Players need to be Smart

What happened in college basketball yesterday is not the norm. Most players will walk away from taunting fans, but there comes a time when enough is enough. Oklahoma’s Marcus Smart went past the point as a player yesterday by confronting Texas Tech fan Jeff Orr, but we don’t know what provoked Marcus Smart to push Orr.

Fans get carried away. I have been coaching high school sports for over 30 years. The worst sport to coach and play where the fans are so close to you is the sport of basketball. While coaching football and baseball I very rarely have heard the comments made at me or my players, but in basketball and its close surroundings, makes the comments heard sometimes personal. Fans need to be held responsible also.

Before Georgia High School Association games, we hear the public address announce read the GHSA Sportsmanship creed, but once the game starts the fans don’t remember it. Yes, there are times when I wanted to confront the fans behind me that are making absurd comments at my players, but I have to block it out.

The only solution is the fans need to realize just because you paid for your ticket doesn't give the right to say whatever you want at the players playing the game on any level from middle school to professional sports. It comes down to it that players need to be smart and need to block out all the  racial slurs and negative attacks verbally and know that they are bigger and better than the fan. Just go out and play the game and the rest will take care of itself.