This is from Phil (DSP)
There is only one resolution to the situation. A compromise.
Noel didn’t know. (?) Doesn’t matter. What’s done is done.
We’ve been allowing players to do similar things for ages. When I say “We” I mean tournament organizers. I’m just as guilty as the rest. Shittalk seems to be an East Coast pasttime and we even encourage it.
However, I fucked up and I think others agree with me. It’s gone too far. It’s one thing to talk shit, and it’s entirely another to basically scream at the top of your lungs when you’re in a crowd next to someone, when they’re playing a tournament match. And it’s even worse when it’s directly pointed at a player in that match.
At EVO 2k5, when I was on stage for grand finals of ST, someone yelled “YOU CAN’T LET HIM WIN NKI! DON’T LOSE TO THAT SCRUB!” or something to that effect. I can’t remember the exact words because I was concentrating on the game. But to be perfectly honest, it really did distract me for a second. That’s not acceptable.
I ran an ECC. Someone picked up a bullhorn and talked shit into the ear of Dark Prince. That is unacceptable, but since I didn’t witness it firsthand, there was nothing I could do. I live with that to this day.
I’ve helped run the EVO events many times. They are the “nationals” and everyone holds them up as the most legit tournaments in the country. But the same thing has happened before. Remember EVO East 2k7 when Triforce and Tony Barnhill got into a fight? Well not really. but they were both ejected for their verbal comments.
It’s time to make a ruling, and to have this apply to all tournament events hereafter. This rule has actually been in ALL tournament rules (including EVO especially) from the very beginning, but it has never been enforced because, until now, tournament organizers haven’t seen the need.
I was there when both Eric and Phi were so apologetic to Nestor for what happened, and all I could think was that if I had been there, maybe I could have made a difference. The Street Fighter community is so important to us that we keep coming back to support it as much as we can, yet there always seems to be another problem that needs our attention. That’s unfortunate.
From now on, the fun is over. There will be no more insane shittalking at fighting game tournaments in which the SRK community are involved in, period. This has been in the rules since day one, but we’ve been far too lenient.
If you want to cheer on your favorite player, fine. If you are a fanboy and you want to see the matches and chime in, fine.
However, no derogatory comments about the opposite player will be tolerated, period. PERIOD.
Let me say that again.
NO DEROGATORY COMMENTS ABOUT ANY PLAYER WILL BE TOLERATED, PERIOD.
This is not the new law, it’s been law since day one. And from now on, it will be enforced at all tournaments. Whether it’s an East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, Texas, Japan, Florida, Oregon, who cares. This standard needs to be enforced at all events.
In reality, this means that if someone becomes offensive, period, they are gone. You eject them from your event. Or else they learn, really fast, to become adults. I’m sure this has been said in the past, and it’s sad that someone like myself who was so immature in my youth, has to say this now.
No more nonsense. Everyone wants to play, period. If you want to talk shit, fuck around, disrupt, be a fanboy, be a fangirl, whatever. Stay out. Really. We don’t need you.
You want to know why this is accepted in Pro Sports? Because when 300,000 idiots all talk shit at the same time, you can’t hear them. In fighting games, unfortunately you still hear Joe Nobody.
For your sake, I hope you take this seriously.