Partner takes care of jerk fanboy
 

Last night, there was some clown sitting in the second row near the baseline. He looked to be about in his late 30s or early 40s. Three times, he yelled at my partner stating that my partner "didn't know the rules". Of course, my partner had it right every time. One was letting a team run the endline after a made basket and a timeout, another was having a shooter catch his own airball (although the kid's hair was so long it could have been a "hairball") on a valid shot attempt and the third was not having a five second count when the ball handler picked up his dribble on about the three count and held it for about three more seconds before passing.

At the quarter break, my partner goes over to the stands, points at the guy and announces "Folks, we are in the presence of a real rules expert here. This gentleman apparently knows the rules better than the two officials on the floor who have almost 40 years experience between them. Make sure you come over at halftime and get his autograph." He then looked at the guy and said loudly, "Sir, how many years have you officiated and what was your score on this year's rules test - 100%?"

Lots of people started laughing, most of them directly at the guy. Guess what happened? HE GOT UP AND LEFT!!! He didn't come back, either.

I wish I had it on video.

That hysterical. I wish I was there for that. Oregon definitely has all the entertaining officials.

HAHA Classic!

Wow. Good thing the guy didn't have a gun or some other type of weapon. May seem funny, but it's pretty risky imo.

Great story and I wish I had your partner's nerve. I try and tune out the loonies in the stands but sometimes its not possible in a small gym or during the (relative) quiet of a time out.

I actually asked a game administrator to eject a fan this year after he loudly, and repeatedly, questioned our integrity. I waved the administrator over and, I was I was turning to identify the fan, saw that the fan was "self deporting" himself out of the stands.

I asked the administrator to make sure he found an exit and did not return. The administrator was all over it and eager to help out. Crisis averted.

I always have my cousin Tony and his pals check for weapons at the door at all my games. I never seem to have any problems after that.


http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-imag...opranos460.jpg

Two wrongs don't make a right
 

What the fan was doing was wrong; no question about it. And -- while this conclusion is not quite as clear -- I think your partner was wrong, too. What he did was designed to demean another human being. Is that desire understandable? Yes. Was the response "deserved" in that it was brought on by the fan's behavior? Perhaps.

My first reaction to reading the account was to smile and appreciate your partner's courage (although perhaps not wisdom) in putting the guy in his place. But my more reflective reaction is that your partner's conduct is not to be condoned. Treating others the way we wish to be treated is easy when others treat us nicely. Treating others the way we wish to be treated, even when we are not being treated nicely, is the right thing to do (even if it's not easy).

What rhymes with "sanctimonious" and sounds a little like "preachy?"

It's stories like this that brighten my day! :)

I give up? What does??

Bgtg19 has a very valid point. While most of us chuckle at stories like this one, it ain't the way to handle the situation. All it does is lower us to the same level as the idiot causing problems in the first place.

Yeah, but it still makes me :D

For the amount of abuse that we take, it's refreshing sometimes to hear about an idiot being put in his place when he is clearly wrong and a moron!

Not saying that you should do this, but it still makes me LOL when I read these stories because so many fans are such complete idiots!!!

Oh, I completely agree. It's kind of like watching the show "Cops" or others like it...the main reason we watch is to see some knucklehead get pepper-sprayed or something when they behave like idiots. It's hilarious...but in this case, did it solve anything other than getting the clown to leave? Will that clown change his behavior or be the same at the next game he goes to?

I don't know...and I laugh along with the rest of us when I read these stories. I'm just not sure that it's the best way to deal with it.

I'll stop being "sanctimonious" and "preachy" now...

Word.

Very true - one of my favorite shows! :)

Some would argue that getting him to leave WAS solving something :)

If that official is working the game, I suspect so! :)

Sorry - my personal philosophy and yours seem to be worlds apart. I believe in:

A. What's good for the goose is good for the gander
B. An eye for an eye
C. If you can dish it out, you also have to be able to take it
D. You have to stand up to bullies
E. All of the above

Correct answer: E

Remember - appeasement didn't work for the British before WWII.

Sheez, bgtg, what makes you think that taking the high road is something anyone respects or appreciates? Just say whatever happens to pop into your head, and the hell with anyone's feelings. THat's their own problem, not yours. Especially people who you don't like. If you want to be nice, reffing isn't for you.