From someone sitting in the section where the incident went down. The situation could've & should've been avoided, a little common sense would've gone a long way in this instance. I don't know either guy but I'm guessing both wish they could go back in time and take back the way they acted & reacted. Having said that, the article written on this incident is littered with inaccuracies in my opinion.
First off, myself and numerous other people in the section noticed the Vikings fan from the very beginning of the game. He was in a section below and was turning around taunting, instigating, and generally bringing attention to himself from the opening kick off. Someone would yell something at him & he would gesture to bring it on. The notion that he was engaging in friendly back & forth or fan banter is not accurate in my opinion, he may have been having fun with some people but for everyone one of those there were numerous people that weren't too stoked with his antics and were engaging him with less than friendly vocabulary.
Secondly, the notion that he got cold cocked on his way out of the stadium is completely false. He was in a lower section next to the field (below the concourse), if he wanted to leave he could've walked to the concourse & exited. That's not what he did, instead he walked up to the concourse and then walked up the set of stairs to the section where the incident occurred (which is ABOVE where he could've left). So basically he left his section & willingly entered the section where this occurred.
I did not see the punching incident itself. I remember thinking "what is this guy doing?" as he walked up the steps but I turned to watch the next play, which is when the incident took place, and and then noticed the ensuing commotion after the Viking fan got knocked down after the play ended. Nobody "deserves" to get knocked out at a sporting event and like I said earlier it could've & should've been avoided. Now unfortunately both guys are going to have to pay the consequences (one with injuries & one legally).
As a Hawk fan what's unfortunate to me is the light in which articles like this portray us to be. Ever since last year's 49er game it seems to be a hot button topic for media in the Seattle area. For being such a passionate fan base I think we as a whole generally do a very good job of avoiding instances like this. In the past whenever I've seen the threat of something happening both alcohol enforcement and the police are right on top of things before it can get out of hand.
Here's to hoping for another 49er beat down at the Clink without any beat down's in the stands!!!
