Fan Behavior

[samikeyp]

With the incident in Detroit earlier this year and what the crowd in Denver was doing I ask the questions...

What do you think is acceptable or not?

Do you subscribe to the theory of "Well I paid for this seat, I can do what I want"?

What do think the limits, if any, should be?


Personally I feel that you can do almost anything but there is a limit. I see no problem with booing. It is a time-honored American tradition of voicing your displeasure, much like in European and Latin American countries they whistle. Where I draw this line is this...

I don't think you have the right to get personal. For example, back in the 90's Vernon Maxwell got tossed and suspended against Portland for getting into it with a fan. Maxwell said his reasoning behind it was that the fan made some disparaging remarks about his stillborn baby daughter. If that was the case (I wasn't there so I can't say for sure) then that fan was wrong.

I don't think you have the right to get racial.

I think that if small kids are around, you should ease up on the profanity. (more of a personal thing really)

What say you?

[SilverPlayer]

Pretty much use the legal code as your definition of boundaries and you have a pretty good idea as to what is acceptable or not. Rules for assualt, indecency, and threats do apply. However you can mock a player/ref, just keep it pg-13 rated, and you got no problems.

[Brodels]

I don't think you have the right to get personal. For example, back in the 90's Vernon Maxwell got tossed and suspended against Portland for getting into it with a fan. Maxwell said his reasoning behind it was that the fan made some disparaging remarks about his stillborn baby daughter. If that was the case (I wasn't there so I can't say for sure) then that fan was wrong.

The problem is that you have to put the onus on the officials to decide what is disparaging and what is O.K. And since there are so many different possiblities, their really can't be any written rules. I'm not comfortable with leaving it up to the refs to decide what is disparaging and what isn't, because opinions can vary widely.

The alternative, of course, is to have the issue dealt with after the game by the league. But since TV cameras and microphones aren't going to pick up many of the remarks judged to be disparaging, you can't catch many of the guilty even if you can somehow successfully define 'disparaging.' So it really has to be up to the refs to manage these situations, and since they have enough to do and they aren't really doing a great job with the games, adding more responsibilities seems foolish.

You could enlist ushers to perform the task. But they are paid by the arena owner and are required to follow those rules. It's hard to imagine getting ushers around the league to follow the same rules for disparaging remarks and trust them with handling each situation in consistent manner.

I think, by necessity, these kinds of remarks have to be allowed. I just don't know how you can sufficiently define the rules and enforce them even if you could define them.

Physical altercations need to be dealt with appropriately. Throwing things shouldn't be allowed. People should feel safe in their seats. Taunting other fans is a problem, especially if it leads to physical altercations. Other than those things, I can't imagine how you can consistenly enforce any rules unless they are very specific and someone is trained and able to deal with violations appropriately whenever they come up.

[Useruser666]

So no combo laser pointer/bull horn/ paintball gun? Damnit! I hope I can find the receipt.

[Samr]

I'm not a big of profanity, in general, unless it is being used in very casual conversation, with someone you know. If you can't be witty, funny, or convincing without using profanity, you need to go read the dictionary, or just read period, and learn how to converse otherwise. If you’re want to rag on someone, and you have to use profanity, it’s probably not something you should be saying anyways. If it’s something you’d think twice about infront of your nephews, you should definitely not say it at a public place like a sporting event.

There is a definitive line between what is fun, acceptable ragging that is almost encouraged at these games, and what is personal, and offensive. As a general rule of thumb, if it is something that is requires any sort of serious reference (Kobe rape, Maxwell baby, Kerr’s father, etc), it should not be voiced. Anything about race, nationality, assumed sexual preference, family, or personal history is off-limits. However, things like quantity of head hair, facial features, weight of various anatomical locations (hehe….), descriptions of movement, or shot selection is fair game to anyone who can put a sentence, or a fragment, together.

One of my biggest pet peeves at a game is people who are obliviously obnoxious. You know the guy- he’s the one with the gelled hair, megaphone voice, and a General MacArthur complex sitting two rows in front of you. He stands up whenever Tim Duncan blinks two times in a row, shouts incoherent insults, laced with profanity, and sits back down laughing to himself, only. That was me two years ago. But that is also the exact type of fan you should strive not to be. It’s guys like this, that have no social inhibition, that need to watch the game at home.

Don’t be that guy.

[red kryptonite]

One time I yelled, "You suck Dick Bavetta."

I may have needed a comma in there with the way I said it.

[SpursWoman]

One time I yelled, "You suck Dick Bavetta."

I may have needed a comma in there with the way I said it.


:rollin :lol

[T Park]

I think, you can get insulting, but not personal.

Profanity isn't need at all, unless during the Rock and Roll song you say "Were gonna beat the hell out of you"


Lazer pointers, out of the question.

Bull horns, clappers, bangers, foam hands Go For it.

[Kori Ellis]

I'll admit that I got in trouble for saying "Box out, Motherfuckers" very loudly at Staples Center.

[Shelly]

One time I yelled, "You suck Dick Bavetta."

I may have needed a comma in there with the way I said it.


:lmao

The fans don't bother me..however I could have done with the people behind me talking about New Orleans the whole freaking game.

[SpursWoman]

The drunker I get, the louder and (more vulgar :oops) I get. But I'm a happy drunk and I'm rarely driving. :drunk

[SPARKY]

Once upon a time I found myself sitting in the 3rd level of the Alamodome watching a playoff game and sweet Jesus in front of me sat an individual who apparently had not had access to a bathtub, soap, and water in quite some time. The stench was a mixture of sweat and ass so foul that it could knock a full grown man down from 10 feet away. This was the last time I enjoyed a 'HEB Peasant Night' at the old 'dome.

[T Park]

I'll admit that I got in trouble for saying "Box out, Motherfuckers" very loudly at Staples Center.

After going to two playoff GTGs with you??

This doesn't suprise me lol :)

[SPARKY]

Come to think of it, it was probably T Park.

[samikeyp]

I think, by necessity, these kinds of remarks have to be allowed. I just don't know how you can sufficiently define the rules and enforce them even if you could define them.

I would have to disagree. I think a player's family should be kept out of it.

[baseline bum]

I'm not a good guy for kids to sit near at a game. Especially if Kobe Bryant is on the floor.

[samikeyp]

I'll admit that I got in trouble for saying "Box out, Motherfuckers" very loudly at Staples Center. :lol

Were you on press row?

[Kori Ellis]

No, it was during a Spurs-Lakers playoff game -- I was yelling at the Spurs. It was way before I was anything close to press. On press row, I don't even clap or anything.

[timvp]

Sometimes I clap. That's about it.

Having season tickets for like seven years can take the bite out of any dog.

:smokin

[T Park]

Come to think of it, it was probably T Park

Wrong again fucko.


I sat about 7 rows behind the Spurs bench in the Dome.

[T Park]

Having season tickets for like seven years can take the bite out of any dog.


Season tickets for 16 years hasn't taken the bite out of this fatass dog bro.... :smokin

[T Park]

I don't even clap or anything

Its true.

Shes an emotionless robot on Press Row.

I don't know HOW she does IT!!!!!!

[timvp]

Once upon a time I found myself sitting in the 3rd level of the Alamodome watching a playoff game and sweet Jesus in front of me sat an individual who apparently had not had access to a bathtub, soap, and water in quite some time. The stench was a mixture of sweat and ass so foul that it could knock a full grown man down from 10 feet away. This was the last time I enjoyed a 'HEB Peasant Night' at the old 'dome.

That same guy sat next to us one time. He wore like a wool coat with the remnants of what used to be a hat on his head, right?

We had to literally get up and sit somewhere else. Seriously.

:lol

[Kori Ellis]

Its true.

Shes an emotionless robot on Press Row.

I don't know HOW she does IT!!!!!!

I have established a game face. I think I learned from Pop.

[T Park]

Ice water damnt. Ice water, IM TELLIN YA!!!

[Brodels]

I would have to disagree. I think a player's family should be kept out of it.

But who decides what is over the line and who enforces it? If you're going to have that rule, you've got to have ushers constantly looking for that sort of thing. And you have to distinguish between "your daddy's ugly" and other more vulgar things. Then, or course, fans will call your family members by their first names. The ushers and referees aren't going to necessarily be able to tell when an insult is dealing with a family member.

It's just too tough to enforce. I think professional basketball players have to be prepared for that sort of thing and have to know that playing in the NBA can require incredibly thick skin.

[T Park]

How about those drunken morons just shutting the fuck up and watching the game.

Thats what Im there to do, that is what we are there to do.

If you wanna get drunk and shout stupid shit, go home, or go to a bar.

[samikeyp]

I agree that its tough to enforce. You would think that in this day in age people would have enough sense to know right from wrong. Sadly that is not the case with some fans. Most are good but its the few bad ones that get noticed. I don't blame Maxwell for going after him though. If it were me, I would have done the same thing. I think the only way that could be enforced is if the usher heard exactly what that fan said at the time and that would be nearly impossible.

[alamo50]

If you can't be witty, funny, or convincing without using profanity, you need to go read the dictionary, or just read period, and learn how to converse otherwise.


Nice one Sam.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

From 1985 to 1990 I had access to 4 season tickets three rows back of the visitor's side of the scorer's table at Hemisfair Arena. In 1989-90, our games with Portland were wars. To one of the games, I took my St. Mary's dorm neighbor who was a really quiet guy, and a couple of other friends.

Throughout the game, the Portland radio announcer would taunt the crowd at times, pumping his fist in the air whenever the Blazers dunked or blocked a shot. The game was down to the wire, and if I recall correctly, we snagged a one point lead on a three pointer by David Wingate or maybe Willie Anderson with like 5 seconds on the clock. Terry Cummings got zapped with a total bulllshit foul on Jerome Kersey (then the enemy) on the inbound. He clanked both free throws, and the Spurs hung on for the win.

The crowd was going nuts with Pat Tollman exorting them shouting in his gravelliest voice, "SPURS WIN! SPURS WIN! SPURS WIN!" At that moment, I turned to high five my neighbor, but he was gone. I looked around and found him three rows in front of me shaking the Portland announcer by the shoulders and yelling in his face. The guy nearly exploded with rage, and demanded that the nearby cop arrest my friend. The cop, who stood by the visitor's bench the whole game and saw their announcer's behavior shrugged and walked off.

Ahhh. Hemisfair.

[ShoogarBear]

For Game 2 of the Finals in 2003 at the SBC, we sat right behind Byron Scott's parents. They weren't shy about cheering for the Nets, and after we found out who they were, everyone started giving it to them.

It was all done the right way though, everyone had a good time, and they got the last laugh that night.

[LilMissSPURfect]

So no combo laser pointer/bull horn/ paintball gun? Damnit! I hope I can find the receipt.
:lol

[Cara De Dedão]

I would have to disagree. I think a player's family should be kept out of it.


In Brazil, we use to say that players and refs have two mothers (and they pretty much agree with that)... The one that gave birth and raised them and the one they have during games... The first one you respect the second... Well, you know how it goes...