Press Box ejections

[PaperClip529]

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane was ejected from the press box at the Eagles/Cowboys game this afternoon. Based on accounts (that so far lack comment from McLane or the Eagles), the Eagles' decision appears to be, at best, questionable.

Eagles beat writer Jeff McLane ejected from press box during game

Question for the group: Has anyone been ejected from an event you were covering, and how did you handle it?

 

[Della9250]

As a 17-year-old college freshman I was ejected from the Big East Tournament at MSG. I was doing something I was not supposed to be doing -- taking pictures from the side as opposed to under the basket, because there was no room under the basket. Got caught and told not to do it again. I did, had credential taken away and escorted from building. Lesson learned.

 

[SpeedTchr]

I was ejected from the table as an SID many years ago.

 

[steveu]

I asked Marcus on Twitter how old the person was that yelled. I don't know Jeff personally but everything I've read and heard suggests he is a professional human being.

There are some people who get in certain jobs and think "Look at me. I'm important!" and then go and do bush-league stuff like this.

I hope the Inky and DN give the Eagles plenty of negative publicity on Monday.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

I was never thrown out, but once I received a technical foul in an old Eastern League game when Bay State Bombardier coach and coke addict Johnny Neumann screamed an obscenity at a ref. He'd been told by the owner he'd be fined some serious dough if he got another technical (he set some kind of record) so he pointed at me, minding my own business on the bench pretending to be an assistant, and said "He said it, not me!" Ref believed him, or maybe just knew how much money the coach to lose.

 

[Vombatus]

What was the obscenity?

 

[Doc Holliday]

I've never been ejected from a press box or anything that matter. I can't imagine doing something stupid enough to get thrown out of a ballgame, much less how I would explain it to my bosses.

 

[Bradley Guire]

I've covered some ****ty high school games that made me wish I had gotten thrown out by the time they were over.

 

[Batman]

Never been thrown out, but did have a ref threaten to do it at a high school football game once.
It had been kind of a weird game. Some goofy trick plays, bad or odd officiating calls, things like that. Then, at the start of the fourth quarter, a circuit breaker goes off and the lights on the visitors' side of the stadium go out. There's a brief delay, word comes that the lights will be back on soon and the home side is still on, so they resume play.

First play, there's an offsides penalty on the defense -- only there isn't. It's wiped out because the officials weren't ready. Seems a member of the crew was either an electrician or worked for the local electric company and he was up on the light pole trying to help them reset the circuit breaker.
After overhearing the explanation I just started laughing, mostly to myself, because of the absurdity of it.
At that point, one of the other officials comes over to me and yells at me, "IF I HEAR ONE MORE WORD FROM YOU, YOU'RE OUTTA HERE!"
I hadn't said anything to the guy all night, or done anything that I knew of. I guess he was just frustrated at the situation. Seeing as I was on the visitors' sideline (our local team), though, I figured I'd better keep my mouth shut. The last thing I needed was to have the coach pissed at me for getting him an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in a close rivalry game. Even if I wasn't directly affiliated with the team, I doubt the official would've cared.

 

[DSzymborski]

I've never been ejected from a press box personally. I like to think that I'd have made the Eagles eject me too (I know my boss would've supported me on that), but who knows if I'm as forward about it when I'm faced with the situation.

 

[MisterCreosote]

I've never been ejected from one. Whenever possible, I made it a point to not even go into one in the first place.

I always, always preferred being closer to the field.

 

[Batman]

I actually got ejected TO the press box once.
I was at an SEC game and for some reason decided to go down to the field during pregame. While I was down there, I realized I'd never really been at field level to witness everything in the flow of the game. Just the milling around near the end. I didn't even think about the possibility of violating credential terms or mucking up security or game day operations by being on the field.
So I stuck around for about half of the first quarter, taking in the atmosphere, until the school's SID showed up out of nowhere and firmly said, "We have a seat for you in the press box. Please use it."
I did.

While on the field, though, I did witness something that made it worth it. The two schools' cheerleaders were in the same corner of the stadium and engaged in a turf war. One of them dropped their flag and it draped over my head. Once I got out from under it I saw the two squads engaged in a brawl/slap fight that was one of the most hilarious, surreal things I've ever witnessed.

 

[Spartan Squad]

Once I got out from under it I saw the two squads engaged in a brawl/slap fight that was one of the most hilarious, surreal things I've ever witnessed.

Feels like a long shot but ... pics?

 

[MTM]

One of our photographers got flagged -- well, the home team did -- because she stepped out onto the field for a shot after being warned a couple times about being too close.

 

[Batman]

Feels like a long shot but ... pics?

Wish I did, but alas I was down there with nothing but myself. It was the 2002 Florida-Ole Miss game in Oxford. Maybe there's video somewhere in the bowels of the internet.
Also, it was mostly two male cheerleaders slapping each other which made it even funnier.

 

[User 11148]

In my short career I never came close to being ejected, although there was that one time at Kentucky when I probably should have been. It was a cool night and maybe, just maybe, I'd had a couple of beers and some greasy food earlier in the day (it was a night game). The heater vent beneath my seat did yeoman's service in redirecting my ... emissions ... to the upper levels of the press box, where there followed much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Had I been discovered I'm sure they'd have bounced my ass down the stairwell.

 

[Ace]

In my short career I never came close to being ejected, although there was that one time at Kentucky when I probably should have been. It was a cool night and maybe, just maybe, I'd had a couple of beers and some greasy food earlier in the day (it was a night game). The heater vent beneath my seat did yeoman's service in redirecting my ... emissions ... to the upper levels of the press box, where there followed much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Had I been discovered I'm sure they'd have bounced my ass down the stairwell.

Kentucky? Probably just thought it was the football team.

 

[Old Time Hockey]

Not exactly the same thing, but ...

Many years ago, doing reporter/photographer duty at a JC baseball game. Out on the field, in foul ground, shooting. (Umpires were generally cool with this as long as you approached them beforehand for an OK.) Visiting Team is getting roughed up, and Visiting Team head coach decides that I'm stealing signs or some such nonsense, demands I be removed from the field. I, of course, get a bit ticked at being charged with being a homer, but before I can say anything I would later regret, Home Team head coach (a terrific guy, one of the best I ever dealt with) comes out to join discussion of Visiting Coach, umpires and me — and ends up going nose-to-nose in argument with Visiting Coach, standing up for me and my right to be on the field.

Bottom line: I stayed. Postgame interview with Visiting Coach was interesting, to say the least.

 

[Sports Barf]

Few years ago at a state girls soccer final, guy from this rag weekly who's a notorious booze hound comes into the press box halfway through the game, looks drunk as hell and reeks of some funny plants if you catch my drift, wearing just a t-shirt in 40 degree weather. Notebook he was carrying had empty pages keep falling out, thing looked like it was gonna fall apart. He asks if the game started yet and then sat by himself in the corner half nodding off. 10 minutes into the second half, guy freaking vomits everywhere, including his own shirt, is asked to leave press box immediately. Ambulance ended up getting called and game was delayed cuz he stumbled and fell down bleacher stairs and had to get rushed to the nearby hospital. By the way, this game had a 5pm start.

All things considered ended up being a good soccer game.

 

[cjericho]

Few years ago at a state girls soccer final, guy from this rag weekly who's a notorious booze hound comes into the press box halfway through the game, looks drunk as hell and reeks of some funny plants if you catch my drift, wearing just a t-shirt in 40 degree weather. Notebook he was carrying had empty pages keep falling out, thing looked like it was gonna fall apart. He asks if the game started yet and then sat by himself in the corner half nodding off. 10 minutes into the second half, guy freaking vomits everywhere, including his own shirt, is asked to leave press box immediately. Ambulance ended up getting called and game was delayed cuz he stumbled and fell down bleacher stairs and had to get rushed to the nearby hospital. By the way, this game had a 5pm start.

All things considered ended up being a good soccer game.

How was his recap and sidebar?