Letter to the Editor

[Kristi]

Published: Monday, January 30, 2006

Come on, Tips fans, show some class



What is it with too many Everett hockey fans and their sportsmanship? On Wednesday evening the Tips played Seattle and were beaten 3-1. At the end of the game, as it happens at the end of every game, three stars are selected by the press. Since Seattle played the better game, two of the three stars were chosen from Seattle. Their goalie Bryan Bridges played an outstanding game, and as Torrie Wheat of the Tips was quoted in the Herald sports pages, "he came out with another great performance tonight."

So what happens when they announce the three stars - the Seattle players are booed. Boy, you talk about class, their level of class was shown by a large number of Everett fans.

Come on, people, these are young men playing as hard as they can and displaying their skills like any performer. You may not want to cheer but try clapping and show appreciation for a skilled athlete.

Your boos just confirm the level of class you have. It needs to be upgraded. I know Everett is better than what has been displayed on too many occasions.

And don't give me that baloney it is part of the game. Poor sportsmanship is not what sports is about. Let's try and set a better example for kids of all ages. Cheer your loudest and make a lot of noise to support your team and keep the boos to a minimum. If your kids are booing as the striped jerseys step on the ice, they probably learned it from your example.

Ernie Denney

Everett

[Tipped Off]

I don't completely agree with the writer of this letter. I think booing/not booing is a person's perogative when buying your ticket. In my opinion you are not necessarily booing the player, you are booing the fact your players couldn't outperform him. I also think it is expected now that you are at a higher level of hockey.

To me, as long as your responses are not profane or a direct insult to a person or his family, you are allowed to cheer/boo as you see fit. While I don;t agree with the "and they still suck" chant that happens after the arena announcer says the other team is back at full strength, it is not because I think it is unsportsmanlike. I don't agree with it on a basic competitive level. How can the team still suck if they just killed off your power play? It doesn't make sense.

In reality the chant should come after we kill off a power play and the announcer says we are back at full strength, then we should say "because Team X sucks" or something like that....lol.

Anyway, I think booing is a raight of a fan. I say go for it.

[Beaner]

I'll disagree here with you Tipped off.

Booing during the game, sure, no problem. Go ahead. Taunting chants during the game, meh, whatever turns you're crank. Thats what home ice advantage is all about.

However, booing during the 3 stars is tasteless. The game is over, either appauld or don't do anything. Booing during the 3 stars is just rude.

When you boo when the announcer says "tonights 1st star is player x", it is quite clear that you are in fact booing that player/team, not the performance of the Tips.

If it is in fact people booing the fact that you're team got outperformed, then boo when the Tip gets named a star, not you're opposition. That would really tell them, and the Tips what you thought of their performance for the night.

[Tipped Off]

Just for the record I want to say I DON'T boo during the 3 stars....I clap for all of the players who get named. If you don't believe me PM me and I'll tell you where I sit so you can watch me, lol.

My point was just to say I don't look down on those that choose to boo. I feel your ticket entitles you to a lot. Other than getting personal with a player or his family, etc...I feel like your ticket purchase does, in fact, entitle you to let your fan within out. Whatever that means for you. Foul language, personal insults, etc...are over the line. Pretty much everything else is fair game...IMO. People show their support differently & I support that.

[Beaner]

Didnt mean to imply I thought it was you Tipped Off booing, I was meaning the you as in the generic fan.