Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LANDOVER, Md. — Is there anything quite as annoying as watching a fan, who thinks he is cool, run out onto the field during a sporting event?
In the case of Wednesday's USA vs. Brazil soccer friendly, watching the man stumble around celebrating a goal for Brazil was actually worth it after seeing him receive one of the hardest hits you will see out on the pitch.
Moments after a late Brazil goal that secured a 4-1 win over the United States, a fan ran onto the field, celebrating to the chorus of boos at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.
After flexing his muscles and pointing to the crowd, the unsuspecting fan was taken down with a hard tackle by a linebacker turned police officer.
The hit instantly took the stunned man to the ground and after he regained himself he was handcuffed and taken off the field.
Which leaves us with the question: Which was a bigger crime - the fan running out on the field during the game, or him wearing a white tank top with short shorts?
Get paid to play?
South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier is back in the news, this time advocating that collegiate athletes should be compensated financially.
#poll
The "Ole Ball Coach" brought up his previous plan to pay student athletes, but only members of two teams - football and men's basketball.
This wasn't Spurrier's first attempt to get money for players - he originally pitched the idea at the SEC meetings last spring.
In support of compensating players roughly $4,000 a season, SEC football coaches were unanimous, voting 14-0 in favor of the financial aid. The coaches now want to present the proposal to athletic directors around the league.
Should college athletes be paid to play? The argument is extremely valid. It is more than a full time job to participate in a sport, with practices, games and all the meetings associated with it, and that doesn't include balancing an academic schedule and a social life.
So why shouldn't the golf team or the ski team be compensated as well? Spurrier suggests that only those selected athletes should be paid because of the billions of dollars they bring in, and because of that they deserve extra living, academic and game related expenses.
As if driving the Escalade to school isn't enough already, Spurrier now wants to pay to fill up his five-star quarterback's gas tank.
Sorry Coach, but if you are going to pay athletes, you should be paying all athletes - not just for football and basketball.
Besides, four grand will only get you two, maybe three fill-ups anyway.
