There were two dopes in the front row at the Capitals game last night that would bang on the glass whenever a Penguins player skated in front of them. Which made us think about this recent post from David at Illegal Curve that analyzed glass-bangin' fans. He writes:

Do those people who sit in the first row behind the glass and actively engage in 'glass banging' constitute a segment of the fan base who you would consider to be true fans who show their emotion by banging on the glass or are these people just a group of morons who think that banging on the glass with wild abandon somehow makes them a bigger part of the game?

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How many times does Sidney Crosby cruise into the corners when playing at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia and worry about the glass banging Philadelphia Flyers fans?  My guess is never.  He is more likely to be worried about one of the big, hulking defenseman bearing down on him, ready to pulverize him into the boards.

Glass-banging during a fight or a scrum in the corner, I understand; it adds to the Thunderdome aesthetics for the violent world of the hockey rink. In that regard, it's as much a fan tradition as tossing a hat after a player nets three goals or throwing a beer at an opponent during a postgame interview cheering on the home team.

The glass-banging during the action, as skaters glide down the ice? Never understood that.

As if one swift wallop on the glass is going to knock the puck off of some guy's blade. It's distracting and stupid; for 250 bucks a ticket, no one's paying to see some dude act like he's trying to make the gorillas angry at the zoo -- or to look his back during play. Anyone who does this should just wear a giant sign that says, "My company/uncle/dentist didn't use the tickets, so here I am world!" And continue to wear the sign when they start yapping on their cell phone or leave with 10 minutes left in the third ...

So in essence, I believe glass-banging to be acceptable on a situational basis, although deplorable when misapplied. But in a general sense, what say you about our overly enthusiastic high-priced patrons in Row A?

Pass or Fail: Fans banging on the glass during a game, no matter the situation.