Jazz Fans In Wonderland

Posted by Trevor Fuchs on November 06, 2009

Jazz fans have followed the white rabbit down his hole, and at some point, we need to climb back out of his world of delusion and backwardness.  After a pair of tough losses, the Jazz bounced back with a huge win over the Spurs, but if they want to compete with the elite, they still need to dig themselves out of their own hole.

Five games into the regular season and it has never felt more awkward for me to be a Jazz fan.  It is not due to their lackluster start or Boozer’s off-season ramblings, but rather the immense pressure and negative vibes leaking out from the other fans.  Somewhere over the last few seasons, the fans, as a collective, have ran out of patience.  We feel like an NBA title is owed to us, but we can’t seem to reach it.  To euphemize, Jazz fans have become like Alice after crawling down the rabbit hole, enticed by the door leading to the garden (or an NBA title).  So determined to get through the tiny door, she blindly drinks and eats things left in the hall, subsequently shrinking and growing until she is so small that she is swimming in her own tears.

During our first three home games, Boozer has been booed recklessly, despite the fact that the atmosphere created by the boos and taunts was noticeably affecting his game.  I have to believe that these negative vibes, such as boos for the home team, directly affect the other Jazzmen as well.  In addition, I have noticed a growing amount of aggressive taunting and heckling for blown plays.  It’s as if a bad pass exorcises several years worth of anger and hatred.  Does the yelling not just add to the frustration of the players?

It is hard to describe the difference in the aura at recent home games.  There is just something different in the air.  The negativity has been so strong that, a couple of times, I caught myself getting sucked in and yelling back at booing fans.  Something is direly wrong when fans like me are more focused on sticking up for the team than cheering for them.  The bigger problem is that I am currently in the overwhelming minority.  It’s time to stop.  The definition of a fanatic is: a person with an extreme and UNCRITICAL enthusiasm or zeal, as in religion, politics, or sports.

Do I think there is something wrong with being passionate?  Is there something wrong with feeling the pain of a loss like a dagger to the heart?  Is there something wrong with the depression that comes when your team starts at a mediocre 2-3?  Absolutely not!  If it were wrong, then I would hate to be right.  The way a game affects your emotions, for better or worse, is what makes sports so addicting.  What IS wrong, however, is allowing our own greed and impatience to unknowingly affect the team adversely.  It’s OK to share your opinion and to be upset, but when it’s hurting the team beyond reason, it just becomes a vicious cycle.  Look past the gloomy weather, swallow your pride, and wear your colors proudly.

Can the Jazz climb out of their hole?  I’m sure they can.  I have a lot of faith in the team.  But it will be a lot easier with 20,000 screaming fans letting down their ropes and helping to pull them out.  We just need to find the way out of our rabbit’s hole first.

7 Comments

Diana Allen on November 06, 2009 said:

great post Trevor. I agree we went to the Houston game and there was a very strange feeling at the ESA. I didn’t like it. I have never not enjoyed a Jazz game but I didn’t enjoy this one, even when they were playing well, no one was satisfied.
It does seem like fans think that one blown play is going to destroy the whole season. Hopefully the SA game turn things around for the negative fans and allows the Utah Jazz to have the best fans in the NBA again.

Betty on November 06, 2009 said:

I couldn’t agree more. Seriously, the boos are uncalled for. We should never boo anyone on our own team. Thanks for the great post! Hopefully, fans take this to heart. If you’re going to boo your own team and not enjoy the game, then why even go in the first place?

ranell on November 06, 2009 said:

definitely true……………gogogo JAZZ

Annie on November 07, 2009 said:

Very nice Trevor. I was just mentioning the same thing the other night after our Jazzbots meeting. The feeling in the air reminds me of the feeling I had when the Jazz lost the final game in the playoffs to the Laker’s at home 2 years ago. There was a feeling in the air (I mean it literally) while I drove to the game and listened to “fans” call in on the radio. That feeling was intensified when I entered the arena. It was if a cloud of ill will swept in and has been hanging in the rafters ever since. Kind of like when a storm passes over the Great Salt Lake and churns up the smelly fog. What else can we do to cleanse the putrid stink?

montgump on November 07, 2009 said:

how do you klober the spurs and then lose to the kings two days later?

Trevor on November 08, 2009 said:

@montgump – I’m sure there are infinite reasons as to why that could happen, but I’m going to go with the Spurs in a slump, and the Kings finding their shot. Like most teams have, the kings beat us with the 3…and Nocioni, fresh off of a DUI arrest, was killing it. The Jazz really did play a decent game defensively, but they couldn’t get the ball through the hoop when they needed to.

Again, the mood was solemn at ESA last night. When the Jazz are on, it is not too bad….but when they are off, they crowd isn’t helping to bring them back into it like they used to. Wednesday the 18th, at home against the Raptors, I want to leave with my ears ringing like I just got out of a death metal concert.

Boondock Saint (Zak) on November 09, 2009 said:

I haven’t been to a game yet but I’ve seen it in my own living room with friends that I invite over to watch the game. I just bought tickets to 5 games with this special deal and I hope that the Jazz get our of their funk and the fans do too.

Leave Your Comment

How do I get an avatar for my comments?
It is easy and completely free. Just go to Gravatar.com and sign-up with your email address. Gravatar is globally recognized, so your avatar will show on every Gravatar-enabled website or blog.