Stop the Violence: A Memo to Major League Baseball Fans

After reading stories tonight about Bryan Stow (the man assaulted after the Dodgers/Giants opening game) and watching a Pittsburgh fan tazed due to public drunkenness and resisting arrest, I ask you all:

Truly, truly look at yourselves in the mirror, and your friends in their faces, and make sure that you keep the rivalries on the field. 

There is no part of this game that is intended to directly affect the personal lives of the fans off the field. If you feel so negative towards another fan at the game, keep in mind that it's only a game, like it or not, and that person has a family at home. 

I don't care how big of an idiot the fan happens to be, there's no need to show off your manhood and (cowardly) try to beat the guy up in a dark parking lot.

I don't think anyone that will read this would heavily consider doing so, but the message needs to be heard regardless. The Dodgers fans that beat up Bryan Stow (who is still in a medically induced coma) should be thrown in jail, no questions asked.

It's absolutely ridiculous that we let a sport overcome us like this.

I'm no better than the majority of you. I get pissed when my team does something stupid and let my emotions show...but I don't find a Cardinals fan and try to beat the life out of him after the game because he's wearing the colors of a different team. 

I cannot express how high my level of frustration is when I hear of fan-on-fan violence every season because someone in the opposing team's stadium says, "Yeah, Matt Kemp sucks like your mom."

Get over it, and let the feelings of hate towards someone you've never met go away.

I "hate" the Reds, Cardinals and White Sox more than any other teams in the MLB. But I respect their fandom, and though I've gotten in arguments at opposing ballparks, I've never had it turn to violence.

Let the others in attendance enjoy the game, go home and wake up tomorrow knowing that it's going to be very similar to the day before. Don't end up in a jail cell with someone's health on your conscience.

It's simply not worth it.

Sorry for the rant, but someone needs to say this. It absolutely sickens me, and I'm ready for it to not be an occurrence every year.