By Burning jerseys is stupid.
I don’t think that’s a hot take, no pun intended. If want to set fire to $200 jersey of one your team’s best players you are a moron. Yet over the last few years it seems that free agency doesn’t really start until some there’s a video of some idiot making Smokey Bear cry.
Despite the fact that he hasn’t actually signed anywhere yet and returning the Islanders is an actual possibility, there is a video on twitter of some loser lightning up a Tavares jersey. I’m not going to link to here it and here’s why: I don’t know how We need to stop giving these people attention.
In today’s media landscape where clicks and views are gold we, as a nation, need to stop validating these people. Jersey burning is a selfish and senseless act that we need to delegitimize. Unfortunately the more the main stream media reports on it, the more it inspires copy cat burners. Mentally unstable fans who might lose their favorite player in free agency or trades see the retweets and likes roll in, may think to themselves “Hey, my twitter account sucks. But everyone will know me if I burn my jersey.” This is a dangerous precedent to set.
All these people are looking for is attention. Please don’t give it to them. Focus on the free agents themselves. If you’re a fan of the team they’re leaving, my condolences. Remember the good times they brought you, not how the end was marred by a jersey burning. If we can do that, hopefully one day we can make jersey burning a thing of the past.
Curse of Muldoon 