Outcry over spilled beer

It was inevitable – even while sipping on an over-priced amber at the game myself – there would be outrage, especially given the Kings player involved is Marcus Thornton, a Boston Celtics NBA draft pick before arriving in Sydney.

One scribe in the US was even concerned for the safety of the wider Illawarra population. 

“Here’s what (is) more frightening: As the announcers in the (Fox Sports) video noted, the man left (when escorted) with the beer in hand, free to continue his spree of tippage as a serial beer spiller in the streets of some poor Australian city,” Nick O’Malley, wrote for Boston-based masslive.com.

Now it’s been spat out the end of the insatiable 24-hour news cycle, the incident really is as lightweight as the contents of the elderly man’s Cascade can, when it comes to the Peter Hore fan behaviour scale.

Sure, a significant punishment is warranted, but there was also due sensitivity used given the 83-year-old is dealing with health issues.

A barrier between athlete and spectator needs to be maintained, as the one between player and official should.

Reflecting the growing maturity of the NBL as a competition, the league and the Illawarra Hawks dealt with the matter appropriately with a season-long ban.

Of course, Thornton deserves better than to be on the receiving end of an unexpected beer shower.

But it pale ales into insignificance compared to some other unfortunate Australian sporting moments. 

Hore was the serial pest from Newcastle who made a name for himself disrupting major events.

He even managed to play a role in derailing the once cursed Socceroos World Cup qualification bids, when he cut down the netting at the MCG in 1997. 

After running on to the track at the Melbourne Cup, Hore created more mayhem when his disruption ended the Socceroos on-field momentum. On resumption, Iran came back to draw, making it to the World Cup in the Australia’s place by means of the away goals rule.

Then there’s Wati Holmwood, the State of Origin streaker who found himself behind bars in 2013.

Holmwood managed to run almost the length of the field to be in the action before finally being crash-tackled by security staff amongst incredulous players.

For the Hawks, Wednesday night’s incident took away from what was the kind of fighting performance they needed. After coughing up huge leads twice at home against Perth, the Hawks only sealed victory with six seconds left. 

The opportunity presents, from this game - unlike with Hore and the Socceroos - to be remembered as the start of the Hawks success.