You know what one of my biggest pet peeves is as a sports fan?

It’s that text you get when your team loses the biggest game of the season.

Maybe your kicker put the game-tying field goal just wide. Maybe your star player clanked an easy layup. Maybe your shortstop threw high and wide to first.

Whatever the situation, every sports fan has been there — in the pits of despair feeling like things couldn’t get any worse.

And, well, they do.

Because then that “friend” of yours thinks now is a good time to send over that text message reminding you of the fact that the team you care so passionately for just blew an important game.

And, the feeling that didn’t seem like it could get any worse just did.

Well Dodger fans, every time we boo Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier (or whomever), we’re that “friend” sending Kemp and Ethier the reminder they need no reminding of.

You think either guy is happy about their performance?

You think either guy has forgotten how many strikeouts they have in their past few games?

Consider this: after a game ends, you go to sleep, you go to school or to your job and you get to forget about it for a few hours.

For a professional athlete, that safe-haven doesn’t exist.

The newspapers will write about it, the analysts will discuss it and it seems like everyone is picking a fight.

What’s great about being a fan is that we get to be the cure for that problem.

By cheering on Kemp despite his slump, we’re not reinforcing a culture of complacency — we’re building a culture of safety and encouragement.

Sure, it sounds cheesy and like something your second-grade teacher thought of, but it’s true.

Kemp isn’t three boos short of breaking out of his slump, but he might be just a few cheers short.

Yes, Kemp and Ethier get paid a lot of money, and, no, they aren’t exactly earning it right now — but booing them at home surely isn’t going to help.

Have you ever heard of home-field advantage? Ever wonder why a guy hits better at home then he does on the road?

Who knows, maybe the fact that he isn’t getting booed every time up or heckled in the outfield has something to do with it.

I’m not saying I don’t understand the thought process behind booing these guys, I’m saying we need to fight that urge.

It might make sense to boo, but it surely doesn’t help.

Go Dodgers.