IT ejected in Philly for going into stands to confront abusive fan

[ozgod]

Apparently the fan was mad that IT made his second free throw because Philly (like most other stadiums) have a promotion where people get a free drink if an opposing player misses 2 free throws in a row and he wanted his free drink so he decided to stick 2 middle fingers at IT and say "f#$% you b%@#$". So IT went into the stands to give the dude a piece of his mind. Obviously once he went into the stands he was ejected (guessing if the game was in question he probably wouldn't have done that).

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28349058/wizards-isaiah-thomas-confronts-fan-philly-gets-ejected

According to IT, the dude apologized when confronted (looked like he was apologizing on the video too) and said he just wanted a free Frosty.

Was IT overreacting to this one? Is this the type of jeering that professional athletes should just suck up and accept given how much money they make anyway (bit like Kyrie being booed and called a coward nonstop without even being at the Garden)? Or did the fan cross the line by using a swear word?

What does a fan's paying the price of admission entitle them to do, aside from watch the game and cheer for his team and boo the other team?

[saltlover]

Quite simply, he can’t go into the stands.  It was good that he only went to talk, and didn’t even seem to aggressively yell, but he has to stay on the bench.  His team has security for those reasons, and it’s their job and the arena’s job, and he has to let them do said jobs.  The chance that his entering the stands goes very wrong is way too high.

[SparzWizard]

Fan's gonna settle for a lawsuit, just like that pitiful fan in Utah.

People these days will do anything to make quick money lol.

[KGs Knee]

I'll say the same thing I always say about this type of incident.  It's unbecoming of fans to act this way and 100% grounds for removal from the arena (potentially including a permanent ban) but it is absolutely foolish of players to respond this way.  You risk hurting your team by responding this way and it is nothing more than a weakness your opponents can and will exploit.

[bdm860]

Way back in '06, Antonio Davis went into the stands to confront a fan, and got a 5 game suspension for it.  This was only a season after the Malice in the Palace, so that was still fresh on everybody's mind.  Will be interesting to see what Isaiah gets here.


Maybe I'm the wrong generation here, but what the fans allegedly said seems like nothing the players don't already hear all the time.  Are the players feeling more empowered not to take it, or is their skin getting thinner?  When I heard Isaiah went into the stands, I thought they must have said some really nasty stuff, but then I heard what it was and all I'm thinking is "is that it?"

I know the players talk this same crap to each other, pretty much the same thing our boy Jaylen Brown (of the current generation) said to JJ Redick a couple of years ago. 

I'm sure Isaiah's been called worse, must have been having a bad day.

[CelticsElite]

ftp://

I'll say the same thing I always say about this type of incident.  It's unbecoming of fans to act this way and 100% grounds for removal from the arena (potentially including a permanent ban) but it is absolutely foolish of players to respond this way.  You risk hurting your team by responding this way and it is nothing more than a weakness your opponents can and will exploit.

you gotta be kidding me. The fan only said “f u” some people are becoming snowflakes around speech

[GreenEnvy]

Always got love for IT but if why was said is was really just what’s being reported, he’s gotta be better than that.

At first I thought it was something despicable (and expected, from Philly fans), but that? He has to brush off fans generically cussing him out.

[JSD]

We are living in a culture of hypersensitivity

[Roy H.]

This one is solely on IT.  I hate hearing fans drop F bombs (because kids attend games, too) but it happens every single game. Players need to block that out.

[Neurotic Guy]

We are living in a culture of hypersensitivity

It’s probably no news to you or anyone that sensitivity is an individual thing. There have always been those among us who are more sensitive, or more easily hurt, than others. Some of the best, most hard-working, most endearing people in my life are sensitive.  There is nothing wrong with sensitivity in my book.  However, we shouldn’t confuse sensitivity with impulsivity.  There  is no question that there are limits to how people ought to respond to their own impulses (which may be based on sensitivities) in a diverse and civil society.   I like that IT may be a sensitive person. It’s his response that in this case was inappropriate. As we’ve seen numerous times from Marcus Smart, a gut reaction sometimes isn’t the most prudent response. 

[footey]

IT didn’t hit the guy. Just told him to stop calling him that. He may get fined but the next abusive fan may think twice before embarrassing himself.

Good for IT.

[Vermont Green]

Players can't go into the stands.  The risk of this triggering a truly ugly incident it too great.  You have to let security take care of it.  It really doesn't matter what the fan says or does.  IT was wrong if he went into the stands and confronted the fan.

In this incident, it didn't get ugly thankfully.  But the punishment for IT should not be based on how ugly the incident did get but rather how ugly it could get the next time a player does this.

[Fafnir]

IT didn’t hit the guy. Just told him to stop calling him that. He may get fined but the next abusive fan may think twice before embarrassing himself.

Good for IT.

Not good, you don't go into the stands as an athlete for a confrontation. Even though nothing bad happened, it easily could have gone very very bad.

[GreenFaith1819]

Paying fans should watch their language.

No cursing - even IF it is alcohol-induced. What about the KIDS that are at the games?

No player - no matter HOW MUCH they make - should incur being cussed at.

Are they animals?

IT should NOT have went into the stands, though. But he is forgiven, to me.

He will ALWAYS be



Take care, Your Majesty.

[Somebody]

Paying fans should watch their language.

No cursing - even IF it is alcohol-induced. What about the KIDS that are at the games?

No player - no matter HOW MUCH they make - should incur being cussed at.

Are they animals?

IT should NOT have went into the stands, though. But he is forgiven, to me.

He will ALWAYS be



Take care, Your Majesty.

^this, thanks for the memories IT.