I know you know who he is.

He's the guy at a sporting event who honestly believes he has an effect on the game's outcome. Whether it's to ensure victory or lessen defeat, he (or she, if you know anything about baseball moms) shoulders the responsibility of acting as annoying, ignorant or violent as possible.

Often, he is the one who tries to achieve this by shouting instructions at players such as "RUN!" and "GO!" He invariably enlightens the official(s) on the rules of the particular game, and he feels an overwhelming obligation to curse at players, coaches and/or other spectators.

You recognize him now?

As a former high school athlete, youth soccer referee, recreational soccer coach and sporting event spectator, I can affirm that people at all levels of sports interaction hate that guy.

Fans such as these negatively affect sports for everyone involved -especially the players. I have witnessed many instances of belligerent fans aimlessly shouting, and at no point has a player said, "Boy, all that shouting is boosting my self-esteem," or "Terrorizing reinforces how much fun this sport can be."

On countless occasions players have mentioned that the constant shouting detracts from the pleasure of competition, and it embarrasses them.

I'm not a moron. I realize these enthusiasts heckle opponents to hinder their performances. But this energy would be better utilized if it were used to support a respective team or individual, not to degrade.

Recently, in Rocky River, people took steps to silence this type of fan.

The organizers of a 217-team youth soccer league implemented a "Silent Sunday," where parents and fans were prohibited from cheering, even positively, at games. This action enabled the participants and spectators to focus on the rudiments of sports-competition, teamwork and fun.

I am a proponent of this program because I feel it could be beneficial for many sports, especially those involving young players, because they emphasize these positive aspects of athletic involvement.

Here at Ohio, however, there is no need for such a program for one reason: Ohio fans, for the most part, aren't obnoxious. We cheer when something good happens. We boo when something bad happens. Occasionally we'll swear (especially during a certain refrain at the hockey games). Sometimes we'll harass an official, but we don't act like bloodthirsty hooligans. We enjoy it when Ohio wins, but a loss isn't the end of the world - the important thing is that the fans and the players enjoy their involvement.

A few weeks ago I went to the Dayton-Ohio soccer match and I was delighted at what I didn't hear. Very seldom were there asinine screams of "KICK IT!" or "YOU ARE THE CRAPPIEST REF KNOWN TO MANKIND!" There were, however, intelligent cheers for smooth teamwork, hustling players and sportsmanship.

I take comfort in knowing I can attend an Ohio sporting event where the vast majority of the fans are more concerned with cheering for the Bobcats, and less concerned with being the fan who manages to embarrass his school, his peers and himself.

Paul, a junior English major, has only sworn once in his life and it wasn't at a hockey game. Send him an e-mail at bp425397 .