Bad Sport! An Anecdote Regarding Sports Social Media

 

Hello, reader! My name is Joey McAuliffe, and I should start by saying that I’m a passionate New York Islanders fan. I've been rooting for the Blue and Orange since the 7th grade, and I won't sugarcoat it: I can get a little toxic at times. I’ve worked on controlling my emotions when it comes to sports, but it’s still a process.

I don't intend to blame my bad traits solely on sports social media, but it definitely didn’t help a younger Joey. As part of Gen Z, I was exposed to things online that weren’t always healthy. And there’s a simple truth to it all:

People tend to be different online. Without face-to-face confrontation, we often say things we’d never say in real life. The internet can bring out the worst in us.

Origins

It all started in my second year of middle school. The Islanders had finally become a solid team for the first time in nearly a decade. With no other fun local teams, I thought, “Why not?” I watched one game and was hooked. Soon, everything was about hockey. I learned the team’s history, culture, and players, including their heated rivalries.

The Islanders and Rangers have clashed since the late ‘70s, with epic moments, goals, hits, saves, and yes, brawls. The players’ rivalry carried over into the fan base too. I heard stories from family and friends, like the time my brother was covered in beer by a drunken Ranger fan. The rivalry was real, and if I was going to be an Islanders fan, hating the Rangers and their fans was part of it.

But while in-person arguments with Rangers fans were part of the fun, social media turned it into something else entirely.

The Problem

For every sports debate in person, there are about 30 online. And online, they’re much nastier. Comment sections on sports pages are chaotic, with fans constantly clashing. The anonymity of the internet lets people say things they’d never say face-to-face. 

I’ve lost count of how many times I was told, “All Islanders fans are stupid, obnoxious jerks.” It’s even worse on fan pages or meme pages, where some of the most dedicated fans argue daily. Even analysts like Paul Bissonnette and Sean Avery get in on the banter. (Admittedly, Bissonnette is much more tame than Avery. Both like to make comments about Islander fans. If I had a nickel for every time I heard Sean Avery call ALL Islander fans "greasy"...)

At 13, I was impressionable. Islanders vs. Rangers games terrified me, I knew my Instagram feed would be unbearable in defeat. If we won, the thrill of taunting Rangers fans was euphoric. This cycle hurt my social skills and made me more confrontational.

You might be thinking, “Joey, you could’ve ignored them!” And you’d be right. But at 13, just getting into social media, I didn’t know how to handle these trolls. My parents couldn’t help—they barely knew what Instagram was.

The Internet was a rough place, especially for a young kid. My pride felt tied to the Islanders’ performance. I was encouraged to be angry. It almost destroyed me.

I did what felt right, and by the time I realized this behavior was unhealthy, it was a habit. Things got so bad that I eventually deleted my social media.

Moving Forward…

I want to offer advice to two groups on social media: the commenters and the readers.

To the reader: I know it’s hard, but ignoring the trolls is best. Think of them like strangers yelling nonsense in Times Square. Would you argue with them? Probably not. Trolls thrive on attention, so don’t give it to them.

To the commenter: I get it. It’s tempting to “let them have it.” But before you do, think about how you’d feel reading a similar comment about your team. Do you need this negative attention? You may be having a bigger impact on a person than you intend to.

Conclusion

I hope sharing my story helps other frustrated fans out there. I don’t want anyone to be the type of fan I was. Social media can be chaotic, but it’s only a game, and kindness matters—even behind a screen.