"We had our moment of sanity. It seems that moment has passed." - Terry Francona
Okay, so I hate to be that guy who brings a little reason to the table, but I don't think Gary Sheffield was completely in the wrong for swiping back at a Boston fan in right field at Fenway last night (for those of you under a rock who may have missed it, check out just one of the hundreds of overhyped accounts of the incident hnyaw).
In this day and age of deranged fans and out-of-control drunken maniacs, the professional athlete puts himself in very real danger every time he steps on a field. Ask Tom Gamboa or Monica Seles. Who knows which fan is just there for some drunken fun and which one has a Bowie knife and a Yankee-huntin' itch?
When a fan crosses the line into touching a player on the field in even what can be perceived as an act of aggression, they should be beaten within an inch of their lives. There's simply not the time to decide the extent of the fan's malicious intent. Unfortunately, every athlete should assume that if a fan goes after him, that fans means him very real harm. And that athlete should defend himself accordingly. Even if that athlete is a egomaniacal roid-raging asshole like Sheffield.
Thoughts?
Okay, so I hate to be that guy who brings a little reason to the table, but I don't think Gary Sheffield was completely in the wrong for swiping back at a Boston fan in right field at Fenway last night (for those of you under a rock who may have missed it, check out just one of the hundreds of overhyped accounts of the incident hnyaw).
In this day and age of deranged fans and out-of-control drunken maniacs, the professional athlete puts himself in very real danger every time he steps on a field. Ask Tom Gamboa or Monica Seles. Who knows which fan is just there for some drunken fun and which one has a Bowie knife and a Yankee-huntin' itch?
When a fan crosses the line into touching a player on the field in even what can be perceived as an act of aggression, they should be beaten within an inch of their lives. There's simply not the time to decide the extent of the fan's malicious intent. Unfortunately, every athlete should assume that if a fan goes after him, that fans means him very real harm. And that athlete should defend himself accordingly. Even if that athlete is a egomaniacal roid-raging asshole like Sheffield.
Thoughts?
18 Comments:
"There's simply not the time to decide the extent of the fan's malicious intent."
Shoot first and ask questions later? I think that's a dangerous stance to take. So you're saying it'd be justified to beat down a fan after accidental contact? I won't pretend to know what that guy was thinking when he reached down and brushed Sheff, but I think it's the player's responsibility to pull himself out of the situation. Not to actively throw punches at people half their size. (BAAAAALCO...)
I did enjoy Sheff deciding to punch the fan first, and only after that throw the ball back to the infield. He missed the cutoff man too.
I don't think it was accidental contact. That guy clearly took a swipe at Sheffield.
When it comes to 35,000 vs. 1 - yes, shoot first and ask questions later. Because you never know.
i will say..at first glance i was convinced that the guy was going for sheffield..but after seeing it about 63 times...you can clearly see that he SEEMS to be looking over at everyone else reaching for the ball..not even noticing the sheffield was that close to him..and then when he did it SEEMS that he tried to get out of the way and it was an unfortunate accident..
i do believe that sheffield's reaction was a bit overdone and he should've been ejected from the game but as tony said in a conversation with him this morning "he wasn't part of the red sox coaching staff"..
keith...i will agree with getting a chuckle out of the "beat up fan--throw ball later" idea...blame the bad throw on the ice that ended up in his mit(and the ball)
I think the contact was accidental, but the dude was still in the wrong. You ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT supposed to reach for the ball or into the playing field. There are signs to that effect and everyone knows it's the rule, but still breaks it.
So, as much as it pains me to say it, I don't blame Sheffield. If someone hit me in the face, accident or no, while I was trying to do my job I'd push back too.
It always amazes me when athletes do keep their composure. If I had 35000 people telling me I suck like Sheffield does every night I think I'd lose my mind. but to add senseless physical violence to it? I mean, pro athletes or not, these people are still human.
What I really couldn't get over was the fact that the hit wasn't ruled a ground rule double with a run being called back.
But hell, I'll take it.
What I get a huge kick out of is that since the Sox won the series all you guys are reasonable baseball fans. "Jeter's actually pretty classy," "Posada's ears really are pretty cute," "Sheffield was in the right for shoving that fan." What the hell happened? I miss the complete irrationality that I enjoyed until about six months ago. How can I laugh at your ridiculousness anymore with mocking scorn?
for the record...i am definitely not saying that the guy was right..but if he(a sox fan)was ejected..along with the members of the sox staff that were ejected..
why not sheffield? just because he was defending himself? if he was defending himself like that in an on field fight with a red sox team member..he probably would've been tossed into the locker rooms..but because he attempted to assault a fan(or multiple fans if you watch the poor women sitting next to the guy)who just happened to be in way(yes while breaking the rules like the other 25-30 people out there were doing)he gets nothing..?!?
it just seemed very unbalanced..no matter who was in the wrong..they both were wrong..
It looked to me like the guy was trying slap the cap off Sheffield's head.
If I were in Sheffield's position, first of all, I'd fuck TONS of hot chicks (because I'd be a rich and famous ballplayer). Secondly, I'd probably swing back because the line between a playful slapping of the cap and a not-so-playful knitting needle to the eardrum is pretty slim. And I'm not going to take that risk.
MCat, Posada's ears aren't cute. He's still a ferret-faced bitch. I do feel bad about all the stuff I said about his retarded son, though.
MCat,
Hold up. I still think the majority of Yankees are little bitches and I hate them with the passion of 1000000 white hot suns.
1) Jeter is OK. I actually admitted that last year, pre-series win.
2) I HATE Sheffield, but I think he wasn't in the wrong on this play. But a bitch like A-Rod slapping away the ball. That is some stupid typical Yankee bullshit.
3) What I wish happened last night was that Sheffield got punched in the face, turned away, stormed off the field, caught a flight to Austin and punched YOU in the face. That would be justice.
If I were working at my desk, and some contractor from Methuen walked up in front of me, took a DELIBERATE swipe at my nose, and then stared at me with a 'That's right, what are you gonna do now, punk? Nothing, cuz Selig will fine you if you do!' look on his face, I would either instantly die from the overwhelming rage, or kill the man on the spot.
I'm pleasantly shocked that Sheffield didn't go after him, although I did turn the game off once it happened. Reminded me of the police on the field at Yankee Stadium, when I suddenly felt idiotic for being emotionally involved in a fucking child's game.
Also, I strongly disagree with this 'ARod's bitchballslap was typical Yankee bullshit' bullshit. I hate ARod, but Don Mattingly would never have done such a thing, Scott Brosius was the Michael Landon of the American League (it never, ever would have occurred to him), and Paul O'Neil would have thought about it, not done it, been called out, and then would have stormed into right field to set himself on fire, so that everyone could see how intense he was. Not the same thing.
Stop living in the past, Vinny. Mattingly, Brosius and O'Neil are gone gone gone. Your modern-day posterboys for "Yankee baseball" are two known steroid users and a slappy biatch with blue lips and highlights in his hair.
At least you have Matsui, though.
And you have David Wells.
No I don't.
Brendan, you suck Sheffield's balls. How can anyone defend that asshole?
Alena astutely pointed out last night, after watching Sheff punch the guy in the stands: "Brendan ought to like that -- he always says how much he likes watching Sheffield swing."
I admit - watching Sheffield's swing is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine.
And it looks like I'm not the only Bostonian taking Sheffield's side on this:
www.bostondirtdogs.com
brendo...i'm starting to worry about you a little bit..
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