Fan interaction with players is now a hot topic since the Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons basketball game Nov. 19. How far is too far seems to be the question.

Through events like these, the line of acceptable conduct has been drawn too far.

Throwing a cup of beer, although comical at first, is definitely a situation where a fan has overstepped his or her bounds. This is a prime example of situations that have no place in athletics today.

The MAC has a set of guidelines that are read at the beginning of each game, sports information associate Dave Reiter said. These guidelines state that any derogatory comments made toward players, coaches or officials will result in immediate ejection from the premises.

“It’s a statement of proaction,” said Robert Collins, NIU associate athletic director.

Which it is. It is a good way to avoid any problems from escalating beyond control.

Reasonable heckling, however, goes nowhere near this boundary. It seems the fear of what might happen has forced the sixth man off the court and onto the bench.

In the NIU men’s basketball game Dec. 4 against Akron this issue came to the front. One NIU fan at the game was threatened with ejection by Convocation Center Security – an entity separate from the athletic department and the MAC – for violation of these rules.

The fan was heard saying comments along the line of “What’s a Zip,” and “You’re short,” when a shorter player from Akron was shooting free throws.

Comments such as these are in no way derogatory or offensive by any standards. This fan still received the threat of being tossed from the game.

The interpretation of the MAC guidelines took them out of context.

These comments and some much worse can be heard on a regular basis from student sections like Illinois’ “Orange Crush” and Duke’s “Cameron Crazies.”

These universities have been applauded by the likes of ESPN’s Dick Vitale. It’s the student sections just as much as a team who help make a stadium a hard place to play.

A visiting team has to worry about facing off against its opponent every game it plays. It’s the student section that can help make a stadium harder to win at.

It seemed as if the Convocation Center was merely trying to prevent an effective student section from being formed.

Reiter said it’s great to see the students being that vocal and active. It makes the Convo much more fun for the players and helps get in the heads of the opponent.