Saturday’s football matchup between Texas Southern University and Jackson State University got some attention for something that happened off the field.
An unexpected altercation between a Texas Southern tuba player and an aggressive Jackson State fan was caught on camera.
In a video posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Texas Southern’s Ocean of Soul marching band can be seen playing in the stands. A man holding a cup has his back to the field, directing all his attention at a tuba player and shouting at him. At a certain point, the tuba player appears to have had enough and delivers four swift punches to the heckler’s face.
The tuba player does not miss a beat and keeps playing as the heckler falls into the bleachers.
TEXAS SOUTHERN WHAT YALL GOT GOING ON 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/WvIuPp3h3y
— kayla. (@theekaylan) November 5, 2023
More footage posted on X by another social media user appears to show more of what transpired before the knockout punches. The heckler is clearly shouting at the tuba player, but the music is drowning him out.
This is what it sounded like https://t.co/GO1oDJ7Ecs pic.twitter.com/C3bs31C12x
— YesMeNameIsWes (@weszmarsh) November 5, 2023
Another band member can be seen calmly approaching the man as he lay on the bleacher.
The average tuba — a classical musical instrument made of copper and zinc — weighs about 25 pounds, requiring a certain amount of physical strength to carry and play for hours on end.
“He didn’t know Tuba players are low-key defensive linemen in the stands,” commented one X user on the video post.
“Ocean of Soul and a sea of fists, baby!” wrote another user.
It remains unclear if the heckler sustained any injuries or if the authorities intervened. Jackson State ultimately won the game 21-19.
Officials from Texas Southern have launched a probe into the incident, issuing the following statement, per KHOU:
“Texas Southern University is aware of an incident involving a member of the Ocean of Soul marching band during a recent away game. The incident is under investigation. The University is implementing additional measures to ensure the safety of all band members during performances.”
