"I regret punching the ref in the face" Says Man Who Should Have Just Sent Some Tweets

A 21-year-old man in Kansas City told police he regrets punching a referee in the face at a junior varsity high school girls basketball game. But punched in the face nonetheless was 33-year-old referee Dallas Bryant, who was knocked to the ground and taken to the hospital, the Kansas City Star reports.

"Dwan Lamont Marshall Jr., 21, was arrested and charged with assault and disorderly conduct after he left the bleachers and punched referee Dallas Bryant, 33, in the face near the mid-court sideline, the report said."

Marshall, Jr.’s father — that would be Dwan Marshall, Sr. — was also at the game, and explained that this all started when the referee scolded his daughter, a player, for rolling the ball down the sideline instead of handing it to him at the end of the first quarter.

Bryant was then subjected to some hectoring from the stands, which he returned in kind, threatening to throw them out.

Then he got punched in the back of the head.

"According to the report, Bryant said he was “sucker-punched” after telling fans to stop arguing “unless you want to watch the game from the parking lot.” Butler said Bryant’s back was turned to the fans when he was struck. According to Marshall Sr., Bryant whispered, “I bet you won’t be discussing no elbow call in the parking lot.” The father told officers that his son perceived this as a threat, the report said, and punched Bryant in the face."

An off-duty police officer who was working security filed the incident report.

"“(He) said in the report that while he was interviewing that witness, Marshall Jr. told him, “I regret punching the ref in the face. It was an emotional response. I shouldn’t have done it. I’m sorry.”"

Shoulda just tweeted about it.