Fans Have To Do, Be Better
December 23, 2019 at 6:50 p.m.
Fans Have To Do, Be Better
By Roger Grossman-
The player was named Isaiah Thomas (no, not the one who played for IU and then the Pistons) of the Washington Wizards, and while I do not in any way defend what he did, I certainly understand why he was upset.
In the Wizards’ game in Philadelphia Saturday, Thomas had missed the first of two free throws in the fourth quarter. He made the second.
Two of Philadelphia’s finest citizens then stood up and raised their fists with middle fingers extended toward Thomas and yelled at him using explicit language as he ran back on defense.
Why?
The Sixers have a promotion where everyone gets a Frosty from Wendy’s if an opposing player misses two free throws in a row in the second half. The object of the promotion is to encourage fans to make a lot of noise when the other team is shooting free throws, and if they succeed in making them miss both free throws, the fans get rewarded with ice cream.
The promotion is fine, although I am not sure that a professional basketball player feels pressured by fans screaming at him in the early portion of the fourth quarter of a game in mid-December—but so what?
Thomas said he yelled at them 'Don't be disrespectful. I'm a man before anything. Be a fan.'
The fan responded by saying “Sorry…I just wanted a frosty.”
Thomas then very calmly walked past the basket support and up the aisle to where the fans were seated. He didn’t try to fight them. He didn’t try to hurt anyone.
He just wanted a word with them, and he got it.
Security stepped in and Thomas walked back down the aisle and sat on the bench. New rules then kicked in, and Thomas was automatically ejected from the game and given a two-game suspension by the league for leaving the court and entering the stands.
I understand all of that. I am glad that rule is in place, and none of us need players running into the stands to confront fans for any reason. Thomas knows the rules and he knows he shouldn’t do what he did.
But I get his point.
Oh, sure, you may say “he’s a professional athlete and he’s got be thicker skinned than that.” That’s partly true. But what would you do if some stranger came to your workplace and did that same thing to you? Most of you would confront them and a good share of you would want to drop your work gloves and go.
As fans, yes, you pay to get into the game. That ticket you bought does not give you license to personally harass those who are playing—on your team or the other.
Sure, if the official blows a call you are going to hoot and holler about that. Don’t make it a personal attack on the official. Complain in the moment, but then move on. It’s what we ask of the players, and we fans should be able to do it too.
If you have heard me broadcast games, you hear me talk about officials and officiating a lot. I have blown the whistle for 33 years, and so I know where people are supposed to be, what they are supposed to be doing and how they are supposed to be doing it. I am qualified to discuss officials in a way few other broadcasters are. I use that knowledge many more times to praise an official and their call because, at some point, I have been in that same spot.
Yelling at opposing players is always a dangerous proposition.
Chanting “air ball” after an opponent shoots and doesn’t even hit the rim is fair. Picking out a player from the other team to “scream” when he gets the ball is fair, and sometimes humorous. Making fun of his girlfriend or wife is not. Making fun of his or her physical appearance is not. Using foul language is not.
Flipping “the double bird” at him and screaming foul language at him is not ok either.
And there is something so egregious about doing it out of anger based on the fact that this player, doing his job, cost you free ice cream...the punishment had to be harsh.
And it was.
Those two knuckleheads have been banned from the Sixers arena for a full calendar year. They were there because they were using someone else’s season tickets. That season ticket holder has lost their season ticket privileges.
Merry Christmas! Here’s to peace on earth and goodwill toward men.
And good luck finding any.
The player was named Isaiah Thomas (no, not the one who played for IU and then the Pistons) of the Washington Wizards, and while I do not in any way defend what he did, I certainly understand why he was upset.
In the Wizards’ game in Philadelphia Saturday, Thomas had missed the first of two free throws in the fourth quarter. He made the second.
Two of Philadelphia’s finest citizens then stood up and raised their fists with middle fingers extended toward Thomas and yelled at him using explicit language as he ran back on defense.
Why?
The Sixers have a promotion where everyone gets a Frosty from Wendy’s if an opposing player misses two free throws in a row in the second half. The object of the promotion is to encourage fans to make a lot of noise when the other team is shooting free throws, and if they succeed in making them miss both free throws, the fans get rewarded with ice cream.
The promotion is fine, although I am not sure that a professional basketball player feels pressured by fans screaming at him in the early portion of the fourth quarter of a game in mid-December—but so what?
Thomas said he yelled at them 'Don't be disrespectful. I'm a man before anything. Be a fan.'
The fan responded by saying “Sorry…I just wanted a frosty.”
Thomas then very calmly walked past the basket support and up the aisle to where the fans were seated. He didn’t try to fight them. He didn’t try to hurt anyone.
He just wanted a word with them, and he got it.
Security stepped in and Thomas walked back down the aisle and sat on the bench. New rules then kicked in, and Thomas was automatically ejected from the game and given a two-game suspension by the league for leaving the court and entering the stands.
I understand all of that. I am glad that rule is in place, and none of us need players running into the stands to confront fans for any reason. Thomas knows the rules and he knows he shouldn’t do what he did.
But I get his point.
Oh, sure, you may say “he’s a professional athlete and he’s got be thicker skinned than that.” That’s partly true. But what would you do if some stranger came to your workplace and did that same thing to you? Most of you would confront them and a good share of you would want to drop your work gloves and go.
As fans, yes, you pay to get into the game. That ticket you bought does not give you license to personally harass those who are playing—on your team or the other.
Sure, if the official blows a call you are going to hoot and holler about that. Don’t make it a personal attack on the official. Complain in the moment, but then move on. It’s what we ask of the players, and we fans should be able to do it too.
If you have heard me broadcast games, you hear me talk about officials and officiating a lot. I have blown the whistle for 33 years, and so I know where people are supposed to be, what they are supposed to be doing and how they are supposed to be doing it. I am qualified to discuss officials in a way few other broadcasters are. I use that knowledge many more times to praise an official and their call because, at some point, I have been in that same spot.
Yelling at opposing players is always a dangerous proposition.
Chanting “air ball” after an opponent shoots and doesn’t even hit the rim is fair. Picking out a player from the other team to “scream” when he gets the ball is fair, and sometimes humorous. Making fun of his girlfriend or wife is not. Making fun of his or her physical appearance is not. Using foul language is not.
Flipping “the double bird” at him and screaming foul language at him is not ok either.
And there is something so egregious about doing it out of anger based on the fact that this player, doing his job, cost you free ice cream...the punishment had to be harsh.
And it was.
Those two knuckleheads have been banned from the Sixers arena for a full calendar year. They were there because they were using someone else’s season tickets. That season ticket holder has lost their season ticket privileges.
Merry Christmas! Here’s to peace on earth and goodwill toward men.
And good luck finding any.
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