When Fans Go Too Far (Xtreme Commentary)

When fans go too far

By mcg24
SteelersXtreme.com

Troy Polamalu is one of the best defensive players to ever step on a football field. With great strengths though, often come great weaknesses. In the first quarter of Sunday night's game against the Chiefs, Polamalu sped to bring down offensive tackle Steve Maneri. As is usually the case, Troy paid no regards to his safety. Relying solely on instincts to bring down Maneri, Troy's head plummeted right into Maneri's leg. Polamalu laid on the grass for some time after the play, his head face first in the dirt. Steelers fans' blood pressure collectively rose across the globe.

Chiefs fans had a different reaction. Pleasure.

Known for its intensity, Arrowhead Stadium is hell for opponents. Silent counts often have to be used, opposing teams get rattled, and the home team feeds off of their passionate fans. Steeler Nation made an appearance in Kansas City, but it didn't stop Chiefs fans from showing their true colors. And no, I don't mean red. Classlessness.

Lamarr Woodley had this to say on Facebook about the incident: "I almost 4got the Kansas City Chiefs fans have no class cheered after @tpolamalu got hurt. I guess there's nothing else 2 cheer for when your 4-7 #SteelerNATION."

It's hard to understand. Putting all Steeler bias aside, it would be difficult to think of a better man in the game than Troy Polamalu. On the field, he is a guided missile, giving it 110 percent even when that extra effort is not necessary. Off the field, Troy is a soft-spoken gentleman.

So why all the hatred? Is it because he is good? Is it because, as Lamarr said, they really don't have anything else to cheer for?

The same thing happened in the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In game 7 with the Penguins leading the Red Wings 1-0 at Joe Louis Arena, Sidney Crosby was taken to the boards hard by Johan Franzen. Crosby skated very gingerly off the ice. The crowd erupted. Sidney Crosby takes more flack from NHL fans than Polamalu does from NFL fans, but the same principles still apply.

Why cheer for someone else's pain? Are the players themselves not human beings? Are we really that pathetic as a society?

Many disturbing questions will be left unanswered, but there is no doubt that the cheering will continue.

this crap has been happening since i've been watching football.

nothing new

It's a good thing this didn't happen in Philly. Fans would have thrown stuff at him while he was on the ground.

Curious, does this happen in Baltimore?

Also, Every time I announce that I am a Steeler fan here in CA., I get "Steeler fans are worse than Raiders fans...they are crazy"

Why? We don't set fire to our own city when we win. Oakland is notorious for severe violence at their home games. WTF?