Disappointing Fan Behavior
I don’t understand why some fans feel the need to be disrespectful at sporting events? Like many people, I was very disappointed and upset by the behavior of some of the Dallas Mavericks’ fans during their playoff series against the Denver Nuggets. First, they poured beer on Kenyon Martin’s mother; then poured beer on/cursed at Carmelo Anthony’s fiancée Lala Vasquez; and then throw ice at and disrespect the Nuggets’ GM. That behavior is unacceptable!
Why do some fans feel they have the right to do this to the family and friends of players? How would they feel if it was their moms or girlfriends being treated like this? I don’t even understand why they feel that it’s ok for them to berate players at sporting events? You can’t do this at any other job in the country. I can’t walk into Neiman Marcus and start insulting the girl behind the makeup counter! I can’t walk into McDonalds’ and start cursing out the guy frying french fries for no reason! I’d get thrown out and probably arrested! I think these fans should be thrown out of arenas and banned for a least 1 year for their actions. That goes for all sports: MLB, NFL, NASCAR, etc.
I think the fans seated around them are just as responsible for not pointing them out and turning them in. I mean, what kind of example is that setting? If we players are being held to a certain code of conduct on the court or field, then the fans should be held to the same kinds of standards in the stands.
I don’t mean to offend anyone but this really disturbed me and I wanted to find out what the rest of the blog nation had to say about it...
B
Comments 1-50 (of 62):
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Yea it's a shame that they did that. Sometimes fans take after their teams' owners.... hmmm
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i don't buy that whole 'well the owner did it so why can't i?' when does one's morality go out the window as a result of actions by someone they have ever met? these fans should be so ashamed, whether their team's owner is disrespectful or not.
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It kinda gives the Mavericks Organization a Blackeye by the actions of few effect so many,and Mark Cuban rude comments about Kenyon Martin to his Mother were definitely Uncalled for...
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In today's society, a lot of people are lacking respect for each other. In sports, it is witnessed at little kid events where parents are screaming at the refs, opponents or even their own child. I watched the end of game 7 between the Caps & the Pens, and with two minutes to go and no chance of winning, the Caps fans gave their team a standing ovation. After the two teams lined up for the traditional handshake, the Caps stood for a tribute to their fans. This is the reason why I love the sport of hockey!
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It is low class to insult, ridicule, and basically assault a player's friends or family at a game. People who do that are reprehensible. The family should be able to attend a game without fearing for their safety. For the players, dealing with a hostile crowd, within reason, is a part of that job. The players are paid well and should be able to put up with insults. There is a limit to that though. If the insults are vulgar, racial, or inappropriate, they should not be allowed to occur. Consideration for other fans, especially those with young children in attendance, limits what a fan can say.
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I like the way you think.
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Its an absolute disgrace...in this case the fans took after their team's owner...On top of all that, maximum security should certainly be behind both benches..Its a damn shame when players have to worry about there families while they are playing a game...For the people who go to games and cause this disturbence...GROW THE %^&$ UP and act your age and wonder how it would feel if the scenario was flip flopped you a$$es!!!
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thats the example of a class-less organization an cuban is a jerk
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It's awful behavior but with that being said give me a few mill and you can pour all the beer you want on my mom.
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Now thats funny lol.
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ahahahhah!!
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I don’t even understand why they feel that it’s ok for them to berate players at sporting events? You can’t do this at any other job in the country. I can’t walk into Neiman Marcus and start insulting the girl behind the makeup counter! I can’t walk into McDonalds’ and start cursing out the guy frying french fries for no reason ... ...
Interesting point. I'd agree player's families are off-limits. But joneing on a player, trash-talking and all that? --that's just good clean fun. Or filthy fun. That's part of what home-court advantage is all about.. . Just curious though-- on your 'fry guy' analogy: Really? you never ripped on a player from the stands? You sure you were a Knick fan growing up? Pretty sure most of us even shout at the TV and no question I'd be killing players from the other team when I was in the stands at MSG. I'm a bit more well-adjusted now as an older more mature Wiz fan, but even then, if there's no little kids int he same row as me, I'm a feel free to get a little bit better than PG-13... I guess I put it like this: if you're a comedian you have to expect a guy to heckle you from time to time, and be prepared to put him in his place, make him part of the show. Same deal with Ballers, you're entertainers, though the best way to put the heckler in his place as an on-court performer is to crush the opponent. It adds to the excitement. Both ways. I'd love it if the Phone Booth were as loud, funny, and foul as Barry Farms for instance. That just makes for a better show, worth the price of the ticket. So long as it doesn't get racial or whatever. And so long as it's, you know, funny. -
You have a point here, but they don't serve beer at McDonald's and Neiman's. By the time the 4th quarter rolls around, half of the fans have been overserved and it doesn't take much to get things rolling after that. It happens at all sporting events. I think there is only so much crap a person can take before they go off on someone. No matter who is at fault, unfortunately, it's part of sports events today and not just here in the good ole USA.
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I dont think fans should be served alcohol after halftime for that exact reason
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No beer after halftime that's just crazy talk. Oh wait I bring a flask with me anyways, like I'm gonna pay 8 bucks for a Macs.
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I agree with your comments, but a couple of really rude fans make it hard on all of the really good ones
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Agreed. Families should be off limits. Some people are just out of control and should be banned. I like to talk trash at events but it is ALWAYS in good fun, clean, and related to the game. It NEVER gets personal. I may dislike a team or player but that's only related to sports. I have no idea what you players are like off the court, field, etc. regardless of what I read or hear through the media. There is no point in bringing up personal stuff or verbally/physically abusing an athlete's family. It is disrespectful and should never be tolerated. Anyone who throws things at someone should be arrested for assault. Rant over.
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Well, some parents are the ones that start stuff at the games. They should be a better example for their children and not exhibit behavior that is detrimental to the experience of going to the game. I have some some real hotheads and they have their children with them.
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"seen"
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I agree. Parents should always set a good example.
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It's so disappointing for grown people to display such classless, childish behavior, and that includes Cuban's actions as well.
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Good post Brendan , I agree. The fans need to cool it, we dont want another "malice in the palace" incident
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Oh, please. Players get away with crazy conduct ALL the time. If ballers got treated the way everyday people are, then half the NFL and NBA would be in jail! They're finally getting a taste of their own medicine!
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Really? So, because of a player's actions on the court, it's ok to pour beer on their relatives or throw things at them? So if you do something at your job that makes someone else mad, is it then ok for them to attack your family or friends?
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It's players actions OFF the court that get overlooked. If Barkley or Iverson, or Rodman (back in the day) were ordinary folks, they would have been locked up by now. That's my point exactly. it's NOT okay for ANYBODY to act a fool and engage in offensive conduct. The same rules should be applied to all, on and off the court!
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Well said,good point.
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That is a good point, but what Brendan Heywood is talking about is the assault of players' family members in the stands at an NBA game. I don't see what the off court actions of anybody have to do with the actions of the crowd. Also, even if Melo or Kenyon went out and did the most heinous thing you can think of off the court, it's still not ok to attack their relatives.
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Sorry that's supposed to be Haywood. You would think I'd get it right, being a UNC fan and all. lol
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You can't just look at athlete's. The law is different for anybody with money.
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Whoa! That comment was just out of line! lol
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Streakers are just people trying to get attention. How do fathers feel when they pay money to go to a game with their kids and see a streaker? Anyway keep up the great work Brendan Haywood and best of luck and all the best - Steiny
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Great post Brendan,I would like to see how you respond if some of these things were happening to your family members.
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It is very disappointing behavior Brendan and it's great that you're coming on here to talk about it. Maybe one of those idiots will see it and think about their actions.
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The behaviors we see at sporting events are sadly a microsim of what we see in overall society -- the lack of consideration for others. Why do they fucntion in this manner? There are no consequences. If you went into McDonalds or a department store, yes, you may be excorted out, btu only if your actions are "extreme". We have become accostomed to letting the "little things" slide, not even realizing that they will escalate into much more inapporpriate behaviors. I have been at Wizards games when there are fans around me slightly intoxicated.... yes, there is the number to text, but I think we do agree that there is a need to move towards more tangible actions, such as banning fans. Attending a sporting event is nto a right & if you cannot act right, you should not be allowed to partake. Dallas should be ashamed. But when you have owners acting out, what pattern is being set for the rest of us mere mortals?
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i feel you Hay. it's makes me mad that the national media aka sportscenter didn't pay more attention to the fans actions. I'm from philly and theres not a nationally televised game that they don't mention something negative about us. so i feel it's only fair they point out the mavs fans!!! if you have a way to contact stuart scott or one of those guys please do.
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everyone needs to stop acting like this is the worst thing to ever happen. anyone remember Ron Artest? i go to stadiums and act like an ass if u dont like it dont goif ur a player and cant deal with take ur millions and retire go get a real job and stop b!tching. Cuban said he knows how it feels cause he goes to other cities and gets yelled at from the fans all the time. i know he did last time he was in philly cause i was the one yelling at him from across the stadium i yelled "Sit down Cuban" people behind me said he looked so i told him what i thought of him security told me to stop cursing or i would get thrown out the stadium so guess what i did i stoped cursing loud. when my cousin and i realized the game was over well the sixers couldnt win we got ready to leave and the fans sitting behind me who i did not know asked me to stay because they needed someone to yell at the Mavs when i got to the steps i turnt back and yelled "Well they blew another one" Lou Williams looked up at me like he wanted to kill me and i think it light a spark under their ass cause they lost on a last second jumper by Dirk. the point is we yell to try and help the team or distract the other team if ur too fragile to handle it give me ur money and ill warm the bench just as well as you have been.
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Heckling is fine but you have to be respectful. Throwing things, pouring beer on someone's mom and personal attacks, however, are not fine. Telling Cuban to sit down and pouring beer on Kenyon Martin's mom are two completely different things.
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yeah im not gonna throw something defiantly not a $9 beer but if u cant take verbal abuse stay out of public areas. sticks and stones
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20dawk4life, Your exactly the type of fan that i'm talking about. Doesn't surprise me that your from philly you guys are notoriously ruff on the visiting team as well as your own. Just because your at a sporting event doesnt mean that you can act like a fool. If you wanna act like that stay home, because when there are kids around you can't just go on profanity laced tirades because you wanna inspire your squad.
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cant wait to see u next season
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What Artest did WAS wrong & just as the fans need to act accordingly, so do the players. yes, we can get excited but we still have to remember how to act & undertand that the goal should not be to spoil the experience for the other fans. Emotion will be shown at all times -- good and bad -- but it should never ignore right & wrong
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i'm all for leaving folks alone, but i have been in the situation at celtics games where certain family members seemed more than a bit paranoid (i got awesome seats behind the bench for more than a few games.) in one case a player's wife started yelling at another woman for simply smiling at her kid, because the kid was dancing. i don't think that kind of paranoid behavior is acceptable at all. just because you married an nba'er doesn't mean that you should be entitled to special rights. NO ONE should be getting anything thrown at them.i'm not a fan of people throwing things at others in the first place. as a matter of fact, it's part of the code of conduct. if the arena staff were watching, it should've been nipped in the bud and the offenders ejected. the whole mess could've been avoided in the first place.
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Oh stop being the voice of reason. ANARCHY!
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it's not like i'm gonna stop yelling BRICK when someone on the opposing team is shooting a free throw ;)
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The reason why sports are popular is because it's all based off of emotion. Fans are connected to their teams/ players and hate other teams/players for no logical reason. There’s also no real logic in spending $1000's of dollars on playoff tickets or $100’s of dollars on merchandise, which is how sports organizations pay their employees (especially the very high priced ones). So take all that passion, add some $9 beers and $12 cocktails to it, and your going to see people act much more aggressively than they would at McDonalds or a department store. But, since athletes are reaping some of the benefits of that passion (money, status, sitting at the cool kids table of life, etc) they are expected to put up with certain amounts of abuse. There should be boundaries (and I thought there were), though. Family and friends should be off limits (unless both sides are talking some smack) and athletes should never be touched or feel that they are in danger. I’m sure that fans who spilled beer on K-Mart’s mom were kicked out. If they were season ticket holders, I’m sure they lost their tickets. If not, that’s a shame.
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Truth is, Sports are a fair substitute for War. My Tribe -vs- your Tribe in feats of physical prowess for the 'territory' of one year's bragging rights over someone else wearing a different jersey their mom bought them at Sports Authority. And way I see it that's a mighty good thing. I'd far rather see people get their Mob mentality jones out in a relatively harmless couple hours or shouting, hooting, hollering, than to see us all go back Zulu style lobbing javelins at each other to win wives. My ancestral tribe would have me wacking some poor PIct with an axe (Saxon) or Hopping on my horse and putting torch to a village (Mongol Horde) to have a story to tell around the camp fire. But it's the same concept:--- Mongol General: Hao! Dai ye! We won again! This is good, but what is best in life?
Mongol: The open steppe, fleet horse, falcons at your wrist, and the wind in your hair.
Mongol General: Wrong! Conan! What is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.
Mongol General: That is good! That is good.
That's what we're looking for as sports fans. Validation of ourselves in the defeat-by-proxy of our 'enemies'. And quite frankly the only thing we as sports fans can offer to contribute to the victory is the price of our ticket (to hire players) and a few hundred decibels and brain cells shouting liek a damn fool to encourage 'our' guys to win. That, and a bit if choice vitriol and insults directed at the opponent and anyone who supports them. So, I get where you;re coming from that it's nicer when folsk are polite. But what I'm saying is, I'd much rather have Sports as a substitute for War, as a cathartic release for pent up aggression, than to pretty-it-up too much and have people seek their outlet in another way. Or put simply: next time LeBron checks his lip for blood just because someone stepped on his shadow, I promise you I'm gonna ask if he checked his tampon too. Excuse me if that means I'm a poor sport, I can help it, I want to see my guys Drive the Cavs before them, and hear the lamentations of LeBron as he whines to the refs for escape from rampaging horde of 'my' squad. I can be a gentleman in real life an still lose my--uh, [keep it clean] -- lose my 'perspective' at a sporting event. Lose my composure. Seems to me that's the appropriate place to do it. Pretty sure if I walked into Neiman Marcus shouting "DE-FENSE", they'd haul my ass out as well. Right? No, no point putting lace doilies on every seat. I like a bit of well-directed aggression, so long as it's on the heads and ears of highly paid professionals who provide that service. LeBron may act like a whiny 9-yr-old girl, but he's playing with the Big Boys, he ought to be able to handle it. -
The unwanted touching of another person is assault isn't it. There is no excuse for disrespecting anyone, period. Talking trash is a part of the game, getting into someone's head is the goal. Being in the stands getting harassed by others is wrong. No matter who did it in the past, present or future. Each person is responsible for his/her own actions and saying that someone else did it before is not holding yourself accountable for YOUR own actions....no matter how much clout one has. Plus, Cuban has been fined so much, they SHOULD make him sit in the owners suite or something.
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"If we players are being held to a certain code of conduct on the court or field, then the fans should be held to the same kinds of standards in the stands. "
Say WHAT?
I can agree that the fans in question behaved badly, but come on, if you pay for your seats you can't be expected to have the kind of professionalism that is expected of players making millions a year. Now I still believe that players should have more freedom to speak their minds than is allowed today (see Carmelo and the 'Stop Snitchin'' video...), but expect the same behaviour from the fans as the players? You've gotta be kidding! -
Sad as it may be these statements all have some relevance to them... The most saddest thing is that fan behavior is bad at all levels even when dealing with kids in the little league and football game some of the behaviors is off the chain...... These type of behaviors is unacceptable and inexcusable in any situation.......
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Haywood you said a mouthful however its up to each and everyone to not become a victim by voicing ones concerns to the event staff people and if they refuse to do there job because of fear then a lawsuit must began to follow! We must take from the rich owners who condone that behavior by sticking them in the pockets hard before some poor fan gets killed out there.
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