Big Red has class / This guy is a thug racist

[CTBasketball]

I'm tired of hearing about this because Smart just lost his cool. No need to make excuses for him, the kid has got a hot head and it boiled over the top.

 

[Adesmar123]

If you can ID one person in that list with an interest in prolonging this incident I'll concede the point. But I'm sure TT's investigation of their #1 booster was very thorough, their sanctions against said booster just, and their policies for fan behavior going forward revised accordingly.

I guess it comes down to ..is there evidence or isn't there that the booster used a racial slur. I don't want to hear that a friend overheard a friend talking about what someone said....The booster said he said a piece of crap, Smart hasn't said anything about what he heard. Is there any factual evidence?

For those of you old enough to remember.....this sounds like the "Paul is dead" rumors.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

There are literally thousands of verbal comebacks Smart could have made to a fat old fool like Orr that would have brought the whole section down. These guys spend a big chunk of their life working on trash talk to use against other players, and Smart can't come up with something to say to that doofus?

Orr has no responsibility in this. He is a fan. He shouldn't matter unless he initiates the physical confrontation, which he didn't.

 

[Huskybass]

There are literally thousands of verbal comebacks Smart could have made to a fat old fool like Orr that would have brought the whole section down. These guys spend a big chunk of their life working on trash talk to use against other players, and Smart can't come up with something to say to that doofus?

Orr has no responsibility in this. He is a fan. He shouldn't matter unless he initiates the physical confrontation, which he didn't.

Disagree 100%. Fans shouldn't have the ability to taunt players without repercussions. Smart may have overreacted, but I am guessing this guy crossed the line and deserved it to some degree. He even admitted publicly that he acted inappropriately and caused the incident.

 

[huskymedic]

Disagree 100%. Fans shouldn't have the ability to taunt players without repercussions.

Do you consider "student sections" fans?

Heard much worse originating from student sections over the years (organized and unorganized).

 

[SubbaBub]

I guess it comes down to ..is there evidence or isn't there that the booster used a racial slur. I don't want to hear that a friend overheard a friend talking about what someone said....The booster said he said a piece of crap, Smart hasn't said anything about what he heard. Is there any factual evidence?

For those of you old enough to remember.....this sounds like the "Paul is dead" rumors.

SI has an interesting take. I don't believe the "party line" either. Which is our difference, because there is zero proof he said 'piece of crap."

 

[Adesmar123]

SI has an interesting take. I don't believe the "party line" either. Which is our difference, because there is zero proof he said 'piece of crap."

Orr side that's what he said. How is that different than Smart's defense?

 

[mauconnfan]

SI has an interesting take. I don't believe the "party line" either. Which is our difference, because there is zero proof he said 'piece of crap."

Zero proof anything thus far…hearsay

 

[Huskybass]

Do you consider "student sections" fans?

Heard much worse originating from student sections over the years (organized and unorganized).

It depends on whether they cross the line or not. Using the N word (if he did) would be an example of clearly crossing the line. Not saying he did that. Just saying that some behavior by fans is simply unacceptable, and should not be permitted or tolerated.

 

[huskymedic]

It depends on whether they cross the line or not. Using the N word (if he did) would be an example of clearly crossing the line. Not saying he did that. Just saying that some behavior by fans is simply unacceptable, and should not be permitted or tolerated.

I get your point to a point - Take out the racial aspect (which an overwhelming number of people would say is clearly over the line) - determining what crosses the line is quite subjective. There have been student athletes who have been unmercifully tortured over the years. Is a student section chanting "" over the line? Kids flipping the bird? Tough call.

 

[Uconnrick]

All this BS about what was said or what wasn't is irrelevant.

If Orr or anyone else is so ignorant to use N word, they should be asked to leave the arena or stadium and I'm quite sure that most people in nearby seats would speak up and make sure it happened. Nothing Orr did or said during this incident invited the level of aggression shown by Smart. Bottom line, unless Smart was grabbed, struck or kicked by Orr, and there is no evidence to promote that he was, then Smart had no business pushing him and was wrong.

Don't try to argue that Orr has done it before either, that's like arguing that a guy that has had a couple of past automobile accidents damaged your car because he was in the parking lot at the time. Orr's past has nothing to do with the current incident and if it does, then it could be argued that Smarts action was premeditated. No one wants to go there!

As to all the hand wringing going on here about verbal abuse........have you BEEN to a Pitt or GT game at Gampel or the XL Center before? How about an old BC or Providence game (especially at the Dunk)? I've heard stuff spewed by UConn fans that would shame a sailor and I'm positive that I'm as bad as the next guy. It got to be so bad I stopped bringing my son to big games until he was 13 or so. The Rent is no different nor is any other arena or stadium in the world.

If you don't want to hear swearing, insults (a lot worse than "piece of crap") or personal attacks.........................STAY HOME! Drunk people do dumb stuff and sporting events and drinking go hand in hand. Throw in long standing heated rivalries and stuff happens!

Finally, to those of you who condemned Orr because he's "old, fat, white and a Texan" and there are a whole bunch of you on the board. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. If that's all it takes in your world to be convicted of hate speech, with no supporting evidence, then I'd sure hate to be you when a good portion of you are that guy (short of the Texan part) in 20 - 30 years.

BTW, some of the nicest and most tolerant people I've ever met in my life are Texans.

 

[Huskybass]

I know there are signs at Gampel that state what types of behavior are not allowed. That said, policing it would be a nightmare.

"Don't try to argue that Orr has done it before either, that's like arguing that a guy that has had a couple of past automobile accidents damaged your car because he was in the parking lot at the time".

I'm sorry, but this is a terrible argument. You can't compare "accidents" to someone who has displayed a pattern of intentional inappropriate behavior. Not saying that Orr has this type of past, but there is a big difference between accidents and intentional conduct.

 

[BlueMAB]

I think the OP has never met Big Red.

 

[Huskybass]

I think the OP has never met Big Red.

Interesting point. I sit less than 10' from Big Red at all the Gampel games and I have never observed him doing anything remotely remotely inappropriate.

 

[ctchamps]

Man do I wish the Shia's and Sunnis would behave like Orr and Smart. Same with the Irish and Brits, Israelis and Palestinians, Russians and Chechens, Turks and Greeks ....................

 

[SubbaBub]

Man do I wish the Shia's and Sunnis would behave like Orr and Smart. Same with the Irish and Brits, Israelis and Palestinians, Russians and Chechens, Turks and Greeks .....

Act in their own self interest by not extending the negative press surrounding both of them?

 

[BlueMAB]

Interesting point. I sit less than 10' from Big Red at all the Gampel games and I have never observed him doing anything remotely remotely inappropriate.

With respect to Orr's behavior, no. You're right.

 

[David 76]

OK
We don't know the comment was more offensive , or that it was racial. He should not go after a fan, even if we would feel sympathetic given the provocation.
It also wasn't a gross over-reaction like Ty Cobb running into the stands to beat up the guy in the wheelchair.
Everyone back to their corners.

 

[MattMang23]

Man, for all the I've said to college kids over the years (granted I was also a college kid sitting in the front row for all the home games) I probably deserved to be smacked a time or two.

I've had vulgar signs confiscated by the athletic department. I've flipped opposing players off to their faces as they inbounded the ball. Hell, my buddy asked Tim Higgins if his wife knew how much he was fcking us, and recently yelled to Ted Valentine that he was going to murder him.

A scout for the Charlotte Bobcats once told me that he considered us the worst fans in college basketball because of how abusive we were to players. He said Duke and Carolina fans at least were funny as they harassed opposing players. We were just mean.

I feel really lucky I never ended up on ESPN for getting ko'd by an opposing player, because I definitely deserved it numerous times.