The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(02-03-2018 07:37 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Any of you old timers remember this game. I wrote up an account of it (somewhat Blazer biased) a couple of dates ago. Those were some prertty intense Sun Belt games.

Quote:January 30

The Blazers are 7-5 in games played on January 30.

1986 - Most exciting game on this date has to be in 1986 when UAB traveled to Old Dominion and an assistant coach was almost arrested. For the second game in five days, tempers flared and the game had to be stopped. It was bad in Bowling Green on January 25 when candy bars were thrown at UAB players. It was worst in this game at Old Dominion when the Norfolk police were called onto the court. This game was televised nationally on ESPN, to the later chagrined of Sun Belt Officials.

UAB led most of the game and the Old Dominion crowd was becoming increasingly upset at perceived bad calls. The ODU coach, Tom Young incited them further by demonstratively complaining to the referees. Midway thru the second half, a charging foul against ODU caused a melee to erupt. The ODU coach ran onto the court protesting the call. Monarch fans began showering the court with plastic megaphones and toilet tissue. Tom Young and Gene Bartow got into a shouting match at midcourt while some UAB fans were hit by the megaphones. UAB reserve Bruce Baker went behind the bench when he said he saw a fan approaching Bartow in a threatening manner. Fans came out of the stands after him and a shoving match ensued. It was reported that a few UAB players went into the stands after some fans who had thrown things.

A few police officers rushed onto the court and went straight to the UAB bench as if that was where the problems started. As order was trying to be restored, assistant UAB coach John Prince got into it, and the officer was threatening to have Prince arrested. At some point, Bartow pulled his team to the locker room where they remained for 20 minutes. As they left the court they were showered with ice and drinks. The ODU AD took the microphone and warned that the game would be forfeited if fans continued to throw things at the players.

Finally order was restored, UAB returned to the court and proceeded to go on a 7-2 run, winning the game 71-58. After the game, blame continued to be thrown in all directions. The police decided not to press charges against Prince provided he didn't file a complaint against the police officer. The ODU athletic director put the blame for it all squarely on UAB. He claimed that Tom Young was going to the mic to restore order when a shoving match initiated by Bartow prevented it. Tom Young said "Everyone saw what happened. We didn't have anyone in the stands and we didn't have anyone fighting the cops." Bartow blamed the ODU administration, saying he can't understand why a school would put their most hostile fans behind the visitors bench and not control them.

The result of the is chaos and the preceding Western Kentucky game was that Sun Belt Commissioner Vic Bubas instituted new rules, putting more security by the visitors bench and not allowing fans to sit directly behind the bench. Cheerleaders and mascots were warned about taunting officials and opposing players, and all handouts and giveaways would be provided after the game, and not before.

I was there. I’ll never forget seeing so many soda cups coming down from the upper areas of Scope. It was Tom Young who got in the PA demanding that no one throw anything on the court. Paul Webb went into UAB’s locker room and “brokered” an end to the hostilities. Never seen anything like that before or since.