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DEL.ICIO.USHigh school final four won’t abide foul fans
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“The GHSA and its member schools have made a commitment to promote good sportsmanship. … Profanity, degrading remarks, and intimidating actions directed at officials or competitors will not be tolerated, and are grounds for removal.”
— Executive Director Ralph Swearngin
Rude, boorish, obnoxious, profane and anyway otherwise maniacal basketball fans beware: The Georgia High School Association is prepared to back up its pregame announcement with action. So if you want to witness this week’s state championships, put a zipper on your trashy mouths and cut the infantile antics.
I really hate to preach. But after another week of rude, boorish, obnoxious profane and anyway otherwise maniacal basketball fans polluting the ears and eyes of everyone else, I’ve had enough. These clowns ruin what should be an experience suitable for family enjoyment.
It’s just a game, people.
Surely, state tournament time brings charged and overhyped emotions. Especially for those involved — players and students — for whom lifetime memories are made. And for the most part, your children behave within the bounds of decency.
Not so for supposed grown-ups.
“Almost 100 percent of the time, when it’s kids [being enthusiastic] it doesn’t get personal,” Swearngin said Tuesday. “But the most vocal and profane are the adults.”
We’re talking about somebody’s mamas, daddies, grandparents, aunts, uncles and/or assorted other grown friends and relations. You know, role models.
Last week at Mount Zion High in Jonesboro, where AA games were played, each evening the spirited contests were marred by rude, boorish, obnoxious profane and anyway otherwise maniacal basketball fans.
At first, adult fans of the private schools seemed the worst culprits. However, that impression changed when public schools competed. By the end of the day, it became apparent fools come in all manner of socioeconomic standing.
Now, for the good news: All of you of proper manners and bearing don’t have to be imposed upon. The GHSA can, and will, have the bums thrown out.
“If the officials feel like someone is starting to intrude on the game — anytime it gets personal, profane or vulgar,” Swearngin says, “they can stop the game and have event management correct the problem. We are aware of a couple of problems last week.
“A fan was escorted out at one venue, and several tournament directors issued warnings to groups of fans for being out of line.”
Ideally, with the final fours at the Macon Coliseum and Gwinnett Arena, the larger venues will provide some comfort. Otherwise, Swearngin says, “There is recourse if you are being subjected to an experience you are not enjoying.”
Complain to event security — or uniformed police — if someone is using abusive or inappropriate language, or even if they are blocking your view and won’t sit down.
“Hopefully, we’ll have good competition and none of these problems,” Swearngin says.
If not, here’s another option: Camera phones.
These days, almost all kids pack them. So put them to good use. Next time your mamas, daddies, grandparents, aunts, uncles and/or assorted other grown friends and relations show out at a game and act like a horse’s rear-end — snap a picture.
That should spice up the next family reunion.
Permalink | Comments (15) | Categories: J.C. Clemons
Comments
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By LEONARD
March 1, 2006 11:45 AM | Link to this
i AGREE THAT SOME FANS GET OUT OF CONTROL, BUT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL PICYURE, ANYBODY COULD SEE WHY THE PEOPLE ACT LIKE THAT. EXAMPLE 1: I MYSELF ATTENDED THE GAMES IN ROME AND I TELL YOU IT WAS A SHAME THE WAY THAT THE OFFICIALS CALLED THOSE GAMES. IN THE SW ATL.CHRISTIAN AND BREMAN GAME THE PLAYERS ON THE BREMAN TEAM WAS PLAYING REALLY ROUGH, NOT THE WAY YOU ACTUALLY PLAY BASKETBALL. THERE WAS 2 INCIDENTS INVOLVING PLAYERS, ONE WAS FINALLY EJECTED, BUT ONLY AFTER FANS OBJECTED TO THAT KIND OF PLAY.IT WAS LIKE THAT IN EVERY GAME PLAYED. THE OFFICIALS MADE BAD CALLS CONTINOUS, THEY DID NOT CONTROL THE GAMES AT ALL. THE GHSA NEEDS TO HEAR THIS. THE REASON WHY FANS ACT THE WAY THEY DO IS BECAUSE OF THE OFFICIATING OF THESE PEOPLE. I HOPE THAT THE GHSA OBSERVE WHAT A LOUSY JOB THE OFFICIALS DO. THE OFFICIALS ARE BETTER IN THE SEMI-FINALS AND FINALS,BUT LOUSY IN THE QUARTERS AND BACK. TO THE GHSA: CORRECT THE OFFICIATING AND THE FANS WILL RELAX.
By AverageFan
March 1, 2006 02:33 PM | Link to this
So when is it okay for officials not to be sportsmen as well. In High School games too many officials are looking at the future stars instead of calling a good and fair game. I’ve witnessed the worst officiating this year at a middle school game where parents from both teams were upset at referees for not making calls in either direction. Can GHSA say TRAINING.
By Will
March 1, 2006 03:27 PM | Link to this
I have noticed that as the ball players have become more undisciplined, so have the fans that root them on. Many of these kids lack such fundamental skills and its pathetic to see how people will almost resort to fistacuffs over play that looks like streetball. The Savannah/Beach game in Macon was one of the most exciting games I had ever seen until the last 5 minutes. It was a close game and seemingly the coaches turned them loose and let them “run court.” It was managed poorly by the coaches and guess what: the fans reacted accordingly! A player injured his leg seriously and many of fans were telling him he needs to get off of the court; a sixteen year old child mind you! As I see it, as long as we let the standards of the game go down, accordingly, the attitudes toward the game will follow.
By Public Addresser
March 1, 2006 03:28 PM | Link to this
Curtis - as an announcer for girls and boys varsity games at my local high school, I can tell you that I’m in complete agreement with everything you said. Put aside the so-called “professional opinions” that people have of refereeing skills - if the refs called everything the average know-nothing fan wants called, the game would last 6 hours. For the last two years, I’ve seen at least 50 games from courtside (our high school sponsored the Region tourney this year), and generally, the officiating is “pretty good.” Are there occassional outages? You bet. But NOTHING gives any fan the right to personally attack a ref with verbal insults that adults and kids alike should not be exposed to. The worst outcome is that the players hear the insults and assume that they have the right to jump right in, escalate the physicality of the game, and create what can be a very dangerous scene. I’d like to see the security at these events become much more aggressive at dealing with these hooligans. People need to realize that the coaches are fully capable of getting into the referees’ ear much more effectively than any fan ever could, while maintaining the dignity of his/her team and the game. Our kids need to see that controversy and adversity can be met and dealt with in an emotionally defused manner, and that at the end of the day, you walk across the floor, shake your opponent’s hand, and wish them luck as they play on (or go home). I read the post game comments of SWAC’s coach - he actually complimented the Bremen team for playing tough, and rightly complimented his team for working through the adversity of a tough game and coming out on top. Thankfully, most of the coaches I’ve seen on the sidelines are class acts and there for the right reasons - developing excellent young women and men.
By Public Addresser
March 1, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this
Sorry JC - I said Curtis by mistake!
By HOWARD
March 1, 2006 03:56 PM | Link to this
CLEMONS, YOU BLOWED THIS ONE, IF I DON’T CURSE, I AS A U.S. CITIZEN HAVE A RIGHT TO BOO A BAD CALL AND TELL THE ZEBRA IT WAS A BAD CALL. I KNOW ONE PARTICALLY OFFICIAL THAT ADMITTED THAT HE INTENTIALLY MADE BAD CALLS AGAINST THIS TEAM BECAUSE HE DISLIKED THE COACH AND THE TEAM FANS. GHSA NEEDS TO SCREEN OFFICIALS AS WELL AS FANS IN STANDS. I’M AGAINST PROFANITY, BUT I MAKE MY POINT AT A GAME IF IT’S ONE SIDED REFERREE CALLING AND WILL DO SO AT FINAL FOUR. IF THEY EJECT ME FOR THAT, THEY BETTER RETURN MY MONEY AT DOOR OR GHSA WILL HEAR FROM ME WITH COMPLAINTS AND NAMES OF BAD REFERREES WHO NEED MORE TRAINING OR NEED TO BE EJECTED FROM WEARING THAT STRIPPED SHIRT!!!!!!! YOU, MR. CLEMONS NEED TO WAKE UP AND UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES AND NOT JUST ONE SIDE!!!
By Steve C
March 1, 2006 06:17 PM | Link to this
Howard: It’s the “Caps Lock” key you need to find on your keyboard. Seems to be stuck. Press it, and cool off. No one, I repeat NO ONE, likes to hear loudmouth know-it-alls yelling at sporting events, especially at refs.
By Bryan
March 1, 2006 06:50 PM | Link to this
Instead of blaming the refs, the coaches, the players, or a mean old lady who scarred you as a child, why don’t some of you “experts” take a look at yourself? Like it or not, you are role models. Your kids and children around you look to you for how to act in situations. I’ve seen my fair share of bad calls as well, but I just take it in stride, maybe shake my head a little, and move on. It’s just a game. Instead of getting bent out of shape over a refs call or a coach’s decision, enjoy the game and the effort of the student athletes competing. Win or lose, as long as it’s a good game, that should be the main focus of fans. If your knowledge of the game is so great, why don’t you get out there and ref yourselves? I am tired of being surrounded by unruly fans who hurt my enjoyment of the games.
By m glass
March 2, 2006 08:28 AM | Link to this
I to believe that you do not have to get overrated at the games, but the ref’s needs to get more training or put aside personal vendettas. This affects the kids. If you want to teach them sportmanship, then first let the ref learn how to call the game. It is a hurting feeling to know that you don’t have a chance before the game ever gets started. Children see this and that’s when it doesn’t matter with them. Because they know that they do not have a fair chance. Yes I know that life is not fair, but do we have to teach it to our children. Let the kids play fair and that’s only if the ref’s are calling a fair game. When they are calling the plays right, you will notice you don’t have so many irate people. Call the game as it is played and not cheat for your favorite team.
By oldster
March 2, 2006 09:09 AM | Link to this
So do the refs call a fair game if your team is winning.
By tp
March 2, 2006 10:54 AM | Link to this
Malarky. I don’t buy the argument that the game will last 6 hours if the refs call everything. The games I saw will be shorter because the players will foul out!!! Call what you see when you see it and maybe, just maybe the players will learn to play basketball by the rules as written. I am sick and tired of seeing a streetball mugging night in and night out. Refs, please take back the game.
By T-Man
March 2, 2006 12:00 PM | Link to this
What are we teaching the kids if we yell at the ref? Who is the game for us or the kids? It’s the parents game and no longer the kids game sad to say. The kid’s are aware when a bad call is made they are playing in the game. Bad ref’s need to be reported no argument here. But to demonstrate to the kid’s that disagreements need to be handled with abuse and or diatribe is teahing them the wrong thing. They are in a game that can teach them discipline and percerverance. Why as an adult (a parent to a child on the court) do you want to change that by demonstrating to them disrespect and bad manners. Are you a good parent by doing this? Is your child going to say thanks dad for cusing that ref out? Don’t dumb yourself down so much to lower yourself in front of your child. Have some pride, be a role model someone your child can look up to. If you are what your child looks up to by cusing out the ref then God help us all.
By KeepinItReal
March 2, 2006 05:18 PM | Link to this
I have attended so many games and it never fails, the refs that are doing these games have to be the ones that graduated last in their class or passed the test by the skin of their teeth. You can’t help (as a parent) but to get a bit emotional when your child is playing their hearts out and just hoping for a fair call when the opponents step over the line. The last game I witnessed, AAAAA Boys at Morehouse, there was so much “TRAVELING” not being called, it was ridiculous. I thought maybe I was at a 5 and under game where traveling is just overlooked. You all may say, “You still have to control your temper”. But when your child is playing his little heart out and being shoved and fouled and nothing happens, don’t tell me you would just sit there and smile. POINT IS PLEASE GET SOME BETTER QUALIFIED REFS OR IT WILL CONTINUE TO GET U-G-L-Y.
By reality
March 2, 2006 06:35 PM | Link to this
look…it’s a game. the officials can’t and don’t make a living calling these games. they are not perfect and they are going to make mistakes. for goodness sake the nba officials can’t get it right all the time how are high school officials supposed to be perfect. the thing to rememeber is that MOST of these kids are not going to play at the next level. sure there are more on each team usually the deeper you go in the playoffs but still not a lot. people should relax and let the kids and the fans enjoy the games. nobody likes to lose…but almost everyone is going to. enjoy the kids and the competition and quit complaining.
By Grandfather
March 2, 2006 10:30 PM | Link to this
I stumbled upon this series of comments by accident but I am glad I did. I now understand one reason why we are losing jobs to other countries. The folks authoring these comments are getting all worked up about basketball games but no one seems the least bit concerned about the atrocious spelling and grammar in many posts. Games come and go but life skills like spelling and grammar are needed forever. Otherwise, no one will take us seriously. Don’t get me wrong - I believe that sporting events are important. But they won’t help us land, or keep, that good job!