When a Fan Misbehaves, Should the Athlete Pay?

It happened at the Texas Tech Men's Basketball game at the United Spirit Arena in  Lubbock, Texas, in a game against Oklahoma State University.  It was a full house and it was a hotly contested game.  The Red Raiders won, upsetting a ranked team.

During the game the Lubbock announcers were decidedly negative about the arrogance of Marcus Smarts. However, the "unwritten rule" is that an athlete never goes after a fan, no matter what happens.   The history is that Marcus Smart has had problems with his behavior in the past.  But on February 8, 2014, he shoved a fan http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24437173/video-marcus-smart-shoves-fan-near-end-of-osu-loss-at-texas-tech.  It is never appropriate for an athlete, amateur or professional, to go after a fan.  Sometimes, it happens.  And, unfortunately, the young man involved in this incident, will be suspended for the next three games his team plays. He apologized in a statement on Sunday http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/marcus-smart-apologizes-altercation-accepts-three-game-suspension-234016680--ncaab.html.  I say unfortunately because he is in a way paying for the inappropriate behavior of the fan, as well has his own inappropriate behavior.

The fan is Jeffery Orr, described as an "uber fan," a Texas Tech graduate who travels to all the games. And, according to the Lubbock media, has had problems as a fan in the past. The editorial comments on that http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/lupica-fan-smart-article-1.1608035  indicate as much.

Mike Holder, the Athletic Director for Oklahoma State University made a statement http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10428708/marcus-smart-oklahoma-state-cowboys-suspended-3-games-shoving-fan that really indicated an awareness of the need for the young athlete to grow, not be marked for one mistake, and that more forces than a young athlete were in play in this incident.

Is this fair?  We put athletes in fish-bowl pressure cookers in sporting events, expecting ultimately very mature behavior from still young people. We blame them if they are not emotionally involved enough in their sport, and castigate them if their emotions overtake them . They may be getting an education paid for but they are not other wise compensated for their hours of effort.  And, they become heroes or scapegoats, depending upon their performance and the ultimate performance of their team.

This is a lot to put on a still  young adult.  Maybe we have some unrealistic expectations of these young people, who, on the whole, perform outstandingly in the mature behavior sportsmanship category.   The consequences for negative behavior from a player can be penalties in a game, ejection from a game, very drastically, forfeiture of a game, and suspension.   If serious enough, the negative behavior could affect the athlete's scholarship and academic standing.  These could be life changing consequences.

And, let's face it, what are the consequences for a fan: to be walked out of a game, to be banned from games, and notoriety that they otherwise would not receive if they were well behaved.  People who behave as did Orr probably eat up the notoriety.   Or at least, do not let it influence or affect them negatively.

The decks are skewed, against the player, who may really not be as much to blame as the fan. 

I am glad the consequences for Marcus Smart are what they are.  I am sorry that there are not some criminal charges against Orr.  I am not trying to be vindictive or retaliatory, but really an adult needs to be held responsible for the consequences of his behavior.  The behavior of Mr. Orr could have dragged Marcus Smart into some serious, harmful behaviors, which could have scarred his future. We are grateful that it seems the consequences will not do that. Let us hope.