Smart situation...we have an over-reaction now the other way

[STEVEHOLT]

We pretty much have enough evidence now to determine that all Orr called Smart was a piece of shiza.

I've heard several college bball analysts declare that what Smart did was wrong and he should be punished..but that the fan should not be allowed to attend the games because of his behavior.

What are these fools talking about? If you started banning fans for calling the opposing players pieces of crap, you would not have that many people left in the stands. Ever been to a football game? Those words would be considered a come on in the football world.

Now personally Im not the type of guy to talk like that to any human...regardless of whether im watching a live sporting event or not...but the people around me? I've heard alot worse...and while paying your money doesnt give you carte blanche to say and do whatever you want...I think the cost does cover calling an opposing player a piece of crap.

If we were playing Gtown and ewing landed in the stands a few feet from you...you might..you just might..be tempted to say something like that...and then you might run.

 

[pfister1]

We pretty much have enough evidence now to determine that all Orr called Smart was a piece of shiza.

I've heard several college bball analysts declare that what Smart did was wrong and he should be punished..but that the fan should not be allowed to attend the games because of his behavior.

What are these fools talking about? If you started banning fans for calling the opposing players pieces of crap, you would not have that many people left in the stands. Ever been to a football game? Those words would be considered a come on in the football world.

Now personally Im not the type of guy to talk like that to any human...regardless of whether im watching a live sporting event or not...but the people around me? I've heard alot worse...and while paying your money doesnt give you carte blanche to say and do whatever you want...I think the cost does cover calling an opposing player a piece of crap.

If we were playing Gtown and ewing landed in the stands a few feet from you...you might..you just might..be tempted to say something like that...and then you might run.

If you want the right to say that to Ewing when he is standing next to you, than you should do it with the full knowledge that he might kick your teeth in.

I have less of a problem when a fan is yelling among a sea of voices from a spot in the stands at a player on the court, but more of a problem when that same fan yells at a player standing next to him. There is something to be said for maintaining a certain personal space. I think there is also something to be said for keeping the content of your banter on topic. Keep it about the athletic event, about the athlete's performance, his athletic ability. I don't really know how you could draw a clear line but when you are close enough to touch the subject of your commentary you should probably keep your trap shut.

 

[Nicknack]

I just don't buy all that Orr said was "you're a piece of crap". Clearly, Smart was set off instantly by what was said as his eyes and motions were going towards the court until he heard the comment. Smart was absolutely wrong for what he did, no question. However, I just don't think he would have responded the way he did by a "your a piece of crap" comment.

Now it does sound like, based on the investigation that was done, no racial slurs were made. The thing I think that is going missing is just because no one heard him say the "N" word, does not mean that what he claimed he said was true. No one confirmed anything about what he said but instead, what he did not say. I believe Orr gave us the g rated version of what was said. I tend to think the guy threw in some f bombs and other classy language to go with it that was probably over the top.

 

[PartTimeFan]

17 sec mark clearly audible...

 

[Guinness]

The irony for me is that if calling him piece of crap set him off like that then he pretty much is a piece of crap. Talk about an over reaction.

 

[SmilinBob]

There was a lawyer that had season tickets for the Washington Bullets that was famous for his razing of other teams players. I don't know if he still does this but he was well known for years on his constant yapping but I don't know if he ever really got personal about it...just goofy stuff.

This fan is lucky Smart didn't Kermit Washington him. IMO, both were wrong and I'll never understand that going over the line some fans do, especially to college kids.

 

[pfister1]

There was a lawyer that had season tickets for the Washington Bullets that was famous for his razing of other teams players. I don't know if he still does this but he was well known for years on his constant yapping but I don't know if he ever really got personal about it...just goofy stuff.

This fan is lucky Smart didn't Kermit Washington him. IMO, both were wrong and I'll never understand that going over the line some fans do, especially to college kids.

Robin Ficker; I looked him up earlier. He was a Washington Bullets season ticket holder and had seats behind the opponent's bench for 12 seasons until the NBA forced the Bullets to move his seats. He is now attending Maryland wrestling matches.

Ficker claims that he never said anything that couldn't be printed in the newspaper. Of course he was also yelling at professional athletes, which sets the situation apart a little bit. Robin Ficker The linked you tube video starts with John Salley saying that "He was the heckler of all hecklers, he didn't cross the line, he just disrupted the squad."

 

[SmilinBob]

Robin Ficker...that's him, thanks pfister! Oh my Lord, he heckles wrestlers? I honestly don't even know how to respond to that.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Robin Ficker...that's him, thanks pfister! Oh my Lord, he heckles wrestlers? I honestly don't even know how to respond to that.

Maybe he thinks it's like professional wrestling.

 

[Townie72]

There was a lawyer that had season tickets for the Washington Bullets that was famous for his razing of other teams players. I don't know if he still does this but he was well known for years on his constant yapping but I don't know if he ever really got personal about it...just goofy stuff.

This fan is lucky Smart didn't Kermit Washington him. IMO, both were wrong and I'll never understand that going over the line some fans do, especially to college kids.

I heard Ficker many times.

His schtick generally included things like "You can't guard that guy. He's too quick for you".

He never called players names.

 

[CusefanATL]

I just don't buy all that Orr said was "you're a piece of crap". Clearly, Smart was set off instantly by what was said as his eyes and motions were going towards the court until he heard the comment. Smart was absolutely wrong for what he did, no question. However, I just don't think he would have responded the way he did by a "your a piece of crap" comment.

Now it does sound like, based on the investigation that was done, no racial slurs were made. The thing I think that is going missing is just because no one heard him say the "N" word, does not mean that what he claimed he said was true. No one confirmed anything about what he said but instead, what he did not say. I believe Orr gave us the g rated version of what was said. I tend to think the guy threw in some f bombs and other classy language to go with it that was probably over the top.

He had a temper tantrum... And then as soon as he realized he was wrong - he tried to cover it up by saying things were worse than they were so he didnt look stupid.

Thankfully, he was coached and talked to and after sometime he realized the best thing to do was to apologize and take the punishment.

We have all overreacted before. We have all probably made up little white lies to make the other person look worse. We just havent done in on national TV or in front of 15,000.

I think Marcus took a huge step forward last night. Hopefully he can contain his anger going forward.

 

[billsin01]

The irony for me is that if calling him piece of crap set him off like that then he pretty much is a piece of crap. Talk about an over reaction.

I don't know, if I'm frustrated already and then that turd calls me a turd it might be enough to flip me out.

 

[billsin01]

We pretty much have enough evidence now to determine that all Orr called Smart was a piece of shiza.

I've heard several college bball analysts declare that what Smart did was wrong and he should be punished..but that the fan should not be allowed to attend the games because of his behavior.

What are these fools talking about? If you started banning fans for calling the opposing players pieces of crap, you would not have that many people left in the stands. Ever been to a football game? Those words would be considered a come on in the football world.

Now personally Im not the type of guy to talk like that to any human...regardless of whether im watching a live sporting event or not...but the people around me? I've heard alot worse...and while paying your money doesnt give you carte blanche to say and do whatever you want...I think the cost does cover calling an opposing player a piece of crap.

If we were playing Gtown and ewing landed in the stands a few feet from you...you might..you just might..be tempted to say something like that...and then you might run.

I don't know, maybe it's getting older or having kids or both, but I tend to honk about 50% of fans at big sporting events act like complete clowns. The fact that this guy is in his 50s (I'd guess), is dressed head-to-toe in Tech gear and is calling a college kid a piece of crap for no apparent reason annoys me. I have no idea what kind of kid Smart is -- given the state of big time sports in this country there's probably a decent chance he is a piece of crap -- but that whole scenario just bothers me.

 

[longislandcuse]

Bottom line is the only person saying he was racially insulted is Smart, the one who went after him. The fan says he didnt say it, the fans around him say he didnt say it and the impartial journos/photographers courtside say they didnt hear him say it. The only concrete evidence we have records him saying what he says he said and nothing more.

NO WAY he should lose his tickets over that. I almost feel bad that he's been forced to stop going to games this year.

Now, if he did say something more and we will probably never know, then he deserves all the negativity this generated.. Until then, dude got a raw deal because Marcus Smart overreacted.

 

[rstone7727]

Smart's reaction is on par with the level of his embarrassment at the moment. If the insult was barely audible he probably wouldn't have responded to it. But if it was loud enough at a moment the rest of the crowd was relatively quiet, of course he then felt shamed enough to react. An unfortunate incident that Smart will now get a rep for since he has had other incidents. He'll have to learn to live with it since it will get much worse for him down the road.