It was actually quite scary over there.....one idiot threw a beer can at Marsh after he threw the ball in the stands. It got really bad when one of the BC players threw a full beer can back into the stands.
Brutal game.....brutal actions by "our fans"... Completely irresponsible and dangerous
Ya Marsh came over, taunted the east side and then fired the ball into the crowd...about 10 seats away from me. Then a can of beer went right back down...then another...then another...
First off I’m not defending the fans who threw stuff at the BC bench.
But just so everyone knows... Number 41? From BC grabbed a football, thew it at a fan and started flipping him off.
This is what started the whole incident. Maybe Wally should stop yelling at security and ref’s, and yell at his own player.
Again I am not defending this behaviour but I think both sides should be heard. Its a shame that this happened on #23’s night.
THANK YOU! Someone else saw what really happened. I've been trying to phone into Rider Roundtable to set Joe straight.
I was worried about this thread until I saw this post. This is exactly what happened. I'm not calling it a good excuse, but it changes the context somewhat.
I read until 7 pages in but I am in a rush to go to a party now.
It was started by Marsh throwing the ball into the stands. To deny it is naive. In the last how many years have there been even worse calls and phantom calls and never have this happen.
Marsh caused it.
Should fans thrown cans back down? No, of course not. But Marsh did cause it.
NONE OF THIS WOULDVE HAPPENED IF MARSH DIDNT ROCKET THE BALL INTO THE STANDS.. that being said.. whoever said no one will admit to throwing cans is wrong.. I admit to throwing one, but that was after one of the lions actually picked up a can and threw it back into the crowd, undoubtedly hitting a fan.
That is worse. By far. Than anything any rider fan did tonight.
Throwing cans at the BC bench was stupid. But Marsh started it. No doubt about that. I also saw the BC player rifle a can back into the crowd.
Can't really blame him.
BUT thats is what started it.
They didnt like like being heckled (if you cant take that, then you shouldnt be a professional football player). by throwing the ball into the stands,...not saying it was right to retaliate with the beer cans though,...and then when one of the Lions players picked a beer can up and fired it back,....then it broke loose with a barrage from the crowd
It may have been said already but I didn't want to read through all 15 pages of posts. Everyone should know, including the league, that when the ball came into the crowd it hit a fairly aged man (probably in his 60's) right in the head. I beleive that is what started the firt couple throws of the beer and it kind of escalated from there.
Maybe not the right reaction but I think it was someones natural reaction to throw something back. I am fairly certain it was not the man himself but I can guarentee if I am sitting there and an opposing player throws a football on a cold night and it hits me in the head I am goint to retaliate in some way, drinking or not.
PS. I never through anything but just telling the story as the man the ball hit was in my row and I saw the whole thing.
Throwing anything in a stadium a a dangerous and classless thing to do, and it was unfortunate that it happened. I was shocked and embarressed that it happened.
From my vantage point I saw it all unfold. After the fumble, Marsh? came over and taunted the crowd (who at the time had just viewed the facemask replay and were booing. He then fired the ball into the crowd as hard as he could. As someone else already mentioned, it smoked someone in the head. Then a beer came right from that vicinity aimed at Marsh. Then maybe a few more, and then a BC player hucked a can back into the stands. That's when the thing snowballed.
To say it happened because of a call on the field is false. A BC player fired a projectile into the stands, and it what happened was a direct result. I absolutely disagree with what those fans did, but let's get real on why it happened.
I sit in Section 26 - first off I DID NOT THROW ANYTHING NOR DO I CONDONE WHAT THEY DID but this is exactly what happened. It doesn't matter what TSN said happened nor what the radio said what happened. On that play we lost the ball, whoever recovered the ball came running directly over to the East Side and started taunting the fans - no problems so far - the because Wally will NOT control his players - he fired the ball at the fans in the stands - that is when all hell broke lose. He fired it into section 27 and that is where most - but not all - the beer came from - THEN at least 2 cans of beer came flying back into the sands from the field.
Again I don't conone it but Wally needs to control his players and NONE of this would have happened. Yes they can attempt to taunt us because we will taunt them 1000Xs more - but don't be throwing stuff into the stands or the drunks will throw stuff back.
Has anyone mentioned that Cam Wake was flipping the east side, off, and several Lions were throwing beer cans back at us.
Im not condoning the action of throwing beer cans at players at all, but to throw it back into the stands where there are young kids, friggin stupid.
I watched the exact thing happened.
Marsh fired the ball into the stands in a violent fashion.
Then the beer cans started flying.
Then SEVERAL BC Lion players through cans back into the stands.
I was sitting directly infront of the BC bench and watched it all.
I repeat once again do not condone the actions of beer can throwing.
Both Riderfans, and Lion fans should be embarassed.
It was Pottinger who threw one of the cans back up i believe.
Using your logic, we better do away with cold weather games too. I seem to remember the Eskimos getting pelted with snowballs some years back. Things is, you can't prevent snow, or can you?
The first beer can came from the south side of section 26 or the north side of 27. I sit in section 26 row 8. I did not see the ball thrown into the stands, but I saw the first beer can land. I was narrowly missed by a beer being thrown by a BC player. Had he hit me, I definitely would have thrown my last beer at him. (No I did not throw any beer cans)
I was appalled that people were wasting $5 beer on the Lions. About $120 ended up going to waste on the sidelines.
Pre-requisite disclaimer: I had two Rider lemonades at the game, I sit in section 24, I didn't throw any beer, and I don't condone hurtling projectiles onto the field.
I've read the first and last four pages of this thread so forgive me if this has been said. The way it's been explained by people in 25 and 26 is pretty much on the level. Beers went back and forth between the stands and bench.
Here's my thought. I wonder if those not at the game truly appreciate the level of emotion in the stadium at that point? The game was one of the dirtiest and poorly officiated I've seen in quite some time. Crackback blocks on both lines, Aaron Hunt cheapshotting people after near every play, Floyd squirting water into the stands in the second quarter, horsecollar tackles and cheap shots on turnovers. Hello Rob Murphy.
The Riders were no angels either. I saw Roberts get his legs twisted in a pile up, and a shot by Williams to the head of Pierce was uncalled.
The flashpoint was unfortunate because both sides were reacting emotionally; the Lions at a big turnover, and the fans at a missed facemask causing the turnover. Yes it was a facemask Squish.
It's an unfortunate incident exacerbated by a few drunk boneheads that thought it was cool to throw beer cans at the Lion bench. If any of these guys are identified, they should be barred from TF. Period. Not because they are the worst people ever in the history of sports, but because we make certain concessions to live in a civilized society.
Maybe it's just me, but I'm getting a little tired of people thousands of miles away from TF searching to be perpetually embarrased to be a Rider Fan.
Ok first of all I was at the game sitting in section 26. I had a great time before and after the incident. The fans at Taylor field were fantastic.
Now to those that condone this because the Lions started it by throwing a football into the stands. Listen the opposition bench is pelted with insults and jibes all night and you don't expect them to taunt back when they make a big play. Get over it. Football players throw balls into the stands all the time. That doesn't give anyone the right to hurl a full beer can at the back of someones head, regardless of whether they were taunting the fans, bad reffing (in your opinion) or anything else. Rightly or Wrongly, unfortunately this incident reflects badly on all Rider fans, when the vast majority do not deserve it.
Now on the issue of Lions throwing cans back. I only saw one player do it and I agree he should be fined or suspended and said so at the time. I hope the league steps in here and does exactly that.
The Riders need to take immediate action though. I know they were having issues in BC and some items that were put in place.
• All beverages in plastic cups
• 2 beer limit (strictly enforced) This includes security as people head back to their seats.
• ID must be shown to get served. This sounds silly at first but someone who has had to many has trouble producing ID, trust me.
• Cut off beer sales 5 minutes into the second half.
Anyways as always is the case most fans are great and it is just a few that make this a bad situation.
30 pages already... most everything has already been stated but I'm going to provide a summary and a few comments from what I witness first hand.
First and foremost I along with most other fans of the CFL are embarassed that any "fan" would throw things at the oppositon team. There should be ZERO tolerance for anything being thrown onto the field. It can be very dangerous and once the mob mentality starts up it can get WAY out of hand as we saw on Saturday. I just hope for everyone's sake no one was injured.
Now though, some discussion is warrented on why these events took place, even if what happened was VERY wrong. The lions player after recovering the football taunted the West side stands. Realizing that he could get more "rise" out of the Eastside stands he proceeds to come over to the East side and continues the taunting. Then he rifles the ball into the stands. This is when a handful of idiots decide to throw beer and cans back at the lion player.
I counted a handful of beers/cans being thrown initially. Then right infront of Sec 26/27 I see Cameron Wake pick up a beer can and throw it back at the crowd. This is when the subequent 30-40 beer/cans were thrown back onto the field.
I'm disturbed by both the fans who threw cans and by the lions players who were throwing stuff back. Both are to blame and both sides need to take a hard look at their actions.
I wonder if the lions management and players are just as disturbed by their own players (Wake etc.) who participated in the throwing of objects back and forth.
Unfortunately the beer cans were thrown as a response to the BC lion player rifling the ball into the stands.
The fans who threw the beers should be ashamed and the lions players who participated should be subject to the shame ramifications as a fan throwing stuff onto the field.
To sum that up for everyone:
“one of the BC players threw a full beer can back into the stands?
“From BC grabbed a football, thew it at a fan?
“one of the lions actually picked up a can and threw it back into the crowd?
“I also saw the BC player rifle a can back into the crowd.?
“and then when one of the Lions players picked a beer can up and fired it back?
“then a BC player hucked a can back into the stands?
?A BC player fired a projectile into the stands?
“he fired the ball at the fans in the stands?
“at least 2 cans of beer came flying back into the sands from the field.?
“several Lions were throwing beer cans back at us.?
“Marsh fired the ball into the stands in a violent fashion.?
“SEVERAL BC Lion players through cans back into the stands.?
“I was narrowly missed by a beer being thrown by a BC player.?
“Beers went back and forth between the stands and bench.?
“I only saw one player do it and I agree he should be fined or suspended?
“I see Cameron Wake pick up a beer can and throw it back at the crowd.?
NEWS FLASH!!!!
The story that the media is feeding us doesn't make any sense.
As a 5 year alumni of section 25 and the "taunting trenches", it's completely absurd.
The fans have no history of this, there is no precedent. What would make them feel compelled to throw away perfectly good beer? Was it a reaction to the bad call on the field? There are bad calls all the time, this isn't the first. Was it the emotion of the game that had people too passionate? Was it the Lions with their dirty antics on and off the field that pushed them over the edge? The media is leaving out something. The story we're getting is totally absurd.
Following the game, I do a little research. Because this just doesn't sit right. What possessed these fans to take it over the edge? I find some first-hand accounts from the fans at gound zero. The first reports tell about a cocky young football player who got excited about recovering a fumble against his rival team and tossed a football into the stands. OK, that makes sense. The player breaks the "cease-fire" by throwing something at the fans. The fans start chanting "throw it back" about the football and others start throwing beer cans. That explains it a little better. Now the story is less absurd. I can see the fans acting in this manner.
Then I read a first-hand account from a fan in the stands saying that after the first couple cans got fired at the player throwing the football, another player picked up a can and threw it into the stands. Then I hear another, seperate account of the same thing, then another, then another. Now the story makes sense. I can see dozens and dozens of fans taking that player's action of attacking the fans as provocation to open fire. It doesn't take a behavioral scientist to know that when you attack a group, instinct will cause members of the group to retalliate. Humans are the only species on earth that try to abide by "forgive those that tresspass against us" values. Humans are not perfect. Now the story makes perfect sense.
The fact that the BC Lions organization has acted as victims, accepting no responsibility, and the player involved has not stepped forward, is unacceptable.
Why do you keep defending the indefensible? It doesn't matter how much you try to justify the actions of the idiots who threw the cans, it was wrong to do so. I said in another post that there should be alcohol free sections in TF, and they should be right behind the player benches all the way along the lower half of stands, ON BOTH SIDES. IMO, going to a game is a privelege, and having a beer at the game is a bigger privelege, so that should BE TAKEN AWAY UNTIL THE END OF THIS SEASON, INCLUDING PLAYOFFS. Maybe then the message will sink in-- hopefully they will start to sell beer in plastic cups again, it was a stupid move to go to cans in the first place.
Who is he defending, I think it is me and the other Rider fans that did nothing wrong. I don't think he is defending the garbage throwers. As for BC he is right that it is time for them to face the consequenses for their actions. And it is time for the media and the likes of Jim Lang to get their facts straight before they start posting crap about the Rider fans. The fans responsible need to be booted and I enjoy the beer in cans. BTW my parents told me what they saw and it was in line with what was reported here in the past week. I have avoided posting on this situation until now but it really bugs me to hear the media paint all Rider fans with the same brush and not report on the whole truth.
Crowd violence occurs in football, soccer and other sports. Understandable that some fans may have gone berserk even without provocation. Previous game was very emotional because of Lancaster's death and back-to-back losses. Emotions can change saints into monsters.
If you were at the game, and did not identify the guilty parties, that makes you just as responsible for the stupidity of those few minutes. Again, it does not matter how much to try to justify what happened, it was still an embarrassing display by those idiots, and the other fans who sat and did nothing when the cans were tossed. I wonder, did it ever occur to you that if the fans had held back, that it would make the player that threw the football look bad? Instead we had losers that decided to react in a manner which taints ALL Rider fans. Go ahead and try to justify it, you are making yourselves look just as foolish as the fans who threw the beer cans at the Lion bench.
Unfortunately I was not at the game as I work alot of shift and don't buy my tickets ahead of time. As most of the games are sold out and unused tickets hard to come by I have resorted to the tube for most of my Rider viewing. Now you saying that as a Rider fan that I am responsible for their stupidity, I think that you are a little off base. I agree it was embarrassing and true if the fans had not thrown the cans nothing would have happenned, and if Wally had kept his players in check just maybe, and so on and so forth. I simply stated that the idiots should be booted as in they are responsible for their own fate. Nowhere did I try to justify their actions, find a post that I did. They are idiots that I want nothing to do with. Infact I have not responded to these "beergate" posts until today, but I see that I have been drawn in. Having said that, this will be my last post on this subject so don't expect anymore responses from me.
ILL TELL YOU WHO CARES, B C Thats who now they have to go back into saskatchewans back yard for a game they thought they would never have to play thats why Buono,Marsh,McCallum did so mutch beaking in the media the week after the game look for some of that to start again. The part that bothers me the most is after the game before BC left the dressing room the whole team knew exactly what and why it happened and yet they played the media card to look holyer than thou when just letting the hole situation quiet down before everyone finds out what you really did. Know they have to return to the seen of the crime.