"I don't look at as being necessary, but maybe that's because I'm not going to watch people storm the court at McKale," Miller said.
But it's not unheard of at McKale Center, either. In 2002, Arizona fans stormed the court after going on a 27-2 second-half run to beat ninth-ranked UCLA. It came three years after then-senior Jason Terry hit a last-second shot to beat No. 3 Stanford 79-78.
Before that, Arizona hadn't had a court storming at McKale Center since 1986.
On the road, however, it's a common occurrence.
"One thing I know players hate is when the students try to put their phone in their face (to shoot pictures)," Arizona sophomore Rondae Hollis-Jefferson said. "That's kind of disrespectful. I could see where someone could get upset and smack the phone out of someone's hand."
FightWildcatsFight wrote:I realize how dangerous it is, but a good way to avoid getting the court stormed is to not lose.
To keep your players safe you need to go undefeated on the road? This isn't Thunderdome.
Of the 12 coaches, Rush picked the one whose fans have the deepest passion, the longest memories, the greatest lung capacity and … did I mention deep passion?
I especially love ESPN's because they are trying to merge court storming with the Zeus incident from last month. A serious issue is being used to draw clicks and state that Miller is worried his players will go off. That is not what he was saying. When you have kids pushing players (KSU game) and going after coaches (kid pushing coach K), you have to do more and be a leader. At least put the fines in for the schools, it would be a starting point.
Still love when Cal fans stopped an inbound from Nick Johnson while rushing the court and nothing was done then.
If we didn't storm the court for that epic come back against Florida a few years ago then I don't think we'll be storming the court in McKale for anything any time soon.
Reliable security could insure players are safely off the court within a minute or two - then, allowing the fans to rush the court would be acceptable to me...
Setting fines on the institution is a good idea - but they'd have to be meaningful....
If any injuries to coaches, staff or athletes occur, why not consider it a serious NCAA violation?
“If you have the choice between humble and cocky, go with cocky. There's always time to be humble later, once you've been proven horrendously, irrevocably wrong.”
I don't understand why this is left up to the conferences and the NCAA doesn't make some sort of a rule that if this happens there is a fine or penalty. The NCAA is involved with everything else these days and they would have no problem fining or penalizing a university if a player or coach reacts and goes after a fan. I thought that the NCAA was supposed to help and protect student athletes.
Its a yearly topic, I know. Also, part of the problem is that all of the games are usually close. So Miller cant pull the starters and send his staff to the locker room early like other coaches have.
Apparently Zeus had to be restained from going nuts on three fans. Someone also harrassed and put hands on Miller. Per a dailywildcat reporter who was right there on press row
If Kaleb hit someone, that person would be really hurt. People are lucky that Kaleb can keep a level head in the heat of moments...for the most part.
I fly like a hawk, or better yet an eagle--a seagull. I sniff suckers out like a beagle...My ego is off and running and gone, Cause I'm about the best and if you diss than that's wrong
I know its our best bud from Tempe but I didnt know this:
Hurley is not a fan of court storming
“When I was in high school, you talk about rivalries, we played a public school in New Jersey that was our arch-rival and we were undefeated and No. 1 in the country my junior year,” “I took a half-court shot for the win and missed and it was a tiny gym, packed beyond capacity — against the fire codes, I’m sure, and everything else — and the court was stormed and I found myself at the bottom of a pile.
Ok, I'm sure no one else noticed it, but I'm 95% sure a Colorado student slapped Zeus in the first half. Zeus had blocked a layup under the CU basket and his momentum carried him to the crowd. He turned back to the court and a student fan hit him in the back. The only thing I'm not 100% about was whether the fan made contact.
It was a constant thing, though, fans reaching out to make contact with players. It was a bad situation and it does not shock me if CU fans crossed the line. Rushing the court is one thing. Rushing it to engage opposing players and coaches is another.
Olsondogg wrote:If Kaleb hit someone, that person would be really hurt. People are lucky that Kaleb can keep a level head in the heat of moments...for the most part.
Frankly, I'm surprised more players don't react during court stormings. I'm no KU fan, but it would not have been odd for Traylor to blast the KSU student who hit him from behind. Players are mad and fans will get in their face and make contact.
That's how stuff like the malice at the palace gets started. A fan starts something with a player in an emotional state assuming the player won't react, but the player does.
There was that game a few years back where that college player laid out a fan. Several of them were engaged by fans. It was ugly. God who was that, Gonna look to see if I can find it.
Wasn't it at Tucson High School a couple years ago when a guy with a full ride to Stanford hit a shot against Salpointe or something like that and the court was stormed and he's now paralyzed?
This is a serious topic, and like Miller said, no one is going to take it serious until someone seriously gets hurt.
Just glad Arizona doesn't participate.
Oh and Colorado fans are the worse. Bandwagon, no basketball knowledge, obnoxious idiots. Hope we see them in Vegas. One of my least favorite "fan" bases in basketball in the PAC-12.
jsbowl16 wrote:I don't understand why this is left up to the conferences and the NCAA doesn't make some sort of a rule that if this happens there is a fine or penalty. The NCAA is involved with everything else these days and they would have no problem fining or penalizing a university if a player or coach reacts and goes after a fan. I thought that the NCAA was supposed to help and protect student athletes.
because that type of celebration bolsters attendance & engagement?
it sounds like CSM really just wants to be sure the players and staff can get off the floor before a dangerous situation transpires. that's fair. if the league or conference could enact a simple rule to keep fans at bay until the team clears out, i'm sure he'd be happy to allow them to storm to their hearts' content.
jsbowl16 wrote:I don't understand why this is left up to the conferences and the NCAA doesn't make some sort of a rule that if this happens there is a fine or penalty. The NCAA is involved with everything else these days and they would have no problem fining or penalizing a university if a player or coach reacts and goes after a fan. I thought that the NCAA was supposed to help and protect student athletes.
because that type of celebration bolsters attendance & engagement?
Do the professional leagues need this type of celebration to bolster attendance and engagement? When is the last time you've seen a court storming or field rushing in the pros?
I get it that college kids don't make up a large group of the attendees at pro games, but how does Arizona, Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, etc. bolster attendance and fan engagement that these other schools can't?
Spaceman Spiff wrote:Ok, I'm sure no one else noticed it, but I'm 95% sure a Colorado student slapped Zeus in the first half. Zeus had blocked a layup under the CU basket and his momentum carried him to the crowd. He turned back to the court and a student fan hit him in the back. The only thing I'm not 100% about was whether the fan made contact.
I saw it too. He and his buddy were having a good ol' time about it for the second or two while they were on camera.
Machina doing his best to defend Larry Scott on Twitter while throwing hissy fit at Scheer. Lol
I fly like a hawk, or better yet an eagle--a seagull. I sniff suckers out like a beagle...My ego is off and running and gone, Cause I'm about the best and if you diss than that's wrong
jsbowl16 wrote:I don't understand why this is left up to the conferences and the NCAA doesn't make some sort of a rule that if this happens there is a fine or penalty. The NCAA is involved with everything else these days and they would have no problem fining or penalizing a university if a player or coach reacts and goes after a fan. I thought that the NCAA was supposed to help and protect student athletes.
because that type of celebration bolsters attendance & engagement?
it sounds like CSM really just wants to be sure the players and staff can get off the floor before a dangerous situation transpires. that's fair. if the league or conference could enact a simple rule to keep fans at bay until the team clears out, i'm sure he'd be happy to allow them to storm to their hearts' content.
Do the professional leagues need this type of celebration to bolster attendance and engagement? When is the last time you've seen a court storming or field rushing in the pros?
I get it that college kids don't make up a large group of the attendees at pro games, but how does Arizona, Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, etc. bolster attendance and fan engagement that these other schools can't?
not really sure what you're asking -- you want to know how deep-pocketed professional leagues like the nba & nfl are able to attract fans more effectively than the ncaa? and why fans of winning programs continue to go to and enjoy games? i feel like i'm being trolled, but the latter question sort of answers itself; as for the former, the leagues have already solved for fan-rushing but in today's world of instagram & selfies and the experience economy, i don't think it's a huge leap to conclude that fans would probably enjoy rushing down to the court or field of play after a big win if they could actually do it.
anyway, my point (which i've quoted back in for you) was that storming the court likely wouldn't even be an issue for CSM so long as his players are kept safe and out of the way.
Good journalistic recommendation from Jackie MacMullan on Around the Horn: reporter should contact each Pac-12 AD, and ask him to state his position/vote on court-storming rules and penalties....
Maybe that kid from KVOA could redeem himself with CSM
“If you have the choice between humble and cocky, go with cocky. There's always time to be humble later, once you've been proven horrendously, irrevocably wrong.”
Of the 12 coaches, Rush picked the one whose fans have the deepest passion, the longest memories, the greatest lung capacity and … did I mention deep passion?
Of the 12 coaches, Rush picked the one whose fans have the deepest passion, the longest memories, the greatest lung capacity and … did I mention deep passion?
I posted this in the Larry Scott thread, but it probably more belongs here...
The action to stop court storming was going to happen, just seemed to happen sooner than you'd think since normally decisions like this take a long time to be made.
But, I'm sure behind closed doors and on the phone at least one AD mentioned "lawsuits" to Scott for when the inevitable injury happened; injury to a player or to a boneheaded fan. Miller never publicly said "lawsuit" but he certainly implied it when he spoke of Zeus possibly punching someone on the court. And, then there's also the insurance premiums; my guess is they've been going up with the increased frequency of court stormin.
