To boo or not to boo

[ezekielbear]

Where were the Kings prior to the Maloofs?

It is a business for them...much as that sucks for the fan.

 

[KingDog]

I was watching a futbol game and the fans were so upset over the state of their team that they started protesting against the president of the team by setting off smoke bombs and such in front of where he was sitting. My point is, if you want to be effective at showing your disapproval towards the maloofs you should do it, not boo the team. Such as signs that say "Maloofs Suck" or something would work, i wonder if the camera crews would even show something like that.

Oh yes , you are so right on this one.
Just try sending a letter or an email to the Maloofs and see what kind of response you recieve.
You will recieve for your trouble a big fat nothing.
BUT!!! BOO the team loudly and long enough and you WILL get a response. It will definately will not be in the form of a polite letter explaining to you why thier team is sucking so badly. I am not sure what thier response will be, but I would be happy just to see them squirm in some public venue trying to explain thier sucking away.
And by the way . Why would I not boo a team who seems to be sandbagging. It did appear top work. At least on Bibby.
KD

 

[love_them_kings]

I was watching a futbol game and the fans were so upset over the state of their team that they started protesting against the president of the team by setting off smoke bombs and such in front of where he was sitting. My point is, if you want to be effective at showing your disapproval towards the maloofs you should do it, not boo the team. Such as signs that say "Maloofs Suck" or something would work, i wonder if the camera crews would even show something like that.

I agree, I think booing comes off as directed at the players, not the owners/management. And, I do think letters to the Kings organization work, especially if you are a season ticket holder who is considering not renewing. Mostly, I think the Maloofs are going to be motivated to make changes based on our win/loss record. They have their faults, but at heart they are true competitors & you know it's got to kill them to see the team struggle like this. I don't think they need booing to see that things have to change.

 

[love_them_kings]

I am not sure what thier response will be, but I would be happy just to see them squirm in some public venue trying to explain thier sucking away.

KD

Do you think that the Maloofs won't realize their team sucks if we don't boo? They don't strike me as brilliant, but I'm pretty sure they know what our record is.

 

[Dime Dropper]

A couple thoughts on your thoughts:

* I really don't like the idea of booing your own team, even if they appear to not care at all and even if they have no energy and aren't trying. If I am still supportive and think they are going through a rough patch, I will cheer them in the hopes that it boosts their energy. I think this has a better effect long-term than booing. If I have given up on their ability to bring effort, then I will do nothing and let them wallow in the apathy.

* Basketball players are people. They have emotional highs and lows just like most other people do. Sometimes people just don't have the energy (physical or emotional) to bring consistent effort to their jobs. That doesn't mean its ok in that they can play without effort all the time, but it does make it understandable in the team's current situation.

* The amount of money has nothing to do with the issue, in my opinion. If you are getting paid to do something, then you have a responsibilty to do it to the best of your ability. The fact that basketball players are paid so much money doesn't mean that they should be held to a higher standard, though.

* I don't know if there is a such thing as "earning the right to boo". Fans are there to watch a game and to watch professionals play hard and try to win. If they don't see what they want, they complain about it. This is normal, we do it all the time in all walks of life. If you think people have the right to complain about others not doing a good job, then it would make sense to think that fans have a right to boo their own team. I just don't think it makes sense to do so.

This is exactly what I was trying to say in another thread, I completely agree with ever point you made.

 

[Spike]

What are we, Philadelphia? It's classless over here, so much to the point that I don't head to sporting events that much unless I really feel like dealing with the fans. One example I have is a dad cheering on his six year old son who was insulting Lieberthal with some choice words. Ugh.

I don't want that to happen in Sacramento.

What does booing accomplish, really? If you want to use the restaurant analogy, it would be like yelling at the steak for being medium rare when you wanted it to be well done. Talk to the cook - the steak doesn't deserve it.

Of course, using the restaurant analogy, Kenny Thomas would be meatloaf.

 

[Jerryaki]

What does booing accomplish, really? If you want to use the restaurant analogy, it would be like yelling at the steak for being medium rare when you wanted it to be well done. Talk to the cook - the steak doesn't deserve it.

Of course, using the restaurant analogy, Kenny Thomas would be meatloaf.

it would be like yelling at the waiter, not the steak. yelling at the steak would be equal to yelling at the basketball.

the product is the service and the expectations. you can either talk to the waiter, or the management. we're not so lucky as basketball fans, to have access directly to the players or the management.

 

[Spike]

Yet, didn't a different cook prepare a more delicious steak with the same ingredients? I like my analogy better. The basketball would be the potatoes, or asparagus, if you like.

In any case, you can't boo knowing how much hard work is going into preparation, even if the end results aren't what you'd expect them to be. I'm going to end there without getting into an Adleman/Mussleman discussion.

 

[KingDog]

What are we, Philadelphia? It's classless over here, so much to the point that I don't head to sporting events that much unless I really feel like dealing with the fans. One example I have is a dad cheering on his six year old son who was insulting Lieberthal with some choice words. Ugh.

I don't want that to happen in Sacramento.

What does booing accomplish, really? If you want to use the restaurant analogy, it would be like yelling at the steak for being medium rare when you wanted it to be well done. Talk to the cook - the steak doesn't deserve it.

Of course, using the restaurant analogy, Kenny Thomas would be meatloaf.

OK , I see your point. It is too bad that you are so thin skinned. For one thing , I do not have chilldren (allergic). I , also find it to be in bad tase when a parent uses thier influence on a child to teach hate.I have not been a serial booer (or any other kind of booer) until this year. It seems to be something that has been building up in me for quite sometime. It is a culmination of a perception that I have of a Kings team (that includes an incompetent coach, inept owners and whomever else that the shoe fits)that does not seem to give a hoot about winning games. As far as your "classess' COMMENT. Are you calling ALL fans who boo thier team for sucking "classless" for booing ? Or is that just aimed at me personally? Don't worry. I do not take generalizations such as that to heart. I guess I really just want the answer to that so I can get the paperwork started on your sainthood.
It IS my dime and I will boo with much gusto until these once heartful and now pretend Kings show me alot more of the heart that was once part and parcel of our Kings.. AND on the other hand. I will also cheer my guts out when it deserved.

 

[Kingzrool]

It is a product of what makes Arco so great - the passion of the fans. When the team puts in no effort night after night, they should be booed. Pathetic coaching aside, I would like to see some effort!


I disagree with most and feel that these guys should be held to a higher standard considering the millions of dollars that they make. If my boss gives me a fat raise (or a higher responsibility), I am going to make sure to make it worth her while. To watch these guys and think about what they make is disturbing.

 

[Bricklayer]

It is a product of what makes Arco so great - the passion of the fans.

Hardly -- its a byproduct of why Arco is no longer terribly special, other than its former fans constantly reaching around to pat themselves on their backs for their specialness of course. Arco never booed. Always cheered. Even when they sucked. Always showed up, even when they sucked. Now that's all gone. And word's getting out.

 

[kennadog]

Hehe I'm glad someone brought the effort thing up, was hoping someone would get it...

Even when we sucked we gave it our all and the crowd was pleased... but now.....

Sorry, but this just is not true. Fans were just so happy to have a team, that they pretty much wouldn't have booed anything short of the players leaving the floor before the end of the game or stopping to chat while the other team ran around. And a lot of the players hated being here. There' a reason they used to welcome new players to the NBA version of hell. To think otherwise is to look at that time through a haze of nostalgia.

So many in here say its because of a lack of "effort" and "mental lapses." Even during our best seasons, we lost to crummy teams sometimes, but I didn't hear booing then, even though it was frustrating.

When a team is struggling, disjointed, losing a lot, it may seem that they are losing because they are not trying. And a team that's winning may seem like its playing hard all the time, which is a big fallacy, too. Reminds of the parent that thinks their kid could be a star athlete, if he just tried harder, instead of acknowledging their kid doesn't have that kind of talent. But they still scream at their kid, like that will miraculously make them better.

This team is just not that good (for whatever reason or reasons) and no amount of booing is going to miraculously make them better.

As for the Maloofs, more and more empty seats, long-time season tickets holders not renewing, are telling them what the fans think, far more effectively than booing.

 

[Kingzrool]

Hardly -- its a byproduct of why Arco is no longer terribly special, other than its former fans constantly reaching around to pat themselves on their backs for their specialness of course. Arco never booed. Always cheered. Even when they sucked. Always showed up, even when they sucked. Now that's all gone. And word's getting out.

And this has everything to do with the Fans and nothing to do with the team and management?

 

[chelle]

Hardly -- its a byproduct of why Arco is no longer terribly special, other than its former fans constantly reaching around to pat themselves on their backs for their specialness of course. Arco never booed. Always cheered. Even when they sucked. Always showed up, even when they sucked. Now that's all gone. And word's getting out.

Sad, but all too true.

So many in here say its because of a lack of "effort" and "mental lapses." Even during our best seasons, we lost to crummy teams sometimes, but I didn't hear booing then, even though it was frustrating.

When a team is struggling, disjointed, losing a lot, it may seem that they are losing because they are not trying. And a team that's winning may seem like its playing hard all the time, which is a big fallacy, too. Reminds of the parent that thinks their kid could be a star athlete, if he just tried harder, instead of acknowledging their kid doesn't have that kind of talent. But they still scream at their kid, like that will miraculously make them better.

This team is just not that good (for whatever reason or reasons) and no amount of booing is going to miraculously make them better.

As for the Maloofs, more and more empty seats, long-time season tickets holders not renewing, are telling them what the fans think, far more effectively than booing.

Exactly. Unfortunatly, I think that we are in the minority with this.

 

[SacKings384]

As for the Maloofs, more and more empty seats, long-time season tickets holders not renewing, are telling them what the fans think, far more effectively than booing.

Now that I can agree with!

 

[VF21]

Some of you should be very careful what you wish for, IMHO. Arco has been special because of the bond between the fans and the team. Booing will never strengthen that kind of relationship; it will burrow insidiously inside and destroy the unique bond that has existed for over 20 years.

 

[SacKings384]

I think it's cool to boo at home. I ok boo'ing at an arena if a ref makes a bad call. i ok boo'ing the opposing players. I don't ok boo'ing Bibby who could very easily pout due to the fact that his entire team has been traded. Don't boo Bibby who plays hurt, who has been there through thick and thin. I mean honestly has the guy ever complainined about anything? Has he ever said anything more than "I'm sad to see (insert player) go he's been a great friend but it's a business" I mean honestly the LAST guy that should be boo'd is Bibby. Charles Barkley said Sacramento fans are the greatest fans in the NBA and Barkley doesn't dish out many compliments to this side. (yes I know who is Barkley but still) It sucks to see that Bibby is the one being boo'd. I mean I don't like ANY Kings player getting boo'd(either though at times some deserve it) but Mike is one that especially irks me.

I would like to see more effort out there as I'm sure many of you would. Maybe I'm delusional for thinking this team could actually play well if they somehow found a gear that they haven't found yet (but I believe they have one) Sometimes it's hard to watch because at times it looks like they don't even care.

Alot of people have mentioned that ARCO has lost some of its mystique and I agree. But many also fail to remember that it was the fans that drove that mystique and not the players. It was a building that on any given night the crowd alone was enough to demoralize the opposing team while revving up the Kings to their highest level of play. You know I may not like where this team is going and neither are you. Hell I don't think the players like the direction they are going. But as long as they are on that court and you are in that arena it's our job to provide the home court advantage. These our still our Sacramento Kings. And even though I like in (dun dun dun) Los Angeles I have gone to Clipper and Laker games and wore my purple proud. I even had to put up with a drunk Clipper fan while they blasted us earlier in the season.

Arco may not be the feared homecourt anymore and alot of that has to do with the level the team is playing at. But boo'ing will turn your homecourt advantage into the opposing teams advantage. Take a look at the Knicks who were boo'd on a nightly basis. They played better on the road than at home! And even a Knicks player admitted it was harder to play at home than on the road. Like KennaDog mentioned, showing up in your seats and boo'ing isn't going to do one thing to the Maloofs... They see the Kings losing. It's not like they aren't watching the game until they hear the boo's. It doesn't hurt their pocketbooks. I dunno maybe I'm an optimist but I wouldn't mind seeing this team find some type of footing... I wouldn't be opposed to a complete collapse this season. I think the Kings are a team in no man's land. But with THIS team the Kings aren't going to get a top 5 lottery pick. If Petrie wants to blow up this team then I will welcome it. But until then I don't see the harm in rooting for your team to win. (sorry for the long post! /Rant)

 

[Jechtsphere]

Once a losing team wins then goes back to losing there will always be booing, that goes for all fans in any sport.

 

[Jerryaki]

Some of you should be very careful what you wish for, IMHO. Arco has been special because of the bond between the fans and the team. Booing will never strengthen that kind of relationship; it will burrow insidiously inside and destroy the unique bond that has existed for over 20 years.

during the golden age of the kings, i found basketball. webb, vlade, peja, doug, and mike were not just a team playing very high level basketball, they were a family. they genuinely seemed to like each other, on the court and off the court. that was what made the kings special to me.

ever since then, that camaraderie has eroded to this current point, where players bicker, no one steps up, everyone seems apathetic. it's hard for me to support it, and harder not to vent. we have almost the same team from last season, the team that made a push into the playoffs. what has changed? we've lost focus, will. (yes, i also understand that other teams got better; but we also got worst mentally)

this team is what it is; kennadog is right, no amount of booing will change them. no amount of cheering will either. it's all just some sort of weird purgatory for me.

 

[Jerryaki]

Reminds of the parent that thinks their kid could be a star athlete, if he just tried harder, instead of acknowledging their kid doesn't have that kind of talent. But they still scream at their kid, like that will miraculously make them better.

i like this analogy. of course, if the kid is who he/she is and the parents recognize that, and then said kid sandbags it and doesn't play hard? that's not something i'm going to support.

and it's important to remember that even if the parents yell at the kid sometimes, they still love that kid.

 

[Roman]

I think a paying customer has every right to boo the product.

A basketball team is competing for your entertainment dollar. In the words of Maximus, 'Are you not entertained?' If the answer is no, go ahead.

I *do* have a problem with booing a particular player.

 

[Dime Dropper]

I think a paying customer has every right to boo the product.

A basketball team is competing for your entertainment dollar. In the words of Maximus, 'Are you not entertained?' If the answer is no, go ahead.

I *do* have a problem with booing a particular player.

This is a frustrating anology to me. If you buy the product once and don't like it, don't buy it again. No one is forcing you to buy it. If you buy a product that you know you don't like then that just makes you plane stupid (this isn't directed at roman, just in general).

And also, why would you boo the product?? Boo the manufacturers (In this case, Geoff or the Maloofs). It's not the products fault it hasn't been put together properly.

 

[Hella916]

I am glad the fans at arco booed.....Bibby was stinking up the team with his run up the court and jack up a 3 and miss route. I was at home booing my TV, cause the team was playing so darn bad. Once Bibby heard how pissed the fans were, he pulled his head out of his rear and started playing the way he did when he first got here. Splitting double teams, dishing the ball, shooting like he wants to make it, and last but not least....TAKING THE BALL TO THE HOLE! If Bibby doesnt want to get booed, play with some more effort!

 

[kennadog]

Hardly -- its a byproduct of why Arco is no longer terribly special, other than its former fans constantly reaching around to pat themselves on their backs for their specialness of course. Arco never booed. Always cheered. Even when they sucked. Always showed up, even when they sucked. Now that's all gone. And word's getting out.

And that's why hearing the team booed at Arco makes me sad. Arco and Kings fans are no longer special or the best fans in the NBA. We have joined the ranks of average fans, heading downhill to not very good fans. Removing one more reason why the Kings should stay here in Sacramento.

I guess I'm just old. *sigh* HS, college, even pro sports when I was young, I don't remember the crowd booing their own team. Usually it was when the team was down, that you tried to help them with cheering.