It’s no secret that football is the most popular sport in the nation. Every Sunday, television sets are tuned to any number of football games. Love of the game brings people together, and also tears them apart. Football aficionados have been known to have certain rituals they believe aid their beloved team in winning the game. Most of the rituals are harmless. Some people believe that wearing a jersey helps, some people rub a friends baldhead, but some people delve into hazardous ritualistic events.
People all over the nation have made headlines for rioting after sporting events, when their team wins or loses. Sports fans are among the most volatile people in the world. All it takes is a friendly joke about the losing team or a simple heckle to set people off. After this past Sunday’s Jets versus Patriots game, four people have been charged with assault and have been banned from the MetLife Stadium. 38-year-old Kurt Paschke, 26-year-old Jaclyn Nugent; and two of her friends, 28-year-old David Sacco, and Amanda MacDowell, 25, came to fisticuffs after the Patriots lost to the Jets in overtime.
Sports fans take the love of their teams too seriously, at times. Jets and Patriots fans fist fighting does not aid their respective teams in any way. If anything it brings about negativity to their teams. Instead of being in the news for this weeks’ game, the teams are now synonymous with a fistfight that led to an arrest. Fans should learn to show appreciation and support for their teams without encroaching on another persons love for their team. We all love the sport and we should be able to watch the games as civilized people.