Something that I will never understand is the way some people treat college athletes. I have always been a huge fan of sports, and just like any other fan I sometimes get caught up in the game. What most of us, including myself, sometimes forget is that these athletes are human; as humans we all make mistakes.
These athletes go out on a game day and give it all they've got. Do you think they mean to make mistakes? Do you think they mean to strikeout? or fall of the beam, or fumble the ball? Of course not. Just because their athletic abilities make them seem like robots, doesn't mean they are. They have feelings and emotions; you can see it when they play that they pour everything into their sport. They do their best but they're not perfect and at the end of the day, none of us are.
If you are not or have never been in their shoes, then you can't understand the pressure they are under. They strive to reach the expectations of fans, coaches, and even themselves. As harsh as their 'fans' can be on them, no one is harder on an athlete than themselves. The last thing they need are the people who are supposed to be supporting them saying they are terrible at what they do.
When an athlete makes a mistake, especially at a big school, it is broadcasted everywhere. It is all over twitter, sports websites, etc., but that's not the problem. The problem is the things that people say about them. These so-called "fans" bash on these athletes and their abilities (like they could have done any better). The part that really gets me is that some of the people saying these hateful things are adults. Some of these athletes are as young as 18, they thought they would be living their dream of playing for their favorite school but as soon as they make a mistake they get torn down and criticized.
I'm not saying you can't get mad or upset when your team loses, because I know I do, but there is no need to bash on the athletes. especially publicly. As fans, we should be encouraging them to play to the best of their abilities. What we SHOULDN'T do is criticize them for a mistake they made doing something that we can't do.
