It shouldn’t be news Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart attacked a Texas Tech super fan on Saturday night with seconds remaining in the game. This has been going on for years with fans getting involved in fights with athletes. Go to YouTube and search for clips of fans going at it with players.
It’s the type of moment ESPN loves to capitalize in an attempt to generate ratings and talk. SportsCenter was all over that Saturday night after the moment unfolded.
This incident could have been another Malice at the Palace moment, and it won’t be long until that happens sooner or later. Fans will continue to go at it with players since it’s a reflection of what our society is where people love to be cruel towards others, especially those who are rich and famous.
In a way, it’s a shame it has come down to that in sporting events. One would think going to games should be about being entertained and talking about it at the water coolers the next day. Now, that has become an idealistic view for all intents and purposes.
With tickets being expensive for fans, they are going to want results and value that come with it. That means they want great performances from their players and victories from their teams. If they don’t get what they want, they are going to want something to be done.
The fans also feel they are entitled to do whatever they want after paying a fortune for tickets. In their warped mind, heckling and attacking professional athletes are fair game. With ESPN highlighting brawls with fans and players, fans feel empowered to attack players. If they can get publicity out of it, it’s something they can be proud of as stupid as it sounds.
Jeff Orr is the Texas Tech super fan that attacked Smart. Yes, he is sorry for what he did to the point he won’t be attending Texas Tech basketball games. With that said, he enjoyed his moment of getting into Smart’s head. He will brag about this with his friends forever. It’s the type of game experience fans like him seek.
It’s not about wins and losses anymore. It’s not about enjoying food and rooting for the home team anymore. It’s about being part of the action.
Plus, fans have a psychotic approach to sports. They take games personally. They have their pride towards the teams they root for. They feel it’s a civic duty to root on the home team game after game. Sports is about war and gladiator event for them than being entertained.
This will continue to happen until the test of time.
It’s surprising it has gotten to that point now. Is this type of behavior that fans should teach their children when they take them to games?
Fan incidents not only take place at professional sports, but it has translated to collegiate sports and high school sports.
I used to cover high school sports for a community newspaper in North Jersey. I was fired for speaking out to fans after dealing with fans that have gotten nasty and vile towards young players. Those folks ruined my joy of covering high school sports.
One would think high school sports would be the least place for fans to have incidents, but it’s a different world now. Parents want kids to have playing time, and they want kids to be as great as they want them to be. They want their kids to get preferential treatment and all.
I was a victim of abuse from parents who had an issue about my commentary of their players. They did not think I was positive enough even though my job entails me to be objective and be a truth-teller. It was tough being heckled by fans as I was doing my job.
Based on incidents that go on with fans, it has ruined my experience of going to any sporting events. There is no reason to go to games and be subjected to stupidity.
America sports fans might as well be England soccer fans when it comes to how they approach sports. It’s not the way sporting events should be.
Sadly, this is the reality we live in.
Contact or follow Leslie Monteiro at @LightRodWriter.
Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
