We Can Boo, Too--Two Eagles Take on Fair Weather Fans
Commentary by Chloe White and Jaelin Lomax--Eagle Staff Writers
This year's football season is over, but one game will be long remembered and not for the score. We think it’s important that to discuss what happened in the student section at the home game against Lord Botetourt High School on Friday, Oct. 29.
Several times during this game, Eagle fans were heard booing their own team. There were other times throughout the game where fans were so quiet you could hear a pin drop in the stadium. On occasion, the home sidelines where the team stood showed more support for the team than the crowd did.
That doesn't sit right with us.
We never thought Franklin County fans would simply sit on their hands during a game, let alone stoop so low as to boo their own team in the middle of a game.
FCHS football players and coaches work extremely hard Monday through Thursday in order to give viewers a show come Friday night. They make sacrifices during the summer, training and practicing while others are traveling and relaxing. All the hard work and dedication each and every one of them gives to the sport deserves better.
Some people may say that viewers were just expressing their opinions, but expressing an opinion and being rude are two different things. No matter what's on the scoreboard, there's no excuse for being rude.
Some people might say that those who were booing weren’t FC students, but visiting students sitting in the FC stands trying to be to funny. If this was the case, it wasn’t funny - just in poor taste. Players on the field work their butts off for our entertainment, and booing only shows a lack of class and poor sportsmanship. We of course can't speak for all Eagles, but we highly doubt any students here would put down another team at their own game, and it hurts to know others might have done that to us.
If the hate was from home team fans, just know that it's easy to sit in the stands and criticize what’s happening on the field, but it's harder to suit up and play in a game. One can talk all they want, but until they try on a jersey and step onto the field they won't truly understand what it's like to be an Eagle football player.
These athletes feed off energy from the fans in the stands, and when they’re getting showered with boos, it makes it hard for them to get into their groove and perform well. If spectators are going to go to the game and boo our team - or any team for that matter - save the $7 ticket price and don’t come. Nobody needs fair weather fans.