Point/Counter-point

This is the second installment of the point/counter-point series, which will run on page five of the print edition every other week, rotating with "Byrned to a Crisp." This week we have a couple of questions to address that came from, or were inspired by, letters from students. If you have a question or comment, please send it to spectrum-sports@buffalo.edu.

This week's participants are Managing Editor Michael Scott and Sports Editor Rick Owczarzak.

Question: The sports desk received a letter this week suggesting the event staff at UB men's basketball games are kicking fans out unjustly. Do the fans have a valid complaint, or are they crossing the line with their comments at the games?

Mike: I think Rick and I feel very qualified to answer this question since we sit right in front of the fans, almost actually with them. There are four ways one can get kicked out of a game: swearing, throwing things onto the court, running onto the court, or mocking someone because of race or creed. That's it.

I have been seeing fans get kicked out for making comments that are too harsh, and yelling too loudly. This is wrong. Sure, some of the comments that are made are in bad taste, but it is not an ejectable offense.

What the administration is basically doing is removing people from the games that are too intense. Hey, you can't have it both ways. On one hand, the administration wants students to come support their teams and make a difference in the game. On the other hand it appears they want a nice cordial atmosphere for the visiting team. I have a question: has the administration, or who ever make the event staff eject people, ever seen a game at St. Bonaventure?

This isn't a chess match; it's Division-I college basketball. It's supposed to be tough to go on the road and play, that's why teams fight all year for home court in the first round of the playoffs (or a bye, which is even better). What the fans are doing at Alumni isn't any different than what they are doing at any other Mid-American Conference venue. When athletes agree to come to school to play college basketball, they should expect this kind of treatment on the road, and for the most part I think they do.

Someone needs to school the event staff on when to take action, and when to just stand there and look cool in that sweet yellow raincoat they wear.

Rick: I don't think they should be kicked out for a couple of reasons. First, in an article in Saturday's Buffalo News, the "Cameron Crazies" were quoted as saying they needed to do "extra research" after some comments the UConn head women's coach Geno Auriemma said about them not being a factor. If that is the blueprint (which I believe it is - or at least should be) then fans should be allowed to say whatever they want. If they want to crack down on swearing, fine. You can throw a player off his game without swearing. Limiting what you are allowed to say is wrong though.

My other point is that most event staff are designed to make sure that people that fight are kicked out and to prevent such fights. If there's no fighting, there is no job for them to do until they clean up the bleachers after the game. Just as on the basketball court, these people need to know their role.

Also I think there is some worrying in that there are parents or little kids sitting in the student section and saying such things would be inappropriate for them. My answer is that it is the STUDENT SECTION.

I doubt that Coach 'Spoon has had many enjoyable and pleasant trips to opposing basketball arenas.

Q: Should Pete Rose be allowed back into baseball and inducted into the Hall of Fame?

M: I have no problem with admitting Rose back into baseball if he admits that he bet on the game. He should, however, never be admitted into the Hall of Fame.

The Baseball Hall of Fame has a "character clause." I think betting on the games and then lying about it despite a mountain of evidence against you, then admitting to it years later just to get in the hall, violates the "character clause."

Incidentally I have no problem with Rose going to Las Vegas and placing a few bets a week or so ago. It's not illegal to bet in Vegas, so get off the man's back - he was just trying to have some fun.

R: I say let him back into baseball after proven guilty and let him do his "time" (or community service). But no Hall of Fame - never - not in a million years. A manager betting on games? You control an awful lot. This piece of trash deserves to be on the outside looking in all the way to the grave.

On a side note, I don't even care that much. Baseball is worthless to me.

Q: Will the UB men's basketball team win a conference game this season?

M: I think the team will win three MAC games this season, one on the road. Their first win will come Tuesday, Feb. 11 at home over Eastern Michigan. Unfortunately, the overall losing streak will have reached 12 games by then.

R: Yeah, they match up well with Northern Illinois University and could give them problems on Thursday. They should have beat Miami, but they're getting there. No question in my mind that they will snap the losing streak soon.

Q: Why do you think rugby is not more popular than it is in the United States (Dave Cieslik, freshman)?

M: I'm not sure how the rules of rugby evolved into American football but I do know you can't have both. I think football is more popular for its mental aspect; there is so much strategy involved. I don't know the first thing about rugby, but it just looks like a free-for-all to me. There probably is a great deal of strategy that goes into rugby, but I can't imagine that there is as much as in football.

R: I think it's because of the popularity of American football and the absence of such for soccer. Rugby would be tough to sell to TV stations, and if it isn't on TV, no one is watching.