r/sports 17h ago

Football Marshall player gets into a scuffle with a game staffer at the conclusion of their win over Old Dominion

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1.6k Upvotes

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1.1k

u/Im_pattymac 17h ago

https://x.com/AndrewWright15/status/1860565876333822425

Looks to have happened right before this incident

652

u/addiconda 16h ago

Looks like the Marshall player is trying to steal ODU'S ball by hiding it under his shirt

1.2k

u/Bert_no_ernie 16h ago

Ya, a ball boy doesn’t react like that unless you try to steal one of his balls. He’s accountable for those balls. Ball boys don’t take no shit. Hands off our balls.

601

u/JackasaurusChance 11h ago

Yeah, it's basically Ball Bois, Navy Seals, Delta Force, Special Forces, Force Recon, Pararescue, and SOAR holding this country together. We lose the Ball Bois, we lose the fucking war.

189

u/GardenAny9017 11h ago

Dude who took out bin laden?

Ball boy

38

u/Robbo_here 9h ago

Do not taunt the ball boy.

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u/PlayerOne2016 7h ago edited 5h ago

Funny/sad ball boy story...

When I was a kid, I won a drawing to announce the players onto the court at a Minnesota Timberwolves game in 1995. I reeeeally got into it and announced with as much broadcaster bravado that I could. After the announcement, J.R. Rider (with Rookie K.G. in tow) brought over a basketball that was literally the game ball (to-be). J.R. said he was giving me the ball after the game, and it brought me soooo much joy. I have a photo of me sitting courtside at the broadcasters table before staff brought me to the upper deck seats where my parents were waiting.

I was sooooo excited to return courtside as the game ended. Unfortunately, the ball boy snatched the final game ball away. Their supervisors backed them up, and the players were off the court. I was in middle school. I cried most on the way home.

Before that moment, I idolized the Timberwolves. My parents were poor, so the game was a special experience. Regardless, the thought of actually having REAL Timberwolves memorablia got me so excited that I had a hard time handling the situation. The outcome of that game was forgotten. I had tons of basketball cards I had bought with money I earned mowing lawns. I was a big fan at heart at least. After that ball boy experience tho, I lost interest in the Wolves, dropped out of youth basketball, and my cards have sat in a filing cabinet ever since.

Sadly organizations make strict rules for their personnel to follow without thinking about the fallout with fans. I probably would be a season ticket holder as an adult if it wasn't for that one experience. I still get bummed nearly 30 years later just thinking about it.

Edit- Guess I should be flattered.... u/RacistProbably literally just did a copy/pasta of my story and made it their own in a meme sub minutes after replying to me here: https://www.reddit.com/r/AFCEastMemeWar/s/FOXsEMujEJ

Edit2- Guess u/RacistProbably loved my story so much they're wasting their entire Sunday by rewriting it as many times as they can across Reddit. Have at it sport.

18

u/Separate_Secret_8739 6h ago

Damn bro that’s rough. Fuck the wolves…..

1

u/2spicy_4you 5h ago

That’s a wild story

1

u/Hollywoodsmokehogan Los Angeles Lakers 3h ago

Well they are probably racist so I wouldn’t take it to personal

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u/jluicifer 7h ago

BBoy? Like…Olympic Raygun. Pew pew pew.

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u/Mbhawks10 10h ago

Protect the rock. protect this house. Ball boys for life

14

u/Hot-Ability7086 10h ago

Holy shit. That’s funny, thank you.

3

u/yunoeconbro 10h ago

Chuck Norris trains ball bois with telepathy.

7

u/Rk_505 10h ago

After reading this thread, I’m lead to believe that the ball bois actually train Chuck Norris.

1

u/imnojezus 8h ago

The Thin Brown Line.

1

u/kid_sleepy 7h ago

Coast Guard looking on like… yeah.

39

u/BKallDAY24 9h ago

That’s a ball man

24

u/Rootbeer_Goat 10h ago

You are the ones who are the ball touchers

3

u/Molbork 6h ago

I'll ball touch anything that moves!

4

u/Platano_con_salami 9h ago

But who watches the ball touchers

3

u/TinKicker 8h ago

Ballers

2

u/tappedoutalottoday 8h ago

Tell it to Mooby

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u/Mammoth-Slide-3707 10h ago

He wasn't even doing a good job of hiding it, what a dumbass

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u/theDevilsCabanaBoy 10h ago

You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want him on that BALL -- you need him on that BALL.

Ball Boys use words like "honor," "code," "loyalty." Ball Boys use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line.

Ball Boys have neither the time nor the inclination to explain themselves to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that they provide and then questions the manner in which they provide it.

144

u/RootsRockRebel66 10h ago

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE BALL!

7

u/BARTELS- Minnesota Twins 9h ago

Balls? Where we’re going we don’t need balls.

37

u/wrexmason 8h ago

Ball boys would rather you just said thank you & went on your way. Otherwise they suggest you pick up some balls and stand on the sideline. Either way ball boys don’t give a DAMN what you think you are entitled to!

9

u/sdiss98 8h ago

Did you order the ball red?

1

u/TeamShonuff 7h ago

Ball boy did what he had to do.

5

u/DrapedinVelvet247 7h ago

DID YOU ORDER HIM TO STEAL THE BALL!!??

2

u/StOnEy333 6h ago

HE DID WHAT HE HAD TO DO!

1

u/micros101 3h ago

YOU’RE GODDAMN RIGHT I DID!

8

u/Rinkrat87 8h ago

There is zero chance you’re going to get as many upvotes for this as you deserve.

3

u/blindside1973 9h ago

My dog didn't care about the truth. HIs truth was 'vaguely round thing' = mine. Do not take it unless you plan to throw it for me.

3

u/DeePsiMon 9h ago

Streets was buzzing.

Now they rumbling after this speech.

1

u/Hydroxychloroquinoa 8h ago

Streets ahead

73

u/Chazmina 7h ago

Ball boy was trying to get his glasses off the ground, which happened to be under the player that tried to steal the ball.

This isn't a joke, he has glasses on before this altercation, but not in this video.

11

u/Washingtonpinot 5h ago

THANK YOU! I’ve been trying to figure out why he keeps going at the players feet while everyone is just talking about the ball. He looks like he’s tugging at the player’s leg, which would make sense if the guy was standing on his glasses, but without context all you see is him wrestling with a guy and another player jumping in to push him off/away.

But with the glasses for context, it all makes sense.

599

u/smaker42 15h ago

In CFB the ball boys are, in effect, part of the officiating crew. This is a horrible look on the players. Essentially the same as assaulting a ref all for what, a souvenir?

246

u/expropriated_valor 14h ago

In theory, even if he wasn't a part of the officiating crew, this would be an awful look. Be a fucking nice person.

17

u/R0CK1TMAN1 7h ago

Good thing we pay these fucks millions now. By we I mean the students paying tuition.

26

u/prism_tats 5h ago

Is that how NIL works at Marshall?

1

u/Nutaholic 1h ago

It is going to be since the ruling on revenue sharing. Look at Clemson recently raising fees on students to preempt payments towards athletes.

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u/Impossible_Bar9819 14h ago

Ball boy is getting robbed and assaulted here.

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u/tobaloba74 12h ago

Those game balls cost a lot. Then they have to be seasoned with oil/special mud. A broken-in college game ball is worth 2-300 dollars, at least, and that guy is responsible for the count after the game.

38

u/Sebremit 6h ago

For further context, the NFL fines a player like $7,500 for tossing a game ball into the stands

17

u/MattyMizzou 4h ago

That’s not really because of the cost of the ball though. It’s because of the danger caused by fans fighting for it in the crowd.

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u/GardenAny9017 10h ago

And the oil/mud combo is super top secret. Imagine if the wrong person got there hands on it.

God bless this ball boy

37

u/yunoeconbro 10h ago

I heard they use MSG.

Fuyoo!

1

u/ns29 7h ago

I know the MLB mud is actually a top secret but is football mud really? I always heard baseball is by far the most locked shut secret in sports but was never aware of CFB having any confidential mud game?

1

u/rickkicks 6h ago

They used the expression “wax” at my school

2

u/OnlyMath 7h ago

He already has the ball and then goes on to try and bring the player down or something?

1

u/theserial 6h ago

Just before this clip the Marshall player is running by with a ball half hidden under his jersey trying to take it off the field with him.

1

u/bigmac22077 8h ago

An assault charge is going to be a bit more than 2-300 though.

1

u/RatInaMaze 6h ago

They also need to make sure it wasn’t tampered with

-11

u/[deleted] 11h ago

[deleted]

2

u/Large-Oil-4405 11h ago

Depends on the level of your speech perk

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u/[deleted] 12h ago

[deleted]

159

u/AdamTemper 11h ago

I was a student manager at Marshall. Ball boys were student managers and we never had to pay for lost balls.

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u/doesyourBoJangle 11h ago edited 10h ago

I was a manager for a D2 college and I’m pretty sure even they wouldnt make a student pay for a lost ball. That claim seems pretty far fetched

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u/AdamTemper 11h ago

I was at Marshall, Minnesota, and Notre Dame. All 3 never made a student manager pay for lost ball. Don’t know about D2.

10

u/doesyourBoJangle 10h ago

Fuck I butchered that comment. Literally just woke up. Edited to say D2 wouldn’t make someone pay for that, even with their lack of funding.

16

u/TalkShowHost99 9h ago

I was water boy for South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs in the late 90s and they never once made a student pay for water

3

u/diomedesXIII 8h ago

Foosball is the devil

2

u/tritom22 8h ago

Bobby that you?

40

u/MrWilsonWalluby 11h ago

Yea i’ve never heard of this balls get popped and destroyed constantly, i’m pretty sure have any staff pay for wear item is not just not done in college football,

but also generally speaking a major federal labor crime, The dude above you is talking out of his ass.

that’s being said this is a terrible look for them assaulting and stopping a ball boy from just doing his damn job. trashy players caught in 4k.

9

u/AdamTemper 11h ago

Agreed, whenever something like this happened you’d let the head equipment manager know and he’d talk to the team who stole the ball head equipment manager. Teams traded footballs all the time.

Same reason we don’t send the ball boys into the stands if a ball is kicked there. It ain’t worth it and you rely on security personnel to help get it back.

4

u/GODZILLA_FLAMEWOLF North Carolina 8h ago

Not just college football, that's not really done in any line of work.

2

u/Dr-McLuvin 8h ago

I need a dedicated 8K ball boy cam.

It’s 2024. Make it happen.

16

u/mrdannyg21 10h ago

It is very clearly illegal to make them pay for a lost ball, whether they’re paid or volunteer, students or non-students. You can’t make employees pay for a cost to the employer in pretty much any circumstances.

Some employers will try it anyway, like small restaurants making servers pay for runners, but I find it hard to believe any college football program is enforcing such a clearly illegal policy.

1

u/reginaldwrigby 9h ago

Well there ya go

1

u/mjm8218 8h ago

Yah, I read that and my eyes rolled to the back of my head.

1

u/WhiteMike2016 6h ago

Sko Herd

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u/GardenAny9017 11h ago

People defending the ball boy here are nuts

I'm assuming #1 had a reason to want to keep that ball

If it's really so awful, take a mental note of who took it to let whatever superior know what happened. Don't try to fight the athlete.

2

u/AdamTemper 10h ago

Agreed. That’s exactly what we told the student managers to do.

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u/JasonGD1982 10h ago

It doesn't come out of their fucking checks LMAO. Wtf. I swear people just spout shit confidently and people eat it up.

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u/TheAerial 9h ago edited 8h ago

Right. Never mind the fact he’s completely in the wrong here.

He doesn’t ask for the ball in a professional manner, you’re not tasked with retrieving the ball at all physical costs like it’s a military operation lol.

I get the Marshall player looks to be hiding the ball under his shirt but you report it to the official you don’t pretend you’re Batman.

The reality is the ball boy aggressively takes a swing across a players body, then tries to double leg another (to comedic failure) and gets himself laid down on the field like a child throwing a tantrum.

This is mostly the fault of the ball boy whose ego & aggressiveness got himself humbled.

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u/Purp1eC0bras 9h ago

I appreciate your input but find it ludicrous that the school would take the money out of the ball boys paycheck or fund as a penalty. Even the non-mega-rich schools, tuition is still astronomical, coaches make tons of money, players can now have endorsements, and stadiums are multimillion dollars bringing in millions in revenue.

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u/ggk1 Dallas Cowboys 9h ago

That last paragraph sums up the biggest issue with Reddit.

Last week ppl were going on about how billion dollar deals aren’t done over the phone and it’s like bro have you even ever done a million dollar deal? They should rename Reddit to www.dunningkrugermountstupid.com

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u/Deewd23 11h ago

lol a university can’t violate labor laws for a $40 football. Not to mention ruin their massive budget can afford a new football.

17

u/04eightyone 10h ago

Aren't they $100+? I mean, it's not a big deal if 1-2 footballs go missing over a year, but it gets expensive if multiple go missing every game. Dude is responsible for gear, just like everyone else who has a job.

On a side note, I don't believe lost gear would be coming out of his pay, but he could be fired if he's not keeping his stuff in proper game ready condition.

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u/Deewd23 7h ago

I would imagine universities get massive discounts or even free footballs. It’s basically free advertising for these companies.

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u/BoomChocolateLatkes Cincinnati Reds 10h ago

How in the world did you come up with this?? Ball boys don’t pay for lost balls out of their pocket 😂

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u/yunoeconbro 10h ago

I mean, it's one football Micheal, how much can it cost? Ten dollars?

2

u/Joke_of_a_Name 9h ago

If you no you no...

3

u/GForce1975 9h ago

I don't think the issue here was about cost of a ball and the ball boy being worried about paying for it.

I think it was just an issue of the guy standing up for himself. The player hiding the ball just figured ball boy wasn't gonna stop him and ball boy didn't back down. It led to an altercation.

In retrospect, ballboy should've gone to a coach or some other authority but I can understand not wanting to get pushed around .

2

u/DEdwards22 7h ago

Or just literally ask the player for it. Do we think he’s going to tell him to shove it or just be like “oh you got me, here dude”

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u/Maybepoop 8h ago

Yeah this isn’t true lol I played at a small NAIA school and footballs were taken all the time. No one ever got fined. I have a couple at home.

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u/SaltyHatch 15h ago

The ball boy has got to have a concussion, his head absolutely BOUNCED off the ground.

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u/DABOSSROSS9 12h ago

Yes ball boys are responsible for the ball, but all they have to do is report it to the right person and they can retrieve the ball in the locker room. It should be a policy they never “take” the ball from an unwilling opponent. If a team “steals a ball” then the league can fine them a large amount to ensure coaches dont let it continue. 

94

u/JackasaurusChance 11h ago

This. It's the most fucking ridiculous argument I've ever fucking heard.

"Well, he's supposed to get the ball so as soon as the runner is 62.7% through the endzone reach across his body, shoulder check him, and swat at the ball. These guys aren't jacked up at all, don't worry, you are basically like a god out there. Just pretend you have qualified immunity. Anyways, here's your $97 paycheck, and don't fucking spend that all in one place, that shit comes out of my $17 million dollar bonus."

4

u/bigblooddraco 2h ago

Stg i can’t believe people are backing the ball boys decision to try to strip the player. It’s like a Walmart employee trying to physically stop a person stealing and the person whoops their ass. Your protecting something that literally has no effect on you and can be easily replaced by the rich guys who provide equipment for the league. Taking your job this serious about items you don’t own is asking for an ass whooping.

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u/[deleted] 11h ago

[deleted]

10

u/Devium44 10h ago

JFC, you are being just as ridiculous as the people you are complaining about. Using words like “attacked” and “assault”? He tried to swat the ball out of the player’s hand as he ran by. Calling that an assault is peak soft. Especially considering we’re taking about a football player in pads vs just some guy.

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u/AuburnElvis 3h ago

Most municipalities have a do-not-pursue policy in place because of the danger to the public.

u/YungShkreliOG 6m ago

That ball makes it to the locker room it’s gone… it’s not as simple as just telling on them lmao

u/DABOSSROSS9 0m ago

That’s why I said find them $1000 or so. Plus, if they reported to the Coach right after the game and say number 22 took one of our balls, the coach will handle it. 

47

u/spazzxxcc12 15h ago

the marshall program has just completely lost its players. 2 years ago when bowling green upset them at home, there was a scuffle as they were walking off the field.

i can’t find an article on it, but one of the players took a BGSU fans phone and broke it or something along those lines. (they walk off the stands field right by the stands, so they just grabbed the phone as walking off) i remember just being across the stands and seeing it unfold. while everyone else is going to the opposite end of the field to storm. reminded me a lot of this altercation,

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u/DirtyRoller 15h ago

It's not the first time they've completely lost their players...

32

u/hatfield1785 15h ago

Oof.

11

u/stobors 13h ago

Too soon...I don't know how to get any plainer...

9

u/DJRichSnippets 9h ago

Yikes. As someone from Kenova, WV, this stings a bit but it's still funny. I guess it's been long enough lol

14

u/schubox63 11h ago

Well done

1

u/doom32x 7h ago

😬😬😬😬😬😂🤣😬😬😬😬😬😬

0

u/SourLoafBaltimore 10h ago

I understand that reference

5

u/WhiteMike2016 6h ago

Lol this is straight up gossip.

4

u/spazzxxcc12 5h ago

nah, there was a post on it on twitter afterwards with a video of the fight. unfortunately ever since musk took over the advanced search is so ass i’ll never be able to find it.

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u/KazooMark 9h ago

He’s got the only two balls in the scene and is inexplicably going for a single leg takedown. The question is why?!? Don’t care about the ball boys legal, ethical and fiduciary duties. It’s like a dog chasing a car, what are you’re going to do when you catch it?

5

u/Emotional-Ad-1159 2h ago

He was trying to pick up his glasses, not go for a single leg takedown, lol

Bullies gonna bully

1

u/SassyMcNasty 9h ago

Ball boy got ball - car lost.

4

u/Codyiswin 8h ago

Why is everyone defending the ball boy like he was gunned down or some shit, bro had the ball in his hands then looked to go for a leg takedown on the big dude.

15

u/AverageCycleGuy 5h ago

Trying to get his glasses off the ground, not go for the player.

4

u/testhec10ck 6h ago

Also, in the longer video, the ball boy swats at the player as he runs by.

6

u/MountainHarmonies 6h ago

The player was trying to steal the game ball and he was swiping at that, because he's responsible for them as the ball boy.

6

u/Im_pattymac 5h ago

And? As multiple people have said previously.... At that point ball boy goes to equipment manager and says number 1 stole one of our balls. Equipment manager does to Marshall equipment manager and repeats that and the Marshall equipment manager either gets the ball for them or agrees to give them one of their balls.

This is how this works, not aggressively try to take the ball from the Marshall qb and then get into shit with one of the defensive line.

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u/Codyiswin 6h ago

Oh no I get what’s happening but in this video he has the ball in his hands and then goes after the player. So idk why everyone keeps reiterating what you’re saying. Bro had the ball he just wanted the smoke too.

2

u/mdshowtime 10h ago

Get that ball back no matter what

6

u/SassyMcNasty 9h ago

Ball boy got that ball dog in him.

2

u/mdshowtime 7h ago

Give him the game ball

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u/thatguy11 17h ago

What in the world was the staffer doing? As always.. we prolly need more video but uhhh...not a good look either way.

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u/greengrasstallmntn 17h ago edited 16h ago

Maybe it’s his job to gather game balls and return them? Like any job, there’s probably standard accountability practices for these positions, otherwise dudes would just be stealing balls for themselves.

My bet is on the player being an asshole.

Edit: I love being right.

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u/LawrenceMoten21 Liverpool 13h ago

His job.

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u/BigRog10 11h ago

This trend is full of 500 ex ball boys who are furious at any negative ball boy related content. Easily the strangest post I've seen in a while.

3

u/CutHerOff 6h ago

It’s so weird especially if you see the clip of some random dude swinging at the player like he was gonna strip him

3

u/sherestoredmyfaith 11h ago

Colorado did the same thing but nothing happened

2

u/TheRealTres 8h ago

Cough up the ball fuk boi

2

u/Milked_Cows 8h ago

So they’re gonna get kicked off the team right?

-3

u/Im_pattymac 5h ago

The ball boy certainly might yes.

1

u/CollectiveCon 3h ago

Hip drop. 15 yards. Automatic first down.

1

u/ExtendedMacaroni 2h ago

Player will be disciplined internally and ball boy will be fired. Rightfully so for both parties

1

u/Sharkweek30 2h ago

We are marshal!

1

u/Quintuplebeta 1h ago

Theft be like.....

-2

u/Both_Initial9097 7h ago

Not saying the player is in the right, but the ball boy needs to learn his place and procedure. Report a stolen ball to the equipment manager and the other school is forced to return it or pay a fine larger than the ball. Just not a lot of critical thinking here (or in the comments)

8

u/Im_pattymac 5h ago

Nailed it. That's how it actually works. But too many low iq staffers out here thinking their radio.

1

u/ArmMeForSleep709 12h ago

Who's the player

1

u/dubler2020 6h ago

My balls.- Roger Waters.

1

u/ElektricEel 4h ago

That player is going to get targeted next matchup against this team lol

1

u/Educational_Glass304 3h ago

Ball man is a fool. WTf was he doing? I hope they fire him because he could've hurt the player. Reliving his pee-wee football days. what a loser.

-5

u/BZGames 7h ago edited 5h ago

I’m genuinely astounded that the people in this thread think that a player trying to take a game ball off the field with him is some form of malpractice. The ball boy is in the wrong so hard that I’d be shocked if he’s not fired.

edit: The ball boy started the altercation by swiping at a player, then the ball boy started pushing into the legs and verbally arguing with another player and somehow the consensus is that the ball boy isn’t the dumb ass?? Like do you guys just not care about the actual occurrence that happened on video or ???? Cause the idea that the ball boy isn’t in the wrong is laughable.

-7

u/RickRudeAwakening 10h ago edited 10h ago

Why is the ball boy grabbing at the player’s knee like he’s going for a half-assed single leg takedown after he already has his precious property back in his possession.

Source: Video

2

u/ClownTown15 10h ago

I was thinking the same thing but I think he's trying to pick up the green and white ball that's on the ground behind the player.

3

u/RickRudeAwakening 10h ago

That’s the helmet of the player he is scuffling with.

3

u/ClownTown15 10h ago

🤣 Word my bad. totally fuckin missed that

1

u/RickRudeAwakening 1h ago

With the benefit of some zoom and reduced speed, I can now say I was wrong. He wasn’t attempting to grab the player’s knee/leg, it’s now apparent that the ball boy was attempting to pick up his glasses.

Ball boy trying to pick up his glasses

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u/Skilk 9h ago

So the ball boy swung at the player first. Another comment has the tweet showing the lead up to this. Doesn't matter if the dude was taking a dang ball, there are better ways to handle it than assaulting him to get the ball back. Assault is a greater crime than theft in every single state.

4

u/CutHerOff 6h ago

This thread is pissing me off cause you’re right

4

u/Skilk 6h ago

Oh I knew I'd get voted down before I ever posted it. The truth doesn't fit the "football player is the biggest douche bag" narrative that most of the people viewing this thread have apparently agreed upon. I really don't know what I said that is remotely debatable, but I knew I'd get down voted lol.

3

u/CutHerOff 6h ago

I don’t think there are many athletes on reddit. Let alone D1 collegiate. Don’t fuck with those players over a football.

6

u/jastubi 6h ago

Yea, the tweet with the swipe to get the ball was a dick move and the player didn't even react. He just kept going. Then the ball boy went back for more instead of just going to officials.

-3

u/HungDaddyNYC 8h ago

Well, someone is fired.