You'll be hearing more about this soon, but the game vs. the Clippers got held up tonight because someone set off some type of device in the stands behind the Celtics bench. The game was stopped and several fans, players and people at courtside complained of burning eyes and a shortness of breath. Originally it was thought to be pepper spray, but that apparently was ruled out by the authorities. The bottom line is right now no one knows what was set off. After the game the announcers said 4 spectators in the 2nd row left the arena quickly just before the incident occured.
The announcers at the game were saying on air that terrorism is the first thing they were thinking about. As of right now they still don't what it was that was released. They were also talking about the vulnerability of arenas like the Fleet Center to terrorism. It could be that this was terrorism. Or it may have been some whack jobs pulling a prank, but the device was released in the $100 seats, which is kind of interesting. Right now, no one knows.
Anyone else sick and tired of every "incident," no matter what it is, being connected to "terrorists?" The sniper in DC - terrorists. Columbia blowing up while travelling at 22,500 mph at an altitude of 220,000 feet - terrorists. "Terrorists" today are like "Communists" were to Joe McCarthy.
Funny thing about terrorist acts. You dont know its actually terrorism until..well, you know its terrorism. Most people didn't realize the plane going into the tower was a terrorist act. Until rthe second one hit. Even then, it took awhile to sink in that it wasn't an accident. For those of us who actually witnessed it anyway. At least myself.
Must not have been too serious if the game resumed... Apparently whatever it was was odorless, so we can rule out the Clippers...
I'm just sick of the fact that every time something happens nowadays, the first thing people say is "there's no confirmation that it was a terrorist incident." Know what I mean?
I think it just illustrates where the country's at right now. People are on edge. The announcers were pretty shaken up by it. Both the radio and TV play by play guys were affected by the spray or whatever it was. Tom Heinsohn, the color guy has been around the NBA since the 50's and he said he's never seen anything like it.
I do, but its just at the forefront of everyones minds. I was in Staten Island a couple weeks ago when one of the oil barges blew up in this HUGE conflageration. Not sure if it made the news outside of NYC. First thing I thought of, was it terrorism? Just popped into my head. Can you say it wouldn't cross your mind if something horrendous happened in you area?
When the sniper was shooting people here in the DC area, the thought that they might've been terrorists NEVER crossed my mind.
So some woman probably had mace in her purse or something, and set it off by accident. Then she got too embarrassed to admit it when the benches were cleared and the game stopped.
Yes it did. Was front page on the Washington Post online, CNN and other for a few hours. And that was the major question that was asked as well - was it terrorism. The successful part about terrorism is that in incidents like that, and at the Celtics v. Clippers game, they want people to think of terrorism. The trick is to not become so paranoid that terrorism is the first thing we think of.
Yes! It just PISSES me off! Why can't they just NOT say that? I could be bitching about something else really important, but instead I have to spend time bitching about this! I could care less that "it might be terrorists blah blah blah!" You'd think we were at fuggin war or something. And who would want to attack us anyway? It's all bull$hit. I'm pissed. And I know what you're saying about the shuttle - the White House and the media are all, "the terrorists did it!" I didn't buy it for a second. But they continue the lie by not coming out and saying, "no Iraqis shot down the shuttle." So they're just perpetrating, you know? Letting people think that Saddam shot down the shuttle. Letting the lie fester, and simmer. And marinate. I think I heard Bush not mention that no Iraqis shot down the shuttle during his speech, too. I'm sick and tired of it. And don't get me started on the sniper. They try to make out this garden variety sniper to be some kind of terrorist or something. What terror? I run into twenty snipers on my way to work. Big deal! Piss me off.
mike i agree... i think the one i had the biggest problem with was the whole columbia incident. i mean this shuttle was traveling several times faster than the speed of sound, was still literally in space and everyone that was anyone knew there was no way in hell that some suface-to-air missle shot it down... yet... you still had the news media bringing in experts and asking all these questions as to whether it could be a terrorist related suface-to-air missle, like a stinger. i mean seriously... and my favorite comment was when an anchor and 'expert' talked about a terrorist planting a bomb on the shuttle? at that point, i turned off the television b/c it was just a rediculous theory and i didnt need to hear the crap anymore...
It was the Eagles-Redskins game at FedEx Field. I was there. Fortunately, I left with about 7 minutes left in the 4th quarter since the game was such a blowout.