I've never booed anyone at the football.
I've always found it a little puerile as an expression but I don't have an issue unless Richmond supporters boo their own players.
That view aside, it's a part of the game and is generally set aside for umpires, poor performing teams, acts of violence on the field & players who have reputations as being tools or cheats.
Which brings me to Adam Goodes.
One of my favourite players so far this century (the prelim final vs Saints, the gf against Wce which nearly won them back to back and routine tearing richmond a new one as examples) he's had as big an impact as most.
In the last couple of years, I've become annoyed at his free kick staging and his persecution based opinion of others which is ironic.
There's always a balance between recognising the past and moving forward together - I'm not sure he gets the balance right.
But that's his view, his entitled to it and I'm certainly not going to boo him for it.
Equally I respect the rights of football fans for booing him for his tool like behaviour - be it his on field antics or off field. You put yourself out there - expect feedback.
What I find incredible is the way the football community are almost implying that there is a racist undertone behind the booing. 70 indigenous players in the competition, why is Goodes being booed over them? Plenty of indigenous players before him - Long, Winmar, D Rioli etc never booed for standing up for themselves or their rights - never booed?
Perhaps people think Goodes is a tool and has earnt the right to be booed - like a Ballentyne at the Dockers.
His inability to deal with it (by ignoring it) has made it worse and the football communities paranoia about it had actually made it worse.
There's probably a few racists in the crowd booing Goodes, I'd imagine there are plenty more, far,far more who aren't and are now booing at the insinuation that they are.