So often, fans get angry when franchise players leave their teams. Sometimes, we see images of booing and jersey burning as an expression of that frustration. To some extent, the frustration is understandable even when the behavior is not. But then again, I occasionally understand when a player leaves to find a better situation. Ultimately, players are individuals with free agency, so they are entitled to do whatever they want. Occasionally, players request trades to escape a situation. To some extent, that doesn't seem right either. They made an agreement, they should fulfill it, right? Then again, if you are the team they are requesting a trade from, isn't it better to move on from someone that doesn't want to be there or at least make a trade to soften the blow of a franchise player leaving? But that is all player and team stuff. What about the fans? How should we feel about it? Well, there are a few things to consider. I'm going to use Matthew Stafford and LeBron James as case studies to examine how fans could approach the subject rationally.
How long have they been with the team?
When a franchise player leaves, it sucks. Matthew Stafford is the only high-level quarterback I've ever seen play for the Lions. When he was traded, I was bummed out, but he gave the Lions 12 seasons of high-level play. He set plenty of records and achieved a lot of individual success. He played with the Lions for a long time and gave them everything he had. Leaving in the latter half of your career seems justified. The player is running out of time. This could lead to another question: how long does the player have left? To reference LeBron James, when he left Cleveland, they clearly had enough time to build a winner there...because they did four years later. Now, with LeBron's current situation in Los Angeles? That's a different story.
How successful is the team?
Stafford's success did not translate into team success. The Lions were never able to put a real legitimate contender on the field. Stafford took a lot of the blame for it, too. Which, in hindsight, was incredibly stupid. One year away from Detroit and Stafford is in the Super Bowl. He has already evened up his playoff record. The Lions' franchise is one of futility. Stafford never had a chance to do anything serious in Detroit. I think players like Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson, and Matthew Stafford either retiring early and requesting a trade should be a wake-up call to the Lions. Get it together. When LeBron left Cleveland, they were coming off of multiple 60 win seasons.
Did your team draft this player?
The Lion's did draft Stafford, which made this a little worse. To me, this is the difference between LeBron leaving Cleveland (the first time) and LeBron leaving Miami. When he left Cleveland, he was leaving the team that drafted him, a serious championship contender, and pretty much his hometown. When he left Miami, he left them with 2 titles in four Finals' appearances in as many years. Heat fans have nothing to complain about. This question seems to rule out players that came to your team and contributed big time. For the drafted players, look at the other questions.
What sport is it?
This might not go over well, but let's be honest. Basketball players have more of an impact on their team than players of any other sport. Losing LeBron James, Kevin Durant, or Kyrie Irving hurts more than losing a player in any other sport. The one argument you can make is the quarterback in football. Fair enough. No other athletes in either baseball or football have the same impact. Maybe there is an argument for a pitcher in baseball, but I don't really think so. That is a little unfair to the NBA, but as a fan, it is a reality. When a LeBron leaves your team, it is more damaging than any player leaving your team in any other sport. It makes sense that fans get more upset about the NBA movement. One player can change the course of a franchise. Matthew Stafford has always been a Super Bowl-caliber player, but he has never been on a Super Bowl-caliber team. Guys like LeBron and KD make their teams' title contender by walking through the door. Still, the other questions need to be considered in relation to this one.
How should we feel?
Now, some will say that it doesn't matter, fans should always be happy for the players. I disagree. When a player leaves a championship-caliber team in or before their prime, it is going to reasonably upset fans. This position isn't saying players don't have a right to leave or even that they should feel guilty. I'm talking about the fans. Sports are healthy outlets for tribalism. We root for "our guys" to beat everyone else. You never want to see the best players leave your team.
There is no doubt that sometimes fans overreact, but hey, they're people too, right? That's the argument we always hear about the players "doing what's best for them." That's their right, but unlike the players, most fans aren't getting paid millions of dollars to play a children's game. They are just looking for something to root for after working all day to support their families. So, of course, they'll be upset when the guys leave.
Contending teams can unite communities, give people something to cheer for in tough times. So, I know that South Beach and Los Angeles are probably better situations for the players that choose to leave the small-town markets, but too often the media that loves the big cities forgets that the small-town markets matter, too. I used to hate when great players would leave their teams. Now, I just feel bad for the fans. But we are all a little desensitized to it now, right? Players leave all the time.
So, how should we feel when franchise-level players leave our favorite teams? It's up to each of us to decide. Hell, rooting against someone can be just as much fun as rooting for someone. Everybody loves to hate a villain. Sports is narrative. All I can say is that I always root against Blake Griffin and I'll always root for Matthew Stafford. Make of that what you will.
For more material like this, click here to see all previous sports-related posts. Also, consider subscribing or following us on Facebook or Instagram so you never miss an update.