One thing athletes need to understand, is that when a someone buys a ticket to a sporting event, they have the right to cheer for whoever they want to cheer for.
The home team, the road team or the cheerleaders. Just because you live in a city, doesn’t require you to be a fan of that team.
Don’t blame the fans for your loss, blame yourself. The Atlanta Hawks had no hometown support ,when the Lakers came into their building, but they still won the game.
George whining, makes him sound like a spoiled athlete. Here is the quote courtesy of Bleacher Report.
It sucks. It was 70 (Lakers fans) – 30 (Pacers fans) out there. These are the same people that wants autographs after the game. We’re out there in the community. We’re doing our job, doing what we’re supposed to do on and off the court. Something has to change. I tip my hat to this team. We’vebeen trouble free. Been out in the community shaking hands, we’re winning. It shouldn’t feel like an away game, especially with an important like this. Tonight, that’s what it felt like.”
They always say your fans are your sixth man and you feed off that energy. Energy is down and we turn the ball over and we’re hearing cheers. We’re missing shots and we’re hearing cheers. That kind of brings your head down cause you know you’re at home. It shouldn’t be like that. Now we see how it is. We have to move forward, don’t worry about. Stay focus on what’s in this locker room and don’t worry about the rest.”
(We’re) not a team that’s in the bottom in the East. We’re one of the top three teams in the East. We’re winning the Central Division and it should show. Right now it’s not and it’s been all season long where it’s not showing and I don’t think there’s nothing else we can do as an organization and as players. Now it’s up to the community.
No, it isn’t up to the community. You should be shaking hands and doing good deeds, because that is the right thing to do, not to bribe people to cheering for you. The fans don’t owe you anything. Athletes are paid a lot of money to perform on the court and that’s it. Don’t tell someone because you gave them an autograph, they have to cheer for you. That is uppity talk.
Grow up, do your job and people will cheer for you then. If you are so mentally weak, that a couple of rogue Lakers fans in Indiana gets you down, means you weren’t that mentally strong to begin with.