Just Sayin’: Mike Bibby, Bandwagon Fans, and Booin’

Posted by Brendan Jackson on Jan 13, 2010 536015 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2010%2F01%2F13%2Fjust-sayin-mike-bibby-bandwagon-fans-and-booin%2FJust+Sayin%27%3A+Mike+Bibby%2C+Bandwagon+Fans%2C+and+Booin%272010-01-13+14%3A15%3A58Brendan+Jacksonhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D5360

I’m not sure how I missed this little ditty from WEEI’s Jessica Camerato yesterday, but I did.  Apparently, Mike Bibby has noticed the chorus of “boos” his mere touching of the ball illicits from Celtics fans:

“I don’t even care,” Bibby said of the jeers. “It doesn’t really matter to me, you know what I mean? We’re winning. We’re 3-0 on them, that’s all that matters.”

He definitely has a point. The Hawks are 3-0 against the Celtics and at the end of the day, no one talks about officials or injuries, they talk about W’s and L’s.

On the flipside, what he said to spark such animosity from Bostonians is just as deserving as Bibby’s underwhelming response.  I know you haven’t forgotten, but just in case you’re a Laker fan checking out the site, here it is:

“A lot of these fans are bandwagon jumpers trying to get on this now,” he said during the first round of the 2008 postseason. “I played here last year, too, and I didn’t see three-fourths of them. They’re for the team now and they might get a little rowdy, but that’s about it.”

Those a strong words, and are just wrong.  Since when does game attendance constitute true fandom?  I know the economic situations of the everyman Celtics’ fan isn’t on Bibby’s radar, let alone NBA ticket prices, but he should think before he says Celtics fans are bandwagon fans for just being more visible at games. Tickets are expensive, and I’d rather buy another grown man’s jersey and wear while I pantomime plays in my living room than go to one game.  A lifetime family heirloom (like say, a Celtics’ no. 20 jersey with “Shuttlesworth” on the back) is worth far more than one night at the Garden (depending on the night, of course).

Call it old news, call it gamesmanship, or call it just dumb.  Whatever you call it, you can end it with, “Oh and it’s just blatantly wrong.”

I’d love to have Bibby come into any of our houses and see us screaming at the TV and ask himself, “hmmm, are these guys really bandwagon fans, or am I a fading NBA player?”

Given his ego, I think he would surprise even himself with his answer.

In his bulletted recap of the Hawks game, Zach Lowe suggested, “It’s time to stop booing Mike Bibby in Boston. He played just 17:55 tonight and does not merit such attention.”

I disagree.  If Bibby’s making no apologies for his actions, why, as fans, should we?

The bottom line is, we shouldn’t.  If someone’s booing Mike Bibby, the casual fan attending the game will ask why such a mutually agreed upon response occurs.  The Diehard will explain the significance, and now Diehard and Casual can revel in indignation. 

To recap: Diehard boos Mike Bibby, Casual fan boos Mike Bibby, Casual fan becomes Diehard fan vowing to prove Mike Bibby wrong.

In conclusion:  Support the habit by booing Mike Bibby.