Fan Loyalty Gone Too Far?

When the New England Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, went down with an injury on Sunday, you could hear a collective gasp come from the Boston area. The hero of the city was on the ground and writhing in pain. Brady hobbled off the field under his own power and did not return to the game. Things went from bad to worse when the news started to leak that Brady was done for the year. While this made Patriot fans begin to wonder if Matt Cassels could do the job, it let the AFC East and defensive coordinators feel a little better with their chances of reaching the playoffs. But if you asked each one would they rather watch Brady lost for the season or the chance to defeat him on the field, they would opt for the latter. The majority of NFL would welcome the chance to defeat Brady rather than see their team win because he is out with an injury. There are some fans who are relishing the fact that Brady is hurt and his 2008 is done for. It is those fans who have sparked a disturbing trend in sports. Fans rooting for player injuries rather than for a solid performance from their offense or defense.