Suns Fan Gets Thrown Out, Gets Autographed Basketball

This is the best story ever. First, because I thought it was insane that the Phoenix Suns, in a playoff game no less, wore shirts against the immigration bill. Second, because they handled the situation poorly.

I heard the guy talking on 570 AM in LA, and he seemed like a cool guy, not just someone trying to score some freebies.

When the Suns came up with the decision to wear "Los Suns" to protest the new immigration law (I wondered why it wasn't "Los Sols"...maybe that sounds too much like "lost souls"). Well, Jim Clark had his own shirt made in response. His orange long-sleeved shirt said "Viva Los 1070". He said on AM 570 "I didn't go to the game to hear about politics. I go there to be entertained and watch a game.

In a few of hte local papers, he said he's supported the team for decades, and has attended 200 games since the late 60s. He got the tickets behind the San Antonio Spurs bench from a broker.

It wasn't long into the game when he was approached by security. They told him to take the shirt off or turn it inside out. Or, he coud leave. He and his friend argued with security outside the building and were eventually allowed back in (to both cheers and boos).

Rick Welts, the Suns president, called the next day. Clark said he was a real gentleman on the phone, apologizing and asking if he wanted free tickets to a game. He said, "You're gonna have to do better than that." The president than gave him four tickets to the next 10 games and a few autographed basketballs. Clark said, "He did the right thing, and that was great."