Fan dies in stands after fight at Patriots game

[Nator99]

There are too many drunk idiots at games. This is senseless and tragic. Someone died over a football game disagreement. My God. 

[Since1981]

22 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

going to games years ago I definitely witnessed fights and shenanigans on a regular basis.

I noticed less angry people lately too. Tix price could be helping. I remember people being dragged out for fights and it was fairly routine.  

[BuffaloMatt]

That's why it's me and my 82 inch TV. May get the 100 next year.  

[Success]

These kinds of stories are really repugnant.

 

Why is sports fandom so damned toxic?  It's completely out of hand online, and that spills over into real life.  It's like opposing fans have become "enemies" or something.  We forget everyone is just a regular person, working jobs & getting through life & wanting to just support their team and have fun doing so.  

 

There is almost a dehumanization of opposing fans.  It's turning me off to the game to an extent.  I want positive experiences in my life - not toxic BS and hate.

 

Condolences to the victim's family.  How do they even make sense of something like this?  

[BillsFan692]

The problem is with human beings, George Carlin said it best. Individually we're fine, but when we get in large groups we are very base.

[msw2112]

I don't live in Buffalo anymore, but still try to get to a game or 2 every season.  I got to one road game in LA and one home game (Green Bay).  The tailgate options in LA were terrible, so we had a few beers literally sitting on a curb outside the gate and it was terribly boring.  There was only 1 parking lot that permitted tailgating and it was full.  There aren't a whole lot of options in Inglewood, CA....In contrast, thanks to TBD, I got a spot in Hammer's Lot for the Green Bay game and was with two friends from Wisconsin who wore Packers jerseys.  We all had plenty to drink, but we're 40/50+ and know how to handle ourselves.  Everyone had a great time and nobody bothered my friends.  In fact, they had good-natured fun alongside Bills fans (including doing the shot out of the bowling ball).  They had a great experience and despite the Packers losing, they have told everyone they know how much they loved Buffalo.  There's a larger group back in Wisconsin and now everyone wants to come to Buffalo the next time the Packers come.

 

As a side note, I will be at the London game, but will be with my wife and 2 kids.  My older one has been to a NFL game, but it's her first Bills game.  My younger one has never been to an NFL game (and thus no Bills games).  I'm excited, but I have not been to a game in London and have no idea what to expect as far as crowd rowdiness.

[AuntieEm]

33 minutes ago, Matt_In_NH said:

I have witnessed Bills fans being complete Dbags to fans of other teams.  Including throwing snowballs as fast as they can at Patriots fans heads.

 

I key hope those were banned from games permanently.  As well I hope they enforce those bans and keep proper records.

[Scott7975]

This is why I don't go to games anymore.  I'm too crippled to be around this crap anymore.  For the most part, fights don't break out but even just the drunken rowdiness is too much for me.

[BuffaloBillyG]

And somewhere Alanis Morissette is humming "Ironic"

[Just in Atlanta]

Top arrests per stadium, according to WaPo:

Chargers
Jets / Giants
Raiders (Oakland)

14 people have also fallen to their deaths over the past 10 years (Buff News).

[Captain Hindsight]

They find the guy yet? Shouldn’t take too long with cameras and digital tickets 

[Capco]

1 hour ago, Success said:

Why is sports fandom so damned toxic?

The Blues and the Greens from ancient Rome and medieval Byzantium could get so rowdy during events as to cause mass riots that might devastate whole cities or even dethrone emperors.  

Afaik, "fan" comes from the word fanatic, and that's no accident if so.  

[PetermansRedemption]

2 hours ago, Success said:

These kinds of stories are really repugnant.

 

Why is sports fandom so damned toxic?  It's completely out of hand online, and that spills over into real life.  It's like opposing fans have become "enemies" or something.  We forget everyone is just a regular person, working jobs & getting through life & wanting to just support their team and have fun doing so.  

 

There is almost a dehumanization of opposing fans.  It's turning me off to the game to an extent.  I want positive experiences in my life - not toxic BS and hate.

 

Condolences to the victim's family.  How do they even make sense of something like this?  

You are, unfortunately, living in the wrong life. Seems like all we encounter these days. 

[HT02]

I am a Bills fan who live near Boston and have been to a number of stadiums as a visiting fan and my experience with the fans in this area is the worst I have experienced.  Jets fans were pretty bad too. (I used to live in the NYC area and attend those games regularly.) 

 

The general rule I've found to be true is the better a team is doing the more obnoxious the fans become.  I try everything to avoid fighting by engaging in friendly conversation with the fans around me but as been written here by others alcohol make everyone louder and stupider. 

 

To be fair Bills fans can be awful too.  I remember almost getting into a fight with Bills fans in Buffalo when trying to help out a Dad and his young son who had the nerve to wear Broncos jerseys into Ralph Wilson Stadium.  I genuinely wish security would screen these intoxicated fans better.  

Edited September 19, 2023 by HT02

[PatsFanNH]

2 hours ago, Success said:

These kinds of stories are really repugnant.

 

Why is sports fandom so damned toxic?  It's completely out of hand online, and that spills over into real life.  It's like opposing fans have become "enemies" or something.  We forget everyone is just a regular person, working jobs & getting through life & wanting to just support their team and have fun doing so.  

 

There is almost a dehumanization of opposing fans.  It's turning me off to the game to an extent.  I want positive experiences in my life - not toxic BS and hate.

 

Condolences to the victim's family.  How do they even make sense of something like this?  

So true! And it seems it’s getting worse. Like I have said before back in the early 90’s the Bills fans were probably the nicest fans of any fan base I ran into at old Sullivan stadium. But even Jet fans vm back then never got so angry as to fight.. mind you we stunk like badly stunk back then so not many Pats fans in the stands then lol.

[RobbRiddick]

8 hours ago, Behindenemylines said:

 

Pi$$ed on the guy next to me and the floor and then realized I’m surrounded by about 100 drunk Pats fans with junk hanging out. 
 

 

This sounds just like a movie I own, only at this point the saxophone music starts 

[Simon]

3 hours ago, Success said:

These kinds of stories are really repugnant.

 

Why is sports fandom so damned toxic?  It's completely out of hand online, and that spills over into real life.  It's like opposing fans have become "enemies" or something.  We forget everyone is just a regular person, working jobs & getting through life & wanting to just support their team and have fun doing so.  

 

There is almost a dehumanization of opposing fans.  It's turning me off to the game to an extent.  I want positive experiences in my life - not toxic BS and hate.

 

 

 

It's not just sports fans, my friend. 

[HOUSE]

For you guys that have traveled to Philadelphia,  this could happen every game

[Mr Info]

5 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

For you guys that have traveled to Philadelphia,  this could happen every game

Yep, some places I no longer visit either due to fans (MetLife-Jets; Philly) or crappy stadiums (FedEx). 

[HOUSE]

1 minute ago, Mr Info said:

Yep, some places I no longer visit either due to fans (MetLife-Jets; Philly) or crappy stadiums (FedEx). 

Philly is the worst followed by Giants

I gave those cities up long ago and now I hear they are worse.

Didn't think it was possible 🤔 

[Simon]

 

Brief report from an alleged witness

 

 

[PatsFanNH]

An Update:

 

the man’s Name was Dale Moody from NH and it is now being reported it was a couple of dolphin fans who hit him (they are saying brutally beat him) and caused his death. What makes it even worse is it happened in front of his son and the people at the stadium instead of helping him took out their phones and taped the incident.  God people disgust me not only the men who killed him but the ones not even going for help to stop it.  Everyone tapes everything but god forbid you do something g to stop it.  (Sorry for the rant)

[Sargent Hulka]

"A witness, Keith Noonan, said that many spectators pulled out their phones rather than intervening. “We looked up, and we just saw a bunch of people standing around in an area in there … a lot of people that were standing around, were filming with their phones,” via Leanna Faulk of NBC 10 News".

  There it is in a nutshell, the POS culture and times we live in.

[Low Positive]

1 minute ago, Sargent Hulka said:

"A witness, Keith Noonan, said that many spectators pulled out their phones rather than intervening. “We looked up, and we just saw a bunch of people standing around in an area in there … a lot of people that were standing around, were filming with their phones,” via Leanna Faulk of NBC 10 News".

  There it is in a nutshell, the POS culture and times we live in.

Was it ever any different? People didn't think that they were witnessing a murder or even an assault. They thought that it was a fight. Like in high school, everyone would just yell FIGHT and make a circle around the two dudes fighting. It took a while until someone broke it up. The only difference is that everyone has a video camera in their pocket now. 

[That's No Moon]

13 minutes ago, Sargent Hulka said:

"A witness, Keith Noonan, said that many spectators pulled out their phones rather than intervening. “We looked up, and we just saw a bunch of people standing around in an area in there … a lot of people that were standing around, were filming with their phones,” via Leanna Faulk of NBC 10 News".

  There it is in a nutshell, the POS culture and times we live in.

So you intervene and one of the clowns claims you hurt them, now you're in court. Security comes, sees you tussling with the jackass, now you're bounced also possibly with charges. This charges make the paper and possibly endanger your job. You intervene and the jackass kills you instead. No thanks. I'm not intervening in squat. Call security? Absolutely, but unless it's someone Im directly related to no chance I'm intervening.

[Jerome007]

15 hours ago, Bubba Gump said:

People don't seem to realize that one single punch to someone's head can be fatal.

It's usually when the head hits the asphalt that death occurs. 

[PetermansRedemption]

12 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

So you intervene and one of the clowns claims you hurt them, now you're in court. Security comes, sees you tussling with the jackass, now you're bounced also possibly with charges. This charges make the paper and possibly endanger your job. You intervene and the jackass kills you instead. No thanks. I'm not intervening in squat. Call security? Absolutely, but unless it's someone Im directly related to no chance I'm intervening.

Same with helping out at an accident scene. Just isn’t worth the risk to intervene. You intervene in that fight and now you’re dead, or charged with something, kicked out of the stadium, in court. Blame the ambulance chaser society for at least some of this. 

[Behindenemylines]

1 hour ago, RobbRiddick said:

This sounds just like a movie I own, only at this point the saxophone music starts 

OMG.  Context CONTEXT!!  

[Success]

Maybe it's naive, but going to a game should be a positive experience for everyone. 

 

I was at a Yankees game last year where 3 fights broke out in my section.  It was all just big testosterone, and as toxic as you could imagine.  A dude next to me had brought his daughter to her 1st game, and she was sobbing the whole time.  It was really sad.   That should be a great memory for a parent & kid, and it ends up being something they probably never want to talk about again.

 

What happened to just good-natured trash talk and ribbing?  It's sports.  People get so out of hand about it.  

 

 

[nucci]

1 hour ago, Success said:

Maybe it's naive, but going to a game should be a positive experience for everyone. 

 

I was at a Yankees game last year where 3 fights broke out in my section.  It was all just big testosterone, and as toxic as you could imagine.  A dude next to me had brought his daughter to her 1st game, and she was sobbing the whole time.  It was really sad.   That should be a great memory for a parent & kid, and it ends up being something they probably never want to talk about again.

 

What happened to just good-natured trash talk and ribbing?  It's sports.  People get so out of hand about it.  

 

 

It's ridiculous. Not really fun anymore. I have no desire to start going again

[Sherlock Holmes]

2 hours ago, HOUSE said:

Philly is the worst followed by Giants

I gave those cities up long ago and now I hear they are worse.

Didn't think it was possible 🤔 

Was your wallet actually findable back in those days?

[HOUSE]

1 minute ago, Sherlock Holmes said:

Was your wallet actually findable back in those days?

I don't own a wallet 

[hondo in seattle]

1 hour ago, That's No Moon said:

So you intervene and one of the clowns claims you hurt them, now you're in court. Security comes, sees you tussling with the jackass, now you're bounced also possibly with charges. This charges make the paper and possibly endanger your job. You intervene and the jackass kills you instead. No thanks. I'm not intervening in squat. Call security? Absolutely, but unless it's someone Im directly related to no chance I'm intervening.

 

Those are legit concerns but the (small) possibility that it all turns sour should never stop a human being from doing the right thing.  

 

[Augie]

4 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

I don't own a wallet 

 

Did they buy it from you, watch you put the $2 in your wallet, then take it from you? 

 

We may need to have somebody appointed for you. 

 

 

This hit the Nightly News on the 2 networks I saw. NBC had an extended piece showing all kinds of violence from NFL venues. Ugly night for “The Shield.”

[That's No Moon]

5 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Those are legit concerns but the (small) possibility that it all turns sour should never stop a human being from doing the right thing.  

 

And calling security immediately is doing the right thing.

[PatsFanNH]

1 hour ago, That's No Moon said:

So you intervene and one of the clowns claims you hurt them, now you're in court. Security comes, sees you tussling with the jackass, now you're bounced also possibly with charges. This charges make the paper and possibly endanger your job. You intervene and the jackass kills you instead. No thanks. I'm not intervening in squat. Call security? Absolutely, but unless it's someone Im directly related to no chance I'm intervening.

That’s why I said they didn’t even go for help. Doesn’t take much to go get security.  Especially when (if the reports are right) it was 2 on 1. 

[Pete]

9 hours ago, DasNootz said:

https://www.wcvb.com/article/foxborough-massachusetts-new-england-fan-death-patriots-gillette-stadium/45194876#
According to his wife he was a 30 year season ticket holder and there's a photo of him just before the altercation.  

sounds like a sucker punch.  Third man sucker punchers are the biggest pussies on the planet.  ***** scumbag coward!  I hope the coward gets what he deserves

[Albany,n.y.]

15 minutes ago, Pete said:

sounds like a sucker punch.  Third man sucker punchers are the biggest pussies on the planet.  ***** scumbag coward!  I hope the coward gets what he deserves

The guy who died started the physical confrontation.  Looks like what you're calling a sucker punch was an attempt to stop someone who was harming another person.  The lawyers will sort it out, but I bet the guy who threw the punch will say he feared for the life of the person Mooney was assaulting. 

 

Video Kilmartin recorded shows Dale Mooney as he approaches a group of fans on the 300-level of the stadium.

"He basically grabbed another fan," Kilmartin said. "They started tussling around for a few minutes. At one point, another fan walked over. He punched him ... and the man just went out. It was pretty hard to watch."

[Pete]

Just now, Albany,n.y. said:

The guy who died started the physical confrontation.  Looks like what you're calling a sucker punch was an attempt to stop someone who was harming another person.  The lawyers will sort it out, but I bet the guy who threw the punch will say he feared for the life of the person Mooney was assaulting. 

 

Video Kilmartin recorded shows Dale Mooney as he approaches a group of fans on the 300-level of the stadium.

"He basically grabbed another fan," Kilmartin said. "They started tussling around for a few minutes. At one point, another fan walked over. He punched him ... and the man just went out. It was pretty hard to watch."

two men brawling is their own business.  You are correct, the other guy started it.  We don 't know why.  Maybe he had a good reason.  Probably not.  But still mano y mano.  Two men tussling is not deadly.  Third man in throwing a sucker punch is a ***** coward!

[Albany,n.y.]

39 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

And calling security immediately is doing the right thing.

Back in the late 1980s in the old stadium I had Patriot fans throwing beer cans at me.  I yelled to security who could see what was going on & they ignored me.  Now I guess it's what I yelled to security**, but they had no right to do nothing.  I had to move away from the friends I went with to an all Bills fans section.  

 

**Full disclosure: I yelled "Security, they're throwing beer cans at me.  If one of them hits me I'll sue your f'n stadium"