Fan ejected for heckling Roy Williams at practice (1 Viewer)

[brednbuddah]

according to the NFL's recently announced code of conduct for fans, the guy got what he deserved.

 

[Pickle Rody]

according to the NFL's recently announced code of conduct for fans, the guy got what he deserved.

That has to do with actual gameday stadium incedents. Goodell's new policy has nothing to do with training camp. And, I can't wait to see this policy enforced. It's a part of fandom to heckle the opposing team. Give me a break. No way this gets enforced in Philly, no matter how hard they might try.I do not care to hear a heckler a TC either. But as long as the heckler is not using profanity, I see no reason to throw him out.

 

[Raider Nation]

Lions eject fan heckling WilliamsSecurity escorted a fan out of Lions practice this morning after he got into a verbal altercation with wide receiver Roy Williams. Mike Lazzara, 42, of Novi stood on the top step of the bleachers and repeatedly shouted to Williams about taking plays off.

Maybe Lazzara was the pizza delivery guy who Roy stiffed.

 

[brednbuddah]

according to the NFL's recently announced code of conduct for fans, the guy got what he deserved.

That has to do with actual gameday stadium incedents. Goodell's new policy has nothing to do with training camp. And, I can't wait to see this policy enforced. It's a part of fandom to heckle the opposing team. Give me a break. No way this gets enforced in Philly, no matter how hard they might try.I do not care to hear a heckler a TC either. But as long as the heckler is not using profanity, I see no reason to throw him out.

I see your point that it was TC and not a regular season game, but my theory is if they enforce it in preseason by making an example of some guy, fans will think twice before doing something stupid. especially season ticket holders. Their season ticket privileges will be revoked as well.

 

[North]

From what I read the guy wasn't using profanity, throwing objects or under the influence. He was only yelling that Roy takes plays off. Doesn't this guy reserve the right to get on the players as a fan and ticket holder?

As posted above, I'd love to see this enforced at certain stadiums. If they enforced this in Philly 70% of the stadium would be empty by half time. I agree with the concept because I love to take my son to a couple of games each year and the language used can be too much for a 9 year old to handle, but trying to enforce this is going to be impossible.

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

For those who don't think it was disruptive, How about if I come to your job site and atrt heckling your employees and tell them how to do their job?

The guy was thrown out after everybody around him complained about what a jackass he was.

Just because TC is open to the public doesn't give you the right behave so poorly.

 

[Pickle Rody]

For those who don't think it was disruptive, How about if I come to your job site and atrt heckling your employees and tell them how to do their job?

The guy was thrown out after everybody around him complained about what a jackass he was.

Just because TC is open to the public doesn't give you the right behave so poorly.

If I own a NFL team with highly paid athletes that you pay for buy purchasing gameday tickets and all the merchandise my teams markets, which in turn helps me pay those athletes, you are welcome to come to my training camp and voice your displeasure. You have every right to because your hard earned dollars spent on my team and it's various merchandise earns you that right.If I'm at all worried about it, I might close training camp so no one will be afforded the opportunity to see their favorite players. You know, because I'm so worried about my players fragile ego's. Or I might post rules at the gate that everyone attending could see prior to being admitted. The Lions had no such rules posted and the guy was voicing his displeasure about Williams being a slacker in TC and games.

Find another analogy to make your point Brock.

And exactly how poorly did he behave? He heckled a player earning millions of dollars who takes plays off and is lazy? From what I've read the other fans didn't complain until Williams came over to get into it with the guy.

 

[Yitbos69]

Whats the story here? A "fan" acting like a tool got kicked out of a practice session.

 

[Aaronstory]

Lions eject fan heckling Williams

Posted: Tuesday August 12, 2008 06:42AM ET

Security escorted a fan out of Lions practice this morning after he got into a verbal altercation with wide receiver Roy Williams. It was the first such incident since the Lions started opening training camp to the general public again last year. Mike Lazzara, 42, of Novi stood on the top step of the bleachers amid a sparse, mostly quiet crowd. He repeatedly shouted to Williams about taking plays off. "I didn't use any profanity to him," Lazzara said. "I wanted just to be constructive and tell the guy, 'You know, I'm not making $20 million a season.' The guy takes plays off. You guys look at the tape." Williams heard Lazzara as he went back to the huddle, then walked over to the fence separating the fans from the field. Williams suggested they switch jobs, as some of his teammates yelled.

Detroit Free Press

If he was not using profanity, why kick him out? Oooh, I know, they need to protect the fragile little ego's of their semi-stars! The Lions FO suxor and so does their team.

He was being a disruptive tool. Just because practice is open to the public doesn't mean some 40-plus yo tool of a man can come and disrupt it.

Obviously, you weren't in Green Bay last month...

 

[Pickle Rody]

Obviously, you weren't in Green Bay last month...

No, I was not.......what is your point?

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

For those who don't think it was disruptive, How about if I come to your job site and atrt heckling your employees and tell them how to do their job?

The guy was thrown out after everybody around him complained about what a jackass he was.

Just because TC is open to the public doesn't give you the right behave so poorly.

If I own a NFL team with highly paid athletes that you pay for buy purchasing gameday tickets and all the merchandise my teams markets, which in turn helps me pay those athletes, you are welcome to come to my training camp and voice your displeasure. You have every right to because your hard earned dollars spent on my team and it's various merchandise earns you that right.If I'm at all worried about it, I might close training camp so no one will be afforded the opportunity to see their favorite players. You know, because I'm so worried about my players fragile ego's. Or I might post rules at the gate that everyone attending could see prior to being admitted. The Lions had no such rules posted and the guy was voicing his displeasure about Williams being a slacker in TC and games.

Find another analogy to make your point Brock.

And exactly how poorly did he behave? He heckled a player earning millions of dollars who takes plays off and is lazy? From what I've read the other fans didn't complain until Williams came over to get into it with the guy.

He was loud and obnoxious - so much so that many other fans who buy purchasing gameday tickets and all the merchandise my teams markets complained about him. So much so, that he was disrupting the team's practice which could inhibit their ablility to win games - which drives sales.If he did this in a restaurant - same result, in spite of the fact that he helps pay the salaries of the waiters and the chefs.

 

[identikit]

Lions eject fan heckling WilliamsSecurity escorted a fan out of Lions practice this morning after he got into a verbal altercation with wide receiver Roy Williams. Mike Lazzara, 42, of Novi stood on the top step of the bleachers and repeatedly shouted to Williams about taking plays off.

Maybe Lazzara was the pizza delivery guy who Roy stiffed.

I doubt Roy could deliver pizzas any better than he delivers on the field.

 

[Kevin Ashcraft]

ruffrody, why so much piss and vinegar on this....?

 

[T Bell]

Lions eject fan heckling Williams

Posted: Tuesday August 12, 2008 06:42AM ET

Security escorted a fan out of Lions practice this morning after he got into a verbal altercation with wide receiver Roy Williams. It was the first such incident since the Lions started opening training camp to the general public again last year. Mike Lazzara, 42, of Novi stood on the top step of the bleachers amid a sparse, mostly quiet crowd. He repeatedly shouted to Williams about taking plays off. "I didn't use any profanity to him," Lazzara said. "I wanted just to be constructive and tell the guy, 'You know, I'm not making $20 million a season.' The guy takes plays off. You guys look at the tape." Williams heard Lazzara as he went back to the huddle, then walked over to the fence separating the fans from the field. Williams suggested they switch jobs, as some of his teammates yelled.

Detroit Free Press

If he was not using profanity, why kick him out? Oooh, I know, they need to protect the fragile little ego's of their semi-stars! The Lions FO suxor and so does their team.

He was being a disruptive tool. Just because practice is open to the public doesn't mean some 40-plus yo tool of a man can come and disrupt it.

Obviously, you weren't in Green Bay last month...

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

Lions eject fan heckling Williams

Posted: Tuesday August 12, 2008 06:42AM ET

Security escorted a fan out of Lions practice this morning after he got into a verbal altercation with wide receiver Roy Williams. It was the first such incident since the Lions started opening training camp to the general public again last year. Mike Lazzara, 42, of Novi stood on the top step of the bleachers amid a sparse, mostly quiet crowd. He repeatedly shouted to Williams about taking plays off. "I didn't use any profanity to him," Lazzara said. "I wanted just to be constructive and tell the guy, 'You know, I'm not making $20 million a season.' The guy takes plays off. You guys look at the tape." Williams heard Lazzara as he went back to the huddle, then walked over to the fence separating the fans from the field. Williams suggested they switch jobs, as some of his teammates yelled.

Detroit Free Press

If he was not using profanity, why kick him out? Oooh, I know, they need to protect the fragile little ego's of their semi-stars! The Lions FO suxor and so does their team.

He was being a disruptive tool. Just because practice is open to the public doesn't mean some 40-plus yo tool of a man can come and disrupt it.

Obviously, you weren't in Green Bay last month...

I can't believe I missed this - funniest thing I've read in awhile

 

[IM666]

ruffrody, why so much piss and vinegar on this....?

To be fair, at first he was just filled with vinegar.

 

[Pickle Rody]

ruffrody, why so much piss and vinegar on this....?

Kevin, I've stated my point repeatedly and nobody has come up with a valid reason why this guy needed to get kicked out. I've seen no report where the other fans were complaining about him, yet others are posting that was the case. To my knowledge only one other fan was quoted as saying he was annoying. He did not use profanity and his comments were directed at a player, not other fans. Had he attacked other fans with his comments, I could see reason for him to be ejected. If he repeatedly used profanity in the presence of others and children he should have been removed. If he was intoxicated and behaving like this he should be removed. None of these things happened here.Also, the analogies or comparisons to other workplace environments don't hold any weight because those workplaces don't put their employees in the public eye for the sole purpose of enticing consumers to spend more money on their product(s.)I believe the Lions were wrong to remove this fan from TC just because he chose to voice his opinion about a certain players attitude towards practice and gameday performance. I believe the fan had every right to voice his displeasure.Why is this so hard for others to understand? I would bet that most of the posters in here have been to a live regular season game and have voiced their displeasure about a play or two where they felt the team, and player, could have performed better. Something like....."Oh come on, you've got to catch that ball!" I'm sure they wouldn't have been the only fan screaming this either. It happens every single game. If teams choose to open up TC for fans then they should be prepared to hear it there too. They should not remove said fans for voicing their opinions.If teams don't want to be criticized for poor performance they should perform better or get out of the business.I am not the only one who feels this way, I'm just the only one choosing to state it clearly and openly in a football forum discussing with the issue.One other thing......teams, coaches and players are criticized by the media and called out for poor play and poor decisions at press conferences. Do you see these media types getting removed for asking those questions or stating what they believe to be the truth? Many media outlets criticize their local team, coach and players add nauseum and they still get to come back and participate in press conferences. Why can't a fan question and criticize those same teams, coaches and players at TC or during gameday? Answer: They can! (Well, Goodell is trying to put a stop to it, but it won't get very far. The only thing the new policy will accomplish is to alienate a lot of fans.)If the rest of the Shark Pool doesn't see my reasoning that validates my opinions, then so be it.

 

[Yitbos69]

ruffrody, why so much piss and vinegar on this....?

Kevin, I've stated my point repeatedly and nobody has come up with a valid reason why this guy needed to get kicked out. I've seen no report where the other fans were complaining about him, yet others are posting that was the case. To my knowledge only one other fan was quoted as saying he was annoying. He did not use profanity and his comments were directed at a player, not other fans. Had he attacked other fans with his comments, I could see reason for him to be ejected. If he repeatedly used profanity in the presence of others and children he should have been removed. If he was intoxicated and behaving like this he should be removed. None of these things happened here.Also, the analogies or comparisons to other workplace environments don't hold any weight because those workplaces don't put their employees in the public eye for the sole purpose of enticing consumers to spend more money on their product(s.)I believe the Lions were wrong to remove this fan from TC just because he chose to voice his opinion about a certain players attitude towards practice and gameday performance. I believe the fan had every right to voice his displeasure.Why is this so hard for others to understand? I would bet that most of the posters in here have been to a live regular season game and have voiced their displeasure about a play or two where they felt the team, and player, could have performed better. Something like....."Oh come on, you've got to catch that ball!" I'm sure they wouldn't have been the only fan screaming this either. It happens every single game. If teams choose to open up TC for fans then they should be prepared to hear it there too. They should not remove said fans for voicing their opinions.If teams don't want to be criticized for poor performance they should perform better or get out of the business.I am not the only one who feels this way, I'm just the only one choosing to state it clearly and openly in a football forum discussing with the issue.One other thing......teams, coaches and players are criticized by the media and called out for poor play and poor decisions at press conferences. Do you see these media types getting removed for asking those questions or stating what they believe to be the truth? Many media outlets criticize their local team, coach and players add nauseum and they still get to come back and participate in press conferences. Why can't a fan question and criticize those same teams, coaches and players at TC or during gameday? Answer: They can! (Well, Goodell is trying to put a stop to it, but it won't get very far. The only thing the new policy will accomplish is to alienate a lot of fans.)If the rest of the Shark Pool doesn't see my reasoning that validates my opinions, then so be it.

Is it really this big a deal......really?

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

The Lions released a statement that said in part: “Following complaints from fans in the immediate area, members of our security team discussed the situation with the gentleman and explained the appropriate expected fan code of conduct, as set forth by our organization and the NFL. The gentleman declined to modify his behavior and was asked to leave the morning session.”

 

[onionsack]

Lions eject fan heckling Williams

Posted: Tuesday August 12, 2008 06:42AM ET

Security escorted a fan out of Lions practice this morning after he got into a verbal altercation with wide receiver Roy Williams. It was the first such incident since the Lions started opening training camp to the general public again last year. Mike Lazzara, 42, of Novi stood on the top step of the bleachers amid a sparse, mostly quiet crowd. He repeatedly shouted to Williams about taking plays off. "I didn't use any profanity to him," Lazzara said. "I wanted just to be constructive and tell the guy, 'You know, I'm not making $20 million a season.' The guy takes plays off. You guys look at the tape." Williams heard Lazzara as he went back to the huddle, then walked over to the fence separating the fans from the field. Williams suggested they switch jobs, as some of his teammates yelled.

Detroit Free Press

If he was not using profanity, why kick him out? Oooh, I know, they need to protect the fragile little ego's of their semi-stars! The Lions FO suxor and so does their team.

He was being a disruptive tool. Just because practice is open to the public doesn't mean some 40-plus yo tool of a man can come and disrupt it.

Obviously, you weren't in Green Bay last month...

Post of the year contender.

 

[trader jake]

If he was not using profanity, why kick him out? Oooh, I know, they need to protect the fragile little ego's of their semi-stars! The Lions FO suxor and so does their team.

He was being a disruptive tool. Just because practice is open to the public doesn't mean some 40-plus yo tool of a man can come and disrupt it.

Obviously, you weren't in Green Bay last month...

As a Packer fan who was there for the circus I'll ask this...what type of fan shows up at "their" teams practice to heckle the players?In Green Bay it was a bunch of people promoting their web-sites and businesses, some vocal kids, and a few adults with nothing better to do. It's their right to do what I saw in Green Bay but once a fan starts yelling at the players on the practice field they lose their right to attend a free practice open to the public. If a team charges fans to attend the practice then they can yell almost whatever they want.

Either way the fan sounds like a tool and Roy Williams should know better than to get involved with him.

 

[Christo]

If he was not using profanity, why kick him out? Oooh, I know, they need to protect the fragile little ego's of their semi-stars! The Lions FO suxor and so does their team.

He was being a disruptive tool. Just because practice is open to the public doesn't mean some 40-plus yo tool of a man can come and disrupt it.

Obviously, you weren't in Green Bay last month...

As a Packer fan who was there for the circus I'll ask this...what type of fan shows up at "their" teams practice to heckle the players?In Green Bay it was a bunch of people promoting their web-sites and businesses, some vocal kids, and a few adults with nothing better to do. It's their right to do what I saw in Green Bay but once a fan starts yelling at the players on the practice field they lose their right to attend a free practice open to the public. If a team charges fans to attend the practice then they can yell almost whatever they want.

Either way the fan sounds like a tool and Roy Williams should know better than to get involved with him.

:whoosh:

 

[trader jake]

If he was not using profanity, why kick him out? Oooh, I know, they need to protect the fragile little ego's of their semi-stars! The Lions FO suxor and so does their team.

He was being a disruptive tool. Just because practice is open to the public doesn't mean some 40-plus yo tool of a man can come and disrupt it.

Obviously, you weren't in Green Bay last month...

As a Packer fan who was there for the circus I'll ask this...what type of fan shows up at "their" teams practice to heckle the players?In Green Bay it was a bunch of people promoting their web-sites and businesses, some vocal kids, and a few adults with nothing better to do. It's their right to do what I saw in Green Bay but once a fan starts yelling at the players on the practice field they lose their right to attend a free practice open to the public. If a team charges fans to attend the practice then they can yell almost whatever they want.

Either way the fan sounds like a tool and Roy Williams should know better than to get involved with him.

What are you trying to say Christo?

 

[Gr00vus]

I'll ask this...what type of fan shows up at "their" teams practice to heckle the players?

The kind that is unfortunate enough (has the bad judgment?) to be a fan of a team run by Matt Millen, a fan of a team that hasn't won anything in about a century. Heckling the players/team is pretty much all you've got at that point.That's just a guess though.

 

[trader jake]

I'll ask this...what type of fan shows up at "their" teams practice to heckle the players?

The kind that is unfortunate enough (has the bad judgment?) to be a fan of a team run by Matt Millen, a fan of a team that hasn't won anything in about a century. Heckling the players/team is pretty much all you've got at that point.That's just a guess though.

Fair enough (especially with the Lions). Guess I just don't see the point of heckling one of your own guys during training camp practices.

 

[Gr00vus]

I'll ask this...what type of fan shows up at "their" teams practice to heckle the players?

The kind that is unfortunate enough (has the bad judgment?) to be a fan of a team run by Matt Millen, a fan of a team that hasn't won anything in about a century. Heckling the players/team is pretty much all you've got at that point.That's just a guess though.

Fair enough (especially with the Lions). Guess I just don't see the point of heckling one of your own guys during training camp practices.

Well I'm sure the fan would rather have yelled at Mike Williams or Charles Rodgers or Joey Harrington, but they couldn't make it, so Roy Williams had to fill in as the heckling target. Plus this way you don't have to pay for the ticket. Who cares about getting ejected from a free workout? I mean, obviously the guy made an impression on Roy Williams (not enough for Roy to actually go up into the stands after him - I wonder what Roy's criteria for administering an in seat beat down are), so I'd say the fan in this case was fully successful, heck he even got his name in print. I'm surprised more people don't do this!Where do the Steelers practice, I want to let Willie Parker know what a disappointment he was as a first round pick last year...

 

[Christo]

If he was not using profanity, why kick him out? Oooh, I know, they need to protect the fragile little ego's of their semi-stars! The Lions FO suxor and so does their team.

He was being a disruptive tool. Just because practice is open to the public doesn't mean some 40-plus yo tool of a man can come and disrupt it.

Obviously, you weren't in Green Bay last month...

As a Packer fan who was there for the circus I'll ask this...what type of fan shows up at "their" teams practice to heckle the players?In Green Bay it was a bunch of people promoting their web-sites and businesses, some vocal kids, and a few adults with nothing better to do. It's their right to do what I saw in Green Bay but once a fan starts yelling at the players on the practice field they lose their right to attend a free practice open to the public. If a team charges fans to attend the practice then they can yell almost whatever they want.

Either way the fan sounds like a tool and Roy Williams should know better than to get involved with him.

:X

What are you trying to say Christo?

He was talking about Favre.