Larry Elin Doesn't Go To Many Sports Stadiums

Larry Elin is an Associate Professor in the Newhouse School and there's something about Syracuse fans that really grinds his gears.  He decided to write a letter to Dave Rahme expressing his concern over the behaviors he sees inside the Carrier Dome.  To Elin, it's as obvious as all get-out that the reason the Carrier Dome experience has become so untenable is because, quite simple, Syracuse Football fans are the WORST FANS IN ALL OF SPORTS IN ALL THE LAND ACROSS THE WORLD AND INSIDE THE KNOWN UNIVERSE (AND POSSIBLY WITHIN THE UNKNOWN UNIVERSE AS WELL BUT WE DON'T KNOW YET).

Orange fans -- not all of them, but the loud ones -- are boorish. I've lived in NYC, LA, San Diego, Denver, Ann Arbor, and now here. I was a fan of USC, UCLA, San Diego Padres, Chargers, Denver Broncos and Nuggets, Colorado Buffalo, and the Big Blue at Michigan. The only place I've ever heard the home crowd boo an opposing team when it entered the stadium is here.

At other stadiums, they actually politely applaud the opponent, and then watch as their team dismantles them on the field. Here, it's the opposite.

Oh brother.  Really?  Do I really need to scour YouTube to find clips of other fanbases booing the opposing team?  You're really going to make me do this?  Fine.  Here's Alabama getting booed as they enter the field at LSU. Here's Marshall getting booed as they take the field at West Virginia. How about Cal fans booing USC? Here's Central Florida fans booing Texas as they enter the field. How bout Notre Dame fans booing USC as they take the field? Michigan getting booed as they take the field at Ohio State followed by the Michigan band (the band!) getting booed at Ohio State.

Here's your upstanding USC fans booing UCLA players during introductions and how bout those nice USC fans booing Notre Dame as they take the field?

Why stop with college football?  Here's Colts fans booing a little girl.  Your Broncos, whom you pointed out for their decorum, booing Jay Cutler as he steps on the field. Your classy Padres fans booing Barry Bonds.  You mentioned Nuggets fans are all class, but here they are booing the Mavericks upon introduction. Here's the President of the United States getting booed at a baseball game.

I believe we've concluded that Syracuse fans, though boorish, are no more boorish than other fanbase in the nation or on the planet.  I haven't even listed any international soccer crowds and for good reason.  Every video above looks like nursery school by comparison.

Not to mention the fact we live in a world where YANKEE FANS BOOED DEREK JETER!!!  The equivalent of Christians booing Jesus upon his resurrection. Once you know that, there's no going back.  You are officially through the looking glass.

After our boobs boo, they pound down beers during the National Anthem, boo the home team if it's losing, stock up on beer at halftime, and leave with four minutes left in the third quarter. I can't stand going to the games because of the fans, not because the team is on a losing streak.

Good point.  Ever go to a Giants game?  Or a Raiders game?  Or A Mets game? Or a Florida Gators game? Or a Toronto Maple Leafs game?  If you even so much as hand someone a beer they look at you like you're crazy.  "How DARE you try to push alcohol on me, sir.  I demand recompense and challenge you to a duel!"  That is the response you get 83% of the time.

And for the record, I live in Los Angeles.  You know NOTHING of fans who leave early from sporting events until you've lived in Los Angeles (which you seem to have, therefore confusing me.)  And be fair, you're exaggerating.  SU fans do leave early...when the game is blowout.  As much as you or I might not like that, that's what happens.  You pay good money to come see your team, your team gets killed, you don't want to watch your team get killed anymore. It's an understandable response. But if it's a good game and the Orange are still in it, most fans stick around.

I'm not saying Syracuse fans are right to boo their own players, especially since that doesn't even seem to be the point you were trying to make.  I don't like it any more than you do. But booing the opponent?  Come on now....of COURSE that's fair game.  Show me a fanbase that doesn't boo their opponent as they take the field in order to create a hostile environment and I'll show you a fanbase that is apathetic and worthless. 

The boobs, as you put it, are the same boobs who have been here since Syracuse football started.  The fanbase wasn't a magical collection of wide-eyed innocents back in the 70's and 80's.  Neither was the Yankees fanbase or the UCS fanbase or the Knicks fanbase.  Syracuse fans are no worse than any other.  They have their faults and I can't defend them all but they are certainly not the unwashed cretins you so gleefully made them out to be.

And, to paraphrase one of the commenters on your article, if you don't want to be there then simply don't go.  We boobs will get on just fine.