Fan revolts out of control, one wanted to fight UGA player
Braves fans littered Turner Field with beer bottles after bad call. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines fan as: 1) an enthusiastic devotee (as of a sport or a performing art) usually as a spectator; 2): an ardent admirer or enthusiast (as of a celebrity or a pursuit).
As with anything, definitions can often be broadened. The boundaries of this definition just seemingly shouldn’t stretch to home fans cheering when their quarterback crumbles to the ground with a concussion. Or throwing bottles and garbage on a baseball field, endangering other fans and players, in protest of an umpire’s call. Or egging and toilet-papering a home known to be rented by five college players out of disgust, merely because the team lost a football game. Or effectively challenging one student-athlete to a fight on Twitter.
Yes. One “fan” actually did that last week to Georgia’s Christian Robinson.
“There were all these people saying stuff about me on Twitter, it got personal,” Robinson, a senior linebacker, said about the aftermath of last week’s loss at South Carolina. “I had to start blocking people Sunday. I think I blocked about 30. One guy really started coming at me. I’m like, ‘Why are you talking to me like?’ Then he started giving me an address, saying, ‘Yeah, come meet me,’ and I’m like, ‘Are you serious?’”
So this is what it has come to?
That there is a lunatic fringe in sports fandom is not a revelation. In ancient times, a chariot race at Hippodrome in the year 532 CE, organized to raise support for overthrowing the emperor, ignited a riot that led to the deaths of 10,000 to 30,000 fans. But at least there was the backdrop of political and social issues.
A house rented by Christian Robinson (45), Aaron Murray (11) and three other Georgia players was egged and toilet-papered after a loss. (AP)
Lost perspective has reached moronic proportions. Kansas City Chiefs fans cheered last week when Matt Cassel was concussed because their team stinks, and they wanted Brady Quinn in the game. Chiefs linemen Eric Winston responded appropriately, saying, “We are not gladiators” and called it “sickening. It’s 100 percent sickening. I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life to play football.”
Hundreds of Braves fans threw bottles and garbage after an umpire botched an infield fly rule call in the Wild Card playoff game
Fans cheered when Matt Cassel went down with a concussion, and one teammate called it "sickening." (AP)
against St. Louis. The next day, when Chipper Jones was asked why he didn’t respond to a plea by fans for a curtain call following the final game of his career, he said he wasn’t aware they wanted him out there, then joked, “I thought they were still throwing bottles.”
Then there is what happened in Athens. A house rented by five Georgia players was egged and toilet-papered following the Bulldogs’ 35-7 loss at South Carolina. The masses vented on social media, particularly Twitter, some taking personal attacks on players.
As if perspective hadn’t already been lost, the idiocy became magnified when it was learned that the father of quarterback Aaron Murray — one of the home’s tenants, with Robinson — had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and was about to undergo surgery.
“People can hide behind [fake screen names], especially when alcohol is involved,” Robinson said. “I understand people get emotionally involved. But you hope they realize that there are bigger deals in life than Georgia football, especially when you see something like what happened to Aaron’s father.”
The Athens police department will begin making frequent checks of players’ homes during road games. It’s sad that it has come to this, especially on a college campus.
Sports sociologist Jay Coakley, author of “Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies,” believes a number of factors have combined to embolden sports fans more than ever, including: a growing belief that they can affect the outcomes of games with crowd noise, increased ticket prices that grow their sense of involvement; and the growing platforms for their opinions, including message boards, blog commenting and sports talk radio.
“There is a sense of entitlement, but it goes beyond that,” Coakley said from his home in Colorado Springs. “It’s also a sense that you can get away with it. I don’t want to blame it all on talk radio, but those narratives have become pretty extreme. The boundaries for what’s acceptable and what’s not have been pushed, even to the point of egging the home of your own quarterback.”
When asked for a solution, Coakley said it would help if athletes, particularly on college campuses, were less sheltered from the public and allowed to make an off-the-field connection with fans. He added, “It also would be nice if somebody in the stands stood up and said, ‘This is is not acceptable.’ Point people out. Maybe the message would start to get across.”
The Athens eggers have not been caught. Robinson laughed when asked what he would like to see happen to them if they ever were brought to justice.
“I think if they ever get caught, just the public knowing who did that would be worse punishment than anything else,” he said. “They would be complete social outcasts. That would be enough.”
By Jeff Schultz
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432 comments Add your comment
class of 86
October 12th, 2012
4:21 pm
I do not condone egging someone’s house or cheering an injury at all, but folks it is NOT just a game. Without these games MILLIONS of dollars would be lost to the economy of the cities and towns where they are played. People are attached to their money and when they blow hundreds of dollars for tickets, food, gas, souvenirs, etc…it becomes more than just a game. It is a life experience and when the people in charge of these events pay no attention whatsoever to those who have invested so much to come to their events it is a damn shame. Also if you are an alumni of an institution (such as UGA where I am) your entire life is connected in one way or another and when your school is EMBARRASSED on national TV because they were soooo unprepared, it hurts BAD. Then you have to live with that and listen to the derogatory comments and put up with taunts and trash talking. It affects your life when you are invested in it.And then it doesn’t seem to bother Richt at all…”It was just one game”…no its not just one game…it’s life.
rex
October 12th, 2012
4:22 pm
CE? Don’t you mean AD?
PMC
October 12th, 2012
4:22 pm
If Mark Richt is wnd in total wins over the last 12 years he sure is finding a way to lose the wrong game quite a bit.
I’d love to hear his feelings on it, but alas, he can’t really have that conversation in the media. He’d be amazing if he could beat Florida, South Carolina and well any top 10 team.
The Factor
October 12th, 2012
4:26 pm
@Bobo.
Wrong, It is a rarity to see someone who actually attends UGA or attended to boo thier Dawgs. We may get a little sauced at games, but we always love our Dawgs. They are one of US.
truth be known
October 12th, 2012
4:26 pm
Bravo class of 86! you get a participation trophy!
PR
October 12th, 2012
4:28 pm
It is just a game after all. Some people need a dose of reality.
*BREAKING NEWS*
October 12th, 2012
4:28 pm
VICK IS A DAWG OWNER
class of 86
October 12th, 2012
4:29 pm
Hey Factor…yeah we are loving all those wins over Buffalo, Florida Atlantic, etc. It would be nice if we could get some that mattered.
bfred
October 12th, 2012
4:29 pm
“Those of us who actually attended the University of Georgia wish we could lose that faction of fans e who only care about UGA for it’s football”
That’s the worst thing about SEC football by far. I’ve been to games all over the conference and never ONCE had an issue with a student or alum from an opposing school. It’s the nutjobs whose entire personal self-worth is tied up in whether a team from a school they didn’t even attend wins or loses who are the problem. Go to a game as LSU and watch the locals literally try to pick fights with other fans walking to the stadium (while the Baton Rouge cops laugh and do nothing)…it’s sickening.
The Factor
October 12th, 2012
4:31 pm
@class of ‘86
Have you evr heard of Tony Dungy – pretty damn good NFL coach, right? You never saw him show emotion on the field just like Richt. But because Saban is winning at Bama, suddenly that’s the vogue way to act.
The Factor
October 12th, 2012
4:34 pm
@class of 86
I susperct that is your HS graduation year. Not from UGA. Oh. and no one else schedules those games……
clock stoppa
October 12th, 2012
4:34 pm
@The Factor:
One more thing, UGA over M Richts 12 years is 2nd in total wins, only narrowly behing LSU who has had 3 coaches over this period.
__________________
LSU also has 2 national championships during CMR’s tenure..Richt needs to go and so do you…
Buzzzed
October 12th, 2012
4:35 pm
Angus, the double play was not attempted BECAUSE the infield fly run was called by the ump. If the ump did not call it, a double play would have been attempted, or the ball would have just been caught.
Red Stick
October 12th, 2012
4:37 pm
The Factor
October 12th, 2012
4:19 pm
“One more thing, UGA over M Richts 12 years is 2nd in total wins, only narrowly behing LSU who has had 3 coaches over this period.”
LSU has only had 2 coaches during Richt’s tenure. Saban from 2000-2004 and Miles, 2005-present.
Skeezix
October 12th, 2012
4:37 pm
Folks that behave this way have lost perspective, need to get a grip and get their lives back in balance. Their identity and ego are tied too much to a team’s won/loss record — It is a game people!
class of 86
October 12th, 2012
4:38 pm
Not worried about how he acts…but a little sense of concern or something to show he cares would be nice. I know he wants to win, and I know the players want to win, but somewhere there is a disconnect between their physical abilities (we have some of the best athletes in the nation) and the way they play. SC might have beat us on our best day, but there is NO WAY they should have embarrassed us the way they did. No reason Buffalo should have scored 20 points or FAU run over our defense the way they did…something is not clicking. The ability is there, the will is not.
SSIgator
October 12th, 2012
4:38 pm
Speaking of eggs, has it been determined yet that the eggs thrown at the house were the same ones that UGA laid on the field Saturday night?
The Factor
October 12th, 2012
4:38 pm
@clock stoppa
Certainly, we don’t need you……….Stay at home and watch it on your black & white tv with rabbit ears…but please, stay out of Athens…
class of 86
October 12th, 2012
4:40 pm
Factor…Henry Grady School of Journalism, Class of 1986 moron…you don’t have to be a jerk just because we see things differently. geez what a douche
gaperson
October 12th, 2012
4:42 pm
I am pretty sure it was a couple of drunk UGA STUDENTS who rolled the players house. You UGA MEN like the FACTOR should get off your high horse about fans who care about YOUR school for football only. What a stuck up snob….sure you’re not a Tech fan?
GB's Hamburgers
October 12th, 2012
4:43 pm
Fan is short for fanatic. But here in America we don’t take sports that seriously. Go overseas and watch a few soccer games to see some real fans. But stay on your side and wear a bullet proof vest.
Drew Carey dropped 80 lbs.
October 12th, 2012
4:46 pm
UGA laid an egg again and Mark Richt still sports a nice tan.
bamaguy
October 12th, 2012
4:46 pm
And in regard to college sports where players are recruited instead of drafted, these act, especially when directed at players, actually hurt your team. I can see where some recruits who are considering UGA along with other schools, this might be a deciding factor.
And in my former home state, the lunatic tree killer hurt Alabama not Auburn.
The Factor
October 12th, 2012
4:47 pm
@Red Stick, u are correct J DiNardo left in 1999.
@class of 86, I said it is a rarity for those who atteded UGA to act like jerks towards their own team,. You are the rarity.
@gaperson, not a snob at all, you are welcome and can sit near me as long as you are passionate and don’t act like a ass towards visiting fans and don’t boo our team.
Gordon
October 12th, 2012
4:48 pm
Maybe Reggie Ball was right after all: “it’s just a game, dog”
Layinlow
October 12th, 2012
4:48 pm
While I don’t condone this type of behavior these athletes who like to tweet and facebook and use all of this social media shouldn’t cry when some nutjob verbally attacks them. News flash! There are some crazy people in our society mr. Robinson so if your gonna put yourself out there then don’t whine like a baby when a crazy confronts you. People haven’t changed but the world around us has and with all of the technology we have today there is communication between these athletes and anyone with an internet connection. I’m sure if we had social media in the 1970’s there would have been fans blasting dooley on message boards and fans threatning players on twitter. If your a player and you can’t laugh off the criticism then quit tweeting and twittering or whatever the heck they call it.
Drew Carey dropped 80 lbs.
October 12th, 2012
4:51 pm
Gee does anyone ever have thick skin anymore? When is UGA gonna play Grown Man Football?
GB's Hamburgers
October 12th, 2012
4:53 pm
“The factor” Nice name if you can’t come up with a handle and you like someone else doing you thinking. Other suggestions might be Rushboy or Bortzarama. Just kidding. I’ve enjoyed the back and forth today. I believe the facts show that UGA is a middle tier SEC team. If we can assimilate that fact we won’t expect so much.
DawgNole
October 12th, 2012
4:58 pm
bfred
October 12th, 2012
4:19 pm
The Turner Field incident was Braves fans finally hitting the breaking point after 17 years of frustration.
___________________
Not 17 years. 46 years!
ATinSAV
October 12th, 2012
5:02 pm
This is nothing new. I remember when Bill Curry was run out of Tuscaloosa because folks were throwing bricks through his windows. It appears that it is out of control because of social media outlets, but it is the same ole disgruntled fan reactions we have always seen.
DawgNole
October 12th, 2012
5:04 pm
The Factor
October 12th, 2012
4:19 pm
One more thing, UGA over M Richts 12 years is 2nd in total wins, only narrowly behing LSU who has had 3 coaches over this period.
___________________
So LSU has made coaching changes during Richt’s 12 years and is the only team ahead of UGA in wins during that time? Does that mean UGA should consider a coaching change?
Georgia coach
October 12th, 2012
5:22 pm
Jeff, you are a hypocrite. You are worried about people’s feelings? Until I complained to your editor you routinely made fun of portly coaches like fuller and friedgen
Georgia coach
October 12th, 2012
5:23 pm
Sorry, that is Fulmer.
Red-N-Black
October 12th, 2012
5:30 pm
Chi Town
October 12th, 2012
2:20 pm
Typical redneck UGA fans. You can find them anywhere in Athens or Winder.
YUP, just like in the outskirt’s of ‘ChiTown” where there are more brother and sisters marrying than all of the appalachains combined – Yes I’ve driven through and all I see are the cow farms! So rednecks don’t have a specific area they’re from right moron?
The Factor
October 12th, 2012
5:32 pm
@ DawgNole
Of course not. Just the opposite. Dawg fans need to be careful what they wish for.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
October 12th, 2012
5:41 pm
Someone from the 3rd world country of chicago making fun of anyone is large. You best by your ammo while you can. When the welfare checks stop you don’t want to be near chicago.
Johnny Slappey
October 12th, 2012
6:18 pm
Were the egg shells finger printed? The toilet paper investigated to see what store it was bought from?
DawgNole
October 12th, 2012
6:21 pm
The Factor
October 12th, 2012
5:32 pm
@ DawgNole
Of course not. Just the opposite. Dawg fans need to be careful what they wish for.
___________________
Of course not? Then why point out that the only team with more wins than UGA during the referenced period has made coaching changes? Duh.
Beast from the East
October 12th, 2012
6:28 pm
Gotta think the egg/TP incident was
Festus
October 12th, 2012
6:32 pm
What would they do in Athens if UGA lost to Middle Tenn? Coaches made tons of money and if they lose when they are supposed to win what do you expect? Jocks make tons of money and get all the hot women and when they play like they are on weed what do you expect? Please Schultzie give us the comedy we love and stay away from the preaching. If I wanted preaching there are 15 local tv stations preaching in two languages. But at least you are nice enough not to ask me so send you money so you can continue your ministry. Your predictions for Tech and UGA for this weekend are spot on.
kingdaddy
October 12th, 2012
6:32 pm
Jeff
Which came first: A loss to the chickens, or the eggs???
He Hate Gator
October 12th, 2012
6:32 pm
No need to compare Richt to other school’s records, just compare the first 5 years, to the current half…also, why is he paid a salary that is in the top 10? Is that what it takes to get someone to coach UGA? When was the last time the team finished in the TOP 10?
Beast from the East
October 12th, 2012
6:33 pm
Continuing…
Gotta think the egg/TP incident was by some drunk students. Who else would even know where they live? Football means way too much to some of the folks in the our southern states. I love college football and was a 30 year season ticket older at UF, but it is just a game, folks.
The KC incident was totally classless. So was the incident at the Braves game. Defend it all you want, Braves fans, but you would be blasting any other group of fans that did it. It is NEVER okay to throw things from the stands. Never.
Score Check
October 12th, 2012
6:38 pm
Did ever occur to you dolts fans of other schools are trying to make UGA look bad.
Who would do such a thing? The Barns, The Yeck’s etc.
Johnny Slappey
October 12th, 2012
6:38 pm
Fact is if someone is stating meet me at so and so address then that means the other party is going back and forth as well to have arrived at that point. Not codoning the tweeter behavoir but it does not take much to figure out that Robinson went foul as well. Can we get a copy of the tweets??
JSS
October 12th, 2012
6:43 pm
Well said Jeff Schultz…
The thing that is so disgraceful is that they (the delusional type of fans or bloggers) are still trying to rationalize the behavior. I’m never surprised by the veracity of the outrageous conduct. Look at how they are when they attack on these blogs. It is the phony indignation and trying to turn their own contemptuous ideas (and false assumptions) being displayed daily with no penalty.
They won’t stop until they have a human version of that shameful Auburn incident. And when it happens, they will fawn fake and phony indignation… Yes, it is only a game. It is not a loved one being diagnosed with the final stages of Sickle Cell Anemia. It is not a young man getting the news that his father may have a life and death struggle in front of him. It is not that darn important, but it is more of the silliness that passes as gravitas on this forum… That is a dangerous thing!
kingdaddy
October 12th, 2012
6:48 pm
Many fans were supprised not so much by the loss , as by the way we lost. A total “melt-down” at the worst time. They felt betrayed by the team and wanted answers. Instead we got, “well I thought we did pretty good.” Geez…
It was incompentence in the first degree. Some fans lost money. Many UGA fans lost face and had their pride in their Dawgs dashed. The trolls are still having a field-day. I was embarrassed, but I’m not changing my name or refusing to support UGA. We can make the best of it, but its like losing your hot girlfriend to the “creepy homeless guy down the street”, it sucs…
You know what I mean Vern???
The Truth
October 12th, 2012
6:50 pm
You know who I wanna fight? Greg McGarity. That moron should have never given Richt a contract extension. What an idiot!!!
As far as fans wanting to fight the players…that’s a pansy move. The losses are on the coaches – not the players. I’m 100% behind those kids- You should be too. If you’re not, then STFU and GFY.
The Truth
October 12th, 2012
6:52 pm
Oh, and I’d like to fight Jeff Shultz too. Why is there a sack Shultz contest and not a fight Shultz contest? I bet that would get a lot of entries!
J D Rhoades
October 12th, 2012
6:55 pm
The actions of a few are unfortunately often attributed to the larger group! Sadly, the actions of a limited number of “fair weather UGA fans” blemish the entire Bulldog Nation. I have always wanted to ask complaintants, “since you know more than the coaches, why hasn’t the Athletic Board hired you to coach?” or “Since you better understand the game and have more athletic ability than the team members, why don’t you have a scholarship?” True fans support their team. People who go througth life expecting to win everything live unhappy, miserable lives!