Feinstein...
...must be out of material or feels the need to give his pal some props right now; this is a NON issue. Never was, never will be.
There is a segment of fans of ANY team in the history of sport, from the Neopolitan Neathderthals to what is desperately trying to stay as the Washington Nationals, that have this compulsion to critisize based on one very simple viewpoint; win and your a genius. Lose and they could do better and know EXACTLY what the coach or star or ball boy did wrong and what they should do about it or, at the very least, someone is a loser, #######, idiot and so forth.
They do not know the sport past a casual 'we're going that way, the other guys this way and the teams switch ends at the end of the period/quarter/inning/chucker or something like that'.
They damn sure never played it nor, very likely, any sport at all that actually required any more effort or dedication or challenge than pee wee soccer.
They might go to gyms and work out some or at least have a membership. They might have a bowflex in the basement with laundry drying on it.They might be engaged in some sort of rec sport to fill the void they feel over never having played anything for real; bowl, shoot darts, beer league co-ed softball.They might buy tickets though more likely they go when someone invites them or gives them tickets. They might even buy team clothing.
When I was in 7th grade I was one of them. We were watching our soccer team after school and one of our guys lost control of the ball and the other team got it. I'd never played and reflexively said "#######!" out loud and one of our gym coaches was standing right next to me, Ralph White.
Mr. White said "Oh, really? He's an #######, huh? Do you play soccer? Did you try out for the team? Are you better than him? Have you practiced more, put in more effort? So, big guy, what did he do wrong, huh?"
It sunk in and the instant respect one should have for anyone who is actually trying to do well at something was born. Up to then all I'd ever played was little league and was about average at it. From there on I played at least one season of basketball and football I wrestled. Won some, lost some but never, ever looked at a serious competitor as an ####### again.
People, non doers, simply have this need to be superior, to only be associated with 'their team' when things are going well and when things are bad this person or that is a loser, dummy, ####### or so on and so forth.
I don't understand it now anymore than when I blurted it out 215 years ago in 7th grade.
It's the idiot within, I guess, but it's no more than that and it is here to stay.
