If anybody was watching or heard, Oklahoma State basketball player Marcus Smart shoved a fan during the Cowboys loss to Texas Tech. Dumbest thing is if he didn't do it OSU would of still had a chance. Real classless move by him, he deserves to be suspended for at least 5 games.
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Not every day you get to ensure victory for your team as a fan..
It was clearly stupid, but I always give the benefit of the doubt to the player in these situations. Like in the Boise State-Oregon game a few years ago. It's just that we don't know what the fan said and for all we know it did cross the line.
This is probably one of the good aspects of Cassell, something like this would never happen. Pretty stupid of him to shove the guy, no matter what he said. Being the "star" player, he needs to manage his temper more and do his damage by winning, not whining.
No matter what was said? Reports are that he called him a nigger. I'm sure the huge majority of this site is white and can't relate to maliciously being called a nigger, but I've been there before (not that white people can't be victims of racism too, not saying that at all. However, like it or not, the n word strikes a chord among us). After a huge momentum swing play like that, to get called a nigger on top of it would be extremely infuriating. I'm not excusing his actions because yes it was very stupid of him to shove him, but I can't say I'm upset at him for his reaction and I can't say that I would have reacted differently (if he actually did call him a nigger).
And before somebody responds about it, I don't say nigga or condone the use of that word. I hate that word almost as much as I hate nigger. So please don't respond with "well you guys say it" because no I don't.
If reports come back saying that he didn't say that or something along the lines of "I had relations with your mother" then I'll withdraw my support of Smart and agree completely that it was extremely stupid of him. Sorry to get all racial but yeah, felt like this needed to be said.
Edit: After watching the video a few more times I think it's very possible he did in fact call him a nigger. You see Smart laying on the floor and he immediately gets up and clinches his fists after the initial words were said (where it appears he called him a nigger). Smart gets in his face and you can see the fan saying "Sorry about that" because he realized how dumb he was for saying what he said. Then Smart pushed him. Speculation here but context clues tell me that's how it went down.
I agree with what you said. Being a white guy from the desert I'm not going to speak to the racial issue though, except to link this article where a fan got banned for making racial comments. I fully support this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/26/adam-goodes-racism_n_3339704.html
But I would like to say that I think people get all soft about sports stars getting angry. he shoved a fan. What if what that fan said wasn't about race? What if it was about his mother? Does that mean the athlete needs to take it. I'm not down with the Michael Holmes type beat downs or anything like that but likewise I don't think fans should just get a free pass to say any insult they want.
Of course it's not smart to shove or get in to any kind of physical altercation with a fan but I can understand if someone is mouthing off to an athlete and insulting him, his family, race or whatever and gets beat down. I have no sympathy for fans that do this and get the shit kicked out of them.
this is this biggest thing. let the fans, officials and stadium security deal with asshat fans. as a player, fair or not, you have to keep your emotions on the court/field/pitch.
europe at times can make it seem that America has completely eliminated our racial issues. it's so bad in places, they have to make teams play in empty stadiums. this punishes both the fans and the clubs for their fans' racist behavior, and i'm good with that. something has to be done, but the players have to bite their lip and let others handle it. or, i guess a player can choose not to play. the ultimate protest. i'm good with that, too. but you can't hit/push a fan unless they are physically threatening you.
Don't get me wrong. I think an athlete and anyone in the public eye have to keep themselves in check. there are going to be dumbasses everywhere that are going to try to incite you. You shouldn't take the bait, but like I said I don't blame the athlete for losing his cool either.
Yes, I know very well about sports in other parts of the world. I've seen really despicably racist things in all over the place. But I think this is a different issue other than the one at hand. The reason I used that article about Australia was to advocate for harsher penalties for fans that use racial slurs.
It looked like an older guy that said it too. Marcus Smart is 19 years old. It's not like he's some veteran who should be used to this.
I had this conversation with one of my friends recently. I'm Indian but don't care at all when people make fun of Indians, I think it's hilarious. But the one situation you don't do something like that in is when I'm playing a sport because I'm already a little bit on edge. It just takes something small.
You could tell by the replays that he was provoked, but that doesn't justify shoving a fan. There should be no interaction at all. That's what I was trying to say; you're on the road, people are going to say stuff to get under your skin.
Not to sound insensitive or condone it, but
I guess at least ten people cared
I can understand the frustration and rage from Smart if that is in fact what the guy said, but he can't go and push him like that. Gotta keep your cool. He's had a few encounters this season that NBA GM's need to be aware of. He's also a flopper, which I despise.
The idea of judging players and writing slam stories on them is just ridiculous. It's just like anything else in life. I'm sure everyone has their own problems to deal with and they should probably spend that time trying to make themselves better instead of putting down others.
This whole situation sucks for Marcus Smart. It sucks that he was called that. It sucks that he lost his cool and pushed the guy. It sucks that he might have lost the game for his team. It sucks that he will probably be suspended. And it sucks that he will now have to hear about it for a long time probably. Nobody wins in these situations and it really just sucks until we find a new target to pick on.
Also sucks that he wasn't very Smart with his temper.
I can understand irrational actions during the moment, but the player needs to remember he has more to lose than the fan.
Here you go. I trust Doug Gottlieb as a source.
I can't imagine that Orr said anything other than a racial slur- I highly doubt Smart would have had the reaction had he said something else. You can clearly read Smart's lips as he is walking away saying "Don't you call me a n*****"
While Smart needs to learn how to react there, who should we expect to have more maturity there, the 19 year old hustling or the big $ donor in the stands that's 50 some years old? (And has several YouTube clips out there of him giving the F U to other teams players and similar rude behavior)
Players need to know not to go into the stands, but Smart was in the stands after running the full length of the floor to make a play, he wasn't chasing the guy down Artest style.
And I firmly believe that just because you buy a ticket to a sporting event does not give you the right to scream obscenities or epithets at 19 year old kids either. (Or grown adults either for that matter). Come up with a clever chant or something. Smart should and will be suspended, but I think the fan should be barred from a # of games OR be required to sit away from the baseline
I completely agree.
If, as a fan, you think that your ticket allows you have a right to verbally abuse a competitor, then find a different sport, venue.
As deathrow821 stated, the end of a close game is not a choice time to make some snarky comment to a player.
What does he expect a fired up 19yo kid to do; just take it?
Bollocks, man. They may chose to suspend Smart, and I get it.
But (sigh, again) if the NCAA really means to act on the behalf of the student-athlete then a suspension for the douche bag tough guy fan with the mouth should be in order as well.
I'm guessing there's probably zero relation to Shaka, right?
That'll be enough.
When I was real young, I honestly expected to see a bad performance "get the hook" at some point.
Alright. Point taken. Smart shove fan=very bad. I get it. Jeez.
Most overrated player in the nation right now. Is there really going to be a team that uses a lottery pick on a hot head that cant shoot worth a dam.
he's more of a slasher and a good defender than a shooter as far as I know
Yeah, even if he did call him a nigger (which I find EXTREMELY hard to fathom, #1 there wasn't a need for it, his team was on the upswing) than what happened to being the bigger man. They don't want to be heros, but kids look up to em. Keep a cool head man. Someone is going to be paying you millions soon.
He seriously just took his career and defined it by this. I'd call him multiple names now.
I still think the kid ends up looking the bigger man. If you feel the need to call a 19 year old kid laying on the floor the N word, that makes you a pretty little man. He's lucky he didn't get punched. I am not sure we should be holding athletes to a different standard than fans when it comes to simple human decency. You want that crap go to Europe where they have to play soccer games in empty stadiums because the racism is so bad.
He admitted he said something he should not have. Not sure why it would be so far fetched it was the N word
It's been said by some that I'm a hothead. As it appears Smart is too, he needs to work on that. At the same time though, not cool by the fan. Mistakes were made on both sides.
I saw a video posted from a commenter on E$ecPN that showed the tape from the cameraman who fell over and you heard the guy say "you piece of..." I don't think it warrants a shove from Smart, but I still highly disapprove of a fan talking trash. Especially one that is over the age of 25. I hope all VT fans act like everyone on TKP and show hokierespect and don't do anything like this.
Sorry I don't have the link to the video, my work internet loves to block everything (except TKP thankfully). Maybe someone else can find and post?
I do have to say about our fellow Hokie fans that we weren't very nice to Marcus Smart last year when he was in Blacksburg. Chanting "You're a pussy" is pretty bad too, it's just that nobody was right next to him to get shoved. For the most part we're pretty classy, but that was one of the low points to me.
Idk, "SIT DOWN! YOU SUCK!" is pretty close too.
At least they're still half-drunk college students who are behaving like half-drunk college students, not a 50yo guy trash talking a kid less than half his age.
Classless move by the fan - He's lucky he didn't get his soggy ass knocked out.
Honestly, if I was Smart I would've done the same thing. I don't think the fans should get a pass just because they bought a ticket. If you as a fan want to say something to a player, I don't care that you're inside a stadium, you should prepare for consequences of you saying whatever. If that consequence includes getting pushed, ejected, or the piss beaten out of you so be it. I really don't think Smart should have been suspended, but oh well.
AMEN
nicely done
"talk shit get hit" I tend to agree with you. There have been quite a few hockey related fan interactions, but this was probably the most entertaining example. But I do believe that there is a difference between trash talking a guy in his 30s who is a known "enforcer" in a contact sport and talking to a college student who is playing for the joy of the game.
I think anyone who thinks it's a good idea to climb over a wall to get after a hockey player in full pads whose job description is essentially to beat people up deserves whatever they get as a result of said idea.
I hate Domi so much. I was just getting into hockey when he did that elbow to Neidermeyer. Never liked him after that