Last year, Alabama kicker Cade Foster received death threats after he missed three field goals in the Iron Bowl rivalry game against Auburn.
Yes, death threats — as in “I’m going to kill you because you cost us the game.”
Kind of ridiculous, isn’t it?
Hate mail is nothing new. People have been taking their fandom too far since the creation of professional and collegiate sports.
While the concept is still the same, the process has evolved. The hand-written letter is a thing of the past. Now all fans need is an Internet connection.
With social media, and more specifically Twitter, fans have direct access to athletes. Everyday fans hide behind the protective wall of social media to voice their opinion. It really is amazing what kind of hurtful things can be said in 140 characters or less.
With the struggles the Idaho football program has endured in recent years, fans have gone to social media to voice their frustrations.
It’s understandable, losing sucks, but that doesn’t give a fan the right to threaten an athlete. It’s OK to be critical to some extent, but you don’t have to be a jerk — just be educated about it and don’t be mean just to be mean.
If you don’t think players see it, you’re wrong. Many players get on Twitter right after a game and search their name, and in most cases they have notifications from all the direct tweets.
As if getting yelled at by their coach wasn’t enough, players who have any sort of social media account are subject to ridicule by fans, which can be a lot harsher at times. I don’t think any sane coach is going to threaten a player’s life.
With the rigors of both academics and sport, it’s already tough enough for college athletes. I can promise they’re trying their hardest and certainly not trying to perform badly.
Although it might feel like it at times, don’t think a player or team has a personal vendetta for you and wants to make your life miserable.
Be a passionate, diehard fan, but just as coaches say, leave it all on the field — don’t take it to social media.
Korbin McDonald can be reached at [email protected]