On the one hand, when teams win championships, as sure as the sun rises, you will hear/see at least one jubilant player thank the fans.
There are other times when the player-fan relationship isn't so rosy. Bortles likened critical fans to kindergartners. Allen Robinson and Senderrick Marks chafed on twitter over fans being critical. And in Detroit, Golden Tate expressed major disdain for the fans in Detroit who started booing the team and leaving early.
But this morning there was an article on PFT that sheds new perspective on this dynamic, from a player on a visiting team opining on the relationship between fans and team performance.
In relevant portion...
Quote:
Cardinals safety <a class="" href='http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/8653/tony-jefferson'>Tony Jefferson</a>, appearing on Tuesday’s PFT Live, agreed that the Lions lost their fight.
“They definitely did,” Jefferson said. “I think they lost it once their fans started booing them. It was kind of weird. They started cheering when they sat <a class="" href='http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5132/matthew-stafford'>Matthew Stafford</a>. . . . I don’t think fans understand how important they are to us. They’re very important, they play a big role especially in the fourth quarter. . . . Sometimes I don’t think the fans understand how important they are.”
(Emphasis added)
Assume, for the moment, that Jefferson is correct.
Have Jaguars fans been a help to the team? Have we ever been a hinderance?
Could we be more of a help to the team this year?
If Jefferson is incorrect, why?
I think that the fans support during games is rather important, but I would hope that it isn't.
A very successful High School football coach went and
defined Mental Toughness to his team. He defined it as "
The ability to face adversity, failure, and negative events, without a loss of effort, attitude, and enthusiasm."
To me, if a team or even just a player let's up in his performance simply because someone watching him was displeased, then that shows a lack of toughness. Are the fans and their yelling and screaming important? I think so. Should they be critical to the team's success? I really hope that's not the case.
For what Jags fans have been through the past few years, they've done all they can to support the team.
Even when it was going absolutely nowhere with Henne and Gabbert at the helm, fans still came to the games. The Jaguars probably have the most loyal fanbase in the state of Florida among professional teams.
Football is a sport to entertain millions of people. We as fans spend billions to be entertained. When we aren't getting our money's worth in entertainment, we're not entertained, we'll show it.
Quote:Football is a sport to entertain millions of people. We as fans spend billions to be entertained. When we aren't getting our money's worth in entertainment, we're not entertained, we'll show it.
Yes...and none of the players care about so called fans. They are just saying what the fan wants to hear.
One instance sticks out to me. It was last year's game against the Steelers which we lost 17 to 9. People were getting up and leaving in droves midway through the 4th quarter, yet we were only down one score and a 2 point conversion. The game was still in question and people left. Out of towners I get why and I'm sure there were other special circumstances for some people but that couldn't have applied to the number of people that left while that game was still very much in question.
You always see a few people leave early for one reason or another or when the other team is going into victory formation, but that game was a different animal.
My favorite "team vs. fans" moment was after a home loss when Coach Coughlin, at his postgame press conference, bemoaned how empty the stadium was, and repeatedly asked where the fans were.
The game was played in a tropical storm, Tom. The fans were at home. You know, not catching pneumonia.
Quote:I think that the fans support during games is rather important, but I would hope that it isn't.
A very successful High School football coach went and <a class="bbc_url" href='http://coachvint.blogspot.com/2013/02/building-championship-culture.html'>defined Mental Toughness</a> to his team. He defined it as "The ability to face adversity, failure, and negative events, without a loss of effort, attitude, and enthusiasm."
To me, if a team or even just a player let's up in his performance simply because someone watching him was displeased, then that shows a lack of toughness. Are the fans and their yelling and screaming important? I think so. Should they be critical to the team's success? I really hope that's not the case.
Reality is reality. Home field advantage is real.
Quote:Reality is reality. Home field advantage is real.
And yet, teams win road games every season.
Quote:"Help me help you."
Great application of Jerry Maguire!
Quote:And yet, teams win road games every season.
Well.....about that....we've lost 12 straight road games...?
IJS.
Quote:Well.....about that....we've lost 12 straight road games...?
IJS.
And in that case, the fans impact is lessened. Even with the turnout this past weekend, and the Head Coach speaking specifically to the out of town attendance the team did not prevail on the road.
It just seems to me that any player who is depending on people cheering for him in order for him to perform at a high level is setting himself up for failure.
Quote:And yet, teams win road games every season.
You expect fans to be hostile on the road. I think it's different when fans start to boo at home or more importantly just stop caring. It's kind of like your own family giving up on you. It has to be a little discouraging as a player.
Quote:You expect fans to be hostile on the road. I think it's different when fans start to boo at home or more importantly just stop caring. It's kind of like your own family giving up on you. It has to be a little discouraging as a player.
I agree that it's discouraging, but hasn't the idea of "accountability" been thrown around a lot here lately? At what point are the players accountable for their performance?
Football is an adrenaline fueled three hour car wreck of bodies and testosterone. The roar of thousands positively fuels that engine. Anyone who has attended games has felt that.
I also agree that the players should be the ones to ignite that eruption. Not the other way around.
Quote:And yet, teams win road games every season.
I don't think they are dependent on it in general terms, but it has an effect. They are human after all.
Also, it is a factor as evidence by home field advantage. Of course you still have to play football.
Quote:I agree that it's discouraging, but hasn't the idea of "accountability" been thrown around a lot here lately? At what point are the players accountable for their performance?
Of course their accountable, but again, these are human beings. When 60,000 people boo you it can have an effect.