Safety and Fear: Time to Build a Wall?

Submitted by bigdemo on

 

Yesterday, I attended The Game on the road for the first time.  I was there with my old friend Seth (yes, that Seth), and our buddy Mitch. On the way home, one of the topics of discussion was what would have happened if the replay had gotten the call right, and the ref had announced the game was over.  

The hyperbole about Buckeye fans being out of control maniacs holds as truth.  We met some truly nice fans. For each tolerable person, we also encountered countless dentally-challenged simpletons with clever shirts. Did anyone know Ann Arbor is a whore? Shocking news.

As the crowd's temperature rose and the game neared its end, I began to feel less and less safe. I had to remind an enthusiastic Seth of his surroundings more than once. We had a great usher in section 10C, a visitor's sections, but one that still had plenty of dimwitted neighbors whose angered open-mouthed drooling only intensified as the game tightened.  

Thirty years ago nearly 100 people were killed in an English soccer stadium because of a riot.  How far off were we yesterday? Maybe this is hyperbole, but maybe it is not.  

The same fans who rushed the field and led Chase Winovich to say the team had to  "fight for our lives" as they were "attacked" by field rushers. The same rushers who were no further away from the official at the moment he decided "the play stands as called".

Fear strongly influences decisions, that is a psychological fact. What fear does to human physiology and the ability to think rationally is clear. So, what happens if the official spends more than 37 seconds looking at the replays and comes out with the right call?  Was he afraid of what might happen? Was his decision influenced by fear?

If fans cannot control themselves, and stay in the stands where they belong, is it time to build a wall? 

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JBE

November 27th, 2016 at 10:23 AM ^

Sweet mercy. No. And it is hyperbole. Also, the English soccer match deaths were mostly due to poor stadium design, and the fact that, get this, they had a wall blocking the fans from going on the field.

Joined: 08/18/2008

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bigdemo

November 27th, 2016 at 10:29 AM ^

Maybe the comparison is not fair to England, but to this point, the US has not seen a disaster like that. What I stand by is that there is a total lack of control, and a mob mentality in that stadium.   Think "Malice at the Palace" and multiply that many times over.  A riot is far from improbable.

Joined: 09/07/2009

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Brick in The Wave

November 27th, 2016 at 10:27 AM ^

If you are referring to Hillsborough in your post you are ridiculously misinformed or have a strange definition of riot. Police crowd control and incompetence is not a riot. JUSTICE FOR THE 96!

Joined: 05/17/2011

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BeatOSU52

November 27th, 2016 at 11:03 AM ^

I don't know how they can have such nice things.  

 

And honestly, just by watching the game on TV and shots of the crowd, you can just tell that they're just all shitty ass people.

Joined: 11/13/2011

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UMForLife

November 27th, 2016 at 10:47 AM ^

I was at the MSU game last year with my wife who is a MSU fan. We were right where they were celebrating. Got to tell you. I loved our fans for controlling the emotions and walking away. If you felt threatened, you probably have the right feeling. OSU is a dump and I would not trust their fans.

Joined: 11/04/2013

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bigdemo

November 27th, 2016 at 11:05 AM ^

I have never seen a "play stands as called" so quickly determined. The ruling in and of itself infers doubt. It's not like a situation with a quick confirmation, it's one where they're saying they're not sure. How do you looking at for that short of time? You do so when you have zero intention of changing your mind. Total sham.

Joined: 09/07/2009

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Mannix

November 27th, 2016 at 11:04 AM ^

Why are the fans of the #2 team in NCAA, favored by 5-6 pts and riding an inordinately long streak against M RUSHING THE FIELD??

This bothered me. It wasn't an upset per most metrics EXCEPT what they saw happening all day- a team barely hanging on vs the "underdog".

Joined: 01/15/2009

MGoPoints: 12263

michfan23

November 27th, 2016 at 11:36 AM ^

I thought the same thing. Ohio State wasn't the underdog. They were supposed to win and I thought it was classless to see fans rushing up to Michigan players after the game.
Let me then ask this, if it is a 15 yard penalty for throwing your play sheet, how is there no repercussion for rushing the field at the end of the game? I get the game was over, and enforcement is impossible, but it's not safe for the players on both sides.
On a side note, in my high school coaching career, I've throw my play sheet dozens of times and never got penalized. Probably should be setting a better example for the kids, but I'll worry about that at a later date, like after the team wins.
Is a wall the solution? Maybe, but the drunk and disorderly would climb over it anyways.



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MichiganMAN47

November 27th, 2016 at 11:52 AM ^

I had ZERO problems in Columbus. Some fun banter and that was about it. No one said anything over the line to me. After reading this board I was fully expecting to be physically assaulted. OSU fans are better than MSU fans by far.

Joined: 02/24/2015

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Cold War

November 27th, 2016 at 3:00 PM ^

Much of Ohio is different culturally than Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. A large part known as Appalachian Ohio is more like Kentucky or West Virginia.

So, no, it isn't your imagination. A different breed down there.

Joined: 01/15/2012

MGoPoints: -3144

EastUGoBlue

November 27th, 2016 at 3:35 PM ^

I definitely like fied/court rushing in sports but more specifically in upset games. For instance when Indiana Fort Wayne won last week. Having said that the risks of it are obvious and in my opinion growing. It might be time to make a more serious attempt at stopping it entirely.

Joined: 05/28/2012

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Mr. Elbel

November 27th, 2016 at 3:42 PM ^

that would have been an insane moment. I honestly don't know what would have happened had the game ended on a "the ruling on the field is overturned. the runner was short. the game is over." I would imagine police would have swarmed the refs and gotten them out of there. hard to tell what it would have been like in the stands though. could be complete pandemonium still. could be a silent and shocked crowd. hard to tell. would likely be a mixture of both...I don't thin they'd rush the field in a loss though so I think as far as safety is concerned the problem would be more in the stands, the concourses and the streets than on the field itself.

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