Attacking a referee's small business on Facebook isn't cool, sports fans
The internet and college sports: Two things not exactly known for inspiring measured, reasonable debate.
We've just seen what happens when they mix in a strange and toxic new way.
As background: People in Kentucky take college basketball very seriously. (Remember 2012? Remember #LexingtonPoliceScanner?) Thus, fans of the Kentucky Wildcats were not happy when their team lost to North Carolina just short of the Final Four last weekend. They directed much of their ire toward referee John Higgins.
Now, Higgins did make some very debatable calls in the game. But here's where the tale gets strange and sinister.
Kentucky fans didn't just heckle Higgins. They didn't just make vague threats on social media. No -- they targeted the Facebook page of his Nebraska roofing business.
This is ugly behavior that goes well over the line of human decency, but fear not -- our story has a somewhat happy ending.
Before we go on, though, a fact that's little-known to those who aren't hardcore sports fans: Many college basketball refs only earn part-time livings by blowing whistles and calling fouls. For many of them, refereeing is only a part-time job, supplemented by another gig or two. That's why Higgins having a roofing company actually isn't strange at all.
But after North Carolina's last-second win over Kentucky in the Elite Eight round of March Madness, the Facebook page for Higgins' business in Nebraska was deluged with negative reviews from Kentucky basketball fans. They assaulted his character, honesty and integrity.
According to The Dagger, the Facebook page for John Higgins Weatherguard Inc. had 656 one-star reviews as of Tuesday night, two days after the game. (It had just 11 two, three and four-star reviews combined, suggesting something foul.) All those negative reviews left his business page with a 1.7-star overall rating as of Tuesday night, per The Dagger.
"John Higgins lacks integrity!" wrote one commenter, per a screenshot taken by ForTheWin.
That's ugly stuff, attempting to torpedo a man's living for the way he refereed a college hoops game.
"If you cheat and knowingly lie on one job, your reputation comes in question for all your jobs," wrote another commenter. "Let's hope this bankrupts you, an honest wage for an host days work and all."
That's ugly stuff, attempting to torpedo a man's living for the way he refereed a college hoops game.
But by Wednesday evening, the Facebook tables had turned.
Higgins' business page had 421 five-star reviews to go with 896 one-star reviews. (Again, there were just 11 total two, three and four-star reviews.) Basketball fans -- Kentucky and otherwise -- heard about the deluge of negativity unleashed upon Higgins' Facebook page and, at least in some quarters, reason prevailed.
"I do apologize for any and all negative comments toward you, your family, and your business," wrote one person. "These fans truly don't represent the great people of Kentucky."
"I have been a die hard Kentucky fan for 47 years," wrote another. "This is no way to act."
"I'm giving this man a 5 star rating for the simple reason his basketball job and his actual job are two separate things," wrote another.
Just our latest reminder that upset sports fans and the internet can be a toxic combination, but that some people are actually pretty OK.
Topics Facebook
Sam Laird is Mashable's Senior Sports Reporter. He covers the wide, weird world of sports from all angles -- as well as occasional other topics -- from Mashable's San Francisco bureau. Before joining Mashable in November 2011, his freelance work appeared in publications including the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, Slam, and East Bay Express. Sam is a graduate of UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz, and basketball and burritos take up most of his spare time. Follow him on Twitter @samcmlaird.
