We all love college basketball fans. They're fun. They're crazy (see above). Dick Vitale would even go so far to say that they're "Awesome with a capital 'A' baby!!!!". College basketball fans are one of the greatest things about college basketball; without them a piece of the game would be missing.

But my mind changed a bit about them when I opened this past week's Sports Illustrated (the one with Jason Kidd on the cover). I still love the fans, but I learned the bad side about them. There was an article about bad behavior of fans to certain teams or players. Anywhere to obnoxious chants or signs to throwing stuff at family members of players or even death threats in one case. The whole story brought up a good question: when and where should the line be drawn for the fans. When do they cross the line.

Here's what I think. There were some interviews and stories in the article about families having to bring security, still get pelted, and the officials at the stadium do nothing about it. For one thing, officials need to stop violence to players' families. They came to watch the game, not to get hit by cups and other things. If they need to bring security to watch a basketball game, something's not right.

Also, signs and chants are okay, as long as it isn't attacking or directed at players on the other team. How would you like to be on a basketball court with hundreds of people you never even said a word to in your life making fun of you, yelling at you, and hating you? Let the fans have fun, just don't attack players with the chants. They can be fun and funny without going after someone in particular. The "airball" chants are okay, yeah, but not.....I think the SI story said Illinois fans were chanting "#$@! you, Gordon" when they were playing Indiana. That isn't right.

All I'm trying to say is that the student sections can have fun and all, just don't get out of hand. So what if they do? What happens to them? Well, maybe they can get ejected from the game. If it's serious, maybe something harsher. All I know is that something needs to happen when fans cross the line. Something that will make them stop all of this.

When you get the chance, find the Kidd SI Issue and read the story I'm talking about. Maybe you didn't hear some of this either. Your mind might change a bit too. Because we want to see more of the picture on the top. We don't want to see something like this in college soon (or something on a smaller scale, but you get the picture):