Fan conduct: Tell us your story

You're at a Bucs game with your wife, or maybe your kids. And the fan behind you is cursing a blue streak:

"Gruden, you ----!"

You're flinching after each incomplete pass and missed tackle because the filthy outrage is close behind, coming over your shoulder.

This is talking during a movie raised to an obscene exponent. You wish the alphabet never included the letter "k."

These tickets cost you $200, you gotta do something, right?

Well, the National Football League is trying to help with a new code of conduct for fans. Grossed out by the drunk two rows back? The NFL now says that "any fan in violation of the code will be subject to ejection without refund, and loss of ticket privileges for future games."

We're writing about the new fan policy for Friday's St. Pete Times.

What do you think? It's about time? It infringes on free speech? What have been your experiences at Bucs games? Post in the comments area.

Comments

[Duane]

Been going to the games since 1977 and for the most part, it's the fans in the shiny brand new oppossing teams gear who are the most obnoxious. If you want to come to an away game, great. But only a fool would think he's not going to catch abuse for wearing an Eagles, Bears or Packer jersey to the game and cheer and yell Bucs suck when his team scores. Think what would happen to me in Chicago or Philly if I pulled that crap. And those fans brag proudly about how you they treat opposing teams fans. Biggest problem I have at the games is trying to get a lazy cops attention to do something because he's to busy watching the game. As for heckling, I enjoy heckling as long as it's creative. Don't just stand up and yell and drop a bunch or "F" or "MF" bombs on someone. Still, this is the NFL, not Disneyland. You want good clean family entertainment maybe you ought to try Busch Gardens on Sunday. By the way, I still have a group to the right of me who keep "sincerely" imploring Gruden to give the ball to Alstot.

[go_dog_go]

I got a snake man

[CW]

I grew up going to Jets games in NJ. Since moving ten years ago, I've been to a handful of Bucs games. Let's just say I would much rather bring my daughters to Bucs games than Jets games. Tampa fans look like a golf crowd compared to those fans in Jersey.

[BBFan10]

The price of a ticket does NOT give you the right to public intoxication, crude and profane remarks. I grew up a season ticket holder in Atlanta (1970's - early 1980's) and in Tampa (mid 1980's - present). As you can see by the dates, I have witnessed some horrendous football with some great football sprinkled in. I have always wondered why many fans behave and curse like they do in public. It is football and not polo, I understand that, but there should always be some decency and respect for others.

[Stephen Blackehart]

I'm no Puritan (far from it), but going to games has been completely ruined for me by all of the drunks. I used to spend a lot of money on season tickets and all the gear to wear to the stadium, plus parking and concessions, etc. Now I spend the same amount for the DirecTV Sunday Ticket - for the whole season - as I used to spend just on game day. Multiply that times everyone else who stays away because of the drunken hooligans, and you have a lot of lost revenue.

It doesn't matter if you're in a stadium or not. It's not supposed to be a mudpit. If you were in the mall and saw someone wearing a shirt you don't like, does that give you a right to assault them!?

[scott]

Can you imagine how drunk everyone would be if they didn't sell the beers at $8.00

[Tess]

Every game I've ever been to there has been a drunk, cursing and ruining the entire experience. The last time a drunk, young guy racially abused an opposing team's fan and NOBODY did anything. I was stuck in a middle of a row (with a fouled mouth girl next to me who finally passed out by the 2nd quarter)or else I would have tried. By the end of the 3rd quarter he passed out as well. I don't have kids but I WANT to experience a game where somebody isn't cursing or falling down drunk. My friend got yelled at by a drunk fan one time for wearing the old Bucs jersey - imagine what would have happened if it was an opposing team.

[Ace]

Texting is the only manner to contact security ? What about all those folks who don't have the abilithy to text ? Perhaps a phone number to call would be better - I can call but I don't have texting. Too little, too late.

I have gone to only one game in Tampa, and I came home stinking like a brewery when an unruly fan spilled their beer over me as they jumped up out of their seat - and I don't even drink !

[Rob]

Who are the Bucs? I know who the Rays are, they're the team in a pennant race struggling to get lazy fans across the Bay to come to games.

In all seriousness, clean it up all you want, but if Bucs fans would be like fans from all the other "hardcore" fans from the teams in the northeast and midwest, we could get rid of the visiting fans coming into our stadium. Try going to a Bucs/Eagles game or Bucs/Giants game and wearing Tampa Bay colors. You'd be soaked with beer and obscenities before kickoff. Cheer if they score and you'll get shanked. All fans of teams in our area need to get tough with the ones who move here and keep allegiances from the "hometown" teams. That is what this story ought to be about.

Once again...where is the common decency of others? Common sense? Respect?

[Greg]

Those of you who don't like loud mouthed,drunken sports fans and want a truly pleasent peaceful Sunday sports outing go to a NASCAR race Atlanta has two full weekends a season of it.

[Bucco]

I agree a lot of fans take a football "game" way too seriously. It is just a game and it doesn't have an impact on your life. Enjoy it for what it is and nothing more. Now I will get off my soapbox.

[Paul]

Michael...you wrote, "GOOD, THERE IS NOTHING WORSE then having people sit there with young kids swearing." I agree....young kids swearing is not a good thing! Maybe they had too much beer at the tailgate party? And yet people just sit there.

[Carterlovepie]

Went to a game in the 70's at the old sombrero vs. the packers. We were in a section with a lot of cheering packers fans when this baby huey looking fella in his orangsicle outfit drunkenly teeters up the steps with this old school seat cushion (covered with metal and wood). This guy swings the chair and whacks this poor green bay fan upside the head.
Needless to say, a lot of blood and flying fists ensued before security subdued the fight.

The problem lays at the feet of a few half-wits and angry losers who always ruin the good time!

[BubbaGumpShrimper]

Ya Greg, NASCAR races are real wholesome until Dale Jr. gets wrecked by Kyle Bush. Then it's Katy Bar the Door, Duck & run for cover because the $#*T starts flying & new cuss words are invented by all those 8 to 80, blind, crippled, or crazy. If you can't walk, they'll drag you if they see #18 hat.

[Euell]

I haven't bothered with attending a pro football game since the charming four hours I spent at Foxboro being showered with peanut hulls, food crumbs, and ejaculations of "Ditka ain't s...!" by the family unit sitting behind us. It's been a while, but I've found better uses of my time and money than subsidizing bread and circuses for the profane and drooling.

[Steve]

These are the same babyboomer adults that spawned a society full of trash talking teenagers. This is no coincidence.

[Charles]

As a kid, I grew up going to games at the Big Sombrero. The family had season tickets (though we didn't go to every game, paper bags being required headgear and all), but back then, I don't remember much of an issue. Yeah, occasionally there was a drunken guy a few rows back, and once and then I saw a fight with someone from an opposing team, but it wasn't as bad as the other posts here make it out to be. What happened? The significant difference is the language. Yeah, they heckeled back then, but the cussing (that I heard) wasn't that bad at all. Don't remember any F-bombs.
That said, I'm conflicted about the rule. In my mind, public drunkeness is to be dealt with by authorities whether it is at a football game or the street corner. And yet, back in the Orange Jersy Days, the authorities dealt with such issues without having the rule. Also, growing up hearing some of that and seeing fights gave me a good sense of what the real world is like. And actually made me less inclined towards drinking to excess having seen what it does to people. Sure, fights and extreme public drunkeness ought to be nipped in the bud, but a little heckling or a little spectacle of a fight now and then are GOOD for a kid to see IF (and I stress that if) the child has good parents. The child will be less apt to be influenced by such behaviour or assume that it is okay if the child's parents are not behaving that way, and the child will learn more clearly what is not permissable behaviour while learning tolerance of others as well. Rearing kids in a bubble is dangerous, and the football stadium doesn't need to become a bubble either. As long as no one gets hurt, I would think that such an environment where one can find the occasional public drunk (and seeing him/her confronted by authorities, which would be nothing new from my experience) would be GOOD for child rearing.

[Fred]

Stadium ushers, what exactly is their job. I never see them help anyone find their seats. I never see them walk the isles to see what is going on and get to know the people in their section. It used to be that the usher had the same section for years and got to know the season ticket holders and paid attention to what was going on ih their section. At RJS they just stand at the top of the isle like statues and do nothing. Get them involved and things wold be a lot better without having to call security.

[nick]

I hate the guys who tell me to sit down the worst. For the price, i should be able to choose whether i sit in the seat or not.

[Graham]

Utterly ridiculous and this system is going to be GREATLY abused. It's a game that is greatly dependent on Fan interaction and it's this touchy feely mentality that is everything that is wrong with Tampa and exactly why our teams get no support. Be passionate. Be loud. I get so sick of hearing whining about Cowbells at Rays games. Now I'm expected to treat a Bucs game like an Opera? Get real.

[Jerry Falwell]

Yes. A football game should be a respected religious sanctum. You should not be passionate about your team. You should EXPECT the visiting team to over-run your stadium and you should be nice to them. After all, they're using a ticket that your fellow Bucs fans could be using. And, more than anything, the $50-$2,000 you spend to go to a game isn't important. That wide-eyed child sitting next to you is important. Because children are the FUTURE and should not be subjected to loud-mouthed FANS OF FOOTBALL. And Derrick Brooks doesn't care if you're loud. In fact, he gets really excited when he can hear crickets chirp in the stadium.

[R Kelly]

I once peed on an opposing fan.

[Graham]

The more I read through these posts, the more I think an age limit......say, 13, should be enacted for both the Bucs and the Lightning. Seriously. That's like taking your kid to a metal show and not expecting some young female to show her goodies to the lead singer. Seriously.....

[Dave]

Go Rays!!!!!!!

[CW]

mmmmmmmm....gooodies

[Gal Behind Nick]

Hey Nick, if your gona stand up, can we trade seats? I once peed on R Kelly. I'll show you my goodies.

[David Jenkins]

I can see this new rule being abused by people who don't like it when you're noisy when the D is on the field or when you stand up when something awesome happens.

I agree you shouldn't be yelling F-bombs all day with a kid next to you (even if maybe they should sit in the family section), but you can't take away everything and make it like you're watching tennis.

You give fans even LESS reason to shell the money out and come.

After melting last year, I won't do a Sept. game again anyway. Yick.

[James]

Sit with your family IN THE FAMILY SECTION. Fu(kin' whiners.

Or STAY HOME!

Baseball = Family Sport

Hockey = You and your hot girl game

Football = You and your rowdy boys' game

[MojoU]

Maybe one of the reasons the Glazers increased ticket prices as much as they did was to lower the "redneck factor" a bit. Just a thought...

[ticosmo]

I have attended Bucs games since tickets were $8!! I have sat in just about every section of the old and new stadium. I watch my alcohol intake ok sometimes), I watch my language to respect others. But if I stand up on 3rd and 1 to cheer our offense or defense, I am told to sit down. It seems people want "family day" with the comforts of their own living room and it is not going to happen. Children hear and see more vulgarity and violence on the news and school than at a football game. It is part of the game. We are fans who are passionate about our team. We pay just as much to be at the game and we have the right to stand up and cheer. There will always be a bad apple at every game. You know this going into the stadium.

[ognobj]

LOLs!! And somewhat hypocritical of the NFL when Head Coaches are unloading f-bombs from the sidelines. Is there an "NFL Coach - Code of Conduct?" How many times have we seen on national news the lips of the current Tampa Bay Bucs Head Coach mouthing explicitives to the point that his face turns eighteen shades of fire engine red??!!! And he has children, too...

[Bill Mc]

Dexter Jackson is the worst return man I have ever seen in my life, on any level. As soon as a defender gets with in 5 yards he folds up and hits the dirt. I think a girl in a skirt could do better.

[Kitty]

I have been to many games in the past, and I couldn't even hear myself over everyone else yelling at the top of their lungs. The stadium is too crowded to hear anything specific and I have sat/stood in all 3 levels. Raymond James is the best stadium in the NFL and the fans are awesome!