When Heckling Turns to assault...

Hey batter batter batter! Hey Shaq, you can't make a free throw to save your life!

Now, the above phrases are acceptable but what is not acceptable is when fans become drunk and belligerent and begin using too many profanity as well as throwing objects at athletes.

There are numerous examples of incidents like this occurring. Let me list a few:

Fan Hits Jason Giambi with beer.
Detroit Vs. Indiana Vs. Fans
Umpire Laz Diaz was attacked by a fan
Royals first base coach assaulted by father-son duo

I'm sure I could go on. But the one that really caught my attention and prompted me to write this post had to do with cycling fans. I'm not talking about the German fans on Alpe D'Huez who spat on Lance Armstrong as he made his way up the famous climb in the Tour de France or the fan who punched Eddy Merckx which eventually caused him to lose his lead in the 1975 Tour de France, but an incident which occurred in Belgium at one of the biggest cyclocross races of the year. This incident is most like the one in Detroit where after repeated insults and object thrown, the athlete strikes back.

"For four laps, I had mud and beer thrown at me," Wellens told Belgian Cyclo-cross.info. "The fifth time it was just too much for me. I didn't really intend to hit him, and I regret what I've done, but I think that as a rider I don't have to put up with everything."

So, where is the line to be drawn? Verbal insults? Flying objects? Where ever, I believe Bart Wellen's put it correctly, "I don't have to put up with everything."

Fans have the right to cheer on their favorites and boo those they dislike. Profanity may even be ok and tolerable, but when fans lower themselves to the point of throwing things at athletes, something needs to be done.

Obviously, barricades and security at basketball and baseball games haven't deterred all the crazy fans, so I'm not sure what can be done at cycling events. But as a fan, you need to be able to control yourself, or face going to jail in my opinion.