COLUMN: Fans' behavior inappropriate

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by Chuck Whitten

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It was supposed to be a big game with big-time atmosphere. The campus was excited about having a top-25 team play at Autry Court. Furthermore, students felt as if Rice had a realistic chance of upsetting the Texas Tech University Red Raiders. Autry Court was to be a place where Rice had an honest home-court advantage.

Unfortunately, the Rice crowd assured Tech of an easy victory.

The sell-out crowd behaved in such a manner as to turn the officials, Tech fans and Tech players into a cohesive anti-Owl unit. Our team ended up playing a game of five on 1,000 as the Rice student section gave every conceivable advantage to Texas Tech. The Rice crowd crossed the line from spectator to participant and, I estimate, cost Rice 15 points during the game. There was no excuse for what happened at Saturday's game, and I think that such behavior is going to end up hurting our program if it continues.

The trouble started early. You could sense that our crowd was mentally into the game, but that it was a hostile intensity. Early calls against Rice were met with more than the usual jangle of keys. Obscenities were hurled at the referees, objects were thrown onto the court and the crowd seemed to become hysterical at any whistle against Rice.

In the second half, there was a point at which Tech had seven team fouls and Rice had one. This was a result of lopsided officiating that favored the Owls, and the fans should have been thrilled. Yet, after a foul was called on a Rice player, our crowd reacted as though Tech was paying the referees to throw the game. Verbal threats were shouted at the officials, including, "I am going to stab you after the game," and, "You are one dead referee."

The crowd gave ammunition to the Tech players as well. Two Red Raiders seemed to be the objects of frequent taunts, including one individual who scored well into double figures against Rice. This particular player made an extra special effort to turn around and taunt-back several students who had been heckling him. I wonder if his play on the court reflected the animosity he felt ?

The other player who was the object of student derision was Bonewitz. Chanting "BONE-witz" whenever he touched the ball was funny enough. However, several students made anti-Semitic comments while repeating over and over what a terrible player Bonewitz was. I am not sure whether or not these young scholars knew that Bonewitz is a former Texas high school player of the year, but when it comes time for them to play him one-on-one, my money is going on Bonewitz.

By the end of the game, Rice seemed to be playing the officials, the Tech fans and the Tech players all at once. The nonsense coming from our student section was not intelligent, humorous or even slightly helpful. If what is being said does not fall into one of these three categories, then it has no place being said.

Intelligent -- Sometimes, the referees do make poor calls. There is nothing wrong with yelling at referees when they screw up. But threatening the referees with physical violence after they make a routine call is not intelligent, and it only results in the referees becoming angry.

Humorous -- Basketball games are supposed to be fun, for players as well as fans. Sometimes, things that are chanted are all in good fun. When Rice students began chanting "Dean Smith! Dean Smith!" at Kansas Head Coach Roy Williams, even he laughed. Anti-Semitism is not funny to anyone. If you have the urge to say something so profoundly ignorant, go outside.

Helpful -- The behavior by Rice students at Saturday's game gave no encouragement to our players. I suggest that, next time, Rice students funnel all that energy that went into antagonizing the opposing team into rooting for ours. Fans can change the momentum of a game; that is why the term "home-court advantage" exists. But just playing at home is not enough to create such an advantage. The fans must contribute something positive if it is to help the players. Otherwise it can have the opposite effect.

This item appeared in the Sports section of the February 9, 1996 issue.

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