An Unpopular Opinion

Editor's Note: This. --Joe

I did my best to ensure that I wasn't only observing locally. I was seated in the east-side of North endzone. Immediately around me the following held true, and to the best of my ability, looking around further I saw more and more of the same.

Which of the following behaviors best describe fans in the North Endzone:
1. Cheering for the team on most defensive plays
2. Muttering about poor decision-making and playing
3. Staring blankly at the field
4. Complaining that they were too sober
5. Worrying about running out of airplane bottles

If you answered everything except #1, you would be correct.

I understand that our defense played okay and that most of the reason why we lost is that our offense and special teams played VERY poorly. I also would agree that at the START of the game, during Enter Sandman, the crowd was incredibly loud and was the loudest I had heard in a while. EVERYONE in North was jumping up and down and was incredibly pumped. Through the first quarter there was so much energy and it was awesome.

Then it just died.

With each play that went by a sense of negativity grew more and more. Accomplishments were downplayed (granted, there weren't very many) and fans were ready to harshly criticize decision-making from coaches and players, the players' ability, and even the players' desire to give 100%. Every time that something went wrong, when the team needed the fans to yell more and more, they yelled less and less.

I would now like to present the opinion that Hokie Fans aren't doing as good of a job at being fans as they think they are. Many fans feel as though we should perpetually top of "Scariest places to play" lists and look back to that 2004 or 2006 or earlier list where we were #2 and say "look at how scary it is to play in Lane Stadium!" If you tell fans that we don't top such lists these days (maybe they haven't released them yet) the fans will tell you "Well that's because we're Virginia Tech and the media hates Virginia Tech and they're always trying to undermine how great we are!" I have heard this over and over again in the last five years.

Lane Stadium has the capacity for rabid fandom. It has the capacity to scare the living shit out of opponents. Enter Sandman is SCARY. What fans do not realize is that it is isn't the stadium or the crowd that makes it scary inherently, it's the intensity that the fans bring to the game and sustain through out the game. In my observation the fans have not been doing an excellent job of doing this throughout the course of the entire game and it is kind of upsetting to me.

I will acknowledge that a lack of fandom certainly is not the sole reason we lost the Clemson game. I would agree it probably isn't even most of the reason. Yet I insist that the issue at hand is that fans do not realize that their pathetic punditry and whining during the game has no impact on the game but a hell of a lot of loud screaming when your team needs it goes a long way.

I understand how easy it is to be disheartened when your team fails to score a touchdown with the goal line one yard away. I understand how bad punts are heartbreaking. But I think if you are willing to let negative events detract from your ability to cheer for the team then you should really just leave the stadium.

I think that Hokie Fans need to get it together a little bit more and be less concerned about the actions of the team and more concerned about the actions of the crowd and work harder to ensure that everyone gets pumped and stays pumped throughout the course of the game until it is literally impossible for us to win. We have the potential to be a terrifying place to play and to be a rabid group of fans but there is too much complacency.

So if you disagree with this and it pisses you off all I can say is that I hope you are screaming your ass off for the entire game and encouraging those around you to do likewise, otherwise you are just part of the problem. I hope most of the people who post here were just like me and cheered relentlessly until a comeback was impossible, but now it's time for us to work hard to encourage others to do the same.

With utmost sincerity,
~Mike Sty

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Comments

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Best duos in Hokie history: Hall & Adibi, 3rd & Tyrod, Georgia & Liz

We have a rule...

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I should probably improve my signature at some point...

Defense

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"This is just spectacular... These people are losing their mind. This is beautiful." -Mike Patrick

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DANNY COALE ALL THE WAY TO THE THREE

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DANNY COALE ALL THE WAY TO THE THREE

Recruits

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Win one for the Beamer...

Spoiled

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I love the smell of bourbon in the morning

gobble gobble bitches

Still a lot to cheer for

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#Let's Go - Hokies

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Best duos in Hokie history: Hall & Adibi, 3rd & Tyrod, Georgia & Liz

I think some people expect entirely too much from fans as well

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Joffrey, Cersei, Ilyn Payne, the Hound, Jeff Jagodzinski, Paul Johnson, Pat Narduzzi.

I dont usually chime in...

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Backwoods Bastard

you should hear

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eric

"My advice to you... is to start drinking heavily."-John Blutarsky

I basically agree with these points.

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Joffrey, Cersei, Ilyn Payne, the Hound, Jeff Jagodzinski, Paul Johnson, Pat Narduzzi.

This

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"We were at the pinnacle, and we did it for years," Foster says. He pauses, nods, takes a deep breath. "And I did it with the best guy in the business."