"I'm still trying to figure it out," is how Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford answered a question late Saturday about Marcus Smart pushing a fan in a loss at Texas Tech.
And the same goes for all of us, doesn't it?
We're still trying to figure this out.
What did the fan say to Smart?
What did Smart say back?
What led the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year to cross a line, both literally and figuratively, and shove a spectator late in Oklahoma State's fourth consecutive loss? The most likely scenario includes us never knowing for sure because there will almost certainly be multiple versions of this story. It'll devolve into a he-said/he-said situation, I'd bet. No matter, know this: Regardless of what the man said or did, Marcus Smart was wrong to put his hands on a fan, and the sophomore guard should be punished for it.
Yes, Smart should be suspended.
Yes, it should be for multiple games.
There are certain things a player cannot do, and physically engaging a fan is quite clearly one of those things. No matter what the man said, Smart was still wrong to react the way he reacted. That's why he should be suspended by Oklahoma State, and that's why I think he will be suspended by Oklahoma State.
Got that?
Good.
Now let's talk about the fan.
Because, man, do I hate fans like this.
Unless you think Smart shoved a random dude for nothing, then we can agree the fan must've said something to set Smart off. Again, no excuses; Smart was wrong to react. But I've long believed it's a weird deal when adults think it's OK to yell ridiculous stuff at other adults in basketball arenas simply because they paid for a ticket. I mean, in what other walk of life is it socially acceptable to yell inappropriate things at strangers? Should it really be OK at college basketball games? These are issues that need to be addressed, I think. And if the fan was undeniably out of line, and Texas Tech knows it, then school officials should suspend the fan the same way Oklahoma State will presumably soon be suspending Smart.
Either way, this is bad -- especially for Smart.
When Smart announced he was delaying an opportunity to be a lottery pick in the NBA Draft to return to school, he explained how he wanted to lead Oklahoma State to a Final Four and just have fun for another year. Fast-forward to the present, and a Final Four seems unlikely for a team that's lost five of its past six games. And fun? Man, I can't tell you the last time it looked like Smart was having fun, and I can't imagine his plan ever included a February suspension triggered by a reputation-damaging incident caught live on national television.
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