fans is a good way to make players not want to play here.

 

Then why do all the good players ultimately end up in NY?

Money. Pure and simple. It's purely the best economic choice for most of these players and knowing they spend that much gives them more of a chance to be on a winner.

 

NY fans get away with their attitude towards players because the team makes so much money that it's worth it to take the abuse. Milwaukee however cannot pay their players that way and that can be a factor in driving star players away.

 

Rp

[BillScottCanRake]

AP- Milwaukee, WI
08/05/2007
2100 CDT

 

Miller Park, Milwaukee- The Milwaukee Brewers learned a valuable lessen after today's tough, extra innings loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. When fans boo, they aren't just unhappy, they want their team to play better.

 

"Really? I didn't really know why they were booing," remarked all-star first baseman Prince Fielder. "I thought maybe they ate too many brats or something."

 

Booing has been long been the traditional way for fans to express their displeasure with the results they see on the field. While nearly every player knew that, what most Brewers didn't know is they need to care more about the game at hand and try harder. Or the pitcher threw to first.

 

"Had I known that booing meant we weren't trying hard enough to win, and that we should try harder, I would have hit that ball in the 11th about 10 more feet," remarked third baseman Ryan Braun. "Heck, I might have even made that play in the bottom of the 9th, but I really wanted one more at bat."

 

Some fans interviewed after the game expressed sadness that Brewer players hadn't gotten the memo.

 

"Uh, these guys suck," noted Butt-head, a long time Brewer season ticket holder. "When we boo and stuff, we, uh, are like, you know, sending a message to them. Like play better, cause we don't like it when you suck."

 

Other fans agreed.

 

"These players get paid zillions of dollars, or something," said Beavis, another long time season ticket holder. "I think these guys don't know when they suck, so, like, we have to tell them and stuff."

 

While booing might be new to Milwaukee, it has been a tradition in places that know winning. In fact, most baseball experts have long stated that as important as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Derek Jeter and Marino Rivera have been to the New York Yankees, their fans have probably been more important.

 

"Look, everyone knows that the Yankees have great players," said ESPN baseball analyst Peter Gammons. "But more than having hall of fame talent, they have fans that know the importance of motivating their team and their players. Players, for all their talents, tend to be ignorant to some of the most basic things. Like making outs, errors, walking the bases loaded and blown saves are bad. When A-Rod strikes out, without some negative reinforcement, how on earth is he supposed to know that he has not only failed his team and his family, but a whole city? And, more importantly, how is he to know he's got to try harder next time?"

 

"Booing. And that's why the Yankees are winners and teams like the Royals aren't."

 

While some Brewers accepted this news as a sign that they have arrived as a team, others were more skeptical.

 

"So, when I give up a lead in the 8th, and fans 'boo', they are telling me I shouldn't have done that?", reliever Derrick Turnbow asked. "I just am not sure about that.. are you sure? I have always thought a blown save or two every now and then will allow the fans to relate to me more."

 

"Fans on the road boo every time I throw to first", Chris Capuano, a starting pitcher for the Brewers, noted. "But our fans only boo when the other team's pitcher throws to first. I might have gone to Duke, but my ACC education didn't prepare me for that mixed message. Maybe I'll ask some fans what that means before my next start."

 

For those who have accepted the news, you'll see a change.

 

"Well, I know I will be a changed player", remarked Fielder. "If I really had known that fans expect us to care about the games as much as they do, and just try a little harder... well, all I can say is I wished they'd have boo'd more earlier in the year. I might have 50 home runs by now and this team might be 10 games ahead of the Cubs."

 

Prince had one last message for the fans as he left the clubhouse.

 

"Ok, guys, now we know what the booing means", he said. "Be sure to keep it up, keep us motivated. We are going to need you down the stretch... we won't know when we messed up without you."

 

Don't worry, Prince. Booing is here to stay.

 

-- cth

[brewers19]

Excellent find, Chris. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[saget]

Now that's a good article http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[The Ignitor]

I agree with Prince. I'm the first one to get frustrated, but this team has done so much this season to make it interesting that they don't deserve to be booed. I think the booing is more the fans be fearful that the success is just another mirage: we so want it to be real, that we boo anything that makes us wonder whether it's a mirage.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't know why people choose to believe that this is such a polarized, b&w, right or wrong kind of situation. No offense to BSCR, but from a boo-bird's perspective, that 'article' is snobby & condescending. From my pov, no big deal. Fans can boo, they will continue to do so, and whether or not it's "right" or "constructive" has little or nothing to do with it.

 

If fans want to boo, fine. If a big-league ballplayer can't play through that (home or away), tough cookies. The Brewers played like crap today - collectively (not one or two individuals) - after the middle of the game. If some fans are frustrated & choose to exhibit said frustration, they have every right to do so. If that's like eating vapo-rub for Prince & others, I guess I can only say, "Get over it!" The fans are booing poor play, just like they'd boo a poor call by the umps or an arrogant display by an opponent.

 

Do I think it's dumb to boo your own guys? Absolutely. But I also think it's dumb to try to issue a decree that doing so is either right or wrong. Want less boo birds? Sell less beer.

[Tbadder]

Prince is right. Sportsmanship isn't just a matter of doing what's right; it's a matter of knowledge. It's instantaneous motivation for the opposing side.

[brewers19]

Even Jonathan Swift had his critics.

[RockCoCougars]

Bottom line- This is a team that has squandered three 5 plus run leads in the past 10 days. The fans have every right to boo them off the field for stinking up the place.

[bork]

I think some of it is the 25 years of frustration and "here we go again".

 

But I think a bigger part of it is that with these large crows there are a lot of new and casual fans. They haven't had a reason to follow the Brewers for much of their lives until this year. Or they're coming because the Brewers became trendy again with all of the early season publicity. But I think if the Brewers can just make the playoffs this year, it will do wonders for the fanbase. Attendance will increase even more, and fans will start following the team more closely, becoming more knowledgeable and supportive.

[adambr2]

Just my honest opinion, some of you guys I think take this wayyy too seriously.

It's booing. It's nothing more than the fans being pissed (at the home team), or expressing displeasure for someone (road team).

 

It's been going on since sports began, and it'll go on forever, nothing will change that. Fans boo when the Packers trail 27-6 at the end of a first half. Fans boo when the Brewers blow a 5 run lead in the 9th inning. No, I'm not saying it is helpful, but it is a right of the paying customer who come to see the game. The athletes are professionals, if they lose a game because of booing, well, that's pretty much on them. No one really believes that the booing makes the players realize that they need to do better.

 

Like I said, I don't boo the individual players, but I'm not that critical of anyone who does. I don't boo Weeks because I know he plays the game hard and I know he's trying. For some other fans, they boo him to say, "You suck right now and I hate it." That's fine. Whatever. They paid to see the guy play.

 

Again, this is just my opinion, and I know not all will agree, and that's fine. I just don't think booing should be that big of a deal for the players. They are going to experience it throughout their career. I don't see how a silent crowd of 44,000 after blowing a 5 run lead is going to do more for them than a booing crowd of 44,000. It's just part of sports IMO.

[BillScottCanRake]

I don't know why people choose to believe that this is such a polarized, b&w, right or wrong kind of situation. No offense to BSCR, but from a boo-bird's perspective, that 'article' is snobby & condescending. From my pov, no big deal. Fans can boo, they will continue to do so, and whether or not it's "right" or "constructive" has little or nothing to do with it.

 

I suppose that I should have added some context.

 

For those that haven't been here since the inception of BF.net back in 2001, I have on occasion posted "fake" AP articles that were an attempt to interject humor into discussions. That was the sole intent with this article, to try to add a little levity to the discussion. Just like when I wrote an article about the Brewers acquired Jimmy Thach to finally get a true ace (for those who don't know, Thach was a WWII naval ace who, so far as I know, was never a baseball player of any significance). I just picked a side (the easiest side for me to parody), and went with it.

 

With regard to booing, I don't have any opinions one way or another, except for the whole booing pickoff throws. I don't get that.

 

If anyone was offended, it wasn't my intention. I guess thats what I get for assuming. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[TooLiveBrew]

I wasn't offended, but I thought it made the 'boo-birds crowd' look just like big dummies, hence my post. (that's all, don't get too worried!)

[lukevan]

If fans want to boo, fine. If a big-league ballplayer can't play through that (home or away), tough cookies.

 

But why, as a fan of the team, would you want to do anything that could hurt your home-field advantage? Even if you think they should just be able to brush it off, why would you want to make it ANY tougher on our own players when they are supposed to be at home in the "friendly confines"?

 

To me, a fan booing their own team (which is in first place, though granted, not playing fantastic), excluding cases of lack of effort as outlined earlier in this thread, is like the spoiled kid at the family reunion that refuses to eat the potluck dinner for which everyone brought a dish to pass. OK, it may not be much like that but it was the first metaphor that popped into my head.

 

IMO, booing is a self-indulgent show of frustration that undermines the team concept we are trying to build. These guys are obviously trying to win as much as they can, booing a bad performance just seems adolescent and counterproductive to me, even if it doesn't bother the players at all (which I doubt, considering Prince's quote).

 

Please save your boo's for the opposing teams Brewer fans!

[Loopee]

Things I have done during sporting events.

I have sworn profusely at games. I have thrown things at my TV. I have shot players with nerf guns. I have cried out for divine relief. I have turned off the TV and ran away. I have unplugged the TV. I have jokingly asked for just about every member of the Brewers organization to be DFA'd. I have sent frentic text messages questioning why Spurling was sent in to pitch.

but never have I actually booed the Brewers; or for that matter the Packers or the Badgers. It just doesn't feel right to me to boo the home team. I just don't understand how you go to an event and then don't support your team.

BSCR, that was great.