Today in Random Soccer Fighting

In a story that might as well be called “this is why we can’t have nice things,” police were called to an end-of-season awards dinner at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel to investigate disturbances brought on by West Ham striker Demba Ba’s refusal to sign an autograph. A melee ensued, with glasses and plates being broken. Guardian UK says the situation was nothing:

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they were called to investigate an incident at around 9.15pm last night. “Officers attended the scene but no obvious or serious offences were alleged,” said a Met spokesman. “The situation calmed down very quickly.”

…but Demba Ba’s story is CRAZY different, to the point that Demba Ba might be experiencing life in a parallel universe. It involves racial abuse, Hulkian strength and Intermittent explosive disorder. Via The Telegraph:

“I signed his autograph, then he asked me, nicely, how I was feeling,” Ba said in an interview with Talksport. “I said I was tired from the Wigan game because it was a tough game. He said he was tired of watching us play every week. … I was surprised, and explained it to [Manuel] Da Costa, pointing out who had said it. But when the guy saw me talking to Da Costa he was screaming, all over the place.

“All of a sudden he starts screaming at me, like crazy. He kept on screaming and some players dragged me away and tried to calm him down. He was smashing some tables, it was crazy.”

I guess the lesson here is that fans can turn on you on a dime whether you sign their autograph or not, and that everybody in soccer hates everybody else in soccer.

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