The Wave. Oh yes, the infamous wave. I hate to write about something so terrible, but this is an issue that needs to be addressed. Fans have been partaking in this activity for years and it’s finally time to put an end to it. And no, I’m not just talking about you White Sox fans out there. I’m talking about fans of every Major League Baseball team. We’ve reached the point where it’s time to rally together and make a change. Going out to watch your favorite team at the ballpark is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable activity. Why on earth should you or someone else try to take that away from another person’s experience by doing the wave? Now, I’m sure there’s some people who are probably hating the direction this is going and thinking, “Joe, why should we stop the wave? It’s harmless, it’s fun, it’s…” I don’t need to hear your excuses. The wave is officially OUT and I’m here to explain why.
First and foremost, it’s very distracting for the people who are actually trying to watch the game. For anyone who hasn’t experienced the wave in person, I can guarantee that it will drive you nuts. Say your favorite player is up at the plate in a one run game with a runner on second, full count, and two outs. The pitcher gets set and begins driving towards home plate. Wait a sec, here comes the wave and uh… oh, you just missed the pitch. Other fans are cheering as the runner is coming around to score and you’re just left clueless because people doing the wave were blocking your view. So, while you are now sitting there pissed off because you missed everything, some overly excited people around you are going crazy saying, “Oh look, here it comes again! Here it comes! Get ready! 3-2-1 WOOOHOOO!” And this happens five, six, maybe seven, hopefully not eight more times until these people get their fill of the stupid activity. They don’t care anything about what’s going on in the game. Instead, they’re fully invested in standing up and flailing their arms like an inflatable outside a used car dealership. Bottom line, it’s distracting to you, the person next you, and the person next to them. Sit down and let people enjoy the game!
Next, it doesn’t always work. If you’ve been to enough games, you know what I’m talking about. Not every wave goes according to the plan. Many times, there’s a small group of individuals who think it would be awesome to get the wave going. All five of them do it relentlessly, trying to get the people around them to join in. You might have a random lady smile and join in because she feels bad. Maybe a little kid will jump around and try to help out. After spending five to ten minutes of trying to get this in motion, the guys finally realize, “Hey, this ain’t working.” At that point, it’s no longer just a distraction to the people around them, but also a waste of time, effort, and money. Going to games isn’t necessarily the cheapest thing these days so why go through so much energy trying to start something stupid when you can just sit back, relax, enjoy a beer, and watch your favorite team. Is that such a crazy concept?
While I’m asking questions, let me give you another basic one to answer regarding the wave – what’s the point? Can anyone answer this? No, you can’t? Oh, ok. Maybe that’s a good indication that the wave is something we shouldn’t be doing then. I honestly don’t see what the end goal of the wave really is. Some might say it’s to have “fun.” But then I have to follow-up with yet another question, how is it fun? What really makes it fun? This will illicit responses of, “it just is.” Unfortunately, “it just is” doesn’t really provide a solid explanation. Therefore, this ultimately gives us yet another reason for why this activity has no place in the ballpark.
Finally, it’s not just fans who hate it. We’ve got players who are calling for the wave to end! Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard is a prime example of one of those guys who’s trying to lead the charge to end this activity.
Home team stadium started the WAVE tonight. Lost 14-4. Coincidence? #justsaying #??
— Noah Syndergaard (@Noahsyndergaard) April 12, 2017
After more research, Children who do the wave are 5X more likely to drop out of school. It’s on the web, must be true. Save the children!
— Noah Syndergaard (@Noahsyndergaard) September 12, 2016
Astros pitcher Lance McCullers has also joined the movement.
The wave is OUT #stopthewave https://t.co/UmjJFdQpgZ
— Lance McCullers Jr. (@LMcCullers43) July 7, 2018
So, you see, it’s not just me who thinks it’s time for a change. We’ve got other fans and more importantly, players, the actual people we’re watching on the field, telling you to cut it out. I know for a fact there are many other people out there on Twitter dot com who dislike it as much as I do so if you are one of those people, I applaud you. At the very least, I hope for those who like doing the wave, you have begun to realize how annoying it is and will make an effort to change in the future. Let’s end our long, national nightmare once and for all. Ban the wave.
Featured Photo: LayritzBaseball.com
