When it comes to watching sports, I would classify myself as a “yeller.”

It really doesn’t matter the setting; if I’m engaged in watching some kind of athletic event, it will more often than not end with me yelling at the referees, the players, the television … at anything.

I like getting hyped up about sports, as most other sports followers do, but as fans, when does it go too far?

This past week, we saw the result of player frustration after a fan crossed the line between rivalry and racism.

In a tight game against Texas Tech, Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart crashed into the crowd behind the backboard as he attempted to block a shot. The words that followed with a fan are unable to be verified, but from Smart’s account, the fan made an obscene, racist comment. Smart then proceeded to shove the fan, resulting in a technical foul, and later, a three-game suspension.

Talk about one giant mess where everyone is at fault to varying degrees; the fan, Marcus Smart and even the officials.

The fan involved, Jeff Orr, should never have antagonized Smart. Orr insisted that he did not use a racial slur, but he has since elected to not attend any Texas Tech games for the rest of the season. I don’t buy Orr’s plea that he didn’t use some kind of incredibly offensive language toward Smart. In any given Division-I basketball game, I would guess a player hears the words, “you suck” hundreds of times. It shouldn’t phase them. For Smart to be drawn deeper into the crowd in order to confront Orr, something especially cruel must have been said.

That being said, Smart made an incredibly poor decision to shove Orr. Smart had the ability to control the situation by reporting the alleged behavior to the referees, but instead he acted impulsively, putting a target on his own back for scrutiny and suspension. This isn’t the first time Smart has had problems, and this latest debacle, which ended with him being escorted out off of the court, substantially damaged his reputation.

Finally, the referees should have done a better job at isolating the situation once it happened. The fact of the matter is, Smart should have been ejected from the game immediately after shoving a fan. End of story. But the officials simply gave him one technical foul and allowed him to stay on the bench as the clock winded down. Keeping Smart in the game allowed for the situation to become even more inflamed as Texas Tech fans stormed the court after the final buzzer.

After all that calamity, what’s the takeaway for fans? I think this dilemma gives us a reason to examine our roles as sports fans.

Basketball fans have a much more intimate relationship with the game than the other major American sports. The action is right in front of us, sometimes even extending into “our” territory. There is no giant sideline separating the field like football or glass like hockey. Most games involve fans in folding chairs, right there on the court.

With this added intimacy comes the need for added respect. Fans are great for their ability to get inside the heads of the opposing team, but there is an obvious line that should never be crossed.

Think of how difficult it must be to get ready for an away game, focusing on the players you need to defend, only to realize you have to drown out hurtful words coming from all around you. Obviously, this becomes substantially easier in time. Players learn how to thrive in these environments—feeding off of that energy. But I can’t help but think that fan conduct should be just as heavily scrutinized as the players’ conduct.

Gone are the days when you wear your “Sunday best” to the big game, but I think we can do a little better when it comes to keeping things civil. Supporting your favorite team may include yelling and screaming, but it doesn’t mean showing an uglier side of yourself.

If you want to see how destructive fans can be for a game, look no further than the problems FIFA has faced over the past few years. The global soccer organization has struggled with racism between fans, and has been forced to take large steps in telling fans that their obvious disgraceful behavior is not tolerated. Last year, the entire AC Milan football club walked off the field after Italian fans chanted racist cheers directed toward African player Kevin-Prince Boateng.

Now obviously FIFA has a large scale problem extending across Europe, but that doesn’t mean we can’t identify with that struggle. Just look at how one fan can ruin the experience for many. Like the AC Milan team, players and fans here need to convey to others that indecent behavior will not be tolerated.

Officials aren’t the only ones to regulate the course of a game. As sports fans, it’s our job to always keep each other in check. For the love of the game, it’s worth it.

Alex Goering can be reached at goer8777@stthomas.edu