Comedian Jay Sullivan has turned up on the roar as a rugby pundit on the subject of people who leave the ground early:
The game didn’t afford fans many opportunities to see the Brumbies structure for 2013, or see them execute many plays. But given how many times we lost by close margins early on last year, it was good to see that final scoreline.
I say it was a good two hours spent, but it must be a lot less if you are one of those people who rushes out to the carpark the second they are certain of the result.
They are rushing to beat the traffic because beating the traffic is the one thing they love more than anything in the world.
Their second favourite thing is watching most of a rugby game.
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I’ve never understood why people leave Canberra Stadium early. The traffic flow leaving the carparks is always reasonable and certainly not worth missing Quade Cooper handing a pie to Jesse Mogg with seconds left before the bell.
If your team is winning, you owe it to them to hang around till the end and applaud. If they’re losing, it’s worth it just to see if there’s any heart left in the team in the 80th minute. Even if they’re losing badly, seeing a player bust his guts to grab a loose ball with seconds left, knowing it will amount to nothing, is enough to make you want to come back for the next match.
There’s two rules to following a football team, any team, the code doesn’t matter.
1. You never change teams.
2. You never leave a game early.
It’s the Canberra way. I can understand if you’re on a slow train to destruction, but even then I’d rather watch the final play than leave.
I enjoy watching rugby, I enjoy watching the Brumbies and am a member. I’m not a die hard fan and if it I cant be bothered on a given day I may just watch the game on fox. Sometimes we leave early, if the game is dull or a dead rubber or we have something else we are more interested in getting to. More often than not we will wander round towards the exit with 5 minutes to go and watch from there.
I am a soccer fanatic being from the UK and have never left a soccer match early but I don’t feel the need to judge those who do, as I don’t need some justification that I am a better fan then them. I can understand from this why some want to watch every play at the rugby but rugby doesn’t grip me enough to compel me to have to stay.
I’m sure half the folk who sneer at us early leavers are those that spend the whole match completing some form of bar relay where they must walk in front of me to get to the bar at the most inopportune moment. I miss plenty of action from these fans passing in front of me than I do at the end of the match when the result is more often than not decided.
For me it comes down to my interests, just because I go to the rugby doesn’t mean I love rugby or the Brumbies and doesn’t mean I will be at Bruce through thick and thin. The notion that I owe the players something is laughable. I pay my fees, spend plenty on food, and some on merchandise. I applaud when they run on, I applaud when something worth applauding occurs and in about half the games where I stay till the end I will applaud them off.
I’m glad I feed your smugness as you sit there watching me leave thinking what a great fan you are.
Holden Caulfield said :
3. You stay to the end to bag the opposition supporters ( *best when applied to Collingwood, Port and Eagles games).
puffin said :
From my POV it’s not about feeling smug or thinking I’m a better fan, and you make many good points about not owing anything to the players etc.
We’re not all the same, it’s partly what makes the world so great (most of the time).
For me, following a football team cannot be explained by any rational measure. So, if I’m there to watch my team, I’ll watch my team, no matter how bad the spectacle is.
If I saw you leave early, and you were supporting the other team, I’d probably have a dig, but I would just consider it part and parcel of the (usually) harmless banter in the stands.
Holden Caulfield said :
And I would be the same if I was back in the UK watching my soccer team (I get up at stupid hours to watch every min of every game they play on fox – rationality is removed when it comes to your team). I was just pointing out for rugby which I enjoy and go to I just don’t have the same passion or inclination to watch every moment as I do other sports, and if I leave 5-10 mins early so be it, it doesn’t impact anyone (we take care to move from our seats at stoppages) and therefore I don’t understand why some wish to judge us except for some self fulfilling benefit.
I don’t follow any sports( Bcoz sportz r laem) but I cannot see the problem. Who ever pays insanely dumb prices for a ticket should be allowed to leave whenever they want.
Also my sport liking Neanderthal mates always complain about waiting in line for toilet and beer. Time in line would probably add up to far more than your average rage quit/ beat the traffic peeps.
puffin said :
Comparing apples with goldfish. You’d never leave a soccer (sorry, “fitbaw”) match early because you’ve just yawned your way through 85 minutes of people running in circles and the next goal will probably determine the winner.
Yeah, yeah, I know … save your breath, soccer fans. But it’s not like they’d ever need baseball’s mercy rule.
The family I saw leave 5 mins early were a couple with what looked like a 2yo and a 4yo. They seemed a bit tired and over it, so I’ve zero issue with them beating the traffic out!
dpm said :
They probably didn’t by the time they go the little ‘uns stuffed safely into the baby seats.
Duffbowl said :
It is not “The Canberra way” at all. It happens every where in every sport. I witnessed it at Madison Square Gardens and The Staples Centre on a recent trip to the US when watching the NHL, and the NFL in San Fran.
The Boston Bruins even ran an ad campaign based on leaving the game early.
http://youtu.be/J3XJoDeMzH4
I have to say though – Rugby Union has turned into a very boring brand of football. It used to be known as the running game, now it is simply the boring game.
Ice Hockey people – GET IN TO IT! It is the best, most exciting, full contact team sport in the world.
Holden Caulfield said :
Now there’s a profound truth. Me either.
Holden Caulfield said :
In which case, I’ve broken rule number 1. Was a Reds follower before the advent of the Brumbies. Was a Footscray supporter before the advent of the Crows.
puffin said :
I used to enjoy watching my team, then the buggers got relegated back to Championship. Now I’m lucky to see a Wolves highlight package
Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :
“I doesn’t enjoy sports, but feel the need to belittle those who do.” *slow clap*