Yahoo Sports Oregon State announcer says he was assaulted before calling Sweet 16 upset of Loyola
Saturday was a big day for Oregon State basketball.
The 12th-seeded Beavers continued their stunning run through the NCAA tournament with an upset of Loyola Chicago to advance to the Elite Eight, where they lost to Houston Monday.
But it didn't start so great for OSU radio announcer Mike Parker. The Beavers' play-by-play man says that he was assaulted in Indianapolis in the hours leading up to the game. Parker described the scene to the Oregonian.
He told the paper that he was taking a walk along downtown Indianapolis' Canal Walk when he noticed a man on the opposite side of the canal "probably in his mid 20s, kind of scraggly, talking strangely to an older gentleman.”
'I need to know what's in your bag'
Parker said that man crossed a bridge to confront him and asked if he had a bomb in the bag that he was carrying.
“I need to talk to you. … I need to know what’s in your bag,” the man said, according to Parker. ... "Do you have a bomb in that bag?”
'I almost rolled into the canal'
Parker said that that he told the man "no" and walked away when the man demanded to see the contents of the work bag. The man then chased him down and tackled him to the ground, according to Parker.
"I almost rolled into the canal," Parker told KOIN News.
Nothing stops Beaver Nation.
Voice of the Beavs Mike Parker (@MEPOSU) was attacked near the Indy Canal Walk before OSU's Sweet 16 win. Then went on to call one of the best moments in @BeaverMBB history. #GoBeavs
More on @KOINNews @ 5.
1st reported by @nickdaschel pic.twitter.com/B3wOBhg8pF— Travis Teich (@TravisTeichSpx) March 28, 2021
Police in the area came to his aid, but Parker said that he declined to press charges.
He lost his shoe, ripped his shirt and scraped his elbow in the attack, but was otherwise ok. He cleaned himself up and got first aid at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, then proceeded to call Oregon State's 65-58 win.
As for his attacker? Police spoke with him at the scene, but Parker doesn't know what happened after that. It's clear that he's not going let anything distract him from enjoying this Beavers run.
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