If you were anywhere near a basketball game or a coffee shop in Central Nebraska this week you know about the rhubarb that erupted in Centura Tuesday during the St. Paul/Centura girls game. After a citation for assault was issued and order was restored — not without a few more knuckleheaded outbursts — the evening continued.

I get as hot as the next guy at sports, or at least my wife prefers not to sit next to me. I tell her I’m simply focused. I’ve never been tossed, however. (Close once. Hey, the ball was fair by a good foot but I’ve let that go.) I’ve been a coach, a fan, and a parent. If I would get the hook, not only would my kid (who is bigger than me) have to have to sit me down for a son to father talk, I’m wondering what I would be teaching him and his teammates. Chances are good in a couple instances I might have even qualified for a technical or a penalty or a reprimand from a well-placed fellow parent. But going after a referee and then getting in the grill of a coach? Ouch!

I spoke to a couple basketball referees Thursday about the incident. They were not in Centura, but I asked them (both are among the state’s best having worked a number of State Tournaments) what they would do. A high school basketball coach also weighed in.
Their responses ranged from nothing to everything.
So what would you do, when the places goes up for grabs, when a bottle comes out of the stands, when order has fouled out?
Some years ago while sitting at the press table in the State Basketball semifinals, a Magic Marker came flying over my head and hit a referee. Seemed like an odd weapon, but I suppose the mentality of someone who would launch something at a ref probably doesn’t think things through too well. Anyway the referee blew his whistle. He stopped the game and waited until the Omaha Burke fans and administrators found and removed the guilty parties. I had the feeling that the referee was content to wait until Bobby Knight retired before he started the game again. We’re not supposed to cheer at the press table, but I felt like given the guy a standing O.

Here are two choices the referee and administrators also had Tuesday night:
1) Clear the gym of every last freaking wing nut and the other 99 percent of the real fans who cheer and even get upset but have some perspective. Play the rest of the girls game and the boys contest that followed in front of no one except teammates. The kids should not have to suffer because the adults are childish. Let the fans mull it over in the parking lot outside. High schools don’t hold these games for their benefit. Earn your seat.
I heard a story about a young man booing at the Husker football game. An elderly woman stood and turned to him. She said “We don’t do that here.” Everyone else looked at him. He shut up. If enough people say “We don’t do that here” (It is not easy), and others are on board, then we can do away with much of the nonsense of sports off the court and field.

Or —

2) Cancel the rest of the evening. Send a message.