The Marcus Smart Incident

[DrumNFeather]

Towards the end of their loss in Lubbock against Texas Tech, Marcus Smart flew into the stands hustling after a ball. Reportedly, Jeff Orr, a long time Texas Tech fan called Smart "a piece of crap," leading Smart to shove the fan. Smart has now been suspended for three games, and has apologized for his actions. Orr, has apparently volunteered to not attend any more games this year.

A lot of the focus of this incident has centered around Smart and losing his cool, but I think some attention has to be paid to the fan in question here and fan behavior in general. Buying a ticket to a game should not make it a free for all to do and say whatever you please.

I'm sure we haven't heard the end of this story.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...es-shoving-fan

[LA Ute]

Here's what the fans watching on TV saw:

[LA Ute]

Here's the video with audio making it clear (?) what Orr, the stupid Texas Tech "superfan," said.



I think Marcus claimed at first that Orr uttered a racial epithet. Looks like he didn't, but for a guy in his 50s to be calling a college kid "you piece of crap" to his face seems pathetic to me.

[U-Ute]

http://www.texastech.com/genrel/020914aab.html

In conjunction with a review of the actions of Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart by the Big 12 Conference, Texas Tech has completed its own thorough investigation regarding the incident at last night's basketball game involving Red Raider fan Jeff Orr. Texas Tech interviewed Mr. Orr along with numerous fans, photographers and arena personnel that were seated in the area surrounding him. Mr. Orr vehemently denied the accusation that he used a racial slur and no one in the vicinity of Mr. Orr heard such a slur. Mr. Orr has admitted to directing an inappropriate phrase toward Marcus Smart. Texas Tech has been able to verify that statement independently through video provided by Texas Tech Sports Broadcasting. At no point on the film can a racial slur be heard.
Texas Tech is committed to sportsmanship and expects fans to abide by the rules set forth by the Big 12 Conference and the university. Comments such as those used by Mr. Orr are unacceptable and not condoned by Texas Tech University.
As a result of this incident, Mr. Orr has voluntarily agreed to not attend a Texas Tech home or away basketball game for the remainder of the season.
Jeff Orr Statement
"I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere apologies to Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State, Tubby Smith and the Texas Tech Men's Basketball program. My actions last night were inappropriate and do not reflect myself or Texas Tech - a university I love dearly. I regret calling Mr. Smart a "piece of crap" but I want to make it known that I did not use a racial slur of any kind. Additionally, I would like to offer my apologies to Texas Tech fans that have been embarrassed by the attention this incident has created."

Here is the angle ESPN has. Smart definitely was not living up to his name. Hopefully this is a good lesson for him as he has tremendous potential to make a lot of money.

It sounds like the self-professed "super fan" is stepping up and taking his share of the responsibility. Although at 4-10, it seems like they should force him to go to all of the rest of the games, and sit in the upper bowl.

[SoCalPat]

http://www.texastech.com/genrel/020914aab.html



Here is the angle ESPN has. Smart definitely was not living up to his name. Hopefully this is a good lesson for him as he has tremendous potential to make a lot of money.

It sounds like the self-professed "super fan" is stepping up and taking his share of the responsibility. Although at 4-10, it seems like they should force him to go to all of the rest of the games, and sit in the upper bowl.

Clearly some compromises going on here.

Marcus Smart: He knows that going after fans is not good for business, even if they say something that warrants such a confrontation. He willingly apologizes, knowing three games is a slap on the wrist if really all what Jeff Orr called him was a "piece of crap."

Texas Tech: They share some blame in this for profiling Orr in a positive light and never reigning him in, even though Big 12 coaches and players have been warned about him for years. They can't ban him outright but they can ask him to name his punishment -- lest Tech throws him under the bus.

Jeff Orr: If you're truly innocent, press for assault charges. He can't, because he's clearly in the wrong as well. Several "media outlets" have said Orr told Smart to "go back to Africa" right before the shove. Obviously, not a racial slur, yet very inflammatory.

[SeattleUte]

Buster Matheney did this in 1976 at Weber when I was a Ute manager. I'll never forget the site of him enourmous, piling into the stands chasing after this fan running like a Grizzly was after him. It was actually kind of scary. Buster was missing a judgment chip, I think. In the last regular game of the season Utah was playing at BYU in a game they had to win to clinch the outright conference championship over Arizona (in Arizona's last year in the WAC). Near the beginning of the game Buster punched Jay Cheesman in the nose. Cheesman was already wearing a mask and a nose brace. Buster was immediately ejected from the game and BYU went up by nine. You can imagine the noise in the MC. Fortunately, Coby Leavitt rose to the occasion and played completely beyond what seemed his capablities, and Utah rallied and won comformtably.

[sancho]

Buster Matheney did this in 1976 at Weber when I was a Ute manager. I'll never forget the site of him enourmous, piling into the stands chasing after this fan running like a Grizzly was after him. It was actually kind of scary. Buster was missing a judgment chip, I think. In the last regular game of the season Utah was playing at BYU in a game they had to win to clinch the outright conference championship over Arizona (in Arizona's last year in the WAC). Near the beginning of the game Buster punched Jay Cheesman in the nose. Cheesman was already wearing a mask and a nose brace. Buster was immediately ejected from the game and BYU went up by nine. You can imagine the noise in the MC. Fortunately, Coby Leavitt rose to the occasion and played completely beyond what seemed his capablities, and Utah rallied and won comformtably.

Wow, a clear win-win. Won the fight and the game. Great story.

[SoCalPat]

Buster Matheney did this in 1976 at Weber when I was a Ute manager. I'll never forget the site of him enourmous, piling into the stands chasing after this fan running like a Grizzly was after him. It was actually kind of scary. Buster was missing a judgment chip, I think. In the last regular game of the season Utah was playing at BYU in a game they had to win to clinch the outright conference championship over Arizona (in Arizona's last year in the WAC). Near the beginning of the game Buster punched Jay Cheesman in the nose. Cheesman was already wearing a mask and a nose brace. Buster was immediately ejected from the game and BYU went up by nine. You can imagine the noise in the MC. Fortunately, Coby Leavitt rose to the occasion and played completely beyond what seemed his capablities, and Utah rallied and won comformtably.

I think people forget how much fighting was a part of the culture in basketball in the 1970s. Outside of Ron Artest and a memorable brawl between Dr. J. and Larry Bird in the mid-80s, your most epic throwdowns in hoops came in the 1970s. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar once broke Kent Benson's nose. Of course there's the story of Kermit Washington and Rudy T. Hockey players thought the brawl between Minnesota and Ohio State (which involved a future baseball HOF'er in Dave Winfield) was over the line. I'm sure there are many more instances out there just like Buster Matheney.

[roseparkutes]

just a bad situation all around. if a dude calls you a N-word, or a piece of crap, just walk away. I'd almost bet that Jeff Orr will try to sue after smart makes the NBA