Real Classy Fans You Got There Oregon

[Mikey]

RACK the freshman Love for responding with 26 points and 18 boards, and refusing to go all Phillip Rivers after the game.

Oregon AD apologizes to UCLA for fans' behavior toward Love

January 29, 2008

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Oregon's athletic director has apologized to UCLA for the behavior of Ducks' fans toward Bruins freshman Kevin Love last week.

Pat Kilkenny left messages Monday for coach Ben Howland, athletic director Dan Guerrero and Love's father Stan, who starred for Oregon in the early 1970s.

The younger Love and his father were booed and jeered unmercifully by the student section at McArthur Court last Thursday, when the fifth-ranked Bruins defeated the Ducks 80-75. Love had 26 points and 18 rebounds.

The Love family was the target of homophobic chants and signs with offensive messages, some of which were confiscated.

"It was pretty bad and I heard a lot of stuff," Love said Tuesday.

Kilkenny made the calls "to talk and apologize," Oregon basketball spokesman Greg Walker said.

Howland said he didn't speak with Kilkenny, but considers the matter "behind us now."

Oregon coach Ernie Kent addressed student fans before last Saturday's game against Southern California, warning them about their behavior.

"It's an ongoing thing to try to get our students to behave properly," Walker said.

Love said he appreciated Kent's actions. He resisted responding to the fans as the Bruins headed to the locker room after the game.

"I can't tell you if there was a better feeling in my whole basketball career than just walking off that court, taking the higher road and just feeling good about that game," he said. "Coming back from down seven with seven minutes to go and hitting those big shots in such a hostile environment; it was one of my favorite games ever to win."

Oregon officials discussed the incident with Pac-10 officials, and no action will be taken against the school, league spokesman Dave Hirsch said.

"They did cross the line," Hirsch said about Oregon fans. "We count on our institutions to police their crowds."

Hirsch said the conference is urging its schools to be proactive in monitoring student sections before games.

[Dinsdale]

While I certainly don't condone that sort of fan behavior, there's two sides to every story.

During Love's junior year, while he was being recruited, rumor him and his father, Stan Marinovich, made some less-than-nice statements about Ernie Kent to all sorts of people, which got repeated publicly.

While I'm sure he regrets it, and would probably do things different if he had a do-over, the shit he recieved wasn't unprovoked.

Besides, he's a "legacy," and if he chose not to go to Oregon (after an Elite Eight appearance), it was going to be considered an insult.

And while Duck football fans are considered the eptiomy of class, they drop that act when things move inside for the winter. Just ask Nate Robinson (who earned every bit of the shit he took, which drove him to tears one year... funny shit) and Bryan Appleby.


Ducks hoops fans are not to be fucked with. Every player they put the crosshairs on has a reason why he was singled out.

[Mikey]

I wonder how long it took, if ever, during the freshman's 26 point 18 rebound game for the mensas to realize they were being punked big time by an 19 year old.

The 18 boards was a school frosh record, BTW. He followed that up with 21 against the Angry Beavers.

[Dinsdale]

realize they were being punked big time by an 19 year old.

You're not catching on.

They felt "punked" by him last year -- the reason being because he acted like a punk. His actions from the year before were considered by many to be an insult to the program.


Again, I have no ill-will towards Kevin Marinovich (who btw is Mike Love of Beach Boys fame's nephew), and I wouldn't have engaged in such behavior. But to anyone to try and play it off like it was unprovoked is being disingenuous. The Loves allegedly said things behind Ernie's back that they wouldn't say to his face, but made sure to tell people who they knew would make it public -- very punk move.

But now that he made his one appearance in Eugene, it's water under the bridge. I mean, it's not like he went to Washington or anything.


But the point being -- there's more to the story than the one-sided reporting that's out there.

[Q, West Coast Style]

Duck students chanting "Your son hates you!" (Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap,) at then-USC coach Henry (estranged from his son Mike) Bibby was better.

[The Seer]

While I certainly don't condone that sort of fan behavior, there's two sides to every story.

During Love's junior year, while he was being recruited, rumor him and his father, Stan Marinovich, made some less-than-nice statements about Ernie Kent to all sorts of people, which got repeated publicly.

LINK?

[The Seer]

realize they were being punked big time by an 19 year old.

You're not catching on.

They felt "punked" by him last year -- the reason being because he acted like a punk. His actions from the year before were considered by many to be an insult to the program.


Again, I have no ill-will towards Kevin Marinovich (who btw is Mike Love of Beach Boys fame's nephew), and I wouldn't have engaged in such behavior. But to anyone to try and play it off like it was unprovoked is being disingenuous. The Loves allegedly said things behind Ernie's back that they wouldn't say to his face, but made sure to tell people who they knew would make it public -- very punk move.

But the point being -- there's more to the story than the one-sided reporting that's out there.

LINK?

[Dinsdale]

Dude -- I live 10 minutes from Love's high school. The radio show I listen to almost daily had dude's cell on speed dial for two years.

Stan Marinovich is a local "legend"... legendary asshole.

Don't step to me with this retarded "Link" shit... I've had quite my fill of Love talk over the last 3-4 years. You need to just shut the fuck up.

Sorry if I don't have hours and hours of Love interviews and other people's interviews on the recruiting scene, but I don't need a link, and I really couldn't give a fuck if you know the truth about the guy or not.

Duck students chanting "Your son hates you!" (Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap,) at then-USC coach Henry (estranged from his son Mike) Bibby was better.

Getting into Nate Robinson with the cardboard cutouts and chanting "Ga-ry Cole-man **clap-clap clap-clap-clap" and him missing all the free throws while shedding tears was pretty awesome... watching that stupid cocky little fuck bawling like a baby was quite epic... gee, I guess that buzzer-beater dunk in a blowout in Eugene wasn't such a good idea, was it you stupid little fucker?

I think Robinson took some Gary Coleman shit last night in Portland, too.


Stupid never-was/never-will-be stars need to think things through before they mess with the local sports fans... local sports fans need to think things through before getting into LeBron, too. Crazy week for the sports fans of this state.

[The Seer]

Dude -- I live 10 minutes from Love's high school. The radio show I listen to almost daily had dude's cell on speed dial for two years.

Stan Marinovich is a local "legend"... legendary asshole.

Don't step to me with this retarded "Link" shit... I've had quite my fill of Love talk over the last 3-4 years. You need to just shut the fuck up.

Sorry if I don't have hours and hours of Love interviews and other people's interviews on the recruiting scene, but I don't need a link, and I really couldn't give a fuck if you know the truth about the guy or not.

Duck students chanting "Your son hates you!" (Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap,) at then-USC coach Henry (estranged from his son Mike) Bibby was better.

Getting into Nate Robinson with the cardboard cutouts and chanting "Ga-ry Cole-man **clap-clap clap-clap-clap" and him missing all the free throws while shedding tears was pretty awesome... watching that stupid cocky little fuck bawling like a baby was quite epic... gee, I guess that buzzer-beater dunk in a blowout in Eugene wasn't such a good idea, was it you stupid little fucker?

I think Robinson took some Gary Coleman shit last night in Portland, too.


Stupid never-was/never-will-be stars need to think things through before they mess with the local sports fans... local sports fans need to think things through before getting into LeBron, too. Crazy week for the sports fans of this state.

So that pretty much means you got...............nuthin. At least Son Of Sam had dogs that informed him of what was goin on....

[Dinsdale]

So, two years ago this kid allegedly says unkind remarks about Oregon to his friends/whoever/not the media

No.

It was some really chickenshit moves to reporters "off th record," which he knew full-well would get out.

Big difference.

and ultimately enrolls at USC.

No. He went to the Championship Factory, not the school that's never won anything in hoops.

Oregon fan then feels justified in acting like classless morons when, two years later, he plays against Oregon?

No.

Less than a year removed. This wasn't some one-time thing, it was kind of an ongoing thing over 2-3 years.

Two sides to the story?

No.

There's apparently 3 -- Love's, the media's, Duckfans', and now Mace's completely new version has enetered the mix.

Yep, one....Duck fans are classless assholes and, second, the kid made the right decision.

No one begrudged Love going to play for UCLA, even though his dad was a start for the Ducks way back when. It was the way he went about it that pissed people off... especially when Ernie was "coaching to keep his job" at the time which was kind of odd, since he was sporting two McDonalds' All Americans on the roster at the time).


In the end, you'll pass judgement however you see fit. But before you do, bear a couple of things in mind --

A) All the local versions of the story all claim that few few, but significant bad apples spoiled the bunch, both in the student section and the general seating. There was apparently a sign depicting Kevin performing an act of oral sex on his father, illustrated rather graphically... which is so thoroughly inappropriate, it merits no further discussion, and the university staff should have dealt with that the second it appeared (although it's possible they were unaware until the damage was done). I've yet to hear of one Ducksfan who isn't completely mortified by that. It's OK to resent Love's decision, but that's waywayway out of line, and would be at a pro game, much less that of a kid.


B) Remember, we're not dealing with quality human beings in the Love camp. While Kevin has always been pretty polite when in the public eye, there's that issue of his dad, who does all of the talking. He really is basketball's Todd Marinovich -- been groomed as a hoopster since birth, regardless of the kid's better interest. In high school, there was a period where Kevin wasn't allowed to attend practice unless his father was present, and his coaches were never allowed to speak directly to Kevin -- any communications had to be made to Stan, and he would relay the message if he saw fit to do so. No, really -- that's the kind of people we're dealing with here.


I feel kind of badly for Kevin. But he's in the spotlight, and he will be judged by the sum of his parts, not individual traits. And the biggest part of Kevin is his psychotic father, who is a grade-A freaking asshole. Kevin CHOSE to not separate himself from his father upon adulthood, and therefore is taking responsibility for his father's actions as well. Very poor decision on his part. Don't shed too many tears for how the Loves are treated -- any negativity thrown their way wasn't some random act. These are people who truly believe that regular humans, you included, are beneath them, and are merely on earth to serve the Loves.


Pass judgement all you like -- it's a part of sports, and part of the fun, and certainly your perogotive. But don't take two sentences of a long book and give a book review based on it... s'all I'm sayin. If a person goes around acting like a complete disrespectful jackass and treats everyone like garbage, they shouldn't be suprised if people treat them disrespectfully in return. Again, I don't condone the behavior of a few, but Ducks hoopsfans will get deep into a guy who has acted disrespectfully towards them, or towards the human race in general... just ask Nate Robinson (a classless jerk if ever there was one, that even Brandon Roy couldn't straighten out -- him and Isiah soooooo deserve each other).



This wasn't the unprovoked, one-sided deal you make it out to be... s'all I'm sayin.

[Goober McTuber]

There was apparently a sign depicting Kevin performing an act of oral sex on his father, illustrated rather graphically... which is so thoroughly inappropriate, it merits no further discussion, and the university staff should have dealt with that the second it appeared (although it's possible they were unaware until the damage was done).

How do you know tht the sex wasn't consensual.

Sincerely,

Tardowen

[Dinsdale]

A 17 year old high school kid allegedly making "off the record" remarks to someone in the media should not be held against him, IMO, even by the most classless of crybaby fans who were upset by his remarks or his enrolling in a rival school. Get over it.

Again, you don't understand. When Dad wasn't around, dude had the local sports stations on speed-dial.

Why didn't the Duck fans who found "the few" to be so inappropriate (if there were any) tell them to sit down and shut the fuck up? Why didn't the school admins or security grab the bull by the horns and toss the assholes out? Didn't want to play the game in front of a half empty arena? Just curious.

How were people sitting behind the sign-bearers supposed to know about it? Was someone supposed to fight to the other side of the arena to go talk to the offenders?


And I don't know how you roll in the Flyover, but a Ducks hoops game is a complete freaking zoo. The people there weren't sitting on their hands perusing the signs -- they were going flat freaking apeshit in support of their team -- they're kind of famous for it.


Matter of fact, oh Uninmformed One, Ducks football fans are known for calling out other fans who mistreat opposing fans, and police themselves. Opposing fans are honored guests. Anyone by the name of Love, and anyone who played for the freaking Ducks who walks into Gil wearing UCLA gear is not.

I could not care less about the Oregon fans, or their team, but, judging from what I've read in this thread, it would seem that Duckfan takes quite a bit of pride in being classless jackasses.

Oh, I see -- you're a dumbfuck. I'm the Ducks fan in this thread. Would you care to quote where i've "taken pride" in the actions of a few? I'll leave the light on for you.

Just an observation based on what I've read here and the fact that the school felt compelled to issue an apology.

Wait -- they issued an apology? I thought they "took great pride" in being classless jackasses? If this was standard MO for Ducksfans, why would the University feel compelled to issue an apology for something their fans "take great pride in"?

Try taking the marbles out of your mouth, pick one story and stick with it, then try again. You're now babbling out nonsense.

[Goober McTuber]

In fairness to Dinsdale, I'm all the way up here in God's Country, and I read shit about the Loves up here. I blame the grandfather. From everything I've read, Mike Love is also a prick.

[Dinsdale]

Don't know anything about Gramps, but not many people ever accused any of the Beach Boys crew of being particularly high in character.

Too bad they poisoned Kevin.


But at this point, he's burned his bridge with Nike, burned his bridge with his Oregon homies, and has made some really poor choices... actually he didn't make them, his megalomaniac father did all that on his behalf, out of some weird spite-dealio. Although I'm guessing Lake Nonegro High School will probably always dig him, since he brought them a championship... but it ain't like Lake O doesn't already have a boatload of famous alums.

[Goober McTuber]

SI has an article this week on unruly fan behavior. The Oregon fans featured prominently:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/w ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

On Jan. 23, the day before the Bruins-Ducks showdown in Eugene, Love found more than 30 voice-mail messages on his cellphone when UCLA stopped for a layover in San Francisco. He listened to the first one: If you guys win, we'll come to your house and kill your family. He played another: We'll find your hotel room and blow your f------ head off with a shotgun. He didn't bother to check the rest. "I mean, these were death threats," Love says. Shaken, he called his mother, Karen, and had her cancel his cellphone service.

Stan Love knew it would be bad. But not this bad. Stan, who is Kevin's father and the sixth-leading scorer in Oregon's history, arrived at his alma mater that night in a party of seven including Karen, Kevin's 13-year-old sister, his grandmother and his uncle Mike, a cofounder of the Beach Boys. But good vibrations were in short supply. Stan says his family was pelted with popcorn cartons and empty cups, as well as a barrage of profane insults ("every filthy word you can think of"), including screams of "whores" that made Kevin's grandmother cry. "There were six-year-old kids with signs saying KEVIN LOVE SUCKS," says Stan, who endured a hail of one-finger salutes to snap photographs of the worst signs. "It was the grossest display of humanity I've ever been involved with. To think I'm sitting at the school where I played ball, and just because my kid didn't pick Oregon he gets abused like that? I'll never go back there."

Death threats? Calling Grandma a whore? Tsk, tsk.

[Dinsdale]

Death threats? Calling Grandma a whore? Tsk, tsk.

SI may have made a big no-no in journalism -- Stan Love is a POS, and quite possibly made the whole "death threat" thing up, since I seriously doubt anyone cares that much.

It was the grossest display of humanity I've ever been involved with

This, coming from a guy who wouldn't let his kid attend practice in HS without him being present, and didn't allow his coaches to speak to Kevin directly, instead requiring that all communication be relayed through him?

The guy who took behind-the-back potshots of the coach of "the school where I played ball," who is now shocked there might be some ill-will (which according to most local accounts, while all agreed that a handful of fans engaged in thoroughly inappropriate behavior, Attention Whore Love might be exaggerating considerably)...

Dude just needs to keep his mouth shut. Said mouth hasn't served him well to date, and it probably won't any time soon.

Ducksfans are usually pretty quick to call out their own for bad fan behavior. Love's campaign to make Ducksfan look like the Great Evil is quite disingenous.

Slightly related -- Oregon is building $200 mil worth of new basketball arena. And since it appears this underachieving season will be Kent's swansong, rumor has it Mark Few is coming home to roost. The future is looking bright.

[Dinsdale]

OK. The story runs much deeper than I'm finding full linkage for, but here's a taste...


http://wweek.com/story.php?story=5285" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Stan Love blasted his alma mater the day his son announced his choice, telling a Portland columnist that Oregon coach Ernie Kent "shot himself in the foot" by allowing the program to deteriorate and not recruiting Kevin harder.

"Kevin will take some ribbing, but there's even more anger at his dad," Oregon sophomore Daniel Cogan, president of the school's raucous student section known as "The Pit Crew,'' said. "That someone who went here would take a shot at the school and the basketball program? That's what really ticked people off."

This shit went on for 4 years around here. One thing after another. While I think Kevin is a darn good kid, it's despite his horrible family.