I do not recall that any one statement sums up my opinion on this. I do feel that people that are provoked, whether you like it or not will act in ways that can in retrospect be seen as out of line. I do think that Artest and O'Neal felt provoked and reacted. Should they have acted that way? I do not think so totally. But I do understand why they did. Do I feel the same way about this kid? Yes I do. If certain things are said to anyone, I do not expect them to just walk away. I realize that complicated issues might be hard for you to grasp, but this issue is not just black and white. We have people in this world that think they can say and do anything because they pay money and go to a sporting event. This kid is a rather big kid and I know most people would not dare call him names or talk about his family unless they were willing to have him step to him. Just because this is a sporting event does not make the fan's behavior acceptable. You seem to think that a kid should not be protected from that type of abuse. We are now in this society talking about how verbal abuse is about as bad as physical abuse and we allow people to go to events and call people all kinds of names. I guess you think someone should be called a racial slur and just walk away? I guess you feel like someone can threaten you and the person threatened should walk away? I guess you feel that someone can throw something at you and just walk away? Where is the line? Gunplay? Bottles thrown?

Peace [/B][/QUOTE]

<B>
Rut,

I don't know where the line is, but when it comes to a sporting event, there is nothing anyone could say from the stands that would make me go up in the stands. It takes more courage to walk away than to try to prove that I'm a tough guy or "deserve respect" and I have enough courage and maturity to walk away from words.... every time. According to your account, it was just words.

I most certainly do think that the kid should be protected from that abuse. That is why I would get game management involved if a kid was getting verbally abused from the stands (I probably wouldn't need to around here because gym management would probably have it handled before I had to handle it). The way to deal with it is calmly and intelligently and go through the proper channels... not to lash out in anger.

I realize the issue itself isn't black and white, but since I am on the floor several times a week, I am more interested in how the participants behave than some moron in the stands who probably never had the courage or talent to perform on the hardwood under the scrutiny of big crowds. We give those losers more credit than they deserve by letting them get us (officials or players) worked up.

The problem is that apparently some people think like you do - that getting disrespected deserves a response. It doesn't deserve a response and intelligent people will not only recognize that the heckler is an idiot, but they'll also realize how much courage and backbone it took to just walk away from it.

Z
</B>

No, but not looking at the whole picture, or the person's entire views on the whole situation, is a superficial, simplistic, and shallow way to analyze someone's opinions.

I'm not defending his position - far from it. But you keep saying "black" and "white" when there's nothing but "grey" around.

[Edited by zebraman on Jan 2nd, 2005 at 02:05 AM]

Fine, whatever. :rolleyes:

That is not even what I said. And the fact that you keep repeating it shows more of your ignorance than anything I have ever said on this issue.

Peace

Here's a coupla articles on the incident, including one written by the player who tried to go into the stands. Note that he also semi-blames the referees, which is almost obligatory in these cases. Don't forget, folks, before you go postal on him, that he's still a kid. He's obviously got a lot of maturing to do yet, just like us when we were his age. Jmo.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/prep/...t-hales31.html

http://www.suntimes.com/output/prep/cst-spt-nate31.html

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southt...k/x01-bar1.htm

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Jan 2nd, 2005 at 10:46 AM]

In my opinion I can give somewhat of a pass to this kid when an adult is behaving like a kid. Adults should know better. They should not be using profanity towards a kid at a sporting event. This is not pro ball or even college ball. This is a high school event.

I do not know everything that was said in the previous discussion. I know that the school dropped the ball on this one. If someone is using profanity at a high school event and the school does nothing, what else do you expect? I am sure the security heard this individual. If the officials heard this individual they should have done something as well. I read all the time people make distinction between what we see at the high school games as compared to the pros. Well to me profanity is not something a fan should be doing. High schools should be about teaching. Not allowing an adult to act like he is in a bar. That guy should have been removed long before this situation took place.