leave the fists at home.

Maybe I'm hypersensitive to fan behavior or something, but I was completely disgusted with the brawl last night in Auburn Hills. I was disgusted with the players. I was disgusted with the fans. That situation will sort itself out and the NBA will go back to business-as-usual in no time. But who is going to address the escalating problem of fans disrupting games? We all know about the incidents at professional sporting events, but it also happens on the collegiate level.

A couple years ago, during my second season as the Jags PA announcer, Oakland University Head Coach Greg Kampe charged off the bench and confronted a heckler, threatening, "I'm gonna kick your ass!"

The situation calmed almost as quickly as it erupted, but it opened the eyes of the A.D. that we have some hecklers who position themselves directly behind the visitors bench a la Robin Ficker. The program responded by no longer allowing "home team" fans to sit behind that bench.

While the solution was successful, it didn't really address the over-arching problem.

Last season's home finale nearly turned into a situation when chippy play between the Jags and UMKC quickly turned into an on-court fight. If that wasn't bad enough, I noticed that fans directly behind the men's bench were out of their seats, inching toward the floor.

Order was quickly restored, but not by security. I'm not blaming them for any of this, but it points out that organizers of sporting events are not actively planning for such occurances. "It'll never happen again," is what they often say. But he keeps happening.

Again and again.

Not 24 hours after the Pacers-Pistons incident, an on-field fight broke out in South Carolina's final football game.

It's time for players AND fans to check themselves. Cheer. Boo. Yell. But please, leave the fists at home.