Showing posts with label Marcus Smart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marcus Smart. Show all posts

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Smart Gets Three Games For Incident, Superfan Done For Year...

((HT: CBSSports))

Marcus Smart got three games worth of suspension for his response to Texas Tech fan Jeff Orr the other night...

Orr says he didn't use a racial slur in the incident. Smart maintains Orr did... but Orr also says he will not go to any more Red Raiders games this season...

He volunteered that he said something he shouldn't have to the OSU forward and he also was the one who decided not to attend anymore games in the 13-14 season... kind of a self-imposed punishment...

The HQ does wonder how big a booster he is, though...

Doug Gottlieb, via his Twitter, revealed a conversation Orr had with a friend of his
saying it got out of control (pictured right from Gottlieb)

"I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere apologies to Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State, Tubby Smith and the Texas Tech Men's Basketball program. My actions last night were inappropriate and do not reflect myself or Texas Tech - a university I love dearly.

I regret calling Mr. Smart a 'piece of crap' but I want to make it known that I did not use a racial slur of any kind. Additionally, I would like to offer my apologies to Texas Tech fans that have been embarrassed by the attention this incident has created."


But, it wasn't the first time, Orr has been caught on tape responding for his Raiders the way he has...

Go all the way to the end of the video...

It's a very superfannish reaction...
((HT: ESPN2))


But, it was time for Smart and the school to address the issue- any internal discipline will come from coach Travis Ford. Smart wouldn't answer questions, but did offer this to start:

"I want to apologize to the fan, whose name is Jeff Orr, I want to apologize to him, my teammates, my coach. This is not how I condone msyelf. I just can't let that happen again. It's a lesson I'll have to learn from; it's all on me. I truly apologize to all those that are important to me. I feel I let my teammates down."

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby released this statement from the league office:

"Mr. Smart's actions were a clear violation of the Big 12 Conference's Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Policy. Such behavior has no place in athletics, and will not be tolerated. I appreciate the efforts of Oklahoma State University athletics director Mike Holder in addressing this matter, and believe this is an appropriate response to an inappropriate action."

Here's a part of the presser from our friends at KFOR-TV

College Hoops: Marcus Smart Shoves Fan During Game

Most of you sports fans are probably waking up to the news a college basketball player shoved a fan during a game last night.

That player, Marcus Smart, the best player for the Oklahoma State Cowboys has been raising a lot of eyebrows the past few weeks showing frustration and anger quite frequently on the court.

That frustration hit a crescendo Saturday night in Lubbock, Texas when the Cowboys squared off with Texas Tech.

Tech was in the process of beating the 19th ranked Cowboys, when Smart found himself landing in the crowd after blocking a shot late in the game. He got up, found himself in front of self proclaimed Tech superfan Jeff Orr.

If you watch the video closely, some words were exchanged and Smart shoves Orr and then runs back out onto the court.

Note--In no way, shape or form are we condoning Smarts actions...but. After the game, several people reported that Orr may have uttered a racial slur at Smart. And while that doesn't justify the reaction, it might at least give it some context.

Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford had no comment about the incident, Texas Tech coach Tubby Smith said that his back was turned away from it and didn't see it. The Big 12 office has already opened an investigation.

ESPN.com provides the video: