the wave drill
There is little I despise at a sporting event like I do the wave drill. You know the deal. People synchronise throwing their hands in the air with those next to them, and then next to them, around a stadium or ballpark or whatever, in something that looks like a wave, traveling through the crowd. I'm at the game last night. Time's running out. Dallas has the ball, and they're looking like they could move it and we're only up by a touchdown, and some idiot comes flying up the aisle beside me and tries to incite the wave. If it wasn't for the fact that I sit on the aisle and he was making a lot of noise in his attempt, I may have missed him. He got a few takers, but thank God most people were a bit more interested in what was happening on the field than in the aisle.
There are things I despise more. An ineffective offense from the home team comes to mind...which by the way, usually can result in the wave.
The wave sends a signal to the players on the field. You've gotten to the point where whatever they're doing holds so little of your interest, that you've resorted to throwing your arms in the air to see if you can get others to do the same, and send a wave effect across the crowd, for amusement. I'll admit, in some situations, that's not such a bad thing. Sometimes the team needs that mesage.
The wave is a product of boredom, and/or people who didn't come to the game for the game in the first place. They are six year olds who, by halftime, have had enough and are now ready for the diversion of the wave....or to go home. They are girlfriends who came because their boyfriends wanted them to, or visa versa. They are people who came to be seen at the social event that is the game and, having accomplished that, are now ready for something else...like the wave. The wave is the anti-sports fan activity.
Like I said, there are times when that's not so bad. When a game has deteriorated into a 52 - 0 rout, and people are heading for the exits, maybe the wave is OK. You're sending a message to whichever team is sporting a goose egg that they didn't exactly make the event exciting. When you're only up by a touchdown, and the other team has the ball and there's two minutes left in the game though, the wave....needs to be non-existent. When there's a real battle going on down there in the trenches, don't insult the guys fighting it by throwing your hands in the air and seeing if you can get the people in the next section to join in. There's an amazing show already going on right in front of you, and you're missing it.
There are things I despise more. An ineffective offense from the home team comes to mind...which by the way, usually can result in the wave.
The wave sends a signal to the players on the field. You've gotten to the point where whatever they're doing holds so little of your interest, that you've resorted to throwing your arms in the air to see if you can get others to do the same, and send a wave effect across the crowd, for amusement. I'll admit, in some situations, that's not such a bad thing. Sometimes the team needs that mesage.
The wave is a product of boredom, and/or people who didn't come to the game for the game in the first place. They are six year olds who, by halftime, have had enough and are now ready for the diversion of the wave....or to go home. They are girlfriends who came because their boyfriends wanted them to, or visa versa. They are people who came to be seen at the social event that is the game and, having accomplished that, are now ready for something else...like the wave. The wave is the anti-sports fan activity.
Like I said, there are times when that's not so bad. When a game has deteriorated into a 52 - 0 rout, and people are heading for the exits, maybe the wave is OK. You're sending a message to whichever team is sporting a goose egg that they didn't exactly make the event exciting. When you're only up by a touchdown, and the other team has the ball and there's two minutes left in the game though, the wave....needs to be non-existent. When there's a real battle going on down there in the trenches, don't insult the guys fighting it by throwing your hands in the air and seeing if you can get the people in the next section to join in. There's an amazing show already going on right in front of you, and you're missing it.
John put this out here at 4:26 PM
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