What fans really accomplished Monday by booing Bengals in loss to Texans

Let me start by saying, I don't boo. I think it is dumb and serves no purpose to the outcome of the game. To me, it shows that a fan base is quick to turn on a team when the going gets tough. We like to think we are a part of the game, so what does it say when as soon as the chips are down, we are booing at the top of our lungs against the players we came to support? Should the players boo the coach when a particular play call doesn't work? Should the coaches boo the players when the execution just isn't there? Nope.

I won't claim to be holier than thou and begrudge you the right to boo at a sporting event. To each their own. Just don't cry when the rest of the NFL world treats you like the fair weather fan you come across as when the most memorable thing from the fans was not the disrupting noise in the stadium for opposing offenses but the boos fans emit as the team is still in the game, down by four, with the offense on the field.

The Bengals played poorly against the Texans, sure. But, many of us were still confident the Bengals could pull out the win on the final drive. We have seen this happen several times this season against the Seahawks, Steelers and Ravens. Yet, the sentiment from the vocal majority in the stadium was that the Bengals were done, the boos were deafening. I am just glad the team doesn't give up as quickly as the fans do.

Remember over the summer when the fanbase was torn by the boos at a celebrity softball game? Many thought it was deplorable, while others supported the moronic decision to boo Andy Dalton when he wasn't even on a football field. We were sad by the impression it gave the world and angry with the media for running the story into the ground. All we did on Monday night was cement those thoughts in the minds of the people who get small windows into the Bengals' fandom. Fans booed loud and clear and the millions watching on TV all heard it.

So beyond the poor perception we have created of Bengals fans what else was accomplished by booing? You think players hear boos on the field and think "Man, Jon in section 338 row 4 is really angry with us, I better step up my game" or is it more likely they think "We have succeeded in the best start in franchise history and the moment we stumble this fan base turns on us quickly."

Players love the cheers and we see defenses often feed off the energy from the crowd. What is the motivation if the crowd energy is so negative? In your chosen profession, would you thrive if every mistake you made was met with jeers from your co-workers? Probably not, but for some reason, in sports people think it makes sense.

Far be it for me to tell you how to enjoy (or not enjoy) a sporting event you paid to attend. If you want to go and boo, have at it. Just don't get salty when you are called out for the behavior.