Fermented whine

One News Now -- We humans like to complain. If you don't believe me, then go to a high school basketball game, sit on press row, and just listen to the constant stream of whining cascading from the bleachers.

The object of fans' disdain is, 99 percent of the time, the officials. These are the men or women who are charged with keeping order and enforcing the rules of the game. Most of them, you hope, are well-trained. They're on the court, in the midst of the action, closely watching each player, each move.

It's a hard job, but a lot of fans apparently don't think so. They think they can do it a lot better from their seats, whether they're 20 feet or 200 feet from the court. And those fans are eager to let the officials know what a poor job they're doing out there.

Will the fans yell at their own players or coaches? Not usually, because the offended fan reasons that any borderline call -- and even some obvious calls -- an official makes is a bad call if and only if it goes against his team.

I find this want to complain a curious human condition, and yet its manifestation in a basketball setting makes perfect sense. I'm a firm believer that sports cannot only shape one's character, but reveal it. That's as true for the fans as for the athletes.

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