Gotta ask the question. I know it is early and we still have a long way to go before it is resolved. Will he be booed?
No. He will be wildly cheered with a near standing ovation. Unless this got really ugly and he tells teams he flat out refuses to play if he is traded anywhere but Miami. That will cost him some fans, but some apologists will cheer him no matter what he did to Portland on the way out.
The return will probably have a big impact on that question. I hope people choose not to, but if he ends up going to Miami for a paltry sum, I think a lot of people will be furious and remain so well into the season.
There will be some. Why not? Aren't they doing it here? There is nothing that Cronin could have done....nor Dame....that would have not been booed on some level by at least some. Some people just love to boo. Counting on that....is the premise of why the Gong Show was created.
Yes....but nothing like Ray 'Fat' Felton got. That was brutal every time he touched the ball. I will stand. Not sure whether I will give an ovation if this turns sour based on him limiting teams he would willingly play for.....which I don't think he will do. Either way, I will be wearing my "Sell the team" t-shirt.
SO if fans boo'd LA who fulfilled his contract and then left, why would they not boo Dame who is not fulfilling his contact and forcing his way out?
Few things can change faster than a fans loyalty if they feel wronged. I'll never forget being at a Beavers football game in the early part of the 2000's, and one of the Beaver defenders, I believe it was a Juco transfer, picked off a pass right near our own endzone. A guy a couple rows behind started screaming to his friend, "I told you that guy was gonna be good!" About to score with the ball on the opponents 15, he got it knocked out of his arms, and the other team got the ball back. As soon as that happened, the guy started screaming, "Fucking loser!!!!". That's how fast a fans loyalty can change.
