I got Your Bad Behavior Right Here
First to the fans. Most leagues long ago established codes of conduct; we saw that in the Klay episode. And while I will not defend anyone’s boorish behavior, the fans are the customers and therefore live with different latitudes.
They have paid to be there, and that demands some respect. And so just like in most businesses, the rule is to report any bad behavior and let security remove the offenders.
But that is not always so easy.
These are jacked-up athletes in their primes, who also live as millionaires away from the field. Living a life of accommodation can make it more difficult to accept negativity.
However, even in a regular business with people making minimum wage, the expectation is that they will not return anger with anger, but will be professional and rise above. You can hang up the phone if you are offended, but you cannot return fire.
That has to make the standard for professional athletes even higher. In an equivocating world, there are still some unequivocal truths, and one of those is that each of us is responsible for her behavior at all times, even when it is difficult.
Even when some A-hole throws a beer can will look at you.
And that’s because we are each defined by our actions. What some idiot fan does makes him who he is; only your actions make you who you are. In other words, you will not win by letting some A-hole turn you into an A-hole.
That leaves no winners and no good guys, just a couple of empty holes.