Don't tase him, bro!! Wait... no, go ahead.
For those that are unaware, many people in our country play sports. They play at many different levels, including professional, collegiate, and recreational. On top of that surprising newsflash, even more people in our country are sports fans.
This can include the casual fan; "Yeah, I follow the O's when they're winning," which at this point in the franchise's history means the fan is aware of the team's existence.
This can also include the rabid fan; "I roundhouse kicked my dog in the face for a pair of Steelers tickets." I use that example because I feel it is something a Pittsburgh fan would be capable of doing.
Some of us watch games at home, and some of us will attend the game itself, live in the flesh. When we do choose the latter, it typically involves a higher level of participation than one would give the sporting event from the comfort of the couch. You yell louder, you become more of an expert on what the coach should have done, and you tend to drink a little more - because a beer that costs $7.50 just has to be delicious.
There are others in this world who like to take the next step in fan-dom, and actually take the field. You see this happen a lot in college, where fans will storm the field or court or dormroom or wherever their team just dominated. Less frequently, you see this in professional sports, where a long gunman will decide it is his or her - usually his - time to shine. When this decision is made, they become That Guy On The Field.
I know you've become incredibly bored by now, so luckily for you, I have arrived at the crux of this blog. This past Monday night, a Philadelphia Phillies fan made a Great Decision, and ran out onto the field during the Phillies game against the Cardinals.
"A Phillies fan did this?!?" you exclaim in complete mock surprise. "No way, I don't believe it. Not from a Philadelphia sports fan."
Normally, I would agree with you, as we all know Philly fans to be the more docile of the bunch. Sometimes, though, it only takes on bad apple.
Well, this bad apple ended up getting tasered by security for his indiscretion. The reason I felt inclined to pepper you with run-on sentences and forcibly bad grammar is the reaction some people are having over this incident. The question has been raised regarding whether or not the use of the taser was excessive in stopping the rabid fan from making more of an ass of himself.
Was the use of a taser necessary? Could it be the security guard went over the line and used bad judgment in tasering the offending fan?
No.
Running out onto the field of play is not allowed by fans. We all know this to be true. Even Philadelphia fans can tell you it is not permitted. How is anyone to know whether or not this guy intended harm to a player? How are we to know whether or not this person was a huge fan of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and decided he wanted to kiss Chase Utley as bad as Mac wanted to be Utley's best friend?
Regardless of any ill intent, you can't run on the field. You know that. Even hammered, you know that. The security on duty has to immediately assume the worst when a fan comes onto the field, because to do any less would be a dereliction of duty by said officer. If the security guard slowly trots after you while mildly suggesting in his inside voice that you might want to maybe consider please not doing that anymore, he is going to find his job position up for grabs before the game is over.
When you buy a ticket, you are given the right to attend the game, have fun, yell at players, get rowdy - to an extent - with the fans. You are given the right to do all of that within the confines of the stadium, the field being the only exception to the rule. You ignore that exception, you deserve what's coming to you.
What's coming to you should not be a shouted warning to quit it. It should not be a rough shove to the ground by the security team. It should not be a clothesline by a player.
What's coming to you should be the standard police taser voltage level of 50,000 volts. See if you do THAT again, numbnuts.
For extra fun, I have included this link to Baltimore Colt Mike Curtis's hit on a fan way back in '71.
This can include the casual fan; "Yeah, I follow the O's when they're winning," which at this point in the franchise's history means the fan is aware of the team's existence.
This can also include the rabid fan; "I roundhouse kicked my dog in the face for a pair of Steelers tickets." I use that example because I feel it is something a Pittsburgh fan would be capable of doing.
Some of us watch games at home, and some of us will attend the game itself, live in the flesh. When we do choose the latter, it typically involves a higher level of participation than one would give the sporting event from the comfort of the couch. You yell louder, you become more of an expert on what the coach should have done, and you tend to drink a little more - because a beer that costs $7.50 just has to be delicious.
There are others in this world who like to take the next step in fan-dom, and actually take the field. You see this happen a lot in college, where fans will storm the field or court or dormroom or wherever their team just dominated. Less frequently, you see this in professional sports, where a long gunman will decide it is his or her - usually his - time to shine. When this decision is made, they become That Guy On The Field.
I know you've become incredibly bored by now, so luckily for you, I have arrived at the crux of this blog. This past Monday night, a Philadelphia Phillies fan made a Great Decision, and ran out onto the field during the Phillies game against the Cardinals.
"A Phillies fan did this?!?" you exclaim in complete mock surprise. "No way, I don't believe it. Not from a Philadelphia sports fan."
Normally, I would agree with you, as we all know Philly fans to be the more docile of the bunch. Sometimes, though, it only takes on bad apple.
Well, this bad apple ended up getting tasered by security for his indiscretion. The reason I felt inclined to pepper you with run-on sentences and forcibly bad grammar is the reaction some people are having over this incident. The question has been raised regarding whether or not the use of the taser was excessive in stopping the rabid fan from making more of an ass of himself.
Was the use of a taser necessary? Could it be the security guard went over the line and used bad judgment in tasering the offending fan?
No.
Running out onto the field of play is not allowed by fans. We all know this to be true. Even Philadelphia fans can tell you it is not permitted. How is anyone to know whether or not this guy intended harm to a player? How are we to know whether or not this person was a huge fan of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and decided he wanted to kiss Chase Utley as bad as Mac wanted to be Utley's best friend?
Regardless of any ill intent, you can't run on the field. You know that. Even hammered, you know that. The security on duty has to immediately assume the worst when a fan comes onto the field, because to do any less would be a dereliction of duty by said officer. If the security guard slowly trots after you while mildly suggesting in his inside voice that you might want to maybe consider please not doing that anymore, he is going to find his job position up for grabs before the game is over.
When you buy a ticket, you are given the right to attend the game, have fun, yell at players, get rowdy - to an extent - with the fans. You are given the right to do all of that within the confines of the stadium, the field being the only exception to the rule. You ignore that exception, you deserve what's coming to you.
What's coming to you should not be a shouted warning to quit it. It should not be a rough shove to the ground by the security team. It should not be a clothesline by a player.
What's coming to you should be the standard police taser voltage level of 50,000 volts. See if you do THAT again, numbnuts.
For extra fun, I have included this link to Baltimore Colt Mike Curtis's hit on a fan way back in '71.
Comments