There reaches a point when sportsmania just goes too far. It is hard to say exactly when things go too far, but certainly, they can. And, unfortunately, do.
When there were reports of fans of the 49ers and Giants in San Francisco that beat on fans of opposing teams, that was a pretty clear cut case of taking things much too far. Same thing with a Buffalo fan who was knocked out because he had the audacity to support his team during an away game against the Jets at the Meadowlands.
I was at a game years ago, back in 1995, when the Giants were playing the San Diego Chargers, and things started turning sour. New York seemed to be in control of the game, until the fourth quarter, when San Diego just came alive. Once things deteriorated for the Giants on the field, things really went sour off of it. There had been a significant snowfall the day before, and fans began to take the snow and pack it into tight balls, making virtually ice balls, then hurling it, sometimes hundreds of feet down onto the field and the sidelines. One coach for the Chargers was knocked out after being hit by one.
There have been plenty of instances of opposing fans cheering an injured player from another team. In some instances, fans have sometimes cheered the injury of an unpopular player on the home team. I remember that being the case with Phil Simms in 1990, when he was enjoying his best ever season and finished the year as the top rated quarterback in the league.
Liking your team, and hoping that it enjoys success, that your team wins the championship is, of course, normal. But going so far as a city placing a ban on cheese because a Wisconsin team is coming to play a football game, whatever the stakes may be? Or some Wisconsin town apparently reciprocating by banning Seattle music, which is tantamount to censorship, even if it temporary until after the game. That is just taking things too far, and coming entirely too close to being polarizing and divisive, not to mention petty. In other words, all the worst elements that sports can bring out in people. And this is in an official capacity, of sorts.
The games will take place later today. There will be a winner, and there will be a loser. Hopefully, it will be a good game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers, and fans for both teams will at least feel content that their team performed well, even if they go home earlier than expected, and do not reach the Super Bowl.
I still listen to Seattle music, and still eat Wisconsin cheese. No problem or contradiction on either end. I saw the Giants, my favorite team, play some huge games at least as big as this one against Green Bay, San Francisco, Washington, New England, Buffalo, Denver, Minnesota, and Baltimore. It never occurred to me to try and ban some famous or iconic product that came from those places. Never had anything against Buffalo wings, for example, simply because the Giants were playing the Bills in the Super Bowl (and expected to lose, for that matter).
Ridiculous.
Let's just hope for a good game, and look forward to having fun watching both games today!
In any case, here is the link to this issue:
Washington city bans cheese before Seahawks' showdown with Packers Jay Busbee By Jay Busbee January 15, 2015 12:58 PM Shutdown Corner
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/washington-city-bans-cheese-before-seahawks--showdown-with-packers-175803427.html;_ylt=AwrBJR8RiblUADwATk1NbK5_
Wisconsin radio station bans Seattle music By Jay Busbee of Shutdown Corner, January 16, 2015:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/wisconsin-radio-station-bans-seattle-music-154805175.html
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