Not sure anyone has brought this up yet, but...
 

Tom Gamboa. The name probably doesn't ring a bell with anyone except a hardcore baseball freak like me. He is best known as the first base coach the Kansas City Royals in 2002 who was attacked by two fans who came charging out of the stands during the game in Chicago. Gamboa was seriously injured in the incident. Today, Sporting News Online interviewed Gamboa, asking him his thoughts on the tasered fan. I think it is worthy to include his thoughts.


What does Gamboa think about the fans running on the field in Philadelphia?

Gamboa: I'm on a golf vacation and didn't know anything about this. I hadn't seen TV or heard radio until at the golf course today, a sports radio guy came up and he filled me in on what happened. And then only just prior to your show did your producer tell me what happened tonight, and I just cringed when I heard that because that is so reminiscent of my situation, when I was in Chicago in '02.

The next time we went to Chicago in April of '03, there were tons of security people, and I said to the security director, "What is all this for?" And they said, "Well, because your team is back in town, and the last time you were here, the incident occurred." And I laughed and said, "Gee, did they really think lightning was going to strike twice?"

And there were actually three incidents in one game of people copycatting, and the third one was where the guy tried to tackle the first base umpire. So it's a shame, I just wish the fans would understand their only place is in the stands, and never any reason on the field of play to take away from the enjoyment of what everyone is there for, which is the competition on the field. But it just seems like we're in a society where people are looking for any kind of what they think is fame or infamy at any cost. And once somebody does it, then you got people jumping on the bandwagon trying to be copycats. It's really a shame.

What is Gamboa's opinion on harsher penalties for fans going on the field?

Gamboa: Certainly, after my attack, Major League Baseball did a great job of really coming up. You look at every stadium now, they've got guys sitting back to back near the dugout, and down both lines, and the ushers between innings will come down right near the rail to act as a detriment for people to do this.

But you're right, if there's 40 or 50,000 fans, they're always going to outnumber the ushers and the security people. So it's virtually impossible to keep 'em, and I wish I had an answer for it. But I agree with you wholeheartedly, the penalties are not stringent enough.

My God, in my case the guy was given probation, and after violating it on four more occasions, the judge continued to give him probation because he said we had to understand this guy had an alcohol and a drug problem. I mean, it just seems to me like society makes excuses for people's behavior rather than the more stringent thing of holding people accountable for their actions. And maybe a stiffer first offense, some mandatory time – whether it's a week or 30 days, I don't have the answer – but some time incarcerated to deter other people from following suit.

What did Gamboa take away from the 2002 incident, when he was attacked by a father and son on the field?

Gamboa: My only question in court was, "Why me?" The thing that I got was, "We were on drugs when we got to the park, then we drank beer throughout the game, and then we made a decision to get attention so when we got on the field, you were the closest one to us and your back was turned, so you were an easy target."So, basically I was just at the right place doing my job at the wrong time with these two wackos. But having to coach third base with the Cubs prior to my tenure with the Royals, I can tell you, I loved going into Philadelphia. Like Chicago, they are die hard fans that support their team, and there's an electricity in the ballpark there. I would hate to see, like I said about Chicago, I would hate to see Philly get a bad rap because of a couple of stupid people doing a bad act, because it doesn't reflect to me, the city or the sports fans that they have. And I hope that gets across as this story goes around.


*I have highlighted portions for emphasis.

I really don't get why a cop should have to/get to carry his weapons with him when he's off duty. But then, I'm Canadian. We're not all about the running around carrying weapons up here.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitpic/phot...hK5NqlvY95s%3D

So they actually attacked the man? That is horrid.
If the young man in this recent incident had seemed to be heading towards a person then yeah. Taze away.:knighthorse:

Mortal Combat powers!!!

Ms Potty that is AWESOME!!!




I would so wanna be at THAT game!:paw:

yeah but i didnt think we were coming from that specific angle...i mean how many off duty taser toting cops go to games with crazy fan streakers??

we will compare it when it finally happens to be a person with a bomb attached to them...i mean i think alot of people never thought 9/11 would happen

anybody that knows me knows i dont live my life in fear
i am well aware randomness happens because i have had my own taste more than twice

I know you and know you don't live in fear.
I was just saying that if I let my mind wander down that road?
I. am. fucked.

I'd never leave the house.

Pfft

I would taser your ass and roll you out of the house... Each time you protested

ZAP~~~~~~~~~~~~~

:dozey:

Monica Seles, the tennis player...attacked by a fan during a match. Seriously wounded physically and scarred emotionally. I don't think she ever played tennis again after that.

I'm not saying this young man at the Phillies game would have attacked anyone. But how do we know? We don't. He exercised poor judgment and lacks personal responsibility -- does he deserve to get tasered for that? I don't think so, because, really, think of the number of people we all know who would qualify for being tasered.

However, if you are going to exercise your poor judgment and put your lack of personal responsibility on display at a major public event where security is instructed -- to the letter -- to protect not only the athletes but the other fans, then yes, I think you should be subdued and removed from the stadium.

And has anyone mentioned that the guy who was tasered was not the only incident at a Phillies game this year? Another fan ran out of in the field recently too. He was subdued without a taser and removed from the stadium.

It could be worse...we could have the crazy UK and European soccer fans. People kill each other at those games sometimes. :|

Jake

ong you're mad with power!

yeah.
so....
this is more for the constant craving thread.... :pendulum:

Wait. So instead of off-duty cops we will have off-duty Aliens wandering around all mad with power?



[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tgPb9NVvCY"]YouTube- Cartman Gets An Anal Probe[/nomedia]

you brought up the anal probe not me Bent

heh. right? :riding2:

As I understand it, the Law Enforcement Safety Act of 2004 (which is Federal) gives off duty law enforcement permission to carry firearms off duty.

The general idea is that law enforcement are not ever really off duty.

I have no knowledge of Canadian laws regarding off duty officers and the ins and outs of what weapons, if any are permitted.

Tried to bite tongue to no avail
 

Off duty again refers to a shift that is not their regular duty. example patrol officers not on patrol,or an overtime or extra assignment.

My opinion (and only mine) on the "child" 17 years of age that was handed over the keys to a vehicle to get to the game, maneuvered his way to the "once in a lifetime" experience, has a cellphone to call for the advice of his father and made the adult decision to ignore it, as well as the adult decision to ignore the rules that the other thousands of fans seem to be able to follow them. Yet lives by the NOT ME mentality of "Im just a kid having fun". Which is the same response of every one that had the drink at prom and killed some one, that got the girl pregnant after having sex once, that killed their best friend while texting in a vehicle. Yes I am a hard ass. Realize I sit behind the phone and receive the calls daily from the mothers of these so called "children" who ignore their advice the same way this kid just wanting to have fun does. Only wanting to stay out an hour later or get the cellphones taken away get mad runaway for what they thought was a night come home raped and beaten up. Tase them now tase them twice It may just save them from a worse outcome later on.

Well actually Philadelphia sports fans and sporting events are a bit ummmm.....crude. The ball park that the phillies play in even has their own branch of court so individuals can be taken right to the judge due to the massive amount of poor behavior known at the games. Am I shocked by a person getting tasered..nope....Actually I am shocked the off duty cop didnt just pull out his 38 and kill the kid.....

Philadelphia................it may have been the birthplace to freedom, but since then.....it kinda sux!

it's amerika we've gotta protect our borders, we never leave home without our guns and ammo!http://www.corrupt.org/drupal/files/images/gun.jpg

not enough choices....................
i vote that people who disrupt an event in which there was an admission charge....be removed placed in a prison cell and left there till the end of the event, afterwhich they be hung so as never to do it again.

perhaps it will take 3 or 4 hangings but eventually people will learn that disrupting an event is not "cute, funny, or a way to get your 15 minutes of fame" this goes for little kids who decide to start screaming in church as well....hang them and their parents.

:cheer: