Colts Helmet Guy speaks out, says Colts security are jerks

It’s the big current headline that has all of Indianapolis talking. Chinese food deliveryman robbed with shovel? No, not that one. It’s this one: Jacobs’ helmet up for grabs; security steps in to take it from fan. So what exactly are fans’ rights when equipment comes hurtling into the stands? The guy who caught that helmet would like to know. He is now sans the helmet that Brandon Jacobs lobbed into the stands on Sunday night, but he does have an interesting story to tell about the experience. That story, following the jump.
Oh, and because of of all the publicity, the fan says that he wants to be referred to only as Colts Helmet Guy. So we have sworn to never reveal his real name, which is Jeff Lasiter, an Indiana University graduate who resides in Greenwood, Ind. … Doh!

Lasiter spoke with 1070 the Fan in Indianapolis. Via Sports Radio Interviews:

“We were sitting where we sit, sixth row. I’m focusing on the field. Out of my peripheral vision comes an object hurtling through the air, rotating and the only reaction you have is to throw your hands up. My dad was sitting next to me. We go to all the games. The projectile was actually headed more towards him. He was able to get two hands up to stop it. I was able to get one hand up in front of him. Between our three hands, we were able to stop it in mid-air. I grabbed it and immediately tried to shove it under my seat because the unofficial rule in the NFL is that what goes in the stands stays in the stands…

“Between where we sit and the bench is probably 40 feet. For someone to throw an object the size of a bowling ball, it was moving rather quickly there. Those people that were sitting in front of us were very fortunate to catch it out of there peripherals as well. They were able to slide their heads to the side. It would have been a direct hit to the head of the row in front of us.”

Audio here.

“I’ve watched football my whole life. Any time a ball goes in the stands or players throw wrist bands and that stuff in the stands. Whenever has a helmet been thrown 40-50 feet into the stands? Never. From history, you would think that that applies to equipment, but apparently it does not. Initially, a representative from the Colts showed up on the scene as quickly as the NBC feed picks up. That was probably a good 30 seconds after it happened. He was trying to take the helmet from me. You can clearly see me saying there, ‘Absolutely not. What goes in the stands, stays in the stands.’ He was not disagreeing.
“While we were having this discussion, I kind of looked up and coming across the railing from the field level up into the stands was some of the Giants staff, I don’t know if they were trainers or equipment managers or what, but they were starting to come up into the stands. Some of the Crescent security, the house security there, were starting to crawl over the railing. Also a Sheriff from the field level was crawling over the rail. He quickly made it up the five rows and was quickly standing right in front of me demanding the helmet. That’s when we got the idea verbally that either the helmet went with him or I went with him.

“It’s very unclear. When things go in the stands, what’s the protocol there?… Him coming up and ripping it out clearly put an end to the situation, but I’m not sure that was the right way for this to be resolved.”

Many have said that Colts security, and especially the cop, acted like fascists in demanding the helmet back and ripping it from Lasiter’s arms (pictured). Colts officials did come back and give him what they said was a game ball, though.

“I find it interesting that, if a fan were to throw their Coke or their beer or their hot dog, 50 feet onto the playing surface, that fan would have been out of there in a heartbeat,” Lasiter said. “Here is a professional athlete who, apparently inadvertently, whether it was an accident or intentional, throws an object into the stands. I’m very eager to see what action the NFL takes with that player because there was extreme potential for serious injury with the velocity and where that helmet landed.”

Lasiter’s mistake was trying to hide the helmet under his seat. What’s that? Oh yeah, no cop is ever going to think of looking for it there. Look, you know my rule of thumb: You catch a helmet at an NFL game, you immediately get up and sprint toward the exit. Bring friends and play keepaway toss if you have to. Get to your car and then, screeeeeee! Let’s see if the helmet is important enough for them to go Wildest Police Chases on me.
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Jacobs’ helmet up for grabs [Indianapolis Star]
It’s A Bird? It’s A Plane? No, It’s Brandon Jacobs’ Helmet! [Sports Radio Interviews]
In which Brandon Jacobs literally flips his lid [Out of Bounds]