This is an odd way to start what I hope is a successful sports blog. I'm starting with a blog I don't want to write. I've had a bunch of stories lately that I'd prefer to write about: the Giants' improved (in my opinion) roster, Peyton Manning's terrible (again, in my opinion) career move, the biggest trade the Warriors have made in years....and yet, this is the article that needs to be written right now: "Fans" of the Golden State Warriors ruining what should have been a great halftime ceremony.
You may have noticed I used quotations around the word "fan". That's because the majority of the crowd at the Oracle Arena tonight, cannot be considered fans, or at least, not fans with any class. No, these people are greedy scumbags that have proven they don't understand sports or how to be respectful.
For those of you that didn't see it, the Golden State Warriors retired Chris Mullin's #17 jersey tonight. The ceremony took place at halftime, with Greg Papa MC'ing the event. He quickly introduced the past Warrior greats such as Al Attles, Don Nelson, the other 2/3rds of "Run TMC". There was also a video tribute to Chris Mullin. After all the others spoke, it was Mullin's turn. He killed it on the mic, thanking "the greatest fans in all of sports" to loud applause. Then Joe Lacob (one of the current Warriors owners) took the mic.
He couldn't even get a word in amidst some of the loudest booing anyone has received at the hands of Warrior fans since Chris Cohan at the 2000 All-Star Game. Chris Mullin eventually had to step up and try to quiet the rowdy fans, but to no avail. It took Rick Barry basically telling "the greatest fans in the NBA" to shut the hell up.
Now, I have no idea why they booed. Could it be because the Warriors haven't had a winning season since 2007, when Lacob and Guber didn't own them? Could it be the fact that the Warriors' new ownership group kept an injured Stephen Curry all while trading the franchise player of the last seven years, Monta Ellis?
I'm sure it was a bit of both, but neither had precedent tonight at the ceremony. That ceremony was to honor Chris Mullin, not rate the performance of the current Warriors' teams. All the fans' booing did, was show everyone watching, how greedy and pathetic some people can be. It was the true definition of the "few ruining it for the many". Many fans (such as myself) were sitting at home, enjoying the ceremonies as we celebrated one of the greatest Warriors ever. Then the booing ruined it. We were ashamed, disappointed, and disgusted with our counterparts in the arena. They were there. They got to see Mullin's jersey retired in person....and they ruined it. It's absolutely pathetic.
This night will be remembered as the night fans booed Joe Lacob at center court. Not the night we celebrated one of the greatest Warriors ever, and that's something no one can ever get back.
Congratulations Oracle Arena Attendees on March 19, 2012, you ruined one of the greatest nights in the NBA. I hope you can learn to like yourselves again, because those of us true fans that understand a little bit about the NBA and the Warriors organization, lost all respect for you tonight, and it will never again be true to say that Warriors fans are the greatest in all of sports.
No, "Warriors fans" and "greatest fans" will never be synonymous again. Thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment