Post-game incident was no big deal

<p>What happened after last week's Petaluma-Casa Grande boys game was really no big deal. Yes, there was an incident and it did involve a Petaluma basketball player and a Casa Grande student, quite probably a football player. </p><p>I didn't see what occurred. I was sitting on the very lower bench of the bleachers on the opposite end of the court, an excellent floor-level spot to view the game, but not so good when 100 or so kids and parents crowd onto the floor in front of you. </p><p>All I really know is what I've been told, and I have been told two versions of the story. Yes, there are at least two versions, which seem to be based more on which side of town the story teller is from than any factual evidence.</p><p>What I do know is this — no punches were thrown and there was very little, if any, pushing. It is a credit to administrators that the incident was quickly diffused. </p><p>In 40 years of watching high school sporting events, I've seen some ugly incidents. </p><p>During my first tour of duty at the Argus, I saw a basketball game at Vintage High in Napa between Vintage and Petaluma that became an outright brawl, with cops on the court swinging nightsticks indiscriminately at players, coaches and fans. This was in the day before pepper spray. </p><p>I've seen two players square off in a real fight with real punches thrown. </p><p>I saw an incident of pushing, shoving and name calling following an all-star football game at Santa Rosa Junior College that drove me to write a column calling for an end to the game. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and this year's all-star game was a model of entertainment and sportsmanship. </p><p>The only thing that made last week's incident a little disconcerting was that it came against the backdrop of the bitterness of the Egg Bowl and the follow-up decision to call for a moratorium on the game. Viewed through the microscope of that history, the incident looked much bigger than it was in real life. </p><p>I've heard a few complaints about the Petaluma rooting section. From my sitting point very near that group, I had mixed reactions.</p><p>First, I was heartened by the spirit shown by the group. It is the first time all season I've seen the Petaluma student rooters really rally behind their team. I didn't have any problem with the fans being a little boisterous or even trying to distract Casa Grande free-throw shooters. Having fun in the stands is part of what high school is all about and distracting opposing shooters is expected.</p><p>However, rooters cross the line when they boo the opposing cheerleaders. And, we all know what BS stands for and it isn't “Bad Shooters.” To shout it in unison at officials is offensive.</p><p>Most disconcerting was that one student was found with one of those pinpoint laser lights. That is dangerous and the perpetrators should be banished from the gym for the rest of the season. One flash and you're out. </p><p>The real heroes on the night were the Casa Grande basketball players. They were not involved in the fracas. Like me, they were too far away to know what was going on. Their real accomplishment was keeping their cool in all the emotion and intensity of the night. </p><p>The game was physical with a lot of bumping and pushing on both sides, but it was all in the context of the contest. The Gauchos were able to keep focused on the job at hand, which was to win the game. They weren't distracted by the emotion and intensity of the game and the atmosphere in the gym.</p><p>They did what they had to do, and are now ready to get on with the season. Fans on both sides of town should do the same.</p><p>(Contact John Jackson at johnie.jackson@acsports.com).</p>