Devils Antibullying Videos

[august04]

Would it be possible to add a 'bully' button to posts, so it is easier to report unreasonably negative posts that single our individual players?

Who is going to be the judge of what’s ‘unreasonably negative’? You’ve admitted you’re a happy clapper (and that’s fine!) so anything negative might be unreasonable to you. Is that bullying?
Are we now suggesting that posts criticising a players sporting performance is to be reported as bullying? In that case, is every media outlet that critiques players performances post match (as every newspaper does after a football game), regarded as bullying too?
There’s a huge difference between debating performances on here (good and bad) and abusing people. Classing the former as bullying just belittles the real devastating effect that the abhorrent behaviour of the latter can have on people in life. How many times have you attacked the poster on here, rather than debating the merits of what is said? Is that bullying too? No one is excusing abusive behaviour towards anyone. That cannot be tolerated and people guilty of that should be drummed out here, or the arena, if it takes place there.

 

[Sliput]

The thing is, every team has it's idiots. Fans who think that because they pay their money either on the door or via ST it entitles them to abuse the players etc....luckily they are and will always be in the minority.

If you are one of them , check yourself before you open your mouth.

We all get fed up/annoyed passionate about our team (that's any team anywhere) but players don't choose to lose , it's a sport. No life or death choices involved.

 

[Milky]

You just can't help but get angry for those two guys watching these. I have to say that as much as Devils fan base loves to big itself up when the chips are down it turns into a proper toxic mob. No arguement history proves it. If I have to read someone post they are entitled to an opinion one more time. Yes you're entitled but if you're talking arse you deserve to be called on it. Opinion isn't alternative facts. It's just flat out BS if you're wrong. And there are a lot of people with significantly over inflated views of the value of their opinion that they think they are actually qualified to speak on a subject they a woefully uneducated to speak on. People seem to have lost the ability to self filter bordering on common decency. Think about the impact of your words not just indulging your own personal inadequacies onto others. That's where it becomes bullying. Using another person's pain to cheer yourself up. Sick it what it is.

Devils are in a hole right now. Some want to heap more pressure on and give it to the players. Completely counter productive. You simply won't get what you crave and as Bownsy said will make them all question why they even want to be here. Get behind the team. Support them. At the next game make some bloody noise and be a difference maker. To be frank the supporters have been crap through this slump as much as the players. Question yourselves as well as the team. Keeping toxic energy close to the team will see them continue to stumble. The fans need to be called out just as much. You think you're the best in the league. Prove it the next few weeks. Get off your soap boxes and get on with supporting your team. No one cares about your opinion. They care about the atmosphere you can bring to game night. If you are a true fan time to step up.

Now that is one of the best posts I’ve read on here in years. Couldn’t agree more.

Well said Mooney#16. Massive thumbs up from me.

 

[august04]

Agree with Red Mist. There can’t be too many regulars at IAW (or at any other hockey rink or sporting venue), that hasn’t dished out verbal abuse to opposing players or referees/linos. It happens every week. Is that OK though? While everyone is getting on their high horse, perhaps that should be remembered too.

 

[oldishDevil]

What's the abuse of other players / officials at a match got to do with anything ? That happens up and down Britain every weekend at a number of venues. Fans won't always agree with a ref's decision - I was furious at the referee for the Halfpenny incident at the weekend, but I wouldn't go online and abuse him about it. If someone like Bownsey is giving serious consideration to playing elsewhere then something's seriously wrong - thankfully he rose above it, and decided to stay.

 

[august04]

What's the abuse of other players / officials at a match got to do with anything ? That happens up and down Britain every weekend at a number of venues. Fans won't always agree with a ref's decision - I was furious at the referee for the Halfpenny incident at the weekend, but I wouldn't go online and abuse him about it. If someone like Bownsey is giving serious consideration to playing elsewhere then something's seriously wrong - thankfully he rose above it, and decided to stay.

I wouldn’t ABUSE the ref from the rugby directly online either but you’ve commented on his performance here and i’ll do the same on the Inferno if I think a players performance has been poor (or good!). Yet some posters appear to be calling for that and anything “unreasonably negative” to be classed as bullying. That’s a load of cobblers. So verbal abuse of opposition players and officials at games is OK then? Or is it just our players that should be immune to it? Of course it happens at every game. Whether it’s right or wrong, you’ll never get rid of it. That’s sport and you cannot sanitise it. And the point I’m trying to make, probably badly, is that this not bullying, far from it. There’s been a hysterical reaction on here and social media today that in my view, has tarnished the good name of the vast majority of Devils fans, who wouldn’t dream of going on twitter etc and directly abusing players, which is a completely different kettle of fish and should not be tolerated.

 

[oldishDevil]

It's undoubtedly a small minority of fans, but the minority can sometimes shout the loudest. I think it's good that the club has highlighted the issue, and hopefully make some people think first before they criticise individual players. Everyone can have an off-night, and it's a team sport - a defeat is rarely down to a single player making a mistake.

 

[august04]

It's undoubtedly a small minority of fans, but the minority can sometimes shout the loudest. I think it's good that the club has highlighted the issue, and hopefully make some people think first before they criticise individual players. Everyone can have an off-night, and it's a team sport - a defeat is rarely down to a single player making a mistake.

There’s an enormous difference between “criticise” and “abuse”.....

 

[jimmy snels]

hang on, did someone say Darnell is human !?

 

[Rich Best]

Funny how the usual negative suspects try and defend themselves and their almost totally one sided negative sentiment that is often directed unreasonably (in many peoples eyes) at individual players.

I won't defend myself for being on the whole positive lol.

The sentiment around the fanbase has been poor this year, let's get behind the team. Atmosphere is terrible. We are part of the answer to helping pull the team through this.

We should want players to come and play in Cardiff, and it only takes a few disgruntled players to leave because of the fans (and shout about it) for recruitment to become harder!

We want a positive hard working winning culture, not a winning is more important than life itself culture. That is what Sheffield have become, and God help us if we end up that way!

 

[bb1]

I love how everyone is super concearned because it's the players ...I think a lot of people should take a look at the bigger picture here for a second before getting up on their high horses. The amount of abuse I've seen the officials take in person is unreal. In fact, just last week I witnessed a fully grown man screaming at Darnell about a meter away from him and spitting everywhere - the stuff he was saying was absolutely rotten and that's not exactly an isolated incident.

I agree that it's ok to have an opinion, but you don't have to take it further than that and confront them, players/officials or anyone. They're human just like us and not one of them actively go onto the ice each night trying to put in a bad performance to wind us fans up.

I have to say this whole thing is being blown way out of proportion and is slowly becoming a joke.

I hate bullies and bullying but the way the term bully is being used lately is completely ridiculous. I cant believe people have responded to that guys tweet in the way they have. Hes obviously a frustrated fan who clearly shouldn't have said what he did but the onslaught of people having a go at him is pathetic...... If hes personally gone after a player or his family in a threatening or abusive way then that's a whole different ball game.

DON'T forget people Pope is a big boy and it's not his first rodeo!!! The guy has likely taken some of the worst personal insults on the ice we can ever imagine. If people knew what Finnerty used to say to the opposition to get under their skin then you would be horrified. Pope responded by calling the guy a 'goof'.......so is that not bullying......I mean where does it stop. We know Pope isn't a bully and the tweet the fan put up doesn't suggest he is either.

Red mist is also right with regards to the abuse thats hurled at officials week in week out. I have witnessed so many fans hurling abuse at officials during games.....does that make them bullies??? NO......People just get wrapped up in the moment with the things they love and are passionate about. Don't forget guys like Hotham, Hendo, Louis have jumped players on the ice and beat the crap out of them and 3000 of us cheer.......The crowd cheered for years when Cardiff's much loved Brad Voth gooned it up on the ice hitting, intimidating and beating up on guys......does that make them a bullies...kind of....hence the term 'GOON'....but its hockey.

Where do we draw the line.........IT'S HOCKEY and quite frankly it's getting a little pathetic off ice at times. Double standards tend to be prevailing imo.

Time to wrap this up

 

[august04]

I have to say this whole thing is being blown way out of proportion and is slowly becoming a joke.

I hate bullies and bullying but the way the term bully is being used lately is completely ridiculous. I cant believe people have responded to that guys tweet in the way they have. Hes obviously a frustrated fan who clearly shouldn't have said what he did but the onslaught of people having a go at him is pathetic...... If hes personally gone after a player or his family in a threatening or abusive way then that's a whole different ball game.

DON'T forget people Pope is a big boy and it's not his first rodeo!!! The guy has likely taken some of the worst personal insults on the ice we can ever imagine. If people knew what Finnerty used to say to the opposition to get under their skin then you would be horrified. Pope responded by calling the guy a 'goof'.......so is that not bullying......I mean where does it stop. We know Pope isn't a bully and the tweet the fan put up doesn't suggest he is either.

Red mist is also right with regards to the abuse thats hurled at officials week in week out. I have witnessed so many fans hurling abuse at officials during games.....does that make them bullies??? NO......People just get wrapped up in the moment with the things they love and are passionate about. Don't forget guys like Hotham, Hendo, Louis have jumped players on the ice and beat the crap out of them and 3000 of us cheer.......The crowd cheered for years when Cardiff's much loved Brad Voth gooned it up on the ice hitting, intimidating and beating up on guys......does that make them a bullies...kind of....hence the term 'GOON'....but its hockey.

Where do we draw the line.........IT'S HOCKEY and quite frankly it's getting a little pathetic off ice at times. Double standards tend to be prevailing imo.

Time to wrap this up

Absolutely spot on.

 

[Mazzoak]

Mr Balls is many things, but not a bully, not with that face...........

 

[aplzart]

What happened to the players is horrific. On the ice against us I hate Fitzgerald but as a person I think he is amazing I spoke to him last season after a game and he thought I was about to give him crap outside the IAW and when I told him this he thought it was funny and we had a good chat. It seems as though just because they are our team people now are only realising that fans shouldn't act that way towards our players. How about we stretch this to other players and other fans. I have been treated badly by some people in there on here and on Twitter as a fan which makes this hard for me to write but I'm gonna do it anyway so people understand.

 

[Devils86]

I think the point to take from the Devils videos is when things go too far...that’s bullying.

Obviously there will be times when people disagree or it’s a grey area - but stuff like Bownsy described or what BR went through, to me, is too far.

On ice between players is the sport. In the throws of battle we as fans occasionally say stuff we wouldn’t say to a players face outside...and that’s ok I think. As long as it stays in the rink and doesn’t turn into going after players (or anybody) in “real life”. Bownsy for example will be used to getting stick on ice from opposition players or fans during the 60 - wouldn’t expect it on the High Street

Just my two cents.

 

[kingmo19.1]

Slightly off topic, but please adhere to health and safety rules by wearing proper safety boots (preferably with a steel toe-cap) when using a pick.

Don’t bully your toes with that bad boy equipment!

Seriously, no place for bullying. Never was and never will be.

I’ve seen bullying and it always resonates with me that the bully must have some pretty serious life issues to resort to such behaviour.

 

[Gisland]

One more thing actually.
" Cardiff Devils fans are classy. The most classy fans in UK hockey. I moved to Coventry circa 2000, after living in Cardiff in the late 1990's. When i went to games in Coventry, lets just say I saw a different 'class of fan'. A whole different experience.
After watching the Bownsy video here it makes me sad, really sad actually that there are some of you that feel the need to behave like this (I know it's a minority).
For gods sake, please show the hockey community that you are still are the same passionate, hockey knowledgeable, spirited, class filled fans of old!!
Cardiff Devils are THE Best team. With THE Best fans in the UK. Don't let the minority spoil the legacy.

What legacy! Devils fans are not Universally revered or adored throughout UK Ice Hockey clubs.

You really should get over yourself.. The most overused word within Ice Hockey forums must be "classy" Bloody awful word.
You sound as though you have just demoted every other teams fans to below your standards based on games in Coventry starting 2000.. 18 years ago ! Some fans self righteous, arrogance takes my breath away.

Why would Devils fans need to show the "hockey community" anything? According to you, Cardiff Devils fans are already the best in the UK.. Or is this another case of a Devils fan being so engorged with self ego and arrogance he / she can say what they want and still have the "we are better than you classy" feeling.

I have meet a fair few fans from a majority of the clubs within the Current EIHL, the ISL and before. Meet a lot of nice folk. Cant ever recall anyone ever mention the Legacy of the Cardiff Devil fan.

Seems a little ironic, your post came under a thread the Devils Management and Team thought was required due to, how would you say, "non classy" fans !

 

[Temme]

What legacy! Devils fans are not Universally revered or adored throughout UK Ice Hockey clubs.

You really should get over yourself.. The most overused word within Ice Hockey forums must be "classy" Bloody awful word.
You sound as though you have just demoted every other teams fans to below your standards based on games in Coventry starting 2000.. 18 years ago ! Some fans self righteous, arrogance takes my breath away.

Why would Devils fans need to show the "hockey community" anything? According to you, Cardiff Devils fans are already the best in the UK.. Or is this another case of a Devils fan being so engorged with self ego and arrogance he / she can say what they want and still have the "we are better than you classy" feeling.

I have meet a fair few fans from a majority of the clubs within the Current EIHL, the ISL and before. Meet a lot of nice folk. Cant ever recall anyone ever mention the Legacy of the Cardiff Devil fan.

Seems a little ironic, your post came under a thread the Devils Management and Team thought was required due to, how would you say, "non classy" fans !

I think pigeonholing happens in all fan bases of all sports,
I would say though i 100% agree that if we were to take a perceived overview of what people see from the outside, then it probably looks like we have the most toxic fan bases in the league. As the vocal minority ruin it for the silent & polite majority.

With the fanbase growing so vastly since our success 2 seasons ago and many new fans becoming hooked on SUCCESS and not necessarily HOCKEY, which is something everyone is probably victim of doing at some point. However this is not football; hockey is a very tightly knit community and something said out of turn will eventually find it's way back to the person involved. Whereas in the Premier league there are thousands of tweets slandering a bad play, therefore individual comments are not noticed.

These 'fans' don't help this by putting such vitriol in the public domain, but hey ho.

 

[KaneDevils]

There's dick heads everywhere in life, unfortunately. Devils fan base included. Not sure why anyone is shocked by it. It's now a regular thing. Did anyone see on the BBC website about the amateur ref who was attacked in the car park after a game of football? Broke his jaw in 2 places and damaged his eye socket. The culprits? 3 PLAYERS from the WINNING team. Like, wtf?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46180452

 

[KaneDevils]

First of al, before this thread becomes totally bonkers ;

It is ok, and perfectly normal, to say for e.g "player A had a poor game" this IS NOT bullying. If comments alike, offend you then you shouldnt really spend time in the public domain. Seriously.

Obviously, comments such as the twitter examples, aimed at the players, are not on and they need to be dealt with. Theres a huge difference between talking about the game and aiming personal insults at a player.

Saying, bowns played ok but let in a few soft ones, isnt a personal attack. Its a reflection on the game and how you saw it.