The Trail

Issue date: 2/23/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Holden Sapp A crowd of Logger fans participating in the art of heckling.

Can fans help teams win games? Certainly. Can heckling really get to opposing players? As a former athlete (and a rather hyped up one I might add), I can say that there are certain fans capable of using words that hit athletes where it hurts.
However, I'm finding that fans capable of such feats are becoming few and far between at UPS, and it troubles me.

Heckling is indeed tacky and unsportsmanlike to a certain degree. But let's face it, everyone has had the urge to scream something at a 6'8" guy on the court when he's vulnerable, if for no other reason than that it may be your only opportunity to do so. Because we all know he would most certainly own your face if he ever saw you in street clothes.

And believe it or not, there is a way to heckle and still retain a certain amount of your dignity. At the same time there are ways in which you can look dumber than Anna Nicole Smith at a press conference. Okay, maybe I'm the one who's lost his dignity.

But I digress. Let's expose some of the poor usage of heckling as I have viewed it recently at the Fieldhouse and discuss what we can do about it.

First and foremost, the Bullsh*t chant. I feel that the cheer has persuasive power when used sparingly. However, if you attempt to instigate the commanding chant after every call made against your team, the only one full of feces is you.

Second of all, obscenities happen. I realize this perhaps better than most. However, when you rely on them as your chief mode of heckling, you are struggling. And yes, Mr. "Hey #21…F**K YOU!" it's you I'm talking to. And woe to the fan who gives the idiot a high five after his outburst; you may claim that you didn't insinuate or participate in the statement, but the indifference of the intelligent is the greater evil. If you make any contact with the buffoon it should probably be a Chuck Norris-esque swift kick to you know where.

I could go on and on about the poor conduct of fans, but I'm more concerned with helping my fellow Loggers and I'd probably be liable to get my teeth smashed in if I insulted UPS fans for too long.

Truth be told, there are a large number of great Logger hecklers out there. Furthermore, the less than stellar heckling effort may be due to a phenomenon I've been noticing recently: there are a large number of freshman making it out to support the Loggers. That's great, I'm sure the athletes you support love your enthusiasm at such a young age. However, it is also likely that your heckling skills have not progressed to the level of some of your more distinguished upperclassmen's, so let's give you a few pointers.

Continued...

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