Bad sportsmanship?

[LA the DJ]

Now we all know that most contestants aren't rooting for their opponents deep down, but as I was watching CS today, I noticed a contestant who got way too excited each time her opponent failed. To the point where after a contestant flipped a 2 over after a 3, Bill says "Oh, that hurts", to which the contestant screams and cheers and says "That doesn't hurt at all!
I'm curious as to the general opinion of the group as to whether something like this is considered bad sportsmanship, or just getting excited about your own fortunes. Needless to say, it caused me to root against this contestant.

[Ian Wallis]

I noticed a contestant who got way too excited each time her opponent failed. To the point where after a contestant flipped a 2 over after a 3, Bill says "Oh, that hurts", to which the contestant screams and cheers and says "That doesn't hurt at all!

Maybe she was just a little too excited to be there ?!

If I was on the show, I probably wouldn't be as vocal about it but just feel happy inside that luck has turned my way; but is this kind of thing much different than a contestant rooting for the whammy on "Press Your Luck", and getting excited when your opponent actually hits the whammy?  (I saw that sort of thing many times).  Or does it depend on what kind of show you were on how much "happiness" you can show when your opponent loses?

[TLEberle]

I find it utterly reprehensible in any form on any show.  (See: strike markers on CBS' Feud, as well as "Bad answer!" and the like)

When's the last time you saw someone clap for a "Bankrupt" on Wheel? Or do the Ickey Woods Shuffle after a FJ! miss? There's a difference between wanting to win for yourself, and gloating over your opponent's misfortune. Not only do you look like a total ass, well, actually, that's it. It just makes that player look really bad. And on TV, no less.

[Jimmy Owen]

Encouragement to root against your opponent is the one thing I don't like about the Combs Feud.  Not cool.

[tvwxman]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jan 5 2006, 03:13 PM\']Encouragement to root against your opponent is the one thing I don't like about the Combs Feud.  Not cool.

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But, encouragement to root against your opponent on the Dawson Feud I wholeheartedly endorse.

[clemon79]

And to offer a conflicting view:

There is CASH MONEY on the line.

Would I do the "Noonan! Miss it! Miss!" thing? Probably not. Would I feel one iota of guilt over the schaudenfreude of seeing someone call lower than a King for the match in the tiebreaker and handing it to me when an Ace comes up? Hells NO.

[Jimmy Owen]

Admittedly, I haven't seen them all, but I don't recall seeing poor sportsmanship on Dawson Feud.  Generally opponents were in a huddle when the other team was answering.  Rooting was for your family, not against the other family.  They changed that on Combs Feud.

[SplitSecond]

For some reason, rooting against your opponents and catcalling in a semi-friendly manner doesn't bother me nearly as much in team games like Family Feud and The Better Sex.  Now, if you're talking smack to your opponent on, say, Child's Play, then you're pretty much a douchebag.

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'SplitSecond\' date=\'Jan 5 2006, 04:13 PM\']Now, if you're talking smack to your opponent on, say, Child's Play, then you're pretty much a douchebag.

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You six-year-old dumbass!! What kind of ^&*%ing clue is that?

[LA the DJ]

See, sometimes I think there's a very fine line between rooting for yourself (which would include some rooting against your opponent), and being an ass.
On PYL, one could say that the contestant is really just yelling at the board, which they were encouraged to do.
I think we all know that contestants are rooting against their opponent deep down, but how vocal should you make that?

[musicman]

Who's idea was it for opposing families to heckle each other on Combs' Feud?

It seemed to me that Ray himself was egging the families to get each other's goats.

[Casey]

I'm reminded of the pilot week of Lange's Name That Tune with the extremely obnoxious guy in Bid-A-Note:
Opponent:  "I can name that tune in 3 notes"
Obnoxious: "I'm shaking!  I'm sweating!"

At some level it was funny, but it just got annoying pretty quickly.

[Kevin Prather]

I know World Series of Poker is SOOOOO not a game show, but when I read this topic, I instantly thought of Mike the Mouth Matusow. If you're lucky enough to suck out, I believe you should be happy and relieved, but that you should keep that to yourself.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jan 5 2006, 04:00 PM\']Admittedly, I haven't seen them all, but I don't recall seeing poor sportsmanship on Dawson Feud.  Generally opponents were in a huddle when the other team was answering.  Rooting was for your family, not against the other family.  They changed that on Combs Feud.

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It seemed to be around 1991 or 1992 when the show started to lose ground when the "bad sportsmanship" started to be seen on Combs Feud. I don't see how Goodson(who was still alive) or even Howard Felsher(despite his less-than-friendly disposition, if the E! special is to be believed) would allow this to continue on Feud.

[ChuckNet]

I'm reminded of the pilot week of Lange's Name That Tune with the extremely obnoxious guy in Bid-A-Note:
Opponent: "I can name that tune in 3 notes"
Obnoxious: "I'm shaking! I'm sweating!"

Ah, the infamous Alfred...and to top it off, he won the game. Luckily, he didn't duplicate his success in the Golden Medley, where he was stumped by "Every Breath You Take" by the Police.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")