It's true that often players are out there on the court when they
are less than 100% physically, and sometimes what looks to the
fan like a lack of effort is really decreased physical ability
due to injury or illness. However, since the fans are not advised
when players are playing sick or hurt, the players who are playing
sick or hurt need to realize that the uninformed fans only see
HOW they perform, and not WHY. Fans, especially those who have
wagered on the games, expect solid effort from ALL players, and
will express their displeasure with players who appear to be giving
less than 100%. That's part of being a pro athlete, until the
comments get personal....which unfortunately they sometimes do.
Nobody should have to put up with personal insults. If a player
is playing hurt, and he's getting ridden by some fans, he should
be able to let it go by realizing that the fans don't know the
reason for his performance.
There are also the total idiots who just like to yell insults
at the players, period. In my opinion, such customers should be
shown the door....but that's not likely to happen these days,
unless the abuse is REALLY bad, because the house needs every
dollar.
