Player and Referee Brawl

[TopicalTropical]

If a player attacks me, I'm defending myself and getting the heck out of there. Watch your back and run away if need be
Mob mentality and players/people lose control and do things they normally would not.

Martin is one of the coaches of the white team. The team in black are doing the smart thing and getting the heck out of there. I hope the police interview the fans and security to find out what happened.
Don't know if this is true from the article.
Benjamin said Martin told the referee that he would "whip your ass" at the start of the game, which was edgy from the beginning.

Benjamin said he could sense the opposing team's frustration as it was losing late in the game, so he cautioned his squad to stay alert for any cheap shots. Some R.A.W. Athletics players even argued with Martin, Benjamin said.

[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by TopicalTropical

Benjamin said Martin told the referee that he would "whip your ass" at the start of the game, which was edgy from the beginning.

Anywhere in which that is not an immediate ejection from the facility with a significant suspension is not somewhere a rational person would want to referee.

I gave up worrying about how bad the refs were at those tournaments and just laughed about it--I knew they already exhibited an inability to make good decisions by being there at all.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by TopicalTropical

If a player attacks me, I'm defending myself and getting the heck out of there. Watch your back and run away if need be
Mob mentality and players/people lose control and do things they normally would not.

Martin is one of the coaches of the white team. The team in black are doing the smart thing and getting the heck out of there. I hope the police interview the fans and security to find out what happened.
Don't know if this is true from the article.
...

This case will die quietly. The incident happened in Georgia and the team is from Chicago. I doubt there will be extradition for a bunch of juveniles for what will amount to basic assault charges.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Sorry, then pay me more. Put a comma in the check and I might think of walking away. Until then for anything much less than half of what I make during a game of the same caliber, I am not taking an ass whoopin for anyone. And it would take a lot for me not to help out on some level if a partner is getting beat on.

Exactly.

Once a confrontation turns from yelling at me to taking a swing at me or my partner, all bets are off. Scream at me all you want and I can eject you and forfeit the game if necessary. Throw a haymaker at me and I have every right to self-defense.

Originally Posted by Raymond

This case will die quietly. The incident happened in Georgia and the team is from Chicago. I doubt there will be extradition for a bunch of juveniles for what will amount to basic assault charges.

Yep. Nothing is going to come of this.

If this was a high school game it would be a completely different animal.

[Texas Aggie]

I call it self-defense.

Some of it, sure. But be honest: not ALL of that was self defense.

So much for security being present at the tournament. Where were they?

That team and those players are bad news and should not be allowed at ANY tournament.

First things first: do not let anything SAID set you off. Words are not legitimate provocation for violence in any respect. It certainly isn't sufficient for us. You can always walk away from words; no exceptions. You walk toward security and get them to handle it, but you keep walking.

Second, once someone puts hands on you, you have the absolute right to get free. I would strongly suggest that at that point, you retreat. If that is impossible, then you defend yourself in a manner sufficient to the threat. If a 14 year old 5'4" girl grabs you and won't let go, you don't get to cold cock her when you get the chance. You keep her from continuing to assault you, even to the point of throwing her down IF NECESSARY, but you don't get a chance to exact revenge (if you will) on her for being that stupid. With a 6'3" muscular young man, things are much different. He poses a legitimate threat to your physical safety. I'm putting a technique on him that will physically STOP him (stop is the key word) and quite possibly will seriously injure him. But my main focus is on stopping him.

Obviously, any game is over (suspended) when there is violence against an official that isn't very isolated (i.e. ONE player goes totally berzerk and other players hold him back). You call the police and file a report. DO NOT let anyone talk you out of calling the police because you might very well be arrested later on a bogus charge if THEY call the police and lie.

Always be proactive in these situations. And for all that is good, STOP working AAU or any of these other crap summer league/tournament games. Then and only then will they start giving us the respect we deserve.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

So much for security being present at the tournament. Where were they?

Have you never worked an offseason tournament? Not unusual at all for these types of events to lack security. That would require the organizers taking more money out of their pockets.

One of the many reasons not to work this stuff.

[falsecut]

It appears the refs were attacked first but they did very little to deescalate the situation. The one guy broke free and charged somebody. I'm not buying the self-defense argument for at least part of this. Not to mention, strategically, there are more of them than there are of you so unless you're Bruce Lee, you are probably going to get the worst of it. Noble to defend you comrades, but once the group of you have the chance, time to get out of there and not decide to mix it up.