More on Roy vs the fan

By Ken Medlin
Dec 14, 2009

122

comments

Memo to fans of opposing teams: Be careful how you cheer at Smith Center.

One Presbyterian fan found that out the hard way, but getting into a shouting match with Roy Williams didn’t help his cause.

Moments after yelling something along the lines of “miss it Deon,” during a free throw attempt by UNC’s Deon Thompson, the perhaps over-zealous Blue Hose fan found himself being escorted from the building.

Here’s what happened, according to UNC sports information director Steve Kirshner: Williams heard the heckling coming from behind the Carolina bench -- a section of tickets that are doled out with extreme caution by UNC -- and wanted to know if the fan was even supposed to be there.

Williams exchanged words with the fan before motioning for security to check on him.

Kirshner says the security personnel found the man intoxicated and sitting in the wrong seat.

“I just don’t think anybody should yell anything negative things toward our players if they come in on our tickets to watch our game,” Williams said.

And that may be the real issue at hand, as far as Williams is concerned. The fan in question was sitting in the section directly behind the Carolina bench. Many of those seats are distributed directly from the basketball office to friends and family of the team.

So when Williams heard someone sitting in or near an area he essentially controls heckling one of his players, he was furious.

But while that may be understandable, it’s still bad PR for UNC. Ejecting a fan for heckling a player – and if he really only said “miss it,” that’s pretty mild stuff – will only enhance the “wine and cheese” image many already have of UNC crowds.

There have been many instances in the past in which fans have been ejected from games. But generally those came at the request of the officials. John Clougherty, the ACC’s coordinator of officials, says referee do have the authority to remove spectators that have been deemed disruptive to the game at hand.

But this request came from a coach, not an official.

Imagine if Deon Thompson had actually missed his free throw.

Most Recent Comments

RE: More on Roy vs the fan

I do rather enjoy the black eye ole classless Roy is enduring over this. :)

http://beyondthearc.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/12/13/2150649.aspx

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=4741580

RE: More on Roy vs the fan

I did not see the game, but could someone tell me the time and score of when this happened?
- Posted by donnielanham

I believe it happened with about 6 minutes left in the game, and Carolina with a sizable lead.

What Roy did was indefensible and inexcusable. He got his classless little toes stepped on and overstepped the bounds of decency. Even some Carolina fans admit that. What puzzles me is how many fans look over it. I guess they've sold their souls to the guy that wins them championships.

Roy is assy, not classy. But what can you expect from a pig but a grunt anyway?
- Posted by TruthBKnown Returns

I am sure you would "Sell Your Soul" to have a winning seaon in Football and make the NCAA Tourny in Basketball:-) It is what it is. I have seen many fans tossed out before. In fact, I have done it myself when working at the Dean Dome in the past. NO ONE is tossed just for cheering for their team. You will be tossed for being in the wrong section without a ticket IF you do not show your ticket and move back to your seat. Also, if you are intoxicated, you will be asked to leave immediately. If he had been in another section and done this, nothing would have happened. He obviously did not belong in the Family Section and was dealt with accordingly.
- Posted by Tarheelsvictory-57-82-93-05-09

You can be sure of anything you want. But whatever championships State ever wins in the future, I want them won the RIGHT way. No cheating. No rules broken. And I want it done in a classy fashion. I wouldn't sell my soul for something as lousy as a championship. If we wanted to take a shortcut, we could have just paid John Calisleezi whatever he asked. And a few years from now, we could look forward to another round of NCAA sanctions.

RE: More on Roy vs the fan

Just another example of Roy's arrogant, petulant behavior. He wins, but he's not better than others (like the fan he had ejected). It's so condescending the way that Roy and his UNC apologists changed the story about getting him kicked out. Quite a sad story, but it reveals what a jerk Roy is.

RE: More on Roy vs the fan

I did not see the game, but could someone tell me the time and score of when this happened?
- Posted by donnielanham

I believe it happened with about 6 minutes left in the game, and Carolina with a sizable lead.

What Roy did was indefensible and inexcusable. He got his classless little toes stepped on and overstepped the bounds of decency. Even some Carolina fans admit that. What puzzles me is how many fans look over it. I guess they've sold their souls to the guy that wins them championships.

Roy is assy, not classy. But what can you expect from a pig but a grunt anyway?
- Posted by TruthBKnown Returns

I am sure you would "Sell Your Soul" to have a winning seaon in Football and make the NCAA Tourny in Basketball:-) It is what it is. I have seen many fans tossed out before. In fact, I have done it myself when working at the Dean Dome in the past. NO ONE is tossed just for cheering for their team. You will be tossed for being in the wrong section without a ticket IF you do not show your ticket and move back to your seat. Also, if you are intoxicated, you will be asked to leave immediately. If he had been in another section and done this, nothing would have happened. He obviously did not belong in the Family Section and was dealt with accordingly.

RE: More on Roy vs the fan

BTW according to the guy that was tossed he HAD a ticket for the seat he was in. He was never asked for it

WRAL Sports Fan

Ken Medlin