Hello New Jersey sports fans, you need to relax

Some of the most passionate sports fans in the United States can be found in the Northeast. Sports fans in the New York City and Philadelphia regions will plan their lives around when professional sports teams play their games.

We also know that American football is the most popular sport in the United States. Every year, National Football League and college football games are the most watched broadcasts on television.

Football fans’ passion extends all the way to high school. Some cities in the United States will close businesses and the entire community will attend the Friday Night High School Football game. Local pride tends to be strong at high school games, especially when regional rivals compete.

But this past weekend, some sports fans in New Jersey went too far and let their passions spill over into irrational behavior.

What happened at the New Jersey football games this weekend?

On Friday night, a Wall Township woman confronted a 17-year-old Howell football player after Wall Twp defeated Howell 24-14 in their high school football match. According to reports, 53-year-old Kelly Davis stormed the field and confronted the high school football player, requiring intervention from school security and Wall Police.

Davis was charged with disorderly conduct and harassment by Wall Police on Saturday. The 53-year-old had to leave the soccer field after Friday night’s game and is scheduled to appear in Wall Township Municipal Court this week.

Then, 36 hours after an adult confronted a teenager after a high school football game, the Philadelphia Eagles-New York Giants game took place at Medlife Stadium. One of the biggest storylines of the NFL offseason was star running back Saquon Barkley leaving the Giants to join their rivals, the Eagles.

Although Barkley wanted to re-sign with the Giants, the organization refused to pay the running back’s market value. But Giants fans were seen burning Saquon Barkley jerseys in the parking lot outside the stadium before the 1 p.m. kickoff between the NFC East Rivals.

During the game, Giants fans then serenaded Barkley with boos every time he touched the football. Barkley provided the “last laugh” with 176 rushing yards and his Philadelphia Eagles beat the Giants team 28-3.

New Jersey sports fans need to relax

Within 48 hours, there were two incidents of irrational and immature behavior by sports fans in New Jersey.

There is never a “good reason” for a random adult to confront a teenager after a high school football game, and all the Giants fans who burn Saquon Barkley jerseys choose to have the facts about it to ignore what happened.

The reality is that incidents involving sports fans occur every week in the United States. These people are ruining the reputation of all other sports fans. There is a perception that some of this bad behavior is enabled by other people.

Burning the jersey of a professional athlete who wanted to continue playing for your team but the organization didn’t pay him market value is a waste of time and energy. These same fans refuse to blame the team’s general manager and want to portray the athlete as a “villain.”

Wall Township and Holmdel High Schools are 25 minutes’ drive from each other. I understand that regional rivalries generate passionate fan reactions. But for a 53-year-old to think it’s a “good idea” to go out of her way to confront a 17-year-old soccer player after his team LOST the game is crazy.

The responsibility falls on all of us sports fans to help curb this immature behavior and get these people to “chill out.” Poor public behavior is often a byproduct of support from others.

Yes, individuals are ultimately responsible for their behavior, but psychological studies show that people can be influenced or discouraged from acting on their emotions by other people. So where are the people willing to raise their voices and say, “This is a bad idea”?

Maybe the same people who burn down Saquon Barkley Jersey do these Driving Pet Peeves in New Jersey.