Halo

This was posted by Norm (jnormand)

Prior to the 31-10 pounding the Saints gave the Houston Texans I heard some desturbing news. During pre-game warm-ups Aaron Brooks was booed. Why?

When Peyton Manning has a bad game, does his home crowd boo him? I don't thing so. What about Brett Favre? Did they boo him off the field when he threw 4 interceptions last week? Nope. How about Donavan McNabb? Did his home crowd boo him when he came on to the field this week even though last week he was vertually ineffective? No. So why boo Aaron Brooks? He has put up great numbers in New Orleans.

What do I hear all the time? "He is not a leader." "Aaron Brooks laughs off his interceptions and seems like he dosen't care if his team is winning or losing."

All the fans think he isn't a leader. But wait.....all his team mates say he is. They have been quoted this entire pre-season until now as saying that he is the leader and the heart and soul of the team.

AB had a good game this week. But what about next week. If he throws an interception or takes a sack when he should have thrown the ball away.....whats going to happen? Everyone is going to be against him again. Why are so many of us so quick to judge his character and leadership when we are not down on that field with him?

I was watching the Texans game today. The Saints were down 10 to 7 at half. There was no doubt in my mind that Aaron was going to come out and take control. I had complete faith in him and the so called "shakey" defense. They did it! They put the points up. They stopped Texas from scoring again.

Everyone is riding on the shoulders of the Saints right now. But we will see who are still the real fans next week. If the Saints win, then everyone will praise them and future predictions of playoffs will rumor. If the Saints lose.....there will be a whole bunch of individuals blaming Aaron Brooks or Jim Haslett or Rick Venturi.

Heres some news. The Saints won as a Team this week. The offense did well. The defense was great! The coaching was there.

Whos gonna be with us next week?

You know what? I think the Saints will do it again next week against the Titans. And even if they don't, I still believe they can get to the "Big Dance".

It seems like there is some people who call themselves Saints fans who don't deserve to be called "fans". When they are down by 2 touchdowns I don't sit and complain about one players performance. I cheer and hope that they catch up. If Aaron Brooks throws an interception, or Deuce fumbles, or Horn dosen't catch a perfectly thrown pass, I don't sit and chastice him for that.

I guess you know you are a REAL fan when you don't give up hope on your quarterback or running back or TEAM. You are a REAL fan when there is something inside you that says your team can still win even though there isn't much time on the clock or the defense hasn't fared well all day. A REAL fan believes in his team when it seems the team is going down. When it would take a huge pass or a big break to win the game.

I believe the Saints will get into the playoffs this year. I think they will have a great year. I'm gonna have a great time watching them no matter what. And you know what....? I will still believe in them next year if they don't make it this year. I guess I'm just a Die Hard Saints Fan.....or maybe I'm delusionall. Either way, I guaratee I will have a better time hoping for the best and cheering the good than complaining about a bad throw or a missed catch.

Being a fan means you have to believe even when your team may fail. Believe that the running back can run that 8 yards on 4th and 7. Believe that the quarterback can make a throw on 3rd and 10 to get that crucial first down.

Aaron Brooks is going to have a great year. Deuce will have a great year.
And even if the Saints don't make it to the playoffs, I will have a great time watching them try.


This was posted by Norm (jnormand)

[Edited on 9/15/2003 by Halo]

unsaintly77

Halo im with you. I think the reason some fans boo or dont stick through thick and thin is because the saints have broken hearts at some time or another. We are ridiculed to be fans by friends family coworkers and everyother person who watches football or who dont anymore. But put this in to perspective in lafayette they broadcast Carolina panthers and jake delhomme on the radio, i cant catch a saints game on the radio but the panthers are loud and clear. Let em boo i will try to drown them out with my drunken yell, (Its pretty Loud, at least thats what the wife says)

lumm0x

Thanks Norman....nice post. I can agree with you that booing a player, regardless of his performance is not being a fan. Whether I personally dislike a player or have little inner faith in his ability (and I\'m not speaking of Brooks here), I still cheer 110% for his success and will always be optimistic during the game that anything is possible. When the game ends I will revel in the victory. I will be in a fantastic mood all week. When they lose, close or blow out, the world stops spinning and god help anyone around me for the next 7 days. I can\'t accept defeat with a smile, no matter how it comes. Whether it\'s my personal life situations or that of the team, which I feel is a huge part of my being, it hurts to lose. I will review everything that caused the loss and I will note every shortcoming in hopes to correct mistakes for the future. This applies alos to this team. It\'s human nature to analyze reasons behind failure. I\'m not a plant waiting for the next rainfall or sunlight to come. Voicing those points within this forum is a fans only means to do this and to get feedback from other fans with their thoughts. I don\'t know where you are from but in my city Saints fans are like three headed dogs....pretty scarce. Hence, the use of this medium. Don\'t view the fans that point out reasons behind failure as being haters or bashers, but as realists. There are obviously varying degrees of pro and con realists, but I can guarantee they are still fans, as much as you or anyone here.

I\'ll be at the game November 16th against the Falcons.....section 125, row 32, seat 6....my first live Saints game ever. Get ready for the biggest display of adrenaline and enthusiasm you\'ve ever seen.

saintfan

The reason is simple...it\'s the \"anybody but Brooks\" crowd. Remeber they were screaming for Jake Delhomme...not for the play of AB but because they wanted the local boy. Next came all the hollow statistics. We should bench AB for this stat or that stat or the other stat...then is was a leadership issue...now it seems he\'s not \"right for this system\". It\'ll continue to be one thing or another but until Brooks\' play on the field warrants it all that stuff will continue to ring hollow.

I was personally embarrased for our fans last year when they started chanting for Jake. Brett Farve and Montana and Young and Aikman get props for being \"tough\" and playing \"Hurt\"...Brooks gets boo\'d for it. Why am I embarrassed? Put simply, it\'s because there is NO intelligent reason to boo the man.

By the way, Jake Delhomme played VERY poorly yesterday. You won\'t see ANY of the Brooks bashers pointing out his statistical failures or his poor performance in general. Won\'t happen. Billy C has already posted his quite sorry statistics, and to no avail. It\'s funny really, to see \'em refuse to hold \"their man\" to the same standard they attempt to hold to Brooks. Their refusal to do so only proves them wrong, but so be it. I\'ll just say I\'m glad (and proud) to see Brooks handle all the typical \"fan ignorance\" and \"bias\" in such a professional manner, refusing to stoop to their level. If I were him, I would have walked off the field after the game yesterday with my arm raised high and my finger pointing straight up...my MIDDLE finger! And oh, I would have been smiling the whole time too.

As I have said numerous times before, it\'s a damn good thing some of these people aren\'t in charge!

C'mon Man...

tweeky

McNabb WAS booed. They started the AJ Feely chant midway through the 2nd Q.
Manning has been booed also.

Last year, the fans weren\'t booing Brooks, they were booing the DECISION to keep him in when it was obvious it was affecting his performance.

Like I said, sometimes you can show somebody 2+2=4, but some will still insist it\'s 5.

nocloning

I think the pre-game boos were just something some people needed to get out of their system. They watched Aaron stumble through a game he shouldn\'t have started and after that cost the team a play-off spot (Haslett has the film to prove me wrong, I know), Haslett and Brooks express their anger towards the fans, infuriating them even more (Aaron was more polite, he only said he didn\'t understand them).
So now it\'s the new season and for some fans -it seems - it\'s pay-back time. The boos had nothing to do with Aaron\'s play in Seattle.
To a point I can understand their behaviour. I don\'t like it and think it\'s classless, however I can understand it. Hopefully the feud is now over and they cheer him on even when he is not playing great.

\"What is Wal-Mart? Is it like they sell wall stuff?\"

Saintuary

I would love to see this. Before pregame, Bentley, Fontenot, Gandy, Folau, Jacox and AB go into some of these sections where booing occurs and see what happens, sleeves rolled up.

BillyCarpenter1

As American citizens we have the right to burn the \"American Flag\" and curse the bible, but that doesn\'t make it right !! Personally, I could care less what anyone says. It doesn\'t affect my life but, I just prefer not to burn the American Flag.

Halo

Just so everyone is clear, I didn\'t write this post, it was accidentally sent through submit news and I posted it for Norm.

tweeky

OK Halo, you\'re back off my \"people to mame and torture\" list now