Fandemonium. Not too Smart.

It is funny how some exciting sporting is taking place in Sochi, Russia, and the big sports story over the weekend concerned a top NBA prospect and Oklahoma State star pushing a rabid Texas Tech fan.

The player wasn’t just any player. He is Marcus Smart, a young man destined for the NBA draft, or was until this weekend.

Smart went out of bounds and into the crowd after a fast break. He was then pushed by Tech fanatic, Jeff Orr, after the latter spouted some disputed trash talk. Orr, an air traffic controller and Tech “No. 1 fan” from Waco, contends he called Smart “a piece of crap.” Smart said he was called a racial slur.

In the end, Smart was suspended three games. Orr was banned from Tech games for the remainder of the season. No aspersions cast here on Raiders Coach Tubby Smith, but one wishes Bobby Knight was still coaching for tech.

What Smart was called is no longer relevant. The damage was done, to an already iffy reputation for the player. And the fan who reportedly drives hundreds of miles to see his team will have to spend his off days trying to catch the Red Raiders on TV.

Smart showed poor judgement. Orr showed just as poor judgement. Still, it doesn’t seem like a tie. Read a “leftist” perspective here.

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of such a show. I’ve seen it myself in high school. I was team equipment manager. We were at a very hostile venue. Our biggest and best player was clearly called “a n*****.” This player responded by handling the ball with his left hand showing a middle finger while passing in bounds. The redneck who yelled at this player responded by pulling out a rather large pocket knife. Luckily the Texas Highway Patrol was on hand and the fan was removed. The game was soon over and the same troopers escorted us back to the bus and told us we should split. We did.

Our player overreacted, but less so than Smart. The fan’s reaction toward our high school player was way above what it should have been. I don’t know what happened to the fan. This was the early 1970s. He may have gotten a medal from his mouth-breathing cohorts. Our player got “soul shakes” and pats on the butt (?) all around. I chose the soul shake.

I don’t know what is the answer to these problems. These flare-ups been around for ages and at all levels. A video released by Texas Tech of the incident shows Orr hiking up his britches and smirking after Smart is restrained and headed back toward his bench. He reminded me of Rush Limbaugh.

Both men apologized. So no harm, I suppose. Smart did get a technical foul and OSU lost the game.