OT - Okie State's Marcus Smart shoves fan

Submitted by Willhouse on
Marcus Smart, a potential lottery pick, pushed a fan in the waning seconds of a close loss at Texas Tech. He fell into the crowd after getting back on a fast break and attempting a shot block. He was helped up by some fans but something was said to upset him and he went after a middle-aged man. He was assessed just one technical and sent to the bench. He should have been ejected, IMO. Some people threw stuff on the floor and the fans rushed the floor seconds later when the game ended. Crazy finish for sure.
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Mocha Cub

February 9th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^

Judging by how this fan has acted in other circumstances, he probably got less than what he deserved. I don't care what anyone says, just because you buy a ticket to an athletic even doesn't mean you get to yell things at other people like you're less than human. Smart should have stood up, insulted him and walked back to the floor or better yet, done nothing at all and gone about his business. But this guy looks to be in his what, 40s or 50s? Act like an adult, not some trashy dipshit.

Joined: 11/17/2013

MGoPoints: 23066

JHendo

February 9th, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^

There's no doubt something quite innapropriate was said to him. But to excuse your actions by further calling out the guy is beyond immature. He needs to apologize for allowing himself to be provoked, regardless of what provoked him. Of course, this isn't to say he shouldn't fully inform officials as to what happened so that guy is never allowed at a TTU event ever again. I honestly would not have been able to show restraint myself, nor would I easily be able to apologize. Then again, I'm not used to being in the public eye like Smart, nor am I a few months away from a multi-million dollar payday based upon a combination of my skills and behavior.

Joined: 10/25/2008

MGoPoints: 13993

UMgradMSUdad

February 9th, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^

There's an interesting tweet from former OSU and NBA  player Desmond Mason posted on OSU sports blog Pistols Firing:

Some things are hard to ignore, BUT no excuses! Deal with your consequences. I was called the N word EVERY game I played in Lubbock!

Edit:

Mason followed that up with this:

But I made a decision to ignore it.That's hard to do when your 19 & a 60 year old guy is saying things like that to you & you're frustrated

 

Joined: 07/02/2011

MGoPoints: 13187

Sllepy81

February 9th, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^

if one of our guys just lost the game ended up in the crowd on the layup and had a racist buckeye fan yelling in there face all game say something there face and only push the guy? I think he did the best he could not to lay the guy out.

Joined: 01/02/2013

MGoPoints: 7976

ca_prophet

February 9th, 2014 at 10:27 PM ^

I would want the fan ejected. If this was not the first time for such behavior I would likely yank their tickets. I would also want the player assessed a technical, and probably eject them for everyone's safety. I might also impose a suspension because players should be held to a higher standard. (Not holding them to that standard invites more difficult to adjudicate and unfortunate behavior, and the players simply have to have a thicker skin if they want to succeed.) As it happens, I was at a baseball game where a fan assaulted a player - some idiot threw his cell phone from the stands and hit Carl Everett in the head. Everett stopped play to get the cell phone and explain to the umpire what happened. Everett was a known hothead at the time and the fans figured they'd gotten his goat ... Until he came up next inning and absolutely crushed a ball into the stands. Got quite a few cheers from the crowd, which were very audible as the rest of the stadium was quiet. If I recall, afterwards Everett was offered the option to press assault charges against said idiot. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2003/04/19/rangers_evere…

Joined: 09/07/2010

MGoPoints: 7113

rbgoblue

February 9th, 2014 at 10:47 AM ^

I would be upset that the athlete didn't represent our University or himself in a positive manor. Just as I was disappointed by Taylor Lewan's behavior when he often lost his cool playing football. I much prefer Nik stauskas winning the game and blowing kisses to the fans as he runs off the floor.

Joined: 07/20/2009

MGoPoints: 4334

Wiseguy

February 9th, 2014 at 11:11 AM ^

IF....IF the fan called smart a N***** then I don't have a problem with what Smart did. It's not like Smart punched the guy. I side with Smart

Joined: 01/18/2014

MGoPoints: -92

HarBooYa

February 9th, 2014 at 11:47 AM ^

I totally understand it but I have a problem with physically attacking some one vs dealing with it in a verbal way. Can you imagine if Smart had the wherewithal to grab an attendant and had the guy thrown out aka post pistons palace?

People would've been talking about that dude, not about thuggism.

Joined: 06/22/2011

MGoPoints: 3151

RobM_24

February 9th, 2014 at 11:32 AM ^

I can't imagine how dim you'd have to be, to be a racist basketball fan. Assuming that most racists would disapprove of all foreigners as well, it doesn't really leave much for them to cheer for. Every NBA team has black and/or foreign players, so how do they cheer for any team? And who exactly are they pulling for? Steve Blake? Kevin Love? Gordon Hayward? It blows my mind that people can be racist and sports fans. That's like being a devil-worshiping Christian.

Joined: 01/27/2014

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atom evolootion

February 9th, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^

it's funny how we think of racism as opposed to bigotry. anybody can be a bigot, but not anybody can be a racist. bigots don't like people because of certain non-reasons. racists are the same, except the majority to which they belong can also stop you from getting a loan, moving into a certain neighborhood, or getting a job... in America and Europe, the racists are white. in China and Japan, they're Asian. on mars, they're marsians. bigots, though, can be anybody, anywhere.

Joined: 11/03/2013

MGoPoints: 1069

atom evolootion

February 9th, 2014 at 12:22 PM ^

I work with a guy down in good-ol'-boy south Carolina. he's a 48-year-old white guy who roots for Clemson. he's a die-hard fan, trust me, in football and basketball. he loves the redskins and the Celtics. all he talks about are his favorite black athletes. however, he has a daughter who dates black guys, and he has a very serious problem with it. so there's a possibility of being hypocritical in your racial views and social tolerances, as humans are complicated beings. sometimes, we're pretty fucked up in our minds, 'specially when we're not intermingling with one another on a normal basis. he's from 2-red-light woodruff. it's not a melting pot. it's more Mayberry than Detroit. consider this: south Carolina is one of those states where you'll see bumper stickers of Calvin (from Calvin and Hobbes) kissing on a little black kid's head right next to a nobama sticker...right next to a gamecocks football sticker. so there you go...

Joined: 11/03/2013

MGoPoints: 1069

umumum

February 9th, 2014 at 11:37 AM ^

So I go to the live feed.  It is clear that Smart only turned because a grown fucking man (not a student in the Tech "whatever zone') said something to him.  And you can tell it must have been bad--real bad.  So Smart gives him a half-hearted shove.  Now I agree that he should get T'd up.  But outraged at his behavior?  Smart is considered one of the better kids playing college basketball.  The Tech guy apparently has a reputation as a first-class ass.  Saying something awful to Smart as he tries to get up after a hustle play---real class.  I'm sorry, the Izzone would have helped him up and managed to do it without a racist epitaph.

Joined: 01/06/2011

MGoPoints: 7883

Victor Valiant

February 9th, 2014 at 12:07 PM ^

This situation is pretty black and white to be honest, no pun intended. This thread has devolved into an argument about who was right and who was wrong in this situation (Smart or the fan). Both were wrong.

If Smart felt he was in danger of being harmed physically by the fan, his push to separate himself from the fan would be justified. It's pretty clear that Smart was not in any physical danger or threat whatsoever. The fan made no attempt toward Smart that I've seen. There are also no reports that he threatened physical harm verbally.

That being said, the fan clearly provoked Smart to anger. The fan is also wrong. The culture of sports in America is that fans cheer for their teams and often taunt the opposing players. Personal insults directed at players are common place. Is it right? No. But there is an accepted norm that players should ignore any and all taunts regardless of their content. 

Any American of any race in any walk of life is not permitted to assault someone because of the content of their words if those words are not threatening imminent harm on the person they are directed at. Smart is black. The fan was white. It's reported that the fan may have used the N-word. Unless we believe that every black person should be allowed to assault every white or non-black person simply because that person directed a racial slur at them, then Smart shouldn't have done it. I understand the history behind the N-word, but the usage of the word does not permit it's recipient to assault it's user. 

Summary: Both were wrong. Suspend Smart to set a precedent that players are not permitted to assault fans, idiots or otherwise. Ban hammer the fan from TTU if it's proven his insult was racial in nature or so egregious in another way that he would be an unacceptable presence going forth.  

Joined: 11/23/2013

MGoPoints: 4491

Sllepy81

February 9th, 2014 at 12:19 PM ^

intensity, they just gave up a 2+1(I believe) and he wasn't happy, momentum put him in the face of arrogance. He's hot headed, he showed it once, the guy said something that obviously set him off. If he heard it all game and he was already not happy about the play I get it, we all have our limits with people and I'm sure 90% of our team under the same circumstances would push the guy. If it was racist, I'm white, I would decked the guy if I sat next to him for his arrogance. Suspend him yes but he needs to come out and that university should apologize for there fan.

Joined: 01/02/2013

MGoPoints: 7976

MGoblu8

February 9th, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^

I can't stand fans who do this stuff. I don't think players should ever put their hands on fans, but it makes me sick to hear fans say nasty stuff to players. That doesn't make you a great fan, that makes you an asshole. You are who you are, whether you are at work, church, a movie, or a ballgame. Asshole.

Joined: 08/19/2010

MGoPoints: 7373

atom evolootion

February 9th, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^

I loved what the Michigan state fans and the Iowa fans did against stauskas with the u.s.a. chants and the simple boos. this is normal behavior that lends itself to the experience of attending the game. saying something directly to a player, racist or not, isn't good for a sporting event. it ain't clever, and it ain't fun. I don't know what the guy said. I don't like smart's "reply." but when tensions are high on the court, you never can say what'll go down. if somebody would've said anything to derrick rose when he missed the free throw to lose the national championship game, you never know what might've happened. he was an emotional wreck. and what about Webber after the timeout? if somebody would've said something stupid to him, I don't think he would've been the number one pick. he would've been on his way to jail, I'd say. so...the fan is lucky, and he'll be better off not ever telling anybody what he said. he should swallow it forever and move on. smart should be suspended for a few games, if only to show him that levelheadedness is a virtue and a necessity. In the past, black players were met with racism way more frequently than they are now, and they couldn't attack people without consequences. it's not the norm anymore, so when it comes today, it's more of a shock. I suppose black parents and guardians need to raise their children to expect racism at all times. that way, they'll be less shocked and less driven to "snap and pop somebody" when it comes out. I suppose...

Joined: 11/03/2013

MGoPoints: 1069

Nitro

February 9th, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^

Okay, so pretty much:

1) Marcus Smart made a mistake in the heat of a frustrated moment and did something he shouldn't have done. Whatever.

2) Jeff Orr is an awful, racist fat slob of a human being. His hideous, idiot fat slob wife also seems at least as awful. His future will consist of waking up to her every morning and some strokes.

Joined: 04/27/2013

MGoPoints: 17041

Nitro

February 9th, 2014 at 10:06 PM ^

I realize the weight comment does carry some intolerance and how it's at least a bit hypocritical for me to say that while simultaneously calling someone else a bigot, but my personal belief is that, unless someone has a metabolic condition or is otherwise impoverished into a cheap processed and fast food diet, anything more than a little overweight is a reflection of a lack of personal discipline and responsibility.  In other words, it's choosing gluttony.

Now I'm actually glad you made this point.   "Fat" is a generally offensive term and also probably too blunt since a myriad of other issues like depression and alcoholism can be at play.  I should have said gluttonous and will use that instead going forward when I want to use someone's flabby appearance to emphasize their obnoxiousness.

Joined: 04/27/2013

MGoPoints: 17041