Hey, Sports Fans...

I don't watch basketball, so I didn't see this event at all. I just love how this Chicago Tribune writer describes the heckling fan's reaction...I'll post the full story in a comment. Here's an excerpt.

He's every coward, every drunk, every Big Man phony bully who thinks a ticket to a game entitles him to say whatever abusive, contemptuous belittling thing that pops into his head without risking the everyday consequences of such remarks.

In super slow-mo, Ryan's face loses its cocky self-assuredness, his eyes widen and his mouth forms a startled O in an instant as Artest's scrambling approach makes it clear he's about to smash through the imaginary protective barrier behind which obnoxious fans hide.

I imagine the thought balloon over Ryan's head in the millisecond before Artest pushes his face down hard with an open hand and the popcorn goes flying: "Hmm ... it seems he's a real person, not a cartoon character, and I couldn't mock, cuss out or taunt a real person on the street without risking severe consequences, particularly a real person who is so much bigger than I am and--mfffgggg!"