Player and Referee Brawl

[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.