Originally posted by SRW
There's nothing there about spectator VERBAL interference... only PHYSICAL interference. Fans can say whatever they want until they become a team member or an offensive player.
Where in the rule does it say PHYSICAL interference?
Where in the rule does it preclude VERBAL interference?
It does say spectator and it does say confuse.
And you raise a veddy interestink point about a spectator morphing into a team member. Coaches who give instruction must be in the dugout. If a spectator is giving instruction, then I would judge the spectator to be a team member at that point, and no longer a spectator.
spectator (from [url]http://www.dictionary.com)[/url]
n 1: a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind); "the spectators applauded the performance"; "television viewers"; "sky watchers discovered a new star" [syn: witness, viewer, watcher, looker
Any action that impedes, hinders or confuses a player to is no longer an "observer". They become a team member, which puts them subject to OBS.