Fan Ejected

[crosscountry55]

Travis Ford was ejected (as a fan) from his son's HS varsity game the other night in Stillwater.

Oklahoma State basketball coach Travis Ford ejected from high school game

There may be some media bias and/or inaccuracy in the story. At the very least we don't know exactly what happened or what was said.

My issue, on a larger scale, is that officials should not be ejecting fans, known celebrities or not. That's what game management is for (especially in a big 6A gym like Stillwater HS). At the very least, if an official has an issue, he/she should quietly consult with the game manager during a timeout and mention the issue, then let him/her handle it from there. In this case, it looks like an official actually stopped the game and therefore made a scene. To me, that's very poor form.

6A 3-person varsity crew.

[deecee]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

Travis Ford was ejected (as a fan) from his son's HS varsity game the other night in Stillwater.

Oklahoma State basketball coach Travis Ford ejected from high school game

There may be some media bias and/or inaccuracy in the story. At the very least we don't know exactly what happened or what was said.

My issue, on a larger scale, is that officials should not be ejecting fans, known celebrities or not. That's what game management is for (especially in a big 6A gym like Stillwater HS). At the very least, if an official has an issue, he/she should quietly consult with the game manager during a timeout and mention the issue, then let him/her handle it from there. In this case, it looks like an official actually stopped the game and therefore made a scene. To me, that's very poor form.

6A 3-person varsity crew.

Balderdash. I ejected a fan in the first row couple nights ago (second in 14 years). I went to the site admin, pointed at the fan, and said he's done for the night. 5 seconds later there were 3 site personnel by the fan escorting him out.

[JRutledge]

I saw nothing in the article that suggested the officials were the ones that ejected him from the game. I am going to assume that the officials did not escort him from the building. And depending on what he said, he can be removed at the instruction of the officials. We do not have to put up with his crap. And if he wants to be treated as a regular parent, then sit down and shut up like I believe most parents do for the most part.

Peace

[Raymond]

That's what he gets for losing to Tulsa and Missouri St.

[UNIgiantslayers]

I was thinking about this last night. I am doing a few junior high games this year as a favor, and last night was the first one. There was no administrator on site, just the coaches. At that point, how would you guys handle an out of control fan. Obviously it's pretty unlikely at a middle school game, but I wasn't really sure what I'd do if it got to that point.

[deecee]

Originally Posted by UNIgiantslayers

I was thinking about this last night. I am doing a few junior high games this year as a favor, and last night was the first one. There was no administrator on site, just the coaches. At that point, how would you guys handle an out of control fan. Obviously it's pretty unlikely at a middle school game, but I wasn't really sure what I'd do if it got to that point.

If it was clear what team he/she was with I would tell that coach to remove the fan, and if they failed to do it I would forfeit/suspend the game. I'm not going to stay and get abused, and at a MS game no less.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by UNIgiantslayers

I was thinking about this last night. I am doing a few junior high games this year as a favor, and last night was the first one. There was no administrator on site, just the coaches. At that point, how would you guys handle an out of control fan. Obviously it's pretty unlikely at a middle school game, but I wasn't really sure what I'd do if it got to that point.

Pro bono?

If you're getting paid, it's not a favor.

As to your question, I don't work games in facilities that don't have some sort of game mgmt or site admin whom I can turn to handle situations.

[Altor]

Years ago, I watched a fan sitting on the endline pick up the loose ball at his feet, stand and argue with the official for a few seconds before slamming the ball into the ground. The official pointed to the door and the game administrator was there to escort him out shortly thereafter. I don't know how it could have been handled any better by anybody (except the fan).

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I saw nothing in the article that suggested the officials were the ones that ejected him from the game. I am going to assume that the officials did not escort him from the building. And depending on what he said, he can be removed at the instruction of the officials.

It was in the Twitter box via eyewitness account. Not in the article itself.

Correct.

I agree, but what I'm saying is that I'd pass the instruction quietly to game management and let them handle it. If I start to let my emotions get the best of me by stopping the game, pointing at the fan so everyone can see me....then I'll end up like Karl Hess and I don't need that kind of publicity. And if you're thinking, "Well what if it's so bad that it absolutely has to be taken care of immediately," I would hope that game management would already be on top of it if it's that obvious. Of course in this case, I suppose if GM was reluctant to remove a well-known D1 coach and the officials had to do something because GM didn't do their job, that would be more understandable.

[deecee]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

It was in the Twitter box via eyewitness account. Not in the article itself.

Correct.

I agree, but what I'm saying is that I'd pass the instruction quietly to game management and let them handle it. If I start to let my emotions get the best of me by stopping the game, pointing at the fan so everyone can see me....then I'll end up like Carl Hess and I don't need that kind of publicity. And if you're thinking, "Well what if it's so bad that it absolutely has to be taken care of immediately," I would hope that game management would already be on top of it if it's that obvious. Of course in this case, I suppose if GM was reluctant to remove a well-known D1 coach and the officials had to do something because GM didn't do their job, that would be more understandable.

Incorrect. It's game managements responsibility to remove unruly fans, especially if it's at our instruction. If they fail to do this duty then I would fail to finish the game. I would then write a report and send it up the ladder. It's that simple. I will not go into the stands to actually do the removal, but I sure as hell would be the one responsible for WHY the fan is being removed.

There is only so much we can do and I sure as hell have 0 desire to want to work at a location that does not provide a safe and stable game environment for the officials.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

It was in the Twitter box via eyewitness account. Not in the article itself.

Correct.

I agree, but what I'm saying is that I'd pass the instruction quietly to game management and let them handle it. If I start to let my emotions get the best of me by stopping the game, pointing at the fan so everyone can see me....then I'll end up like Karl Hess and I don't need that kind of publicity. And if you're thinking, "Well what if it's so bad that it absolutely has to be taken care of immediately," I would hope that game management would already be on top of it if it's that obvious. Of course in this case, I suppose if GM was reluctant to remove a well-known D1 coach and the officials had to do something because GM didn't do their job, that would be more understandable.

#1: Please quit using Lime, I cannot see the letters.

#2: How do we know he wasn't quietly pointed out to game mgmt?

[UNIgiantslayers]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Pro bono?

If you're getting paid, it's not a favor.

As to your question, I don't work games in facilities that don't have some sort of game mgmt or site admin whom I can turn to handle situations.

I understand what you're saying here. I blocked the dates from my assignor because the AD asked me to do them. So yes, I'm getting paid, but it was something that I could have turned down. Which I will do if there is no game administrator at any more of these games.

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

#1: Please quit using Lime, I cannot see the letters.

#2: How do we know he wasn't quietly pointed out to game mgmt?

#1: Sorry.

#2: It's inferred from the Twitter dialogue that an eyewitness said "the official stopped the game....and pointed." Or something like that.

But I don't want to get wrapped around the axle about this particular case because there are a lot of gaps in the details. I was using it as a segue to the broader topic of "what's the best way to handle a situation like this?" Good discussion so far, although I respectfully disagree with deecee's very direct approach. I'm just saying I would at least start by trying to use a middleman (i.e. game manager).

[bob jenkins]

I have used both approaches. It depends on how obnoxious the fan is, whether others already know what the fan is doing (or whether it's a quiet statement to me), how quickly I want the fan gone, where game management is, etc.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

#1: Sorry.

#2: It's inferred from the Twitter dialogue that an eyewitness said "the official stopped the game....and pointed." Or something like that.

But I don't want to get wrapped around the axle about this particular case because there are a lot of gaps in the details. I was using it as a segue to the broader topic of "what's the best way to handle a situation like this?" Good discussion so far, although I respectfully disagree with deecee's very direct approach. I'm just saying I would at least start by trying to use a middleman (i.e. game manager).

I've had one fan removed from a game. I went to game admin, who always sat near the scorer's table at this site. It was obvious that I was the one who had the fan removed b/c I had to walk across the court to inform admin about the situation.

Later in the game (in OT in fact), I called a foul on a defender, who was then taunted by the person he fouled (Tyrod Taylor). When I turn around from reporting everything, there is a fight at the top of the stands between Taylor's dad and the other player's uncle.

IOW, we had a great crowd that night. And bottom line, when I have a unruly crowd like that to deal with, I'm more concerned about safety than I am about the optics.