Weir chastises Arrowhead fans for booing - Page 2

shaneo69 · 10-26-2006, 09:35 AM

WEIR: The Arrowhead Experience
Oct 26, 2006, 9:09:39 AM by Eileen Weir

I don’t go to very many Chiefs games. Spending nearly a decade in the team’s public relations department and coordinating the press box operations, I’ve seen enough live games to get all the atmosphere I’ll ever need. These days Sunday afternoons are happily spent in the comfort of my own living room, close enough to Arrowhead to hear the fireworks and almost whiff the barbeque. If it’s raining or snowing I count that as a bonus, removing Sunday’s occasional guilt that I’m not doing something more productive with my day.

But going to games is good for the soul, if not for the body. Tuesday I am still gingerly nursing a stiff neck resulting from the tension and chill of Arrowhead on Sunday as the good guys took on the visiting San Diego Chargers. Typically I attend one or two games each year to soak up the ambiance that is exclusive to pro sports. Despite the state-of-the art technology (or maybe because of it) and the high-definition broadcasts that filter out any unwanted noise, television simply can’t capture the mood of the crowd or the stress of the competition. There is no substitute for sitting in the stands.

Out of town visitors, of which I had two on Sunday, marvel at the scene played out in the Arrowhead parking lots in the hours before kickoff. Chowing down ribs at ten a.m. suddenly seems like a reasonable activity as does washing it down with a Bud Light. Born a gaming and gambling breed, my visiting sisters in town from California and I placed wagers including “first to spot the most outrageous fan,” awarded to me for picking out a young man sans shirt in full body paint in the frigid morning hours, and “Who can find the most outrageous fan?” going to my oldest sister. Loud and obnoxious didn’t cut it in our little competition. “I like the ones who can’t shut up,” the victorious sister announced. And she found them.

If observing the tailgating rituals of the Kansas City faithful reveals Chiefs fans passionate loyalty, the inside-the-stadium experience reveals their sophisticated knowledge and high expectations. National and local broadcasters frequently praise supporters of the red and gold not only for their fervent fandom but for their smarts about the game, knowing when to bring down the house and when to be quiet. K.C. boosters know the rules and react appropriately to bad officiating but don’t complain when the team is tagged for legitimate infractions. Even though I think I possess an average or a little better than average knowledge of football and the Chiefs, sitting in the stands is always an education.

Void the influence of professional commentary fed to viewers and listeners by the play-by-play announcers and color analysts on the airwaves, Arrowhead attendees supply their own breakdown of play calling, performances and strategies. Without constant statistical updates, meticulous fans keep mental tallies of yards gained or simply divine who is winning the stat war from subjective deduction.

For at least a year after I left the press box and was forced to watch games like normal people, I felt crippled without constant access to up-to-the-moment statistics. I could barely follow the game without the aid of quarterly play-by-play sheets and the barrage of statistics pumped out from the press box staff. Finally acclimating to the culture of television viewers who get added information from the network production crew or by turning down the volume and safely relying on the hometown expertise of the Chiefs radio broadcast team, being shoved back into the stands still comes as a shock. I prefer to be comfortably coddled.

Most striking of all is the temperament of the fans once removed from the influence of analysts to tell them whether or not things are going well. Surprising to my game-day companions and me were the glowing critiques given to the team after Sunday’s victory. Regarded by all as a critical win and one that would not come easy, the Arrowhead crowd rejoiced as Lawrence Tynes’ game winning 53-yarder plopped over the crossbar in the final seconds of regulation, but the after-party aura was far more one of exhaustion than ecstasy. None of my fellow ticket holders in the exiting crowd talked about a single stand-out performance or a great call. The entirety of Arrowhead acted like they had just walked away from a car accident. Grateful but frazzled.

If I had to choose a word to describe Sunday’s Arrowhead crowd it would be cranky. Suffering the first really cool day on the home schedule, the chilliness gave most in the already cynical ranks an added reason to be irritated, many entering the game with expectations of a loss against the surging San Diego Chargers. A fast start, jumping to a two-touchdown lead in the opening quarter, alleviated a measure of animosity but boos raining down as the team left the field at half-time indicated the frustration exhibited by fans throughout the day.

Booing your own team is tacky. If you are a fan of the team, you want them to win. By purchasing a ticket to sit out in the freezing-a*s cold, standing on a frozen slab of concrete all day, you better be doing all you can to encourage a win. That’s not accomplished by booing. Booing doesn’t motivate players or send a message; cheering wildly does.

But the Arrowhead crowd was in a booing mood. The guy next to me booed the cheerleaders. Seriously. After a choreographed dance number, the P.A. announcer acknowledged the cheerleading director, Elaine Hart of Hartbeat Productions, to which my row-mate screamed, “Elaine Hart, you s…!” He also booed Section 133 for losing the dance contest to Section 110. So don’t feel too bad, Coach Edwards.

At-home viewers enjoy the opportunity to relax between plays that in-house fans are denied. The pressure inside the stadium is constant and with no laundry to fold during commercial breaks, every movement and gesture on the field adopts significance and scrutiny. Never feeling comfortable with the lead, and dreading the looming consequences of a missed field goal and a missed PAT, the Sunday assembly was an edgy group. Savvy supporters of the Chiefs follow trends. They know giving up 3rd down and 20 isn’t good, missed kicks kill you in tight division games, and a bad day on kick returns, resulting in poor field position, can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

The tension was unbearable. As my friend said, “It was a good, bad, good, bad, great game.” Indeed, it ended up being a great game. But my neck still hurts.

The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of Carl Peterson.

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/10...ad_experience/

10-26-2006, 10:07 AM

I didn't really boo, I just heckle. I heckle everything. I should be removed from Arrowhead because I heckle and fart.

shaneo69 · 10-26-2006, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

As far as I can remember, though, the only time I booed was during halftime, when they inducted Bronco Neil into the Ring of Fame.

What was the response like when he got introduced? I'm with you, I didn't want that fuggin Bronco in our Ring of Fame.

Frazod · 10-26-2006, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaneo69

What was the response like when he got introduced? I'm with you, I didn't want that fuggin Bronco in our Ring of Fame.

As far as I could tell up in the nosebleed section, he was mostly cheered.

And it made me want to vomit.

**KC Dan** · 10-26-2006, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

As far as I could tell up in the nosebleed section, he was mostly cheered.

And it made me want to vomit.

I am suprised that the Chiefs didn't have you introduce him!

donkhater · 10-26-2006, 10:24 AM

The booing was justified IMO.

You play to WIN the game. Right?

If it wasn't appropriate to sit on the ball at the end of the game with only 30+ seconds left and worse field position then why at halftime?

It's chicken-shit football. It's Martyball. You send a message to your team that you don't trust them to execute, Herm. The players know it and the fans know it. THAT'S why they booed.

Coach · 10-26-2006, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

This Weir idiot didn't pay for my ticket. I did.

I'll boo if I want to. That's my right. If they suck, they deserve it.

I agree. I'll bo if I want to as well. The fans has every right to boo to show their displeasure.

I'm guessing this Weir moron didn't thought of that booing is better than throwing trash/bottles/objects on the field.

**ptlyon** · 10-26-2006, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donkhater

You play to WIN the game. Right?

Er, no. You play not to lose. This is very well documented.

Exactly why they kicked a field goal with 9 seconds left at the end of the first half against your much hated donx.

Mr. donkhater, meet Mr. Edwards. Get to know him. Grow to love him. Because that's all we got.

**chasedude** · 10-26-2006, 10:35 AM

What has this country come to? Now it's not Politically Correct to boo?! I believe in freewill, the will to complain when it is due!

**ptlyon** · 10-26-2006, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chasedude

What has this country come to? Now it's not Politically Correct to boo?! I believe in freewill, the will to complain when it is due!

And you do it well, I must say.

underEJ · 10-26-2006, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

As far as I can remember, though, the only time I booed was during halftime, when they inducted Bronco Neil into the Ring of Fame.

This is something I just don't get. Do you hate just the ex-chiefs who become Broncos, or anyone who finds another job in the NFL?

I will always love my memories of 58 and 90 pass rushing together.

**Saulbadguy** · 10-26-2006, 10:38 AM

Get Brett Wier on the phone!

Mr. Laz · 10-26-2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Spending nearly a decade in the team’s public relations department

Booing your own team is tacky. If you are a fan of the team, you want them to win.

..... you better be doing all you can to encourage a win. That’s not accomplished by booing.

translation - carl says "real fans don't boo"

**Iowanian** · 10-26-2006, 10:43 AM

Eileen,

at your next tupperware party, see if you can by the family size New and improved Shut the hell up.

I noted and commented on the booing at halftime....I thought it was the wise thing to go in with the lead, getting the ball back.

That said, I don't need some broad who can't follow the game without a play by play, telling Chiefs fans how to cheer.....maybe Eggo or Arizona fans...but not Chiefs fans.

I think if the Chiefs keep raising prices....I'm going to start Booing the Parking Toll money collector, the Parking Nazis, the beer guy for saying "$7' with a straight face.

FAX · 10-26-2006, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

...

I think if the Chiefs keep raising prices....I'm going to start Booing the Parking Toll money collector, the Parking Nazis, the beer guy for saying "$7' with a straight face.

FAX

Frazod · 10-26-2006, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by underEJ

This is something I just don't get. Do you hate just the ex-chiefs who become Broncos, or anyone who finds another job in the NFL?

I will always love my memories of 58 and 90 pass rushing together.

Apparently you were in a coma during January of 1998.

10-26-2006, 09:35 AM
shaneo69 Smug Weasel Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bleachers at Busch Casino cash: $10004900	Weir chastises Arrowhead fans for booing WEIR: The Arrowhead Experience Oct 26, 2006, 9:09:39 AM by Eileen Weir I don’t go to very many Chiefs games. Spending nearly a decade in the team’s public relations department and coordinating the press box operations, I’ve seen enough live games to get all the atmosphere I’ll ever need. These days Sunday afternoons are happily spent in the comfort of my own living room, close enough to Arrowhead to hear the fireworks and almost whiff the barbeque. If it’s raining or snowing I count that as a bonus, removing Sunday’s occasional guilt that I’m not doing something more productive with my day. But going to games is good for the soul, if not for the body. Tuesday I am still gingerly nursing a stiff neck resulting from the tension and chill of Arrowhead on Sunday as the good guys took on the visiting San Diego Chargers. Typically I attend one or two games each year to soak up the ambiance that is exclusive to pro sports. Despite the state-of-the art technology (or maybe because of it) and the high-definition broadcasts that filter out any unwanted noise, television simply can’t capture the mood of the crowd or the stress of the competition. There is no substitute for sitting in the stands. Out of town visitors, of which I had two on Sunday, marvel at the scene played out in the Arrowhead parking lots in the hours before kickoff. Chowing down ribs at ten a.m. suddenly seems like a reasonable activity as does washing it down with a Bud Light. Born a gaming and gambling breed, my visiting sisters in town from California and I placed wagers including “first to spot the most outrageous fan,” awarded to me for picking out a young man sans shirt in full body paint in the frigid morning hours, and “Who can find the most outrageous fan?” going to my oldest sister. Loud and obnoxious didn’t cut it in our little competition. “I like the ones who can’t shut up,” the victorious sister announced. And she found them. If observing the tailgating rituals of the Kansas City faithful reveals Chiefs fans passionate loyalty, the inside-the-stadium experience reveals their sophisticated knowledge and high expectations. National and local broadcasters frequently praise supporters of the red and gold not only for their fervent fandom but for their smarts about the game, knowing when to bring down the house and when to be quiet. K.C. boosters know the rules and react appropriately to bad officiating but don’t complain when the team is tagged for legitimate infractions. Even though I think I possess an average or a little better than average knowledge of football and the Chiefs, sitting in the stands is always an education. Void the influence of professional commentary fed to viewers and listeners by the play-by-play announcers and color analysts on the airwaves, Arrowhead attendees supply their own breakdown of play calling, performances and strategies. Without constant statistical updates, meticulous fans keep mental tallies of yards gained or simply divine who is winning the stat war from subjective deduction. For at least a year after I left the press box and was forced to watch games like normal people, I felt crippled without constant access to up-to-the-moment statistics. I could barely follow the game without the aid of quarterly play-by-play sheets and the barrage of statistics pumped out from the press box staff. Finally acclimating to the culture of television viewers who get added information from the network production crew or by turning down the volume and safely relying on the hometown expertise of the Chiefs radio broadcast team, being shoved back into the stands still comes as a shock. I prefer to be comfortably coddled. Most striking of all is the temperament of the fans once removed from the influence of analysts to tell them whether or not things are going well. Surprising to my game-day companions and me were the glowing critiques given to the team after Sunday’s victory. Regarded by all as a critical win and one that would not come easy, the Arrowhead crowd rejoiced as Lawrence Tynes’ game winning 53-yarder plopped over the crossbar in the final seconds of regulation, but the after-party aura was far more one of exhaustion than ecstasy. None of my fellow ticket holders in the exiting crowd talked about a single stand-out performance or a great call. The entirety of Arrowhead acted like they had just walked away from a car accident. Grateful but frazzled. If I had to choose a word to describe Sunday’s Arrowhead crowd it would be cranky. Suffering the first really cool day on the home schedule, the chilliness gave most in the already cynical ranks an added reason to be irritated, many entering the game with expectations of a loss against the surging San Diego Chargers. A fast start, jumping to a two-touchdown lead in the opening quarter, alleviated a measure of animosity but boos raining down as the team left the field at half-time indicated the frustration exhibited by fans throughout the day. Booing your own team is tacky. If you are a fan of the team, you want them to win. By purchasing a ticket to sit out in the freezing-as cold, standing on a frozen slab of concrete all day, you better be doing all you can to encourage a win. That’s not accomplished by booing. Booing doesn’t motivate players or send a message; cheering wildly does. But the Arrowhead crowd was in a booing mood. The guy next to me booed the cheerleaders. Seriously. After a choreographed dance number, the P.A. announcer acknowledged the cheerleading director, Elaine Hart of Hartbeat Productions, to which my row-mate screamed, “Elaine Hart, you s…!” He also booed Section 133 for losing the dance contest to Section 110. So don’t feel too bad, Coach Edwards. At-home viewers enjoy the opportunity to relax between plays that in-house fans are denied. The pressure inside the stadium is constant and with no laundry to fold during commercial breaks, every movement and gesture on the field adopts significance and scrutiny. Never feeling comfortable with the lead, and dreading the looming consequences of a missed field goal and a missed PAT, the Sunday assembly was an edgy group. Savvy supporters of the Chiefs follow trends. They know giving up 3rd down and 20 isn’t good, missed kicks kill you in tight division games, and a bad day on kick returns, resulting in poor field position, can mean the difference between victory and defeat. The tension was unbearable. As my friend said, “It was a good, bad, good, bad, great game.” Indeed, it ended up being a great game. But my neck still hurts. The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of Carl Peterson.* http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/10...ad_experience/
Posts: 4,910

10-26-2006, 10:07 AM	#16
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	I didn't really boo, I just heckle. I heckle everything. I should be removed from Arrowhead because I heckle and fart.
Posts: n/a

10-26-2006, 10:24 AM	#20
donkhater Brilliant!! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Indiana, USA Casino cash: $10014051	The booing was justified IMO. You play to WIN the game. Right? If it wasn't appropriate to sit on the ball at the end of the game with only 30+ seconds left and worse field position then why at halftime? It's chicken-shit football. It's Martyball. You send a message to your team that you don't trust them to execute, Herm. The players know it and the fans know it. THAT'S why they booed. __________________ The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants
Posts: 3,994

10-26-2006, 10:35 AM	#23
chasedude Supporter Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: St. Joe Casino cash: $10004900	What has this country come to? Now it's not Politically Correct to boo?! I believe in freewill, the will to complain when it is due!
Posts: 36,287

10-26-2006, 10:38 AM	#26
Saulbadguy When a nightmare becomes real Join Date: Nov 2003 Casino cash: $2556966	Get Brett Wier on the phone!
Posts: 46,968

10-26-2006, 10:43 AM	#28
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $4718454	Eileen, at your next tupperware party, see if you can by the family size New and improved Shut the hell up. I noted and commented on the booing at halftime....I thought it was the wise thing to go in with the lead, getting the ball back. That said, I don't need some broad who can't follow the game without a play by play, telling Chiefs fans how to cheer.....maybe Eggo or Arizona fans...but not Chiefs fans. I think if the Chiefs keep raising prices....I'm going to start Booing the Parking Toll money collector, the Parking Nazis, the beer guy for saying "$7' with a straight face.
Posts: 61,539