I agree with you cincy, and would go one step further. As much as I love football, it bugs me that it tends to bring out the worst in a certain kind of fan as well as in the writers and journalists who cover it. The tendency toward chest-thumping, toward denigration of opponents, the kind of nasty behavior discussed in the thread about stadium neighbors, all reflect a coarsening of humanity that accompanies much of the game. Part of it is the inevitable response of humans to a spectacle of violence and aggression that quickens the pulse, but part of it is also people unable to realize that they are not out on the field tackling people...
Before anyone starts talking about "New age fans" and "kumbaya" and all such nonsense in response, I repeat that I love football, and enjoy good hard hitting as much as the next guy, but I do think it unfortunate that class too often gets crowded out of enjoying the game.