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One thing that really annoyed me last night


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Sorry for the rant, but have to get this off my chest.

Why is it that in just about every big game we have at home, some idiot in the student section throws a ball on the court when the visiting team is shooting free throws at a critical point in the game? I realize it is probably always somebody who goes to only one game per year, but I don't care. That's a very classless thing for a spectator to do. You can say and do what you want from your seats, but the second you infringe upon something on the court during the game, you have crossed way over the line. Whatever jerk that did it literally made me so mad that I almost didn't care if Lisch made or missed the shot at the buzzer.

I'm sick and tired of one idiot making SLU students look like a bunch of classless jerks.

As much as I would hate to see this happen because it would jeopardize SLU's chances at winning a close game against a good team, the refs should call a technical foul for it. I've seen it happen before when SLU's on the road. If I was Soderberg, I'd ask for the PA microphone and tell the fans to show some class seconds after it happened.

Since I can't think of any other way to prevent this, I only have one solution. Don't allow any balls or anything else tossed into the stands by the cheerleaders to be thrown into the student section EVER AGAIN. No offense to those of you in the Blue Crew, I'm sure that idiot wasn't one of yours, but until the student section can prove that they aren't going to be a bunch of classless jerks by throwing stuff on the court, nothing should be thrown into that entire section. Sorry guys.

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I love when they come out and give souvenirs to the fans. If it wasnt a ball they threw, it could've been a food container, or anything they got from the concession stands. Besides, those balls can get away from you, I had one get away from me at the shootout. No ball jokes please.

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I can GAURENTEE it wasnt thrown by a Blue Crew Member...we're basketball fans and we know the game, we wouldnt do that. I can also gaurentee that every member of Blue Crew would have loved to find the punk who did it and beat the snot outta him. Give us more credit though...my money is on a drunk fan who goes to one game a year.

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I agree. This is the second time in the last few years, last being Arizona in 2003 at Savvis, that I have been watching a game and a ball comes flying out onto the court in the final seconds. It had the potential to take the game out of the hands of the players if a technical would have been called. It makes us look classless especially when the game is being broadcast to a wide audience, caught last night's game on Fox Sports Northwest.

Ultimately, it just really makes me angry and makes me embaraased to be a SLU alum when some people are classless like that. I wish Brad would say something either in the U. News or in an e-mail to all the students asking them to behave appropriately.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of Kevin Shortal

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First of all, the ball definitely wasn't dropped by someone in the front row. It was launched from an area that I'm almost positive was further back than where I stand towards the back of the Band.

Second of all, no way could a paper or plastic cup or container fly that far.

Finally, I used to love them tossing the mini basketballs when I was younger as well, but I'm sure people like the seat cushion giveaways at the Cardinals games back in the 80s. Then one game a bunch of people threw them on the field and they stopped the promotion.

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is that it set up a better shot. SLU had a chance to draw up a play, set up in the correct positions and get off a closer and must better shot that almost went in - not the case if play isn't stopped. Nearly a second had gone off the clock before the ball was possessed by SLU and we had no TO's at that point. It is a realy jackass move and I agree, no more throwing those things out during the game that can be thrown back (I've been there at least 3 times when it happend - came from the direction of the band, BTW). Throw t-shirts instead.

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I was sitting off to the side of the Blue Crew in 121 and saw the ball come flying out of the corner of my eye. Ir was without a doubt thrown intentionally, I'd guess from someone sitting 30 or so rows back in 122, but not from the Blue Crew.

Like DesmetBilliken, this act of poor sportsmanship and utter stupidity really agitated me too. Hopefully somebody nearby knew who threw it and got in his face over it.

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>First of all, the ball definitely wasn't dropped by someone

>in the front row. It was launched from an area that I'm

>almost positive was further back than where I stand towards

>the back of the Band.

>

>Second of all, no way could a paper or plastic cup or

>container fly that far.

>

>Finally, I used to love them tossing the mini basketballs

>when I was younger as well, but I'm sure people like the

>seat cushion giveaways at the Cardinals games back in the

>80s. Then one game a bunch of people threw them on the

>field and they stopped the promotion.

Desmet Billiken, are you Matt Baniak

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In my opinion the refs would have been within their right to give SLU a Tech right there. Even if Lisch's shot goes in it would have been overshadowed by the controversy the ball caused.

I think they have to stop throwing the balls in the student section. They have proven they don't have the self control to drink (I assume this person was drinking because I can't imagine any sober person thinking this was a good idea) and act responsibly at the game.

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I sit at the other end ... I didn't see it make it to the free throw line, I didn't even know what it was at first, I thought it was picked up just past the Zags bench until just now ... but the idea that a tech should have been called is absurd.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman

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you would have seen the ball. They weren't shy in showing the ball and the controversy. It makes us look ridiculous on a national stage.

SLU clearly gained an advantage on the play. The ball was in Ian's hand at the free throw line with the clock running and 3.5 left. Any stoppage of play at that time benefits the Billikens considering we were out of time-outs. An illegal action by a fan thus created an advantage for the Bills. I think the refs would have been in their right to call a technical.

I'll take an extreme example a little further. Lets say the Bills are up by one and a Gonzaga player is driving down the lane and somebody throws a ball at him, hits him in the head and his misses the shot. Surely you would agree that a technical should be called at that point right? In both cases a fan caused an on-court advantage for the home team using illegal activities.

In my opinion we now have a pattern of poor sportsmanship in major games with Arizona and now this. Its embarassing.

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Well if I had seen the ESPN replay I might have known it ... but I didn't or I wouldn't have asked if it might have been dropped ... does that make sense to you?

I agree there could be a time when a tech could be issued ... but it rarely if ever is. I wonder what would happen if the roof caved in and the architect was a SLU fan. Of course you can come up with a scenario where a tech could be called, but that is not what happened. I agree SLU got an advantage ... still I don't think a tech should be called ... if it is ... then it needs to be a rule where it is called everytime ... regardless of who gets the advantage.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman

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maybe I'm too strong in saying a tech SHOULD have been called but I think one COULD have been called.

p.s. I just rememberd another occasion of SLU fan misconduct dating back to the SLU-UMass game in 94-95 when some yahoo threw a coin at a ref after an awful call. Somehow he didn't get thrown out of the game. I remember it clear as day as he was sitting in front of me as SLU put in an extra row for just that game and sold them to the highest bidder. I am certain he was not a regular at the games before or after much like the yahoo that threw the ball likely hasn't been to a game all year.

I guess there really are negatives to such large and uninformed crowds.

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My opinion is that you would never issue a tech on a 1st time incident ... regardless of the advantage gained ... it was a ref error to put 4.8 back on the clock if there were only 3.5 on the clock at the time the ball came on the court. Yes we got to inbounds the ball ... but they also got to set up a defense.

On the other hand it is impossible to catch and shoot a 3 in .8 seconds ... maybe a tip, but that is it.

I do think the fan should be tossed on every occassion. Shame on the fans around him for not turning them in.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman

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The stoppage of play allowed Gonzaga to set up a defense. If the ball hadn't been thrown, Lisch definitely could have hit that 3-pointer as he's done so many times before. This hurt us, didn't help us.

------------------------------------------------------------

*Official Billikens.com sponsor of Mike Beczkala

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As Prez of Blue Crew, I can tell you that it came from about 20 rows back. I knew going into that game that if it was close at the end, SOMEONE was going to do it (I remember when it happened at Arizona). As soon as I saw the ball fly, I ran back a few rows yelling, "WHO THREW THAT??" Everyone had looks on their faces that said, "Uh oh." Trust me, the ushers would have been throwing ME out if I'd found who it was. If that action had ended in a tech AND had an impact on the outcome of the game, BC would have to change our policy on who can sit in our section, and I'd be the first to call that meeting.

I can also guarantee you that it did not come a Blue Crew member OR the band. We know the rules and how we are supposed to act...there were so many people that went to that game that have never been to a game before and it was definitely one of them.

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