Incessant name-calling, ferocious booing, and constant heckling are the norms of a sporting event. A fan taking the time to pay respect to a member of the opposing team is something that is rare and sticks out like a Dolphins fan in Ralph Wilson Stadium.
While there are rare occasions like milestones and retirements that bring out the best in fans from all sides, there is one time that fans consistently meet somewhere in the middle of the sports battlefield in silence.
Athletes put themselves in jeopardy for injury every time they play the sport they love, whether it is in practice or after stepping out in front of a crowd. When one of them goes down, fans are momentarily no longer worried about rooting on their favorite team.
The focus shifts to the man or woman down on the field, court, or whichever playing surface is applicable. Human compassion rises above passion for the seconds or minutes an athletic participant's fate is in question.
All jeering and cheering paused, fans watch closely as training staff and coaches surround the injured player with teammates not too far away. Cheerleaders from both sides set down their pom-poms and megaphones in order to kneel in respect.
Most of the time, an athlete is able to regain composure and return to the bench for further evaluation. Once the athlete rises to his or her feet after an initial assessment by the staff, cheering resumes, but for a moment, not for the game. Fans respect the chances for injury an athlete takes when trying to entertain them and they rise and applaud in appreciation.
Even when injuries and illnesses are sustained in the off-season or are independent from athletic endeavors, fans exude support to the recovering, in hopes of seeing them return to the game in the near future.
Tedy Bruschi, New England Patriots linebacker, announced Monday that after an eight-month recovery period following a mild stroke on Feb. 16, just three days after his appearance in the Pro Bowl, he is ready to return to the game he loves.
In the days following Bruschi's admittance to the hospital, television stations played reels of the 32-year-old Patriot playing on the field in the days before the Patriot's most recent Super Bowl win. If sports fans weren't already feeling bad for the guy, the media bolstered support for the fallen defender.
Bruschi, who has plans to return to practice on Wednesday, was confident in his abilities to return to the field and play again in Monday's press conference, even though he admitted that he wondered early in recovery if he would ever be able to see again.
With the New England Patriots relishing in a bye week this weekend, Bruschi's first chance to possibly return to the gridiron will be against Buffalo on Oct. 30. The Patriots are currently tied with the Bills for the lead in the AFC East. Buffalo has an opportunity to seize the top spot this weekend.
Bruschi may get a warm reception in Gillette Stadium when he re-enters the field for the first time but chances are the compassion of Bills fans has long expired. The jeering will most likely resume from the moment Bruschi walks out in his number 54 jersey, if he is cleared to, and Bills fans will do their best to make Bruschi hear them through the television sets.
There are times when compassion outweighs the passion but they tend to just be fleeting moments in a sports fan's mind.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
