I have watched roughly 40 high school basketball games per year since I graduated from high school in 2001. Over the course of those 200 or so games I have seen some players and fans do things they regret. Players are young kids and can let their emotions get in the way which leads to them doing something they regret. Fans can be obnoxious and scream at the opposing team, coaches, and refs but that is part of the game. I am not saying it is right, but it happens. But when a coach retaliates and actually sends a profane slur back at the crowd, something has to be done. And that is exactly what happened Saturday evening at Southwest Minnesota State University in the 3AA Sub-section final that featured Pipestone Area versus Luverne. During the first half of the game which was one of great magnitude and showcased two bitter, long-time rivals vying for a chance to continue their season and get one game closer to the state tournament, Luverne Coach Tom Rops was heckled by some Pipestone Area fans. He then turned to the crowd and said "Kiss my A**!" If this is acceptable and nothing is done about it then what kind of message is this sending to his younger children who witnessed it, his team and most importantly his profession. That is what bothered me the most, he is supposed to be a professional and he should definitely act like one. When you are at the helm you are placed on a pedestal. Whether you like it or not it is a responsibility you assume when taking a coaching job. I don’t know if Coach Rops is aware of this, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that he probably knows that and should probably think twice before doing something so childish, immature and unprofessional. That whole scene, to me, took away any respect that I formerly had for the Luverne basketball team, and that isn’t fair to the players. A coach needs to be able to ignore the fans and do his job, and someone needs to teach Coach Rops that exact principle. TJ Newgard Pipestone