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The Wave? Really? Seriously, People?

So, the word going around the internet is that when Raiders' receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was being attended to by the medical staff on Sunday afternoon at the Metrodome, the crowd started doing the wave. It wasn't shown on TV or anything, because the attention was focused on Heyward-Bey, and the announcers didn't mention anything about it that I heard, so I wasn't aware of it until I started reading stuff after the game.

Without knowing the full extent of the timing of it or anything like that. . .dumb move, folks. Honestly, why would anyone think that this was a good idea? There was a man down on the turf with a serious injury, and you're doing the wave?

Come on, people. You're better than that. Seriously. I know that not everyone in attendance was doing it, in all likelihood, but the fact that there were enough people doing it for others to notice is bad enough.

If this is the case, I would like to apologize to any Raider fans that might have been in attendance on Sunday for that sort of behavior. Highly inappropriate, and I would expect better from my brothers and sisters in purple.

If you were at the Metrodome on Sunday and think that this is being misreported or misconstrued in some way, feel free to comment on it and attempt to clear the air.

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I was equally disgusted with the booing that occurred. I can understand booing a bad call, etc., but no matter how poorly your team is doing, booing them as they leave the field shows no class.

by YankMyBraids on Nov 22, 2011 8:29 AM CST reply actions  

Totally different

As paying patrons, it is our responsibility to let the management and players know that we are unhappy with the results. Proper change will not occur unless prompted by such acts.

by Jayrome007 on Nov 22, 2011 8:55 AM CST up reply actions  

Wave?

Only thing more Gay than the wave is Synchronized Swimming

by NYVIKINGS65 on Nov 23, 2011 11:47 PM CST via mobile up reply actions  

I was't there but...

I heard about it on KFAN on Monday. It sounds like you nailed the feeling of many. Just a bad decision by some drunk I would guess and then the mob mentality took over.
Plus I heard that there was a ton of tickets sold by season ticket owners for the game and as a result there was a larger than normal inexperienced vikings fans in attendance due to the cheaper price. My guess is the fans were not as aware of proper etiquete, I’m not saying they are dumb or any thing, just not as experienced and therefore they have a lack of knowledge.

"Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."
George Bernard Shaw

"In those days the best painkiller was ice; it wasn't addictive and it was particularly effective if you poured some whiskey over it."
George Burns

by just another viking on Nov 22, 2011 8:30 AM CST reply actions  

Wasn't there but...

I was listening to KFAN on Monday and this issue was brought up. A few callers that claimed to be at the game phoned into two different shows claiming it was a Raider fan that got the wave going after a number of attempts. One caller claimed to be sitting in the section this Raider fan was in.

That being said, it was still a classless move with a player lying on the field injured and being strapped to a back board and carted off.

Bears vs. Vikings Tickets - $150
Beer and food for 24 tailgate bus trip - More than $150
Watching Jared Allen destroy Jay Cutler LIVE - Priceless!!!!

SKOL Vikings!!!!

by boomy44 on Nov 22, 2011 8:33 AM CST reply actions  

I was at the game in the very section where it began...

I finally decided to post for the first time today, just to clarify this situation from a first hand perspective. I was not the caller mentioned above, but he/she was absolutely correct. The now-quasi-infamous wave started in section 135 by a very obnoxious Raiders fan 3 rows behind me, because “he was bored”, however he said it a little more colorfully. His first few attempts met with very little success, seeing as though he had been annoying the Vikings fans for the last quarter-plus. The wave failed until a second Raiders fan in the row in front of me jumped on board and got a bunch of others in the section going. Neither of them were in the least visibly concerned with DHB.

The part I have a problem with is many people are placing blame for the whole thing on MN fans, when it was really a few hardcore Raiders fans that roused a few others into doing the blasted thing in the first place. Then the mob mentality took over, and there you go.

"Playoffs? Playoffs?!"

by dmvikefan on Nov 22, 2011 5:13 PM CST up reply actions  

I was, too

I was in section 136, about 12 rows behind the people that started the wave. I can confirm that they were Raiders fans, probably in their mid-20s (although I’ll admit that I’m not very good at estimating ages). There were two that did most of it, with a little bit of help from some friends. I was not a caller on any show.

Personally, I refused to do the wave, and mentioned to some of the people by me that it wasn’t a good idea to be doing that when there was an injured player down. I can say that both Raiders fans and Vikings fans were doing the wave, but it was definitely Raiders fans who worked very hard to get it going. I do agree that it’s classless, but I also agree that it’s unfair to place the blame on MN fans.

This is actually my first post ever here. I created an account yesterday (unaware of the 24-hour rule), because at that time I did not see any posts saying it was Raiders fans that began it (I somehow missed boomy’s post, although even if I hadn’t, there still were none from people who actually witnessed it firsthand, so I still would have created the account). I’ve been reading DN for a couple years now, and have been meaning to create one, just never did…

by dumdristig on Nov 23, 2011 2:13 PM CST up reply actions  

Regardless

Whether there was a man down or not, there really is no place for the wave at any sporting event, especially in an NFL stadium. If you want to entertain yourself with choreographed group activities, go crash a wedding and do the cupid shuffle. At the very most, limit it to baseball where the fans at the game seem less interested in what’s happening on the field.

by Jimmygatl on Nov 22, 2011 8:35 AM CST reply actions  

I don't see the problem

Alleged here, but I share your objection to the waive in general.

by amiller92 on Nov 22, 2011 9:03 AM CST up reply actions  

The wave banned from all sporting events? I disagree there. What are our girlfriends, wives, children,etc suppose to do while we are watching the game?

by Skoaldybi on Nov 22, 2011 8:58 AM CST reply actions  

That's why

I’m trying to ascertain exactly what happened.

Frankly, Minnesota fans deserve the benefit of the doubt on this sort of thing. I, personally, am not attempting to frame it as anything. I’m saying that if it happened under bad circumstances, then it reflects poorly. If it didn’t and there’s a legitimate explanation, then no harm, no foul.

SBNation Minnesota - For the greatest sports fans in the world.
The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!
"Don't do anything by half. If you love someone, love them with all your soul. When you go to work, work your ass off. When you hate someone, hate them until it hurts." - Henry Rollins

by Christopher Gates on Nov 22, 2011 9:37 AM CST up reply actions  

I don't see the question

Guy was down. They got bored and did the wave. So what?

Is the concern that the wave might have been motivated by a desire to celebrate the injury or something? Or is the concern that insufficient deference/concern about the injury was shown?

To me, the former would be something to be upset about, but is so unlikely as to be not worth spending much time worrying about.

The latter sounds an awful lot like Joe Buck being offended by an entirely covered rear end.

by amiller92 on Nov 22, 2011 11:44 AM CST up reply actions  

Punditry at its finest

In a bummer of a season, the talking heads have to dig that much deeper to find their talking points for the week.

by CaP'M on Nov 22, 2011 3:05 PM CST up reply actions  

I concur

I was at the game as well, and I did the same as you. Bathroom, food, beer… still on the ground. Boredom sets in. what are you suppose to do. would it have been better if we all light candles and held a vigil? no. nothing we do is going to effect his injury for better or for worse. and by that time in the game i’m sure most of the dome was hammered. so, good for us for doing something to entertain us because the vikings sure weren’t making it interesting at that point in time.

Skol!

Goonga Galoonga

by theSwarley on Nov 22, 2011 9:49 AM CST up reply actions  

I totally agree

When I heard about the wave via Twitter as Heyward-Bey was still down on the field, I was the most ashamed I have ever been of our fanbase. A comrade of mine who was at the game said a drunk fan about 4 rows in front of him, who could hardly even talk he was so intoxicated, would attempt to yell “1, 2, 3!” and then throw his hands in the air. I guess it took him about 8 or so tries before anyone else joined in.

Hey Green Bay, where's your WNBA title???

by SDVike on Nov 22, 2011 9:10 AM CST reply actions  

Totally misinterpreted

I was at the game, and NOT doing the wave (because it’s extremely lame) and you could definitely tell that it was going on out of boredom, not taunting. The guy was down on the turf for close to 10 minutes, 60,000 people are gonna get bored man!

And the booing of the team has GOT to stop. It’s horrible. This is our team, don’t boo them. And dont sell off your season tickets to Packers fans. ’nuff said.

by SeventhViking on Nov 22, 2011 9:14 AM CST reply actions  

I agree with that

Booing the team is one thing. The team is awful. The team has a chance to post the single-worst regular season record in Vikings’ history.

Booing the team is not the issue here.

SBNation Minnesota - For the greatest sports fans in the world.
The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!
"Don't do anything by half. If you love someone, love them with all your soul. When you go to work, work your ass off. When you hate someone, hate them until it hurts." - Henry Rollins

by Christopher Gates on Nov 22, 2011 9:35 AM CST up reply actions  

You pay $100 bucks and upwards

You have the RIGHT to voice your displeasure with a terrible team.

by Jepp The Viking on Nov 22, 2011 9:35 AM CST up reply actions  

Not an exception
Sadly, this team is farther away from that goal than at any time in my life, with maybe the exception of the abortion that was Les Steckel

At this point in 1984, the other Les had the time at 3-9. This is the worst Viking season performance I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been watching since ’68.

Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
SKOL!

by DCPurple on Nov 22, 2011 11:34 AM CST up reply actions  

*golfclap*

Ted hits it on the head

with the money we fork over to watch them either in person or via DirecTV, if I want to boo, or bitch and piss and moan, by God I will.

I couldn’t tell you how many times my neighbor has come over to complain to me to keep my noise down this season. I don’t care, I’m a frustrated Vikings fan that was speeding down the super bowl highway 2 years ago & crashed and burned in N.O. Now, we’re up at the top of the draft (if it happened today). From everything in the past to issues as of recent, we have every right (and reason) to boo and be dissapointed and right now.

by somethinglikeatarmonster on Nov 22, 2011 12:11 PM CST up reply actions  

Teddy Bear

I’m somewhere in the middle. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion so if you paid for that seat, the $20 beer and the $40 world’s greatest dome dog ever(can’t have just one), then you’ve paid your price and you can boo for whatever, whenever you want. I’m all for people doing what they want in that regard. However, me, personally, I would refrain from doing so at this point in the season for many reasons.

#1: Rookie QB. No sense tearing him down(even if the boos aren’t pointed his way). We need to be realistic. This is going to take time. Our TEAM is going to take time.

#2: Holes everywhere and we’re running out of duct tape. We’re patching this team together and there’s guys getting some PT(Benny, Mistral, Ballard, Everson, Berger, Sherels). I know we’re not booing THEM in particular because we understand they are new, but its a lost season. It’s time we find the good in what our team is doing.

#3: Learning patience will better prepare ALL our fans for next year. Last year was supposed to be a taste of things to come and we kind of ignored that for the most part. We looked at our schedule(myself included) and thought this Vikings team had a chance to make a run. We didn’t think McNabb would be THAT bad and we figured some coaching changes could help our line/defense/overall team. Boy were we wrong. It is simply a personnel issue. We need to get more talent on this team.

Let’s sit back and enjoy that talent that we DO have(AP, JA, Percy, CP, Rudy) and watch them grow and improve and hopefully knock off some decent teams left on the schedule. Sure wouldn’t mind shocking ATL this weekend when they least expect it. Also, after how cocking those Lions fans seemed to come across, I would like to see us actually beat the hell out of them. Can’t stand the Bears and I think we can beat them. There’s some small victories left to be had even if it’s not in the W&L columns. Hell, we’ve been IN every game except for the Bears and Pack game. We’ve seen some entertaining football. If the Vikings can clean up some of the penalties, I think we come away with a couple more wins this year and then we’ll have to wait until next season and see what moves the Vikings make and watch this team grow. I’ll be honest, if Ponder was playing really really bad football, I wouldn’t feel near this good.

White Horn Gold Pants

by DM_Purp on Nov 22, 2011 2:33 PM CST up reply actions  

Idk and I wasnt there

But I doubt that it was a deliberate assign of disrespect.

by jayj55405 on Nov 22, 2011 9:14 AM CST via iPhone app reply actions  

My experience:

I was in the upper deck (almost kissing the new roof). After DHB went down, the crowd quieted pretty quickly as it became obvious this wasn’t the wind getting knocked out of him or anything. The paramedics ran out onto the field fairly quickly (within a minute or two) and the cart came not too long after that. Around the time the cart came out someone in the lower bowl attempted to start the wave 3-4 times over the course of a couple of minutes. Each attempt made it maybe a quarter of the way around the stadium before it fizzled out.

As they were still working on DHB on the field, the instigator finally succeeded in starting the wave and it went around at least twice. Both levels participated and I would estimate that well over 50% of the people participated. In the section I was in, there was only a minority that didn’t. By the time the wave was making its third pass, DHB was on the stretcher and being wheeled off the field. The crowd cheered when they saw him raise his fist and the wave petered out soon after.

Now, for all the people saying: “it wasn’t deliberate, you’re overreacting”. I know it wasn’t deliberately directed at DHB. I’m pretty sure that it was the product of boredom during a long pause in the action. But it WAS disrespectful. We had no way of knowing whether DHB was alive, dead, paralyzed, concussed, or just taking a nap. The bottom line is that in that situation YOU DO NOT DO THE F*&KING WAVE. Even though it goes against our Minnesotan nature, I’m sure we all pride ourselves on being “better” than the fans of other franchises. “Psh,” we say, “we’d never throw batteries and snowballs at Santa Clause. We’re not PHILADELPHIA!” No, we’ll just perform the wave as a young athlete lies on the turf, unsure if his health and entire livelihood has evaporated in an instant.

by Purpledork on Nov 22, 2011 9:49 AM CST reply actions  

Let's say he's paralyzed

How does the crowd doing the wave have any effect on anything?

by amiller92 on Nov 22, 2011 11:46 AM CST up reply actions  

I like your comments mostly amiller

but this one is easy – it’s in REALLY poor taste.

"I saw a wino eating grapes and I was like, dude, you have to wait!" - Mitch Hedberg

by abba7 on Nov 22, 2011 11:51 AM CST up reply actions  

It doesn't change the situation, true,

but let’s be honest, it can EASILY be confused with celebrating an injured player even though it’s not like we can poll the 50,000 people at the game to understand the “why”. Purpledork has it correct above. It’s just not something you do because of how it can be interpreted.

White Horn Gold Pants

by DM_Purp on Nov 22, 2011 2:45 PM CST up reply actions  

It surprised me as well

The wave started going around the stadium a few minutes after DHB went down. It took me by surprise just because i didnt think it was a good moment for it. But other than that it wasnt a big deal. Raiders fans were doing it too.

by EventualChamps! on Nov 22, 2011 11:14 AM CST reply actions  

I was there

I didn’t participate in the wave (which started at least 5 minutes after the injury happened), but I can’t get too upset that people did it. It was definitely started out of boredom and a lack of action on the field, and I can’t imagine people were doing it to celebrate the injury.

The wave is stupid no matter when you do it; the fact that this one took place when it did was unfortunate but I don’t believe it was malicious in any way.

by Eric J. Thompson on Nov 22, 2011 12:24 PM CST reply actions  

To me this is a bogus thing to get up in arms about. Just silly, really.

I really hope we can keep the faux outrage over stuff that really doesn’t merit it to a minimum here on the site. Like people in the stands really knew whether or not it was serious and furthermore, people are there to cheer and enjoy themselves. Yeah, it stinks that someone might have been hurt but are people really trying to make the point that somehow, had people only sat quietly and respectfully, he would be better off?

I mean, seriously? That makes no sense.

People just like having something to gripe about, lately, I swear. /facepalm

by Wytefang on Nov 22, 2011 2:31 PM CST reply actions  

Dude, get a grip!

“I would like to apologize to any Raider fans”?

You’ve gotta be joking! Doing the wave while a guy is hurt on the field is classless, yes. Apologizing to Raider fans for ANYTHING is just plain stupid. Have you ever MET a Raider fan? As far as Raider fans go, classless would be a level of conduct that they’d hopefully one day aspire to.

by gotcrabs on Nov 22, 2011 2:36 PM CST reply actions  

I didn't see that

Honestly, the Raider fans we dealt with over the course of the past week were cordial, decent fans.

That kind of conduct, if meant in any sort of malicious way, is unacceptable regardless of who the opponent is.

SBNation Minnesota - For the greatest sports fans in the world.
The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!
"Don't do anything by half. If you love someone, love them with all your soul. When you go to work, work your ass off. When you hate someone, hate them until it hurts." - Henry Rollins

by Christopher Gates on Nov 22, 2011 2:39 PM CST up reply actions  

Go to a game in Oakland someday

Then you’ll see what Raider fans are like.

You wanna apologize to DHB, go ahead. You wanna tell his mom you’re sorry that our fans are so incredibly lame that they actually STILL DO the wave in spite of how gay it is, go ahead. You wanna send John Gruden an email and tell him you don’t condone any waving, drinking, or giggling when a player is down on the field, go ahead. But blogging about some non-news and then apologizing to Raider fans for it is something that, in the future, you should just write down on toilet paper, wipe yourself with it, and then flush it.

Go to a game in Oakland, wear the opposing jersey, and then see how many Raider fans you feel deserve any sorta apology for some classless act.

by gotcrabs on Nov 22, 2011 2:46 PM CST up reply actions  

Just because they act a certain way doesn't make it okay

for Vikings fans to. I’d like to think we’re better than that. And like Chris said, the Raiders fans that posted here last week were quality folks.

Some people just need a high five. In the face. With a chair.

The Daily Norseman
Off Tackle Empire

by Ted Glover on Nov 22, 2011 2:58 PM CST up reply actions  

You know.......for being such good writers, y'all don't read so well

Could doing the wave when a player is injured be deemed classless? Sure. Lame? You betcha. Gay? Absolutely!

But for one of my favorite blog sites to dedicate space to any sorta apology to any sorta Raider fan………………..well that’s just ridiculous. If Viking fans doing the wave during an opposing player’s injury is a low point, taking the time to apologize to Raider fans for it is even lower.

NOW we’ve hit bottom. Hopefully.

by gotcrabs on Nov 22, 2011 3:13 PM CST up reply actions  

Well for me,

we hit bottom when you started referring to the wave as ‘gay’.

But again, that’s just me.

by CaP'M on Nov 22, 2011 4:31 PM CST up reply actions  

I was more than fine with it.

::: shrug ::: Too much PC crap going on here. Keep it away from this otherwise awesome site. Too much political correctness is gay, imho.

by Wytefang on Nov 22, 2011 9:12 PM CST up reply actions  

Too much?

I didn’t tell him what he could or couldn’t do on this otherwise awesome site, I’m not a mod and that’s not my prerogative.

I do feel that there is a substantial difference between being fearfully, overbearingly “PC”, and being needlessly childish and disrespectful. Since it was on a post I was already discussing, I went ahead and expressed my personal opinion. I’m not swooping around the DN playing PC Police.

I’m not convinced I could swoop if I wanted to. I don’t even own a cape.

by CaP'M on Nov 23, 2011 9:35 AM CST up reply actions  

I agree, it's not just you.

The fact that every 10 year old, and many adults with a 10-year-old mentality, use that term often does not make it ok. While there are many examples of PC gone amok, criticizing the use offensive slurs is not one of them.

And no matter how much you hate people, and believe me, I am NO Raiders fan, by any stretch of the imagination, when an apology is due, it is a good thing, not bad, to offer one. Now, in this case, since the Raiders fans started the wave, I do not think one is due. But the author did not know that at the time, and the apology was conditional on their not being things that they didn’t know (like the fact that it was Raiders fans who should be giving their comrades an apology).

by dumdristig on Nov 23, 2011 4:12 PM CST up reply actions  

I agree about Raiders fans, disagree that it's ok

While it is always dangerous to generalize about any fanbase, the Raiders do seem to be one of those teams that has a greater percentage of obnoxious fans than some (Cowboys would be another team in the same boat). I like to pride myself on being a Vikings fan, where the classless, obnoxious fan is the exception, not the rule. I would hope that others would agree with me.

As I told some young fans at the Vikings games, we’re not Raiders fans, we should not sink to their level, show some class. Just because other fan bases do x, y, or z, doesn’t make it ok for us to. I’d rather lose with class than win without it. Not that we can’t be strong, vocal, passionate fans, but there are some lines…

by dumdristig on Nov 23, 2011 2:21 PM CST up reply actions  

I was there....

From my perspective, I didn’t know who was down. I saw Vikes trainer working on somebody, thought it was a Viking……after 8 minutes of silence from stadium announcer, somebody started the wave, big f’n deal
Damn, people sure like to hate on this team….for any reasons they can come up with

by Palladio99 on Nov 22, 2011 3:26 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions   1 recs

Here's the thing

I deal with enough people who think that injuries that Minnesota Vikings’ players suffer are hilarious as hell.

I don’t want this site to be lumped in with crap like that. I don’t even like the perception of it.

SBNation Minnesota - For the greatest sports fans in the world.
The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!
"Don't do anything by half. If you love someone, love them with all your soul. When you go to work, work your ass off. When you hate someone, hate them until it hurts." - Henry Rollins

by Christopher Gates on Nov 22, 2011 4:20 PM CST up reply actions  

I saw a Raiders fan drinking a beer while their player was down.....

he must hate his own team……

but for the record I was on my knees praying…I sure wouldnt want others to think poorly of me

what crock of %^$# this is

by Palladio99 on Nov 22, 2011 6:12 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

please

delete this Vikings fan’s post

cause i sure love hearing how I am supposed to watch my team

by Palladio99 on Nov 22, 2011 6:14 PM CST reply actions  

While you're raging over here

It appears that you need to be reminded that the comment of yours that disappeared had absolutely, positively nothing to do with the incident on the field.

SBNation Minnesota - For the greatest sports fans in the world.
The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!
"Don't do anything by half. If you love someone, love them with all your soul. When you go to work, work your ass off. When you hate someone, hate them until it hurts." - Henry Rollins

by Christopher Gates on Nov 23, 2011 8:41 AM CST up reply actions  

I was at the pre-season game this year VS the Cowboys, and during a cowboys injury, I believe was Martellius Bennett, the Metrodome ha d the wave going on as well….and it actually went on for a good 15 minutes….

Maybe a cowboys fan started that one too

by krayzie300 on Nov 23, 2011 11:09 AM CST reply actions  

Lol you have to love modern society

A few posters have already nailed it on the head. The wave was out of boredome so what is the issue? Waves are always out of boredom. You don’t start a wave after a TD.

Sensitive people offend me.

by Sand0 on Nov 23, 2011 1:25 PM CST reply actions  

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