12 months ago
Tampa, Florida - The Tampa Sports Authority and the NFL are coming down on a Bucs fan who they say violated the new NFL policy on obscene and abusive language.
Arlene Ryan-Veldhuis has been a season ticket holder since Raymond James Stadium opened more than 10 years ago. She sits in the third row behind the Bucs bench on the 32 yard line. Ryan-Veldhuis loves to cheer on her favorite team and she can be heard throughout the section she sits in. The woman has one of those booming voices that can cut through a crowd.
Although she cheers on her favorite team, Ryan-Veldhuis gets perturbed when an NFL referee makes a call that she thinks is wrong.
She has an endearing little phrase that she screams when she thinks there has been a bad call. Ryan-Veldhuis yells, "Ref, you suck!" when she is upset with the so called "zebra on the field."
In all candor, I sit in front of Ryan-Veldhis at the stadium and have never been upset with her cheering. However, some fans, like Sandy Schene, take issue with the way that Ryan-Veldhuis gets excited. Schene says it is too much and goes on too long.
Some people have complained to the Tampa Sports Authority about Ryan-Veldhuis. The TSA has told Ryan-Veldhuis she is violating the new NFL policy which says "Profanity (swearing/off color/offensive language) will not be tolerated on the Tampa Sports Authority property. Patrons will be ejected for using offensive language."
Ryan-Veldhuis says she was told by the TSA to please refrain from saying, "Ref, you suck." The woman says she doesn't understand why it is considered offensive. Ryan-Veldhuis says it is "not one of the seven words you can't say on television" and she thinks she should be able to express herself.
While "suck" may be a word you can say on television, it apparently is a word you can't say in the stadium... unless of course, you are coach Jon Gruden.
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