Whew!
 
In light of the current discussion, I'd like to step back a bit and solicit
the input of my colleagues on the subject in general.  At what point does
cheering your team turn into heckling the opponent?  Or, when does good
natured ribbing cross over the line to become hate mongering?
 
I'd like to draw the parallel to the Vernon Maxwell incident.  There was
much debate on both sides of the issue.  Some fans rights advocates argued
that athletes (and presumably all those in the public eye) assume the burden
of such abuse as part of the mantle of stardom, sort of the bad with the
good.  Others maintained that no human should be ridiculed to the point
where hatefulness enters the mix.  (As I recall, Maxwell snapped after a
fan's derisive remarks about his dead child...)  I don't want to take a side
but I would like to offer the analogy to spur discussion.
 
I suspect all of us have seen or been involved in heckling the opponent.  I
personally *DISCLAIMER* think it's fine to say "your mother wears combat
boots" but not "your mother banged the entire 5th Airborne" or other such
mindless insulting drivel.  Never, ever, forget the humor element from the
bleachers.  Besides, if your aim is to distract a player, what better way
than to fire off a witty pun he'll take the entire game to figure out...
Bottom line is that I don't feel we as fans should discount the humanity of
those at whom we toss off insults.  After all, not only might you give you
team a black mark but you may miss a good hockey game in the process...
 
But I'd like to hear what you all think...
 
 
Mark J. Sonnier, C.P.M.
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UAF '90
 
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