This is an elected official?

[Grant - AR]

This is basketball, but I thought the General Discussion section was a good place for it.

I don't know that I have any words for this type of behavior from a fan...and elected official.        

https://twitter.com/HeartlandSignal/status/1478826776843497472

[dammitbobby]

I mean, who among us hasn’t at one point tried to depants (is that even a word?) a basketball official before? We’ve all done this, right?

(Note: this is a joke. I’ve not actually done this)

Politics aside - this would be a fantastic opportunity for TN sports officials to pressure whom to sponsor a sports officials abuse bill, since they obviously don’t have one.

[AlUpstateNY]

I mean, who among us hasn’t at one point tried to depants (is that even a word?) a basketball official before? We’ve all done this, right?

(Note: this is a joke. I’ve not actually done this)

Politics aside - this would be a fantastic opportunity for TN sports officials to pressure whom to sponsor a sports officials abuse bill, since they obviously don’t have one.

Maybe we're just fortunate to have fewer really wacky spectators (wishful thinking).  Although our rules help.  When it's necessary to DQ a coach, or remove a crazy fan, our interaction is DONE.  Others are responsible for the actual removal (site/game officials, School officials, Police) who should understand if they don't ultimately remove who we say, ultimately, and thankfully rarely, if the designated fool is not removed, we'll leave and so will the game.

Before we do, however, we'll forfeit the game to the opponent (and if it's a school/league person, they will face serious consequences/penalties).  If it reaches the point of DQ, your involvement on site IS OVER.  There may be a lot of questions, discussions, reports thereafter (off site), but there is no good reason to continue speaking/interacting with/to the person DQ'd.

If there is physical contact (serious physical abuse) YOU need to have the SON OF A GUN arrested, whether at the site, or if necessary, requested at the Police Station.  that way other idiots learn they'll pay a heavy price for their stupidity.

[bossman72]

Politics aside - this would be a fantastic opportunity for TN sports officials to pressure whom to sponsor a sports officials abuse bill, since they obviously don’t have one.

PA even introduced a bill for HARASSMENT of officials (not just assault).  I'm not sure if it passed or not.  Full disclosure though, the Rep that introduced the bill's husband is a football official.  haha.
https://www.timesobserver.com/news/local-news/2021/10/referee-harassment-bill-introduced/

[bama_stripes]

In the immortal words of B. Bunny —
“What a maroon!”

[Ralph Damren]

While we  all probably have booed something, somewhere in our lives (my loudest BOOOO was probably when USSR beat Team USA for the BB Gold in 1972). We are hopefully not in public, not upset enough to get physical and not in this day and age where nearly everyone has a phone and nearly every phone has a built-in camera. If the fool is the local village idiot, we just shake our heads , BUT when the fool is an elected office holder  , his chances of reelection are the same as Jacksonville winning the Super Bowl 

[AlUpstateNY]

While we  all probably have booed something, somewhere in our lives (my loudest BOOOO was probably when USSR beat Team USA for the BB Gold in 1972). We are hopefully not in public, not upset enough to get physical and not in this day and age where nearly everyone has a phone and nearly every phone has a built-in camera. If the fool is the local village idiot, we just shake our heads , BUT when the fool is an elected office holder  , his chances of reelection are the same as Jacksonville winning the Super Bowl 

Unfortunately, Social media, blatantly partisan public media, Big Tech & big media deciding what, and who should be heard, all with heavy thumbs on the scale of available information situations like Jacksonville pulling off the impossible upset, seem a lot more possible.

[HLinNC]

With the behavior we've all seen demonstrated across the country the past 3-4 years, not just in sports, but in every day life I can not be more impressed with the restraint of the average American citizen.  There are truly situations that have arisen where a total and complete IDIOT whipping has deserved to be meted out and yet has not occurred.

[AlUpstateNY]

With the behavior we've all seen demonstrated across the country the past 3-4 years, not just in sports, but in every day life I can not be more impressed with the restraint of the average American citizen.  There are truly situations that have arisen where a total and complete IDIOT whipping has deserved to be meted out and yet has not occurred.

The lesson and memory of mistakes we make hopefully helps prevent repetition, unfortunately how effective that memory is, and how long it lasts, is directly related to the PAIN the mistake causes, and how well we choose to remember it.

[Bubba Ump]

It's amazing what we put up with...  Maybe we are the ones screwed up and everyone else is acting normal..  We are not shocked by him pointing his finger in the Referees face because we see that way to often.  My 2019 hoop season ended with a phone call while I was headed to do a State Final game.  2020 they had a limited short spring season but I passed so other officials could work.  I came back this year and I have never heard such degrading language hurled my way and administration looking the other way because they are at their own breaking point.  This is not good for humanity let alone athletics.  This assault needs major repercussions.

[AlUpstateNY]

It's amazing what we put up with...  Maybe we are the ones screwed up and everyone else is acting normal..  We are not shocked by him pointing his finger in the Referees face because we see that way to often.  My 2019 hoop season ended with a phone call while I was headed to do a State Final game.  2020 they had a limited short spring season, but I passed so other officials could work.  I came back this year and I have never heard such degrading language hurled my way and administration looking the other way because they are at their own breaking point.  This is not good for humanity let alone athletics.  This assault needs major repercussions.

I feel for our Basketball brothers, who I'm certain would happily appreciate a "sideline" the size of what football fields normally provide separating the playing area from spectators. 

However, "When in Rome, you have to deal with (more) Romans".  "Yesterday" it was only necessary to deal with antics of the idiots at your game. "Today", unfortunately media is so intense on repeating, and often celebrating, EVERY really stupid behavior it serves to motivate other FOOLS to out-stupid what they see on TV, video, social media in hopes of their own worldwide exposure.

It's easy to blame technology, but STUPID is unfortunately a uniquely human failing.

[JasonTX]

It's amazing what we put up with...  Maybe we are the ones screwed up and everyone else is acting normal..  We are not shocked by him pointing his finger in the Referees face because we see that way to often.  My 2019 hoop season ended with a phone call while I was headed to do a State Final game.  2020 they had a limited short spring season but I passed so other officials could work.  I came back this year and I have never heard such degrading language hurled my way and administration looking the other way because they are at their own breaking point.  This is not good for humanity let alone athletics.  This assault needs major repercussions.

I took this year off from basketball.  Feels amazing.  In football we aren't as exposed to the verbal abuse and that's not because it isn't happening, it's because we don't always hear it.  I have family members who used to attend the games I was officiating, and they have since quit going because they couldn't handle the insults that were being hurled my way.  If I go to a game to watch, I never sit in the bleachers.  I walk down to the track and watch from there for that very reason.  One year in basketball there was a loud obnoxious fan who wouldn't stop.  Finally, we had enough and told the administrator that we had an issue with a fan.  The local deputy made his presence into the conversation and asked us to single out the fan.  Unfortunately, we weren't certain which fan it was, but we were pretty certain on the section.  Since nobody would rat out the obnoxious fan, the deputy, on his own, just cleared out the entire section.  It worked out and the rest of the fans were scared to even say a whisper after that.