Interaction between ORU bench and NDSU students

[tmh8286]

If you listened to the radio broadcast you heard Geoff talk about an exchange between Scott Sutton and the NDSU student section.  Scott kind of laughed it off in the post-game show.  Here's the NDSU student's explanation of what happened:

"Last night was also the first time the fans have really gotten to a coach. A few fans were giving ORU some grief and Sutton turned around and said, "Who is talking? We are 16-1!" and some fan replied, "Your 0-1 tonight, coach!". Then his assistant got a little fired up, one fan dropped an F-bomb and then security came over to settle things down. It was an interesting exchange to say the least."

FWIW.

[ron]

I saw it happen and was sitting about ten feet away from the coach and the fan. It wasn't a really big deal either way, although I didn't hear exactly what was said. Laughing it off seems to be an appropriate response.

The fans generally were tremendous apart from this one heckler who repeatedly directed remarks toward the coach throughout the game. I guess as the certainty of the loss and the injuries sunk in, the frustration seeped out (boiled over would be much too strong a term) and Coach Sutton responded. The incident was over before it really began though.

[vcboy2000]

Glad to hear the assistants had his back just in case something went down! 

[Old Titan]

If you listened to the radio broadcast you heard Geoff talk about an exchange between Scott Sutton and the NDSU student section.  Scott kind of laughed it off in the post-game show.  Here's the NDSU student's explanation of what happened:

"Last night was also the first time the fans have really gotten to a coach. A few fans were giving ORU some grief and Sutton turned around and said, "Who is talking? We are 16-1!" and some fan replied, "Your 0-1 tonight, coach!". Then his assistant got a little fired up, one fan dropped an F-bomb and then security came over to settle things down. It was an interesting exchange to say the least."

FWIW.

Real classy... 

There is no one more thick-skinned than Scott Sutton in those situations.  If he responded, it must have been pretty bad.

There's a sobering article in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated detailing how bad fan abuse has become in college basketball, including incidents this season at Oregon, Illinois, and Alabama-Birmingham.  Michigan State's Tom Izzo is quoted as saying he fears fan abuse may eventually "ruin the college game."

The administration at North Dakota State needs to wake up and smell Division-1 by moving their student section away from behind the opponent's bench, before something really bad happens with a team or coaching staff that isn't as tolerant...

[FargoBison]

Real classy... 

There is no one more thick-skinned than Scott Sutton in those situations.  If he responded, it must have been pretty bad.

There's a sobering article in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated detailing how bad fan abuse has become in college basketball, including incidents this season at Oregon, Illinois, and Alabama-Birmingham.  Michigan State's Tom Izzo is quoted as saying he fears fan abuse may eventually "ruin the college game."

The administration at North Dakota State needs to wake up and smell Division-1 by moving their student section away from behind the opponent's bench, before something really bad happens with a team or coaching staff that isn't as tolerant...

Considering there is a state trooper and 2 or 3 security people right by the visiting bench and another state trooper and two more security people by the NDSU bench, I don't think there is any reason to be concerned. The students aren't directly behind the bench either, there are five rows of seats behind the bench that can only be used by the visiting team. The school is more then prepared for rowdy students, we have 4000-5000 students at every football game and they sit right behind the visiting team bench. Handling 500 to 1000 at a basketball game is probably a cake walk in comparison.

[Golden Boy]

Silver lining, it sounds like we have the beginnings of a competitive rivalry with our friends from Fargo.  Gotta love that! 

[ron]

Silver lining, it sounds like we have the beginnings of a competitive rivalry with our friends from Fargo.  Gotta love that! 

They are in their first year of Division 1. They mopped up in Division 2. They are used to winning. Their best guys are juniors. Next year will be an awesome rivalry between these two teams! That is indeed a good thing, Golden.

[Old Titan]

Considering there is a state trooper and 2 or 3 security people right by the visiting bench and another state trooper and two more security people by the NDSU bench, I don't think there is any reason to be concerned. The students aren't directly behind the bench either, there are five rows of seats behind the bench that can only be used by the visiting team. The school is more then prepared for rowdy students, we have 4000-5000 students at every football game and they sit right behind the visiting team bench. Handling 500 to 1000 at a basketball game is probably a cake walk in comparison.

Therein lies the rub:  it's not a question of whether you view the seating arrangement as a concern; it's a matter of whether the visiting team views the seating arrangement as a concern.

Just as second-hand smoke drifting in a truck stop pays little heed to where the "No Smoking" section begins, an F-bomb lobbed from the sixth row is hardly slowed down by five or so rows of "friendly fan buffer" behind the bench.

And from the sound of it, your athletic director should probably take a hard look at the seating arrangement at your football games, too.

You guys may like it, but I kinda doubt the opposition does...  

[ron]

Considering there is a state trooper and 2 or 3 security people right by the visiting bench and another state trooper and two more security people by the NDSU bench, I don't think there is any reason to be concerned. The students aren't directly behind the bench either, there are five rows of seats behind the bench that can only be used by the visiting team. The school is more then prepared for rowdy students, we have 4000-5000 students at every football game and they sit right behind the visiting team bench. Handling 500 to 1000 at a basketball game is probably a cake walk in comparison.

The situation was handled very well on Saturday night. Someone from the sherrif's department stepped in with a calming fatherly manner to diffuse any difficulties. This older gentleman obviously had the respect of the fans so that the heckler calmed down. He patted Coach Sutton on the shoulder in a fatherly way as well to indicate that he understood his reaction as well. Very well handled in my opinion. People are packed quite tightly in that area but security did not appear to be a problem.

[Old Titan]

The situation was handled very well on Saturday night. Someone from the sherrif's department stepped in with a calming fatherly manner to diffuse any difficulties. This older gentleman obviously had the respect of the fans so that the heckler calmed down. He patted Coach Sutton on the shoulder in a fatherly way as well to indicate that he understood his reaction as well. Very well handled in my opinion. People are packed quite tightly in that area but security did not appear to be a problem.

Is no one else bothered by the fact the sheriff's department had to be involved at all??

When was the last time we had to have men in uniform step in between fans and an opposing bench at an ORU game? 

[ron]

This gentleman that I am referring to is posted behind the bench of the visiting team. His main function seemed to be controlling traffic during the timeouts (he didn't let anyone through during the timeouts).

[Mike Minyard]

Why does this even matter?  Let's quit bashing their operations and move on.  I don't see anything wrong with the location of their student section.  It's that way at the majority of schools across the country.  The student sections are either on the camera side of the court or behind/near the opponent bench.  A lot of schools do put a police officer behind the bench, and sometimes escort the head coach on and off the floor.  I have no problem as long as the school administration is taking the proper precautions by placing police officers, school security, and/or administrators nearby.

[Mike Minyard]

When was the last time we had to have men in uniform step in between fans and an opposing bench at an ORU game? 

I guarantee you we would have a police officer or campus security person sitting behind the opponent bench if we ever to move our student section to the camera side of Mabee Center.  I think that is a very good policy.

I've seen some bad students sections such as Montana and Louisiana-Lafayette where it would have been nice to have a security person.  I know for a fact that Arkansas has them... just ask Conley Sr.

[Old Titan]

I guarantee you we would have a police officer or campus security person sitting behind the opponent bench if we ever to move our student section to the camera side of Mabee Center.  I think that is a very good policy.

I've seen some bad students sections such as Montana and Louisiana-Lafayette where it would have been nice to have a security person.  I know for a fact that Arkansas has them... just ask Conley Sr.

You're making my point, Mike:  student sections do NOT belong behind the bench of the opposing team, in any sport.  It's just a disaster waiting to happen.

If you haven't already, I would encourage you and anyone else to read that article in S.I. - it will make you sick...

[Mike Minyard]

I'll read it, but I doubt it will change my stance.  I don't read too many magazines or newspapers when it comes to sports.  It's often slanted just to try to get you to think the way of the writer.  Rarely can you find a good writer.  I'll read it for you though OT.

The thing is about the student sections is that I didn't experience one incident in three years of traveling with the team.  Kids will be kids, and it doesn't matter where you place them.  They will be heard if they want to get a message out to someone.

[ORUTerry]

There is nothing wrong with exuberance or spirited banter by fans. It is when the fans interject themselves into the action by going too far (using vulgarities, racial slurs, personal insults, etc.) Unfortunately, that is becoming far too common - a sign of the breakdown of civility. I have to side with OT on this.... better to not have an incident by locating the student section too close to the opposing bench.

[ron]

I was sitting directly in front of the student section in the fourth row of actual seating of the visitor's section. The front row stays empty and is not used. My original question on the road trip thread involved some question about security at the basketball game for visitors. Although I was quite vocal for ORU during the game, I was never verbally abused. I engaged in some light-hearted banter with the fans behind me on the next row up.

The NDSU fans were pumped that they were actually defeating the mighty Golden Eagles. I think that many of them had come to the game not expecting their team to win at all and here they were soundly beating the conference leader. I am surprised that so much is being made out of one guy making some comments. I did not hear him use vulgarities. Perhaps when the coach turned around, something like that happened but it does not do the general behaviour of the fans in that building justice to make so much of this point.

[FargoBison]

Therein lies the rub:  it's not a question of whether you view the seating arrangement as a concern; it's a matter of whether the visiting team views the seating arrangement as a concern.

Just as second-hand smoke drifting in a truck stop pays little heed to where the "No Smoking" section begins, an F-bomb lobbed from the sixth row is hardly slowed down by five or so rows of "friendly fan buffer" behind the bench.

And from the sound of it, your athletic director should probably take a hard look at the seating arrangement at your football games, too.

You guys may like it, but I kinda doubt the opposition does... 

It is our home field and court so it isn't exactly designed to be opposition friendly. Regardless, in our current facility the students can't be moved without causing major problems. The school is prepared, security is in place and fully capable of a handling just about anything. If a student or fan does cross the line the school admin. is usually right there, somebody from within the athletic department talked to that one heckler and I have seen our AD get after a few other people who got caught up in the heat of the moment.

As for football, I think I overstated things. The student section is in the corner so only 1/3 of the sideline is taken up, again it is the best setup for the facility that we are in. In the dome the security is very adequate, some fans may still say something but if they go too far they'll get at least a talking to.