When did buying a ticket to an athletic event become a license for the fan to say or do anything they want to the athletes on the field, be they professional or amateur? There seems to be some unwritten, accepted rule of behavior that fans can say anything they want with immunity.

I remember going to baseball games as a child and listening to my late grandfather, Eli Mack, Sr., razz the left fielder at a semi-pro baseball game in my hometown of Lexington, SC. He was relentless. Finally, the player came over to my granddaddy and said "Mr. Mack, what have I ever done to deserve this?" My granddaddy politely backed off. That particular day he served as a rare "good-but-bad" example for me.

Today's players respond differently, sometimes violently going into the stands or hurling verbal assaults at fans. Players who scream slurs back to unruly fans are held to a much higher standard. Some like to use racial or other inappropriate epitaphs to get back at their tormenters. Often their spur-of-the-moment responses lead to hefty fines, penalties and suspensions on the professional level and getting kicked off the team on an amateur level.

I remember watching an ACC basketball game back in the early seventies when Frank McGuire was the head coach at the University of South Carolina. Fans from Duke were constantly chanting "Put Frankie in," referring to McGuire's mentally challenged son. Duke officials allowed the taunting to continue throughout the entire game. I doubt that would happen on Coach Mike Krzyzewski's watch today.

You would think that Duke would have had more class than to allow their students to get away with that kind of behavior. They didn't.

On another occasion, my friend John Ribock, a former USC basketball player in 1969-71, decked then coach Lefty Driesell after his Maryland Terrapin fans became equally as unruly. Ribock and I tended bar at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Columbia, SC together and became close friends. In this case, Driesell actually made a derogatory comment to which Ribock, known as "the enforcer" for the Gamecocks, responded by popping the Maryland coach upside the head.

History is full of examples of inappropriate fan behavior, most of which is hurried along by alcohol. You can blame the venues for a lot of this because they don't limit fan access to beer and booze.

I remember getting carded at the age of 58 at an Atlanta Braves baseball game because I wanted a beer. Good for them. I have to admit that I was actually flattered when they ask me to prove my age.

What they should have done was cut the moron off who was sitting behind me. He was one of those obnoxious fans that let the alcohol do his talking. When he finally dumped his last beer on my back by accident, the officials got the hint and escorted him from the ballpark.

Many facilities now ban the sale of alcohol after a certain period of time. However, abusers simply load up on their purchases before the last call goes out and they still get just as plastered. Again, blame the venue for this, because all they're interested in doing is selling a $10 beer, $9.50 of which is pure profit.

The very nature of contact sports almost encourages inappropriate fan behavior in sports like football. While basketball is supposed to be a non-contact sport, tell that to the pros who hurl their bodies into the paths of driving players.

When Andrew Bynum took a cheap shot at Dallas' J.J. Barea right before the Lakers were eliminated from the 2011 NBA playoffs, Bynam was fined $25,000 for his classless act, which was followed by the removal of his jersey while still on the floor, an obvious slap in the face to Maverick fans.

Big deal, Bynum gets a five game suspension next year and a $25,000. His team's current year is over. Overall, the unnecessary hit will cost Bynum $702,272 in lost salary as well- still a mere drop in an NBA player's bucket.

If the Lakers trade Bynum (as many suspect they will) his next team gets the privilege of paying the price for his inappropriate behavior from the previous year. Is that fair? Perhaps those interested in his services need to take that into account before the sign off on the trade.