When new Miner basketball coach Tim Floyd mentioned he wants to bring in Phil Johnson as an assistant coach ... ding, ding, ding, ding ... did that name ring a bell?
Recall that in 2004 Johnson was the San Jose State coach who was reprimanded by the Western Athletic Conference for a confrontation with a Miner fan behind the San Jose State bench.
Many here know that there a few fans who sit right there for the purpose of getting under the opposing coach's skin. The incident caused a nearly 10-minute delay in the game. Johnson is not the first opposing coach to complain about the verbal harassment from close-by fans. He apologized, but denied he took a swing. " ... I should not have turned around and yelled back at him. I let him get under my skin, and that won't happen again," El Paso Times reporter Darren Hunt quoted Johnson as saying at the time.
The fan, Randy Ortega, told the Times he was riding Johnson about his alma mater, East Central Oklahoma.
That's because Ortega probably never went to college.
Posted by: JRMaynard3 | March 31, 2010 at 02:41 PM
Nothing like the fans who spend so much time jawing at the opposing team's bench that they miss the entire game.
Glad I don't sit next to Ms. Ortega.
Posted by: The Watcher | March 31, 2010 at 02:57 PM
No real need to verbally abuse the other teams coach or bench. Unless, of course, it's BYU. Those used to be the rowdiest crowds.
Posted by: Moose Knuckle | March 31, 2010 at 03:20 PM
That story if fluff, Joe. Do your homework, then get back to us. Find an answer for something we want to know.
Posted by: 2myeye | March 31, 2010 at 04:37 PM
READ THIS http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/13136823/firing-recently-hired-floyd-best-option-for-utep?tag=headlines;headlines
Posted by: Rob | March 31, 2010 at 06:28 PM
great interviews with culpepper gordon and stone on minerillustrated.com. culpepper says he's coming back and wants that degree since hes the first in his family to go to college. so all those rumors are false.
Posted by: marcusg23 | March 31, 2010 at 08:18 PM
Actually it's East Central University in ADA OK, my son just graduated from there in DEC and now will be graduating from AF Basic Friday morn. I do believe Vittatoe's brother played FB there.
GO MINERS!!
Posted by: KiddMiner | March 31, 2010 at 10:22 PM
Is this the same guy that was yelling to Reggie Theus by insulting Reggie's family?
I hope your not proud of this "class act" El Paso.
Posted by: Aggietude | April 02, 2010 at 06:52 AM
There's always some turd in the crowd who thinks what he has to say is more entertaining than the game being played. Ortega is one of these.
Posted by: NineteenRabbit | April 08, 2010 at 11:02 AM