Hey 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 areas will plan their lives around when the Professional Sports Teams play their games.

We also know that American Football is the most popular Sport in the United States. Every year, the National Football League and College Football games are the most watched broadcasts on TV.

The passion of Football fans extends to the High School level. Some towns in the United States will close businesses and the whole community will attend the Friday Night High School Football game. Local pride is usually strong at High School games, especially when regional rivals play each other.

But this past weekend, some of New Jersey's sports fans went too far and let their passions spill over to irrational behavior.

What Happened At New Jersey Football Games This Weekend?

On Friday Night, a Wall Township woman confronted a 17-year-old Howell football player after Wall Twp beat Howell 24-14 in their High School Football matchup. The 53-year-old Kelly Davis reportedly charged the field and confronted the High School Football player which required School Security and Wall Police to intervene.

Davis has been charged with disorderly conduct and harassment by Wall Police on Saturday. The 53-year-old had to be off the football field after the game on Friday Night and is scheduled to appear in Wall Township Municipal Court this week.

Then 36 hours after an adult confronts a teenager after a High School Football game, Medlife Stadium hosted the Philadelphia Eagles versus New York Giants game. One of the biggest storylines of the NFL Offseason was Star Running Back Saquon Barkley leaving the Giants and joining their rivals, the Eagles.

Even though 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 pm Kickoff between the NFC East Rivals.

Then during the game, Giants fans were serenading Barkley with boos whenever he touched the football. Barkley got the "last laugh" with 176 Rushing Yards and his Philadelphia Eagles winning 28-3 over the Giants team.

New Jersey Sports Fans Need To Chill Out

Over 48 hours, we have had two incidents of irrationality 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 any Giants fans burning Saquon Barkley Jerseys are choosing to ignore the facts of what happened.

The reality is that there are incidents involving sports fans across the United States every week. These individuals are ruining the reputation of all other sports fans. There is a perception that some of this poor behavior is being enabled by other people.

Burning the Jersey of a Professional Athlete who wanted to keep playing with your team but the organization wouldn't pay him market value is a waste of time and energy. Those same fans refuse to blame the team's General Manager and want to paint the athlete as a "bad guy".

Wall Township and Holmdel High Schools are within a 25-minute drive from each other. I understand regional rivalries generate passionate fan reactions. But for a 53-year-old to think it was a "good idea" to go out of her way to confront a 17-year-old Football player after his team LOST the game is insane.

The responsibility falls on all of us sports fans to help reign in this immature behavior and start getting these people to "relax".  Many times, bad public behavior is a byproduct of enablement by others.

Yes, the individual is ultimately responsible for their behavior, but psychological studies show that people can be influenced or deterred from acting on their emotions by other people. So where are the people willing to speak up and say "That's a bad idea"?

Maybe the same people who burning Saquon Barkley Jersey are committing these Driving Pet Peeves in New Jersey.