Court Storming about to be in focus again

[CameronBornAndBred]

Punches thrown after Texas Tech - West Virginia game. Fans stormed the court and tempers flared. While the player should have controlled his emotions, getting his personal space crowded at the end of a high profile game makes his actions understandable. And avoidable.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/news/west-virginia-texas-tech-fan-punch-fight-video-college-basketball-news-court-storming-rules/c91x1v5cveqi1jyzgu04jf4cl

[CDu]

Honestly surprised it hasn't happened more often.

[JasonEvans]

Punches thrown after Texas Tech - West Virginia game. Fans stormed the court and tempers flared. While the player should have controlled his emotions, getting his personal space crowded at the end of a high profile game makes his actions understandable. And avoidable.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/news/west-virginia-texas-tech-fan-punch-fight-video-college-basketball-news-court-storming-rules/c91x1v5cveqi1jyzgu04jf4cl

To be clear, the player should not be forgiven for this. He (it appears to be WVA player #21 Wesley Harris) needs to be able to keep his emotions under control. This also does not appear to be a fan who was in his face, taunting him. The fan is rushing to join the mass of excited fans on the court and appears to bump into Harris while doing this. Harris flips out at being (apparently) accidentally bumped and punches the fan.

All that said, this kind of thing could be prevented with better security allowing players to exit the court without coming into contact with fans. I want fans to have the opportunity to celebrate together, but this kind of thing is going to happen again and again if rules are not changed.

-Jason "I am no legal expert, but it feels like this is a legit case of assault if the fan wants to press charges" Evans

[Henderson]

Well, just one punch actually.

But the player wasn't being mobbed or protecting his space. He and the fan just bumped shoulders as they were walking past each other. It's the sort of thing that happens in public every day.

Court-storming seems lame when it's two top-10 teams. But that player really badly over-reacted.

[uh_no]

To be clear, the player should not be forgiven for this. He (it appears to be WVA player #21 Wesley Harris) needs to be able to keep his emotions under control. This also does not appear to be a fan who was in his face, taunting him. The fan is rushing to join the mass of excited fans on the court and appears to bump into Harris while doing this. Harris flips out at being (apparently) accidentally bumped and punches the fan.

All that said, this kind of thing could be prevented with better security allowing players to exit the court without coming into contact with fans. I want fans to have the opportunity to celebrate together, but this kind of thing is going to happen again and again if rules are not changed.

-Jason "I am no legal expert, but it feels like this is a legit case of assault if the fan wants to press charges" Evans

That's exactly it. cameron protocol is to take almost every game day staff person in the building and form a wall between the benches and the rest of the court. There are not near enough staff in that video to ensure separation.

[CDu]

To be clear, the player should not be forgiven for this. He (it appears to be WVA player #21 Wesley Harris) needs to be able to keep his emotions under control. This also does not appear to be a fan who was in his face, taunting him. The fan is rushing to join the mass of excited fans on the court and appears to bump into Harris while doing this. Harris flips out at being (apparently) accidentally bumped and punches the fan.

All that said, this kind of thing could be prevented with better security allowing players to exit the court without coming into contact with fans. I want fans to have the opportunity to celebrate together, but this kind of thing is going to happen again and again if rules are not changed.

-Jason "I am no legal expert, but it feels like this is a legit case of assault if the fan wants to press charges" Evans

To be fair, we don't know how much taunting, or what was being said, that led to the punch. It could have just been a "yeah, we won, you suck!" type of thing.

The WVU player is definitely in the wrong. We just don't know how much the fan is also in the wrong.

But yes, security HAS to be better in situations like this. Whether it be holding fans back until AFTER the other team has had a chance to clear the floor before storming it, or making a huge barricade for the opposing players to get out safely and without any interference, something has to be done. The security in that setting was woefully insufficient.

[NSDukeFan]

Shouldn’t the coach taken all the valuable players off ahead of time and let the scrubs fight for themselves? That’s what Ol Roy would have done.

[uh_no]

Shouldn’t the coach taken all the valuable players off ahead of time and let the scrubs fight for themselves? That’s what Ol Roy would have done.

it's also what coach K did last week....don't know for sure whether K had already left the floor at the end of the game, which was roy's mistake...not that he sent the starters back.

[PackMan97]

it's also what coach K did last week...don't know for sure whether K had already left the floor at the end of the game, which was roy's mistake...not that he sent the starters back.

https://youtu.be/B9f99d-oLfo

Go to about the 1 hour, 30 minute mark if you don't want to enjoy watching the entire game ;)

Basically, after the last rebound with 30s and State up 11, the coaches called the game. State dribbled past half court and ran off the clock as players on the cout slapped hands, Keats and K quickly shook hands and with 10-15s left Dukes entire bench and team headed for the exists.

In a game down to the last shot, I can see how it's an issue. That incident with Roy And the scrubs....never seen anything like it.

[CDu]

https://youtu.be/B9f99d-oLfo

Go to about the 1 hour, 30 minute mark if you don't want to enjoy watching the entire game ;)

Basically, after the last rebound with 30s and State up 11, the coaches called the game. State dribbled past half court and ran off the clock as players on the cout slapped hands, Keats and K quickly shook hands and with 10-15s left Dukes entire bench and team headed for the exists.

In a game down to the last shot, I can see how it's an issue. That incident with Roy And the scrubs...never seen anything like it.

Yep. Coach K didn’t leave our walkons to the wolves (pun semi-intended) like Roy did.

[Green Wave Dukie]

Yep. Coach K didn’t leave our walkons to the wolves (pun semi-intended) like Roy did.

Yeah, against NCState, Coach K didn't Sendek'em back to the locker room

[Eternal Outlaw]

Court storming is such a pointless and stupid thing to do I'm really baffled why it's still allowed. I certainly don't know all pro sports rules but the ones I watch don't allow this for good reason, should not be allowed to happen in college either. Heck, in high school where all we had was some volunteer ushers it was well know not to go onto the court until the opposing team had gotten off.

[cato]

Court storming is such a pointless and stupid thing to do I'm really baffled why it's still allowed.

It is not allowed. But a handful of people cannot stop thousands of people from overwhelming them.

I mean, it’s called storming the court.

[UrinalCake]

I tend to side with the player in these types of situations. Keep in mind they have just played a tough, emotional game and given everything they have on the court. By definition, whenever the court is stormed you have a highly favored team who has been upset by a lesser opponent, and the players are understandably disappointed. Then you have thousands of people who have been screaming at you all game all of a sudden surrounding you in an environment of complete hysteria and minimal security. I can understand how tempers can run high and players would feel like they need to defend themselves.

As far as the State game, all of the CHeat fans I know claim that K and the team left the court early because he didn’t want to shake hands with Keatts because he’s such a sore loser. Obviously this is factually incorrect on multiple levels. It makes sense to get your players out of there ASAP when you know the court is about to be stormed.

[gocanes0506]

I firmly believe that a team should be strict punishment for fans coming onto the court until after the other team has left. I don’t mean some BS 5k fine. I mean no fan at games or taking their loss away. It’ll force schools to take this seriously. Im cool with fans wanting to celebrate but not until the other team leaves.

[Dukehky]

Court storming is stupid. It's not fun anyway. Kids just want to go where they aren't normally allowed (on the court). Storming fields is stupid too, the only difference is that football fields are enormous. Basketball courts aren't big enough to take thousands of people mashing together like ants around a rotten chicken salad sandwich.

No one should be allowed to storm the Court. The proposed "fun" is not worth the risk of a college basketball player, or to a lesser extent, a fan who getting hurt while the court is being stormed.

Shut it down.

[hallcity]

That's exactly it. cameron protocol is to take almost every game day staff person in the building and form a wall between the benches and the rest of the court. There are not near enough staff in that video to ensure separation.

Rushing the court happens when the home team pulls a big upset. There's never an upset, even a small one, when Duke wins at Cameron.

[MartyClark]

I'm curious as to what K and coaches tell the Duke players about getting off the court during a court storming. I suspect K has considered this and has a plan.

Probably something like - Keep your head up, look straight ahead, don't engage with anyone yelling at you, don't appear to hurry but move in a direct line to the exit, stick together.

Some of you may have played at a high enough level to have experienced a court storming. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts.

[JBDuke]

Rushing the court happens when the home team pulls a big upset. There's never an upset, even a small one, when Duke wins at Cameron.

Oh, it's not just for big upsets. Students have rushed the court plenty of times when Duke narrowly escapes an upset - like Sean Dockery's shot at the buzzer to beat Va Tech or Dave McClure's to beat Clemson.

[PackMan97]

Oh, it's not just for big upsets. Students have rushed the court plenty of times when Duke narrowly escapes an upset - like Sean Dockery's shot at the buzzer to beat Va Tech or Dave McClure's to beat Clemson.

Doesn't Cameron allow folks to walk on the court after the game? So it's not really a storming, more like heading for the exists a bit enthusiastically?

[OldPhiKap]

Doesn't Cameron allow folks to walk on the court after the game? So it's not really a storming, more like heading for the exists a bit enthusiastically?

We mosey the court. When we feel particularly jaunty, we amble.

[kmspeaks]

Storming the court is stupid.

Storming the court when your team is ranked is doubly stupid.

Storming the court when you're ranked #7??? Really???

[DU82]

Doesn't Cameron allow folks to walk on the court after the game? So it's not really a storming, more like heading for the exists a bit enthusiastically?

Not anymore. The court is closed after the game. Security holds a rope up about five feet from the sideline stands (press row) to allow some movement.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Oh, it's not just for big upsets. Students have rushed the court plenty of times when Duke narrowly escapes an upset - like Sean Dockery's shot at the buzzer to beat Va Tech or Dave McClure's to beat Clemson.

When Duke beat UNC for the first time in a number of years in 1997 the students rushed the court. I recall members of the press standing on the edge of the court for the last minute for fear of being crushed in their seats.

Students regularly leave via the court (or at least we did back in my day) but this was a much more low key endeavor.

[gam7]

Oh, it's not just for big upsets. Students have rushed the court plenty of times when Duke narrowly escapes an upset - like Sean Dockery's shot at the buzzer to beat Va Tech or Dave McClure's to beat Clemson.

And Cameron was the venue of one of the earliest newsworthy court storming altercations in modern times against UNC in 1998 (Okulaja; after Coach K's 500th career win; Coach K/Wojo hug game; best Duke game I ever attended).

I can't believe there are so many posters who think courtstorming is "stupid," "pointless" and "not fun". Have you ever participated in one? If so, you really came away from it thinking that it was stupid, pointless and not fun?

I understand the opinion that the potential costs outweigh the benefits, but there's a reason people do it - it's because it is fun and makes folks feel as though they are a part of a proud and excited community.

[PackMan97]

Not anymore. The court is closed after the game. Security holds a rope up about five feet from the sideline stands (press row) to allow some movement.

:( that makes me sad.

[Bluedog]

It is not allowed. But a handful of people cannot stop thousands of people from overwhelming them.

I mean, it’s called storming the court.

It is allowed in some conferences and stadiums. It's against the rules in the SEC but not the ACC.

[kshepinthehouse]

Not anymore. The court is closed after the game. Security holds a rope up about five feet from the sideline stands (press row) to allow some movement.

This may be a tad bit off topic but seems like security has ramped up since my last visit to Cameron. I tried to visit the museum and after making it through the metal detectors they wouldn’t let me in without my ticket which I hadn’t received yet.

[Dukehky]

And Cameron was the venue of one of the earliest newsworthy court storming altercations in modern times against UNC in 1998 (Okulaja; after Coach K's 500th career win; Coach K/Wojo hug game; best Duke game I ever attended).

I can't believe there are so many posters who think courtstorming is "stupid," "pointless" and "not fun". Have you ever participated in one? If so, you really came away from it thinking that it was stupid, pointless and not fun?

I understand the opinion that the potential costs outweigh the benefits, but there's a reason people do it - it's because it is fun and makes folks feel as though they are a part of a proud and excited community.

Yeah, but you're not a part of the team that plays on the court... So stay in the stands, be excited there, or outside the stadium, or on campus, or in the city, or in the state, just stay off the court.

TBH though, I would have had a hard time staying in the stands for that game though.

[brevity]

If something intentional and serious were to happen while fans storm the court, it would be at Boston College, where they turn the lights off to enhance the chaos and encourage vigilantism.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWRJI0a9xHc

Which means that it would have happened last month. If no one got targeted when #1 Duke lost -- and fans had their last chance to stick it to Grayson Allen -- then no one ever will.

[UrinalCake]

I firmly believe that a team should be strict punishment for fans coming onto the court until after the other team has left. I don’t mean some BS 5k fine. I mean no fan at games or taking their loss away. It’ll force schools to take this seriously. Im cool with fans wanting to celebrate but not until the other team leaves.


If that were the rule, then what would stop a fan from the opposing team from storming onto the court in order to get the home team in trouble?

I think the rule should be, if you're a fan and you make contact with one of the opposing players, then that player should get to be locked in a room with you for five minutes with no repercussions.

[PackMan97]

I think the rule should be, if you're a fan and you make contact with one of the opposing players, then that player should get to be locked in a room with you for five minutes with no repercussions.

Back in the day I was always front row center court in Reynolds, showing up an hour early to heckle opposing players. I remember before a game against Clemson and Sharone Wright (all 6'11" 250lbs) of him ambled a bit too close to us and we started calling him Shannon. I can tell you, I've never felt visually assaulted before, but the look he gave our way let us know that if we had been alone in an alley only one of us would be walking out.

I think I might not have heckled another player the rest of my time at State after that....:eek:

[Bluedevil114]

I'm curious as to what K and coaches tell the Duke players about getting off the court during a court storming. I suspect K has considered this and has a plan.

Probably something like - Keep your head up, look straight ahead, don't engage with anyone yelling at you, don't appear to hurry but move in a direct line to the exit, stick together.

Some of you may have played at a high enough level to have experienced a court storming. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts.

Coach K practices leaving games during a court storm with each of his teams every year to ensure they know all safety precautions. Quickly get to the bench and walk through the handshake line where security is located then walk to the locker room together and keep your mouth shut and do not initiate with the fans.

[flyingdutchdevil]

And Cameron was the venue of one of the earliest newsworthy court storming altercations in modern times against UNC in 1998 (Okulaja; after Coach K's 500th career win; Coach K/Wojo hug game; best Duke game I ever attended).

I can't believe there are so many posters who think courtstorming is "stupid," "pointless" and "not fun". Have you ever participated in one? If so, you really came away from it thinking that it was stupid, pointless and not fun?

I understand the opinion that the potential costs outweigh the benefits, but there's a reason people do it - it's because it is fun and makes folks feel as though they are a part of a proud and excited community.

Great, great post.

We only think it’s “stupid” because Duke is so damn good at basketball. I remember in the 00s when Duke tore down goalposts because we won an ACC game! You think if Duke beats Alabama next year, we won’t storm the field in football? Most of these teams that storm courts don’t have great basketball traditions.

Bottom line, schools without a strong winning culture will storm courts and fields. And we have a great winning culture in basketball.

[PackMan97]

Coach K practices leaving games during a court storm with each of his teams every year to ensure they know all safety precautions. Quickly get to the bench and walk through the handshake line where security is located then walk to the locker room together and keep your mouth shut and do not initiate with the fans.


We only think it’s “stupid” because Duke is so damn good at basketball.

As I said in sporks to Bluedevil,114, y'all have a first world problem in having to deal with court storming.

I'm trying to remember the last time someone stormed the court/field when they beat NC State. *sobs*

[devildeac]

Great, great post.

We only think it’s “stupid” because Duke is so damn good at basketball. I remember in the 00s when Duke tore down goalposts because we won an ACC game! You think if Duke beats Alabama next year, we won’t storm the field in football? Most of these teams that storm courts don’t have great basketball traditions.

Bottom line, schools without a strong winning culture will storm courts and fields. And we have a great winning culture in basketball.

I'll have a double of what's in fdd's glass! ;)

[wavedukefan70s]

At my old high school you can't go onto the field
until teams have shaken hands and have had their post game meeting.
a few years back our crosstown rival hadn't beat us in 22 games 13 years https://youtu.be/cXFakHWsPkA .they tore the goal post down .fights happened.some jerk bleached our field in the center.he got beat down. better to keep fans and players seperated.