Serena Williams Heckler (Non-Basketball)
 

THIS was headline news on ESPN.com. This story is regarding a man who heckled one of the Williams' sisters and was kicked out for heckling. Besides the fact that there isn't any real proof that the guy actually used a racial slur, I just think this comment makes the whole funny story:

"Every time I missed a shot or a serve, he would say, 'That's the way to do it,'" she said. "He was calling, 'Foot fault.' He was saying, 'Hit in the net.' ... I mean, who does this? That's so elementary. You don't do this on a professional level." - Serena Williams

I guess it's a good thing she doesn't play basketball at the high school level...err, I mean AAU level, err I mean WNBA level.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/ten...ory?id=2815494

Personally, I don't find it funny at all. I think it's sickening.

Because racial slurs are just fine in those venues? :(

[QUOTE=Damien]
"Every time I missed a shot or a serve, he would say, 'That's the way to do it,'" she said. "He was calling, 'Foot fault.' He was saying, 'Hit in the net.' ... I mean, who does this? That's so elementary. You don't do this on a professional level." - Serena Williams


It was not like she made these comments up. There were other people who could verify those comments that were made. Damien, you my friend needs CO2 training.

This is why I tell some of my out of control wreck league players. If you can't stand the heat, go play tennis!

It is sad to see that the stuffy ridgid sport of tennis has fallen to this level.
What is next Golfers asking for people being removed because their cameras shutters are too loud!

If it was RACIAL then he desaerves to be throuw out on his keister (arse)
But if there was nothing racial - grow up it is a harsh world deal with it.

Let's try this again.
 

[QUOTE=truerookie]

No where in my post or the ESPN article does it cite ANYWHERE where ANYONE verified these comments. She's the only one who heard them. Also, like I said, I wasn't commenting on the fact that this guy may or may not have said anything racial, my point was the simple fact that she's complaing that she's getting heckled. She's saying that this doesnt happen in sports, and it does. That was my point.

That's funny! At a professional level, tennis and golf players should have to be able to put up with some heckling, but they won't even tolerate noise.... genteel sports for genteel people! :rolleyes:

[QUOTE=Damien] I understand that. However, there were others around the HECKLER who heard his comments. They evern pointed him out to the administrator. This is why I stated what I stated, as well as, you stated what you stated.

Actually in the article it does say that they talked to people who said the man used inappropriate comments. But in tennis that could be BOO.

It is Tennis for G^&'s sake - it used to be you weren't alowed on the court if you were not wearing white.
You have to be quiet while a person throws the ball to themselves to hit with an objet the size of a large frying pan!

What is next you won't be able to yell "hey batter batter swing" in knothole?

Grow up little girl the world is a harsh place!
My appologies to Ms. Williams if in any way that comment made you feel uncomfortable :p :p :p

You find what sickening?

The accusations or the denials?

What's Inappropriate?
 

[QUOTE=truerookie]
Actually if we want to get technical here, the article states: "Fans and security confirmed a man heckled Williams inappropriately, tournament director Adam Barrett said."

No where in this article does it say that this guy actually used racial comments. With the way the media is today, if the guy did use racial comments, you can bet those people who actually heard it would be trying to have their face plastered all over ESPN or Fox Sports or SPEEDtv or NFL Network or Golf Channel or whatever channel they could get their face on. If the guy said anything 'racially offensive' to her, shame on him. Same thing allegedly happened to her father in 2001 where someone "said" something racial that no-one confirmed and now both sisters refuse to play in that tournament because of how the situation was handled, or wasn't handled.

If the guy was just heckling her or tell her he thought she sucked or was lazy or didn't know how to play Tennis, there's not crime in that. Fans in every other sport do that, and I've never seen anyone get the boot for telling an athlete they didn't know how to play (i.e. they suck).

So to Serena, yes - they do do that on a professional level - in every other sport (Basketball, Baseball, Football, NASCAR, Hockey, Soccer...hell I'm sure they even do it in Cycling).

Would you throw a fan out of a game after that person told you that you sucked or you were lazy or didn't know the rules? Probably not. Would you throw a fan out of a game after that person made a racial slur? Probably, but I bet more than one person would have been able to tell you exactly what the fan said.

#1.) Serena is not a little girl. #2.) You don't hackle women in there work environment, there's a code. It's kind of a slippery slop to let men have this type of advantage over women. If a women feels insecure about a man hackling her, that could be a big problem for the host.

However, I understand exactly what you mean by it's a harsh world we live in. That be the way it is.....however, there are some people who don't believe the world is harsh when they are on the other side of the insults. Ain't that right BackInTheSaddle or Mr.MTD.

[QUOTE=Damien]
Why are you constantly defending your position? You view it differently then I do. I'm moving on.

Mick or Bob, surely you'll agree that, from this point, this thread can't lead anywhere interesting or worthwhile. Please close it NOW!!

How does one heckle appropriately?

I don't watch much tennis so I don't know one Williams sister from the other, but since she claims she heard rude comments from the stands she must not be the one who does all the grunting after every stroke.

I'm on the fence on this one; I don't tolerate fans making comments to players in any sport at the HS level. But Williams is a grown woman in a world where common sense and common courtesy are growing less common by the day. As long as the "fan" wasn't making vulgar or racist comments, I say "get over it" (unless, of course, it says specifically on the contract [ie., admission ticket] that such behavior is punishable by expulsion).