Weir chastises Arrowhead fans for booing - Page 4

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/

FAX · 10-26-2006, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

He wanted an outrageous salary increase, which was denied. He then signed with Denver for less than we offered him.

Some of Smith's greatest hits:
Publicly agreeing with Elway that he was now "one of the good guys."

Using the Brett homerun swing after a sack against us at Arrowhead, a clear major dis of the fans.

Participated in the Bronco team that actively and deliberated cheated in a game that caused our best shot at a championship to go up in flames.

And that goes well beyond what anybody else who left the team for other rivals ever did. At least Gannon kept his mouth shut.

Smith gleefully turned on us (and his friend DT) and relished in screwing us over. Now he crawls back later and is accepted with open arms. Well fuck him. He'll never get a pass from me.

A compelling case. I was unfamiliar with the details. But, now that you have explained it, I'm with you on this, Mr. frazod.

Boo, Donkey Smith. Boo and double Boo with an itchy hemmeroid on top.

FAX

**Easy 6** · 10-26-2006, 11:14 AM

I think i read 2 or 3 of her articles a few years ago and decided it was a waste of time. There's a reason she's at the bottom of the list on the CHIEFS website columnist page.

**Lzen** · 10-26-2006, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

He wanted an outrageous salary increase, which was denied. He then signed with Denver for less than we offered him.

Some of Smith's greatest hits:
Publicly agreeing with Elway that he was now "one of the good guys."

Using the Brett homerun swing after a sack against us at Arrowhead, a clear major dis of the fans.

Participated in the Bronco team that actively and deliberated cheated in a game that caused our best shot at a championship to go up in flames.

And that goes well beyond what anybody else who left the team for other rivals ever did. At least Gannon kept his mouth shut.

Smith gleefully turned on us (and his friend DT) and relished in screwing us over. Now he crawls back later and is accepted with open arms. Well fuck him. He'll never get a pass from me.

Wow, I didn't realize the salary demands. Signing for less with Denver. That's like Donnie Edwards wanting $6 mil and then settling for about the same ($3mil) as what we originally offered. Pricks.

underEJ · 10-26-2006, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

He wanted an outrageous salary increase, which was denied. He then signed with Denver for less than we offered him.

Some of Smith's greatest hits:
Publicly agreeing with Elway that he was now "one of the good guys."

Using the Brett homerun swing after a sack against us at Arrowhead, a clear major dis of the fans.

Participated in the Bronco team that actively and deliberated cheated in a game that caused our best shot at a championship to go up in flames.

And that goes well beyond what anybody else who left the team for other rivals ever did. At least Gannon kept his mouth shut.

Smith gleefully turned on us (and his friend DT) and relished in screwing us over. Now he crawls back later and is accepted with open arms. Well fuck him. He'll never get a pass from me.

Clearly you know him better than I do, I can't speak to his glee factor. Nor do I know the details of his incentive laden contract that he got after Elway restructured his contract. I recall the argument against signing him being something like DT doesn't need him, so don't pay him, that sort of thing.

Do KC fans own George Brett appreciation? That's silly.

PR is PR, everyone who switches teams makes nice for the new fans.

Gannon did not keep his mouth shut. I lived in Oakland then. He got pretty vocal when his ego got bigger.

Guess I'm alone in not carrying a grudge.

Hammock Parties · 10-26-2006, 11:27 AM

Arrowhead fans chastise Weir for being a bitch.

Mr. Laz · 10-26-2006, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

He wanted an outrageous salary increase, which was denied. He then signed with Denver for less than we offered him.

Some of Smith's greatest hits:
Publicly agreeing with Elway that he was now "one of the good guys."

Using the Brett homerun swing after a sack against us at Arrowhead, a clear major dis of the fans.

Participated in the Bronco team that actively and deliberated cheated in a game that caused our best shot at a championship to go up in flames.

And that goes well beyond what anybody else who left the team for other rivals ever did. At least Gannon kept his mouth shut.

Smith gleefully turned on us (and his friend DT) and relished in screwing us over. Now he crawls back later and is accepted with open arms. Well fuck him. He'll never get a pass from me.

pretty much what i remember

i will ALWAYS remember him coming back to mock us at arrowhead with the bat swing as stinky ass donk.

i don't hate him ..... but i don't like him much anymore either.

jidar · 10-26-2006, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iowanian

You'd sure as hell not have been cheering if, with 1 minute left, after the defense had just held, Huard threw an INT and sandy Eggo scored to go into the half. The Chiefs were getting the ball back in the 2nd half, had a 2TD lead....it was the right move with 1 min left.

Fraz.....remind the noob what Neil Smith did in Jan 1998.

That's only good reasoning if it's more likely to have a turnover than to get a touchdown on any given series. With this offense I don't believe that's the case.
It becomes even dumber when you factor in that running the ball is no guarantee of not having a turnover either.

**Bwana** · 10-26-2006, 11:54 AM

Good Gawd, another "You can't be a TRUE FAN if" article.

Eileen Weir should never touch another key board again. She understands about as much about football as I do about interior decorating. Now go fetch Bwana a cold beer and stfu.

**Easy 6** · 10-26-2006, 11:54 AM

"3 things can happen when you put the ball in the air...and 2 of them arent good". I thought that saying applied at the end of the half, i was more pissed at the O calls on the first 2 possessions of the 2nd half. I felt pretty good with a 2 touch lead on Marty going to the locker room.

**TinyEvel** · 10-26-2006, 11:56 AM

"He also booed Section 133 for losing the dance contest to Section 110."

That was TOTALLY justified. Did you see friggin' section 133? They completely froze. I couldn't believe it. Most of them were looking around for themeselves on the big screen, and one white dude in back was doing the robot. THE FRIGGIN' ROBOT? Give me a break. Half them were lining up to do the macarena, while the big dude in the parka on the side was yelling at them to start freaking. THen they jsut started yelling at each other.
Just a total collapse of communication. I hope secton 133 gets their sh*t together before the Seahags get here.

Calcountry · 10-26-2006, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia

Heh. No, she sucks. I can't believe I finally get mentioned in some kcchiefs.com commentary and it's because I said Elaine Hart sucks. She's doing a terrible job.

Yep, anyone who can't pick out babes that can dance sucks.

**BigRedChief** · 10-26-2006, 12:28 PM

I have in the past booed the little pop warner kids in the punt /pass/kick competition if they were wearing a Raiders or Broncos jersey. Maybe not as bad as Philly fans throwing snowballs at Santa Claus but you don't come to Arrowhead wearing the rivals jersey and expect polite applause at least not from me.

The Dude Abides · 10-26-2006, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

I hope Elizabeth Weir gets hit by a bus.

Is that tacky?

Dude, thats the chick from Stargate Atlantis. Haha. Anyway, I agreed with the booing thind at halftime, that it was tacky and they should be cheered for the lead they had built. First time dissappointed with Arrowhead crowd.

Inspector · 10-26-2006, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

He wanted an outrageous salary increase, which was denied. He then signed with Denver for less than we offered him.

Some of Smith's greatest hits:
Publicly agreeing with Elway that he was now "one of the good guys."

Using the Brett homerun swing after a sack against us at Arrowhead, a clear major dis of the fans.

Participated in the Bronco team that actively and deliberated cheated in a game that caused our best shot at a championship to go up in flames.

And that goes well beyond what anybody else who left the team for other rivals ever did. At least Gannon kept his mouth shut.

Smith gleefully turned on us (and his friend DT) and relished in screwing us over. Now he crawls back later and is accepted with open arms. Well fuck him. He'll never get a pass from me.

I'm never eating at Copelands again!

stevieray · 10-26-2006, 04:02 PM

If you don't boo ...how can you cheer?

how can you have any cheer if you don't have your boo?

deal with it.

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, 11:14 AM	#47
Easy 6 pie is never free Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: the drivers seat Casino cash: $3747775	I think i read 2 or 3 of her articles a few years ago and decided it was a waste of time. There's a reason she's at the bottom of the list on the CHIEFS website columnist page.
Posts: 91,646

10-26-2006, 11:27 AM	#50
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $4730478	Arrowhead fans chastise Weir for being a bitch. __________________ Chiefs game films
Posts: 277,765

10-26-2006, 11:54 AM	#53
Bwana It's Five O'Clock Somewhere Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Billings, Montana Casino cash: $2139563647	Good Gawd, another "You can't be a TRUE FAN if" article. Eileen Weir should never touch another key board again. She understands about as much about football as I do about interior decorating. Now go fetch Bwana a cold beer and stfu. __________________ Adventure is dangerous....but monotony can kill you.
Posts: 69,735

10-26-2006, 11:54 AM	#54
Easy 6 pie is never free Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: the drivers seat Casino cash: $3747775	"3 things can happen when you put the ball in the air...and 2 of them arent good". I thought that saying applied at the end of the half, i was more pissed at the O calls on the first 2 possessions of the 2nd half. I felt pretty good with a 2 touch lead on Marty going to the locker room.
Posts: 91,646

10-26-2006, 11:56 AM	#55
TinyEvel Just a li'l Evel Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bald. Goatee. Jorts. Casino cash: $5427131	"He also booed Section 133 for losing the dance contest to Section 110." That was TOTALLY justified. Did you see friggin' section 133? They completely froze. I couldn't believe it. Most of them were looking around for themeselves on the big screen, and one white dude in back was doing the robot. THE FRIGGIN' ROBOT? Give me a break. Half them were lining up to do the macarena, while the big dude in the parka on the side was yelling at them to start freaking. THen they jsut started yelling at each other. Just a total collapse of communication. I hope secton 133 gets their sh*t together before the Seahags get here.
Posts: 11,809

10-26-2006, 12:28 PM	#57
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $3159627 VARSITY	I have in the past booed the little pop warner kids in the punt /pass/kick competition if they were wearing a Raiders or Broncos jersey. Maybe not as bad as Philly fans throwing snowballs at Santa Claus but you don't come to Arrowhead wearing the rivals jersey and expect polite applause at least not from me. __________________ Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. -YODA
Posts: 79,001

10-26-2006, 04:02 PM	#60
stevieray best in the biz Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Under Pressure Casino cash: $2605273	If you don't boo ...how can you cheer? how can you have any cheer if you don't have your boo? deal with it.
Posts: 71,189