In a recent NBA game in Chicago, Antonio Davis of the New York Knicks, stormed into the stands, when, by his account, his wife was threatened by a fan. For his antics, Davis was suspended for 5 games. Meanwhile the fan that supposedly threatened Kendra Davis has charged that it was he who was threatened by Ms. Davis and he further refutes claims that he was drunk.

Now the fan, Michael Axelrod, is planning to sue Davis and his wife for “slander and battery” for the ripe sum of $1million. According to Axelrod a verbal altercation between he and Ms. Davis ensued after she grew enraged at Axelrod’s booing during the game. Later Antonio Davis rushed into the stand, before being taken back to the court by a referee. “Fans nearby began yelling at the woman to sit down and she went into the row of seats to confront another fan…I started trying to wave more security down, then I turned around and Antonio Davis was standing right there," Axelrod said. Anyone notice anything peculiar about Mr. Axelrod’s account of the incident? Exactly when did the battery take place? Or for that matter, the slander?

Are we to believe that a verbal argument at a basketball game rises to the level of defamation of character? And doesn’t battery require actual contact? By Axelrod’s own account the confrontation was verbal, perhaps if one flails their arms in the air such an act constitutes battery and slander. Once again another baseless suit motivated solely by opportunistic reasons. This fan is no more entitled to $1 million dollars than the readers of this article. In fact he’s not even entitled to a free ticket, at the most he should receive a small box of popcorn for his troubles and perhaps a the help wanted ads so he may find gainful employment rather than resorting to litigious extortion.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2006-01-19-fan-davis_x.htm