Matt Schaub

Matt Schaub is the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans.

For now.

He has been having a rough time. He has also been harassed by fans.

The story goes that he noticed people driving by his house and taking pictures. It has also been reported that a person pulled into Schaub's driveway and yelled obscenities at him. Schaub later denied this, but maybe he is trying to defuse the bomb, attempting to avoid stirring up other idiots who might find this a tempting idea.

Schaub was sufficiently rattled to call team security about the incidents.

The Schaub family has also filed a report with the Houston Police Department regarding two separate trespassers.

This is not a new story. It has happened before. Many professional athletes have been harassed by crazed fans when the athlete is struggling.

This is delusional behavior.

Most of the fans doing the harassing are losers. Living small, unsatisfying lives in petty ways. Yet they cannot accept the fact that athletes are human beings who cannot always perform at the highest level. That they can have bad days or bad stretches. That they too can be losers.

Maybe the fans graft their hopes and dreams onto the performance of their team because they know they, the fans, will never get to be where they want to be; never get to be who they want to be. Maybe they expect everything from an athlete because they earn enormous salaries and to a certain extent, maybe that is justified.

The professional sports world is a harsh one; people are judged quickly and dealt with mercilessly. Careers are short, pressure is intense, rewards are extravagant and punishment is severe.

That's the only thing an athlete should have to deal with. Not the misplaced and vicious anger of frustrated fans.

There have been many instances of athletes being afraid for the safety of their families, as Matt Schaub obviously is.

That is sick and demented.

Many of these fans are losers every day of their lives. How would they react if strangers pulled into their driveways to taunt them about the vapidity of their lives? Would they consider that fair?

Texans fans have burned Schaub's jersey in effigy. That is spiteful and cruel, but I can accept it because it is a non threatening gesture. Hopefully.

Although I could envision idiot fans nailing Schaub's jersey to a cross and burning it on his front lawn.

Too much viciousness in the world, too much hatred.

We do not need sports as an excuse to make it even worse.

That is just vile.