The bigger topic is not whether his initial actions were right or wrong, but Smart's statement in response to the whole mess. He took responsibility, and was accountable for his actions. No excuses. He expressed sorrow to his teammates, to those who raised him, to the school, etc.

True class. Very rare.

I thought Smart handled the aftermath with a lot of maturity and Most GM's will be concerned with his jump shot than pushing the fan.
He will also have a chance to speak to it in his pre draft interviews and perhaps if done well can RAISE his status!!

Smart is known to have a bit of a temper prior to this incident.

Falling into the stands and being called a "Piece of Shyt" is cause enough to enrage Smart and its not like he flat out hit him. The suspension is justified because the rules don't specify when you can, and when you can't go in the stands and touch a fan. Imagine you wind up to hit the dirtbag but miss and instead connect in the side of the temple of a 70 year old women and kill her?

I'd say there has to be at least 5-10 spectators that would have been witness to him dropping a the "N" word and I prefer we substantiate this. Smart might have used it as a quick defense for his actions. If Orr did use such profanity I think "Superfan" might have to stay away from games.

This maybe why no fans spoke up against JEFF ORR. Hmmmm

fishmike wrote:

jrodmc wrote:He's a kid. Kids will make big boy mistakes, just like the dirtbag in the stands who thinks his ticket gives him the right to vent his spleen at student-athletes.

The bigger topic is not whether his initial actions were right or wrong, but Smart's statement in response to the whole mess. He took responsibility, and was accountable for his actions. No excuses. He expressed sorrow to his teammates, to those who raised him, to the school, etc.

True class. Very rare.

this... there is a society problem developing and its simple: Somehow somewhere people have totally lost a sense of simple respect for people. Some "superfan" can jaw a dude and expect no consequenses?

I like this Marcus Smart...Not afraid to be accountable, not afraid to stick up for himself. Classy.

I tend to agree, especially when you compare this kid's statement to that 50 year old's

playa2 wrote:

SupremeCommander wrote:

fishmike wrote:

jrodmc wrote:He's a kid. Kids will make big boy mistakes, just like the dirtbag in the stands who thinks his ticket gives him the right to vent his spleen at student-athletes.

The bigger topic is not whether his initial actions were right or wrong, but Smart's statement in response to the whole mess. He took responsibility, and was accountable for his actions. No excuses. He expressed sorrow to his teammates, to those who raised him, to the school, etc.

True class. Very rare.

this... there is a society problem developing and its simple: Somehow somewhere people have totally lost a sense of simple respect for people. Some "superfan" can jaw a dude and expect no consequenses?

I like this Marcus Smart...Not afraid to be accountable, not afraid to stick up for himself. Classy.

I tend to agree, especially when you compare this kid's statement to that 50 year old's

You guys called what Smart said was Classy, I say it was the political correct thing to do not classy.

If you watch his press conference he goes out of the way and mentions Jeff Orr's name , that was his dig, he didn't have to mention that.

I would bet if his school(Okla St) didn't tell him to apologize so he can play ball again this season he wouldn't have.

When the plantation bosses tell you to do something you do it even if begrudgingly.

I guess you never went to college is my guess. These kids are treated on campus like royalty.

izybx wrote:People have the right to be as obnoxious as they want. Escalating it into physical confrontation is illegal. Acting like a jerk and being racist isn't against the law. In these situations. The onus to be professional falls on, well, the professional! The athlete has to be the bigger man

Why do they have to turn the other cheek? Verbal abuse can be far more antagonising and harmful than a shove. I don't think people should go around beating each other up but if you shout abuse at someone stronger than you and you get shoved, you have only yourself to blame. Why should he be allowed to vent abuse and get away with it?

smackeddog wrote:

izybx wrote:People have the right to be as obnoxious as they want. Escalating it into physical confrontation is illegal. Acting like a jerk and being racist isn't against the law. In these situations. The onus to be professional falls on, well, the professional! The athlete has to be the bigger man

Why do they have to turn the other cheek? Verbal abuse can be far more antagonising and harmful than a shove. I don't think people should go around beating each other up but if you shout abuse at someone stronger than you and you get shoved, you have only yourself to blame. Why should he be allowed to vent abuse and get away with it?

Not in the stands. not if missing a punch results in killing someone. Not that a slam punch to Orr would generate that much sympathy but one to an elder? A child? An innocent "Superfan" sitting next to?

Smart could do some serious damage to a person. My wife weighs 115 lbs, you think an errant punch to her head is to result in a video game "shake it off" result?

Kill someone or inflict brain damage because one jerk called him a bad name?

We talking about going to a ball game, not feeding sharks in the water!

IronWillGiroud wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

IronWillGiroud wrote:this is why i'm against intercollegiate athletics at universities,

university = academics; not a place for **** stains like this

College athletics is a multi-billion dollar industry that allow for universities to use those profits to re-invest in education. That's what those "**** stains" contribute to, free of charge.

haha, yea, without intercollegiate athletics the entire western academic tradition would crumble in over night!!!

Yeah, I think they'd would miss several billion dollars.

IronWillGiroud wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

IronWillGiroud wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

IronWillGiroud wrote:this is why i'm against intercollegiate athletics at universities,

university = academics; not a place for **** stains like this

College athletics is a multi-billion dollar industry that allow for universities to use those profits to re-invest in education. That's what those "**** stains" contribute to, free of charge.

haha, yea, without intercollegiate athletics the entire western academic tradition would crumble in over night!!!

Yeah, I think they'd would miss several billion dollars.

lol, either obtuse or warped. you lose either way

You're an idiot. I sincerely mean that.

Marcala12 wrote:Facts:

1) Smart recently lost control on a chair, a chair that didn't say anything so bad.
2) Orr said, "Piece of Crap" no more and no less. Smart admitted to as much and there's a vid out there.
3) Orr then said, "Sorry about that" to Smart when they were face to face.
4) Smart than assaulted Orr under the letter of the law.
5) Smart knowing he screwed up, then falsely and maliciously accused the man of saying the n word, thus playing the race card.
6) Orr voluntarily banned himself from games the rest of the season
7) Smart received a 3 game suspension for the shove, but nothing for the false accusation of racist comments.

Opinion:

1) Smart will be a good pro and this won't impact his draft prospects by more than a spot or two
2) Orr is a turd
3) Orr didn't call him anything I don't hear about opposing players in lots of games i go to. par for the course.
4) The worst thing that was done here is Smart saying he said the n word to justify his actions when it didn't happen. That part of the story is getting buried, yet it's the most dangerous thing that happened.
5) Smart deserved more than 3 games.

Does the league have a set number of game suspension for the infraction?

If what you say is true (wish you sourced the info), it really conflicts Playas take. I think if Orr said more it would have been reported. there was a lot of people there. Its a teaching moment.