It\u2019s clear that not all members of the New England Patriots share the same view of the team\u2019s fans as Jahlani Tavai.<\/p>\n
Tavai got himself in hot water when he criticized the Patriots fan base Friday morning during a radio appearance on WEEI. He said fans should \u201cknow their place\u201d when raining down boos on the team or chanting for a coach to be fired, liked Patriots fans did last week in an embarrassing 40-7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.<\/p>\n
Patriots special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer was asked later in the day about fans getting on the team at Gillette Stadium and Springer gave a lengthy and refreshing answer that differed greatly from Tavai.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, I always say this, \u2018If you don\u2019t want to get shot at, don\u2019t join the Army,’\u201d Springer told reporters, per team-provided video. \u201cI know this profession. I know what it brings. (The Patriots) have had so much success here. I grew up a Dallas Cowboys fan, so as a kid when we weren\u2019t going to the playoffs \u2014 when I was a little kid we were going to Super Bowls \u2014 I was pissed at the team too when we were losing.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I\u2019m all about the team and the fans, too. There\u2019s people in those stands \u2013 and I know because I was a kid once and my parents couldn\u2019t afford to go to football games \u2013 they\u2019re expensive tickets. To bring your whole family to the game, that\u2019s $1,000 probably you\u2019re spending in one day. And then to lose like we did, I mean, they\u2019re upset. They\u2019re frustrated. And they should be. We need to put a better product on the field and that\u2019s what our job is.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny time I hear that, I\u2019m like, \u2018What can I do better so they\u2019re not doing that next time? What can I do better to be a better coordinator, to be a better coach, to make our players play harder and play better so that we don\u2019t hear that?\u2019 They have every right to do that in my opinion. It\u2019s the sport. It\u2019s the organization. It\u2019s professional sports. If you don\u2019t want to (hear) that, go coach in Alaska for six-man football. Then you won\u2019t hear that because that\u2019s all your family in the stands. But this is different. This is professional football. So, this is the way this goes with society and I\u2019m totally fine with that.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Unlike Tavai, Springer probably won over fans with his comments. Tavai clarified his remarks, but the damage of what he said was already done, adding to an ugly season for the Patriots.<\/p>\n Tavai certainly could learn a thing or two from Springer as he\u2019s likely to hear boos again Sunday when the Patriots wrap up the regular season against the Buffalo Bills.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s clear that not all members of the New England Patriots share the same view of the team\u2019s fans as Jahlani Tavai. Tavai got himself in hot… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":23673,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n