Collins Reacts To Confrontation With Bears Fan
Packers safety Nick Collins spoke with the media for the first time on record about Monday's confrontation with a Chicago Bears fan at Soldier Field.
Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins said the following while meeting with local media following practice today regarding his confrontation with a Chicago Bears fan after the loss on Monday Night Football.
Remarks.
Heat of the moment. Things happen. Both of us, both sides were out of line.
Can you tell us exactly what happened when you were walking off the field?
It was just a situation I shouldn't have been a part of. I should have just kept walking in the locker room.
What's your take on the situation playing on the road in a hostile environment when things don't go your way and fans are spouting off?
I'm a grown man. I'm a big boy. Like I said before, I shouldn't put myself in that position. Words can't hurt you. People can, but unfortunately I got caught up the hype and the emotion from the game. Once again, I shouldn't have been there.
Did the fan spit on you?
I'm not going to say what the fan did or nothing like that. You all know the shorelines. It's been popping off since Monday so that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Have you spoken with the league?
It's out of my hands right now. I'm doing everything they ask me to do right now. I'm cooperating, and that's the best I can do right now. It's out of my hands.
Are you surprised this thing got so big and went national so quick?
Yes, I am. It happens. It's just an unfortunate situation that it was me. And like I said, I shouldn't have been there.
To clarify, you've spoken with the league?
I guess so. I'm doing whatever it takes with the organization or the league office or whatever just to try to get the situation under control and hopefully it blows over.
What message did Coach McCarthy have for you?
Mike's a good coach. He understands the situation, and he's sticking up for his team and I appreciate it.
Comments (14)
September 29, 2010 at 08:40 pm
Leave em at the level they've grown, Nick.
September 29, 2010 at 08:48 pm
I support Nick fully. This was an emotionally charged situation and the fan in question was way out of line.
Nick has never had any problems off the field that I know of and has never had anger management issues. He's a solid guy. I have no concerns whatsoever about Nick Collins. I want him on my team.
Was it a mistake? Yeah. He'll learn from it, guaranteed.
September 29, 2010 at 08:51 pm
Nick, we support you! You should NOT have had to put up with this racist!
September 29, 2010 at 08:53 pm
I want the Bears to get fined for this to send a message to fans. I was trying to think of why the league wouldn't do this (and just fine Collins): The sad thing is something like this probably isn't all that uncommon. Is it really at that implausible to think of this happening in Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago, or New York (just throwing out cities for argument's sake). Only the player doesn't react or says something back and keeps walking. I'm not saying it happens every game, or that players get spit on all the time, but Collins reaction just confirms my speculation. He will get fined, but so should the bears. A suspension would be asinine.
If the Steelers can get fined for Big Ben getting into trouble, the Bears should be fined for this. Every stadium has a code of conduct and I've seen people get kicked out of/arrested at sporting events for doing less. At the very least they should apologize and investigate this. If it were Green Bay, the fan would have lost his/her season tickets in a second. I was at a Vikings game at Lambeau where a female viking fan hit a packer fan gently in the face with her program (it didn't look half as bad as it sounds). The packer fan she was sitting with lost his tix.
September 30, 2010 at 07:49 am
I very highly doubt that the League will fine Collins for this. Especially with the racist twist on this. They won't want to be seen punishing a black player for getting upset after being called the N-word. That's bad publicity. They'll do just exactly what they are asking Collins to do, lay as low as possible and let people forget this happened. If they fine him, it will just prolong the story and the last thing they want is to link racism of any kind to the NFL.
September 29, 2010 at 09:15 pm
If we don't play down to inferior teams and implode, losing the game, this isn't an emotionally charged situation. Collins isn't frustrated and he ignores the troglodytes.
One way to avoid the situation.
September 29, 2010 at 10:44 pm
I really, really f*cking hate chicago.
September 30, 2010 at 01:02 am
They're bottom-dwellers just like the Asian Carp in the Chicago River.
September 30, 2010 at 05:52 am
Adjacent over hypotenuse
September 30, 2010 at 01:00 am
"You all know the shorelines"----??
September 30, 2010 at 05:53 am
Thinking the same thing. Gotta be 'Story lines', doesn't it???
September 30, 2010 at 05:52 am
I don't blame Nick one damed bit, and watch-the league will punish Nick - something stinks in the country.
September 30, 2010 at 11:29 am
first of all... all he really did was throw a mouthpeice into the crowd. if that came out of a cannon it wouldnt hurt someone. If he gets fined its one of the dumber decisions I will have seen the NFL make. And they wanna go to an 18 game schedule so thats saying something.
Ignoring the racial aspect completely. The dude spit on him... and in my opinion, if you make the decision to spit on someone you deserve whatever comes your way. and I mean that. I would say that if a Pack fan spit on Cutler. Its a reprehensible act and if you're tough enough to do that you're tough enough to take the ass whipping thats coming. If Collins would have climbed in the stands and beat the dude to near death, I would have stood behind him. Violence doesnt solve anything, but getting spit on can send you to a different place. He deserves credit for only throwing a mouth peice when I would have probably done something much dumber.
September 30, 2010 at 11:37 am
This shows maturity beyond I ever imagined he could achieve. If you look at 08 Collins, you would have never expected this.
Way to go Nick. You know you were out of line, even though you were right, and you manned up.
This, IMHO, is proof that he'll be the leader of the D when Woodson retires.
You're better than those human scum. Don't let them affect you. And more importantly, show them on the field what you're worth.