Brandon Robinson, 'Fans Forget We're Human Too'

Something for fans to think about the next time they tweet, write a comment, or bold enough to yell it at games.

Something for fans to think about the next time they tweet, write a comment, or bold enough to yell it at games. Playing in Carolina blue is not an easy task; the school is rich with history from star players such as Michael Jordan and Vince Carter to Hall of Fame coaches like Dean Smith and countless appearances in post-season runs. But what happens when the team doesn't perform to fan standards? A team that wasn't expecting to be suffering from injuries but a team that's looking for the same thing you are, just one win.

Carolina fans are spoiled. Let's get down to the core, admittedly it's a significant problem to have, but what happens when the clout starts reaching the ears of players? Many fans and critics have faulted Coach Williams for the harshness of his post-game interviews, but can fans be at fault? Throughout the telecast, one can hear an analyst say, "This wasn't your typical Roy Williams team" or "Even at their best, none of these players would even be in rotation on a good Roy Williams team." Players can quickly get on social media and search their names and see various harsh opinions from fan accounts. It has to be exhausting. 

Earlier in the season, Brandon Robinson touched on fan support and what it means to have former players backing the team through a tough season. 

"It's great to hear former players still believe in us and knowing that we still have people supporting us and having our back, especially former players. Guys that have been here and put that jersey on. There have been fans that are supporting, true fans supporting us."

Robinson proceeded to detail about seeing one fan in particular who was standing outside with his kids at 1 am waiting for the team to arrive - those are the things they needed to see. It's was a tough season, something we all know. It's a season they won't forget (or history books), but the one thing fans can do for the players is unwavering support from a fanbase who continued to believe. 

The Georgia native continued his stance on twitter early Tuesday morning. 

"The majority of these fans that's supporting you saying you right. The same ones tell us we don't deserve a scholarship and talk to us crazy after a bad game. Most wouldn't care about us if we didn't have that jersey on. The image being a 18-22 yr old young man having GROWN men and women tell you that you don't belong or don't deserve something because you didn't play to their standard. 

This is a problem at all Division 1 institutions. "Fans" forget we are human too. & Like I said before I don't get on this app judging you or telling you that you need to be fired after one bad day on the job. But because I get a free education you can say those things to me?"

Robinson's tweets started out addressing police brutality and holding cops accountable the same way fans do to a college program; as you can tell, the responses didn't go over so well. Robinson's point and reaction prove that some fans are clueless about how they treat players as a commodity and not human beings. There's more to college programs than banners and hardware; there are kids encountering scrutiny at every turn because of a bad game, pass or season; as adults, fans have to do better. 

And sure you're right, stop googling your name, but you're telling an 18-year-old kid not to be a kid because adults can't well... adult. These Black kids/men are enduring something more profound than a college stat. When they take off those uniforms, they're no longer a 'Carolina player' they're Black, something they can't just take off. Using their platform to help create change is precisely what they're supposed to be doing; athletes have the voice that can reach ears that most of us do. Why not use it to push for a better country?