NFL
By: Zachary Draves
Athletes have always endured the venom of fans in person and increasingly on social media. Some of it is rooted in playful banter, pure enthusiasm, and just good natured fun that perfectly solidifies our devotion to the human drama of athletic competition. We have all cheered and jeered for athletes, teams, and certainly referees and in the big picture there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It’s part of the game. But it seems as if the role of fan has started to venture off into being something that is intimidating, abusive, and potentially violent and you can look no further that what happened to Chris Paul’s family.
During Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks, two fans were ejected from game for allegedly touching his wife and mother in a way that made them feel unsafe with his kids present. There is no video of the incident but there is one of Chris yelling at the fan as he was being escorted out of American Airlines Center and it was later reported that Chris father had told him about what happened.
(Courtesy: Youtube)
After the game, in which Dallas won 111-101, Chris took to twitter to express his feelings.
Wanna fine players for saying stuff to the fans but the fans can put they hands on our families….fuck that!!
— Chris Paul (@CP3) May 8, 2022
This has been an ongoing trend of athletes and in this case their families being viciously harassed or physically assaulted by fans who somehow think that because they paid money to watch a game that gives them free reign to do what they will without any regard for the safety and well-being of the athletes they claim to love. Certainly this happens in other sports, but it seems to be more pervasive in the NBA and it is important to consider all the factors. There has been much talk about the psychological and emotional toll the COVID pandemic has had on us and that these behaviors are somehow rooted in that anguish and frustration of on and off masking, social distancing, and isolation that included for a brief period the delaying and cancellation of games. But what does that say about others who certainly bear the scars of the pandemic but don’t do what these fans allegedly did to Chris Paul’s family or to other NBA players?
Some will try to blame it on the alcohol but again what does that say about those who may have one too many but don’t act out? The fact is these fans chose to act in an abusive matter and nobody or nothing is to blame except for them. Whatever happened to the whole idea of personal responsibility? Also they ruin the experience for the overwhelming majority of spectators who come to enjoy the excitement and comradery that sports provides.
Another factor to consider and one that some would want to largely avoid and downplay is race. We have witnessed in recent years an ever growing number of prominent black athletes on the receiving end of this behavior and some of them are among the most outspoken on matters of politics and social justice. The list includes LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Naomi Osaka, and Kyrie Irving. Chris Paul is one of those athletes and his longstanding activism speaks for itself. So why is it that he and these other big names bear the brunt of this is it because of their stature in their respective sport or is it because they speak their minds and some fans don’t want to hear it?
I don’t know for certain but it is worth asking.
It’s also worth looking into the conditional relationship between white fans and black athletes and what I mean by conditional is that the love and admiration from some white fans towards black athletes is not rooted in a for better or worse till death do us part I’ll love you with every beat of my heart relationship. Instead, it can been seen as power and control where you do what we want you to do or else.
“Definitely speaks to an ignorant power dynamic that those fans feel they should exercise 100 percent control over” says Justin Tinsely, ESPN’s Andcape writer and Around the Horn panelist.
A mentality that is a microcosm of the broader society’s over policing of black and brown people.
The NBA and all sporting bodies need to do a better job at clamping on down on certain fan behaviors that keep the spirit and vitality of the game alive while also making it clear that standards are to be upheld. There also really shouldn’t be a surprise if athletes decide to retaliate in the absence of such standards. So in order to avoid such confrontations there needs to changes at the top, changes that players have been pushing for but have not been met. Fans also have to check themselves before they purchase tickets and enter the arena and that their presence is not a free for all.
If that can be done, than we can have some fun.
