Dreamer wrote:
I’m not sure who it was, but one of your “singers” loudly and clearly used the “F” word at which point about 30 people turned round and as one told him to shut up. This response to swearing has happened at Cougars for years. It wasn’t because he expressed his opinion or was chanting but the language he chose to use. We’ve had this debate before, freedom of speech is one thing but abusive language in a family sport is another. There were several kids in that area. I didn’t hear anyone telling him to “Pi55 off”, but if you feel he is justified in swearing at the team how can you complain about others being abusive toward him???
My complaint wasn't about the abuse levelled at him, it was more about some one telling a fan of more than 20 years to go and support someone else. A fan that's prepared to sing himself hoarse at Cougar Park when he could have been making money selling burgers from his shop instead. You're right, we've had this debate before and i've made my point that I think the rules on swearing are draconian and fly in the face of why mass spectator sport took off in this country in the first place, namely allowing the working class man to be entertained and let off some steam on his day off from a hard weeks graft. I think it's to detriment of the sport because it sanitises the atmosphere and passion of the game. The law is an
so to speak so I can't justify the use the F word in the context of the "Rugby League is a family game" mantra that we have now, all I can say is that in mitigation for the lad, he'd just seen his team bomb a 12 point lead and was frustrated at a really poor effort from the team that he'd paid good hard earned money for him to support. I admit that I myself let a few choice words rip myself up at Whitehaven earlier in the season, it's very easily done in the heat of the moment. If anything it shows how much somebody cares or can be passionate about the club.
Dreamer wrote:
Was the woman only “stupid” because she aimed it at him?
Or would she have been “clever” if she had aimed it at the team like he did??
No she was stupid because folk pi55ing off and supporting somebody else is the absolute very last thing this club needs at the moment. Especially fans who have stuck by the club through thick and thin.
Dreamer wrote:
The moment you criticise others, you are open to criticism in return, it’s what a democratic society is all about. You can examine any incident on a rugby field and find several different interpretations, all of whom will believe they are right.
I, like many others around me, join in with some of the singing during the game. I don’t go to Rugby to sing for 80 minutes but I have no problem with those that do and I enjoy hearing it.
True, I'm man enough to dish criticism out and will always be man enough to take it back. You have to understand why it is so frustrating for us, we're trying to create an atmosphere that will bring more down to the Club, we'd love to see other groups join in and share the effort, but it seems a hell of a lot of folk can't be bothered to be honest. At the same time they seem to think that the sun shines out of the players' backsides and that they are beyond criticism on any level whatsoever.
Dreamer wrote:
Take a chill pill.
Agreed, in the last few days i've been fired up more than usual due to some unfortunate personal circumstances.
