Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Fans have a right to boo: Gibson
Columnist Mike Gibson has defended fans rights to boo in his column in The Daily Telegraph today.
Responding to Nathan Hindmarsh’ opinion that players should not be booed off the park, Gibson asked: “So what did they expect? The fans to invite them to do a lap of honour?
”Hey, guys. Reality check. Repeat after me: It's the fans who line your pockets with cash”.
Gibson noted that fans weren’t just booing at the players – they were also venting their feelings against the administration and the coach.
“How Brian Smith hangs on to his job is beyond me. He is paid more than the prime minister to coach a team that has gone from a class act to become the easybeats of the NRL. In any other line of business, Smith would have got the bullet.”
Gibson, a North Sydney tragic admitted Bears supporters never booed their team from the park.
” Maybe sometimes we should have. North Sydney fans were too genteel. But Parramatta supporters are a more demanding breed. “
“Even if it has become a grainy picture on their videotape of memories, they are used to winning premierships, and they have lost patience with a club that has lost the plot. So don't tell them not to boo. The way to make them stop booing is to give them something to cheer about.”
Responding to Nathan Hindmarsh’ opinion that players should not be booed off the park, Gibson asked: “So what did they expect? The fans to invite them to do a lap of honour?
”Hey, guys. Reality check. Repeat after me: It's the fans who line your pockets with cash”.
Gibson noted that fans weren’t just booing at the players – they were also venting their feelings against the administration and the coach.
“How Brian Smith hangs on to his job is beyond me. He is paid more than the prime minister to coach a team that has gone from a class act to become the easybeats of the NRL. In any other line of business, Smith would have got the bullet.”
Gibson, a North Sydney tragic admitted Bears supporters never booed their team from the park.
” Maybe sometimes we should have. North Sydney fans were too genteel. But Parramatta supporters are a more demanding breed. “
“Even if it has become a grainy picture on their videotape of memories, they are used to winning premierships, and they have lost patience with a club that has lost the plot. So don't tell them not to boo. The way to make them stop booing is to give them something to cheer about.”
