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Reporter’s impressive stiff arm of a fan on live TV came with an important message for sports fans

She didn't even lose composure.

samantha rivera, golden knights hockey, rowdy sports fans
via SauceHockey/TikTok

Samantha Rivera stiff-arms a hostile fan on live TV.

Samantha Rivera of CBS Miami stiff-armed an obnoxious fan on live TV during the Stanley Cup Finals in Las Vegas on Monday, June 5. The clip caught the attention of millions on social media because she perfectly blocks the Golden Knights fan from interrupting her live shot while maintaining her composure.

Unfortunately, she had to be prepared to fend off the fan because unruly behavior amongst sports fans has become far too common these days. Rivera used the moment to remind fans back at home about how to behave at a hockey game. “That’s the kind of fan you don’t want to be, right?” she said while fending off the intruder.

The clip of Rivera received over 3 million views when it was shared by Awful Announcing, with many fans praising her stiff arm.

Riviera later told Sports Illustrated that she had an eye on the fan and his buddy because she could see them watching her before they went live. That’s why she was prepared to react if the man interfered with the live shot. “Thankfully, it was him just trying to be annoying and get in the shot and make his way on, but it could’ve been worse. You don’t really know in those situations,” Rivera told Sports Illustrated.

When asked if she has any other advice for sports reporters who need to deal with a drunk fan, she said, “Eat your veggies. Go to the gym. Do what you can.”

The big takeaway from Rivera’s viral moment is that Rivera reminded everyone out there that they don’t want to be the drunk and unruly fan at the game. But these days, it feels like there is an epidemic of people who forget that it’s just a game. And that problem extends all the way to youth sports, where parents' inappropriate behavior has become a real problem.

It’s such an issue that in some schools they don’t even allow spectators to attend games.

Why is it that spectator sports routinely make people lose control? Psychologists say that it relates to social identity theory. “The theory goes that people have a need to belong to groups and that membership in these groups provides a basis for their social identification and self-esteem,” Sports Management Hub reports. This is why people so passionately identify with a particular team.

When two groups of people are pitted against one another with their collective identities on the line, there is likely to be friction.

In addition, psychologists believe that sporting events are a way for people to act out their frustrations in life in socially acceptable ways. “Many people don’t have many options to let out their stress and frustration at home or at work. An energetic atmosphere like that of a sports match gives them a reason to let loose,” Sports Management Hub reports.

Then, people are even more likely to act out when things get exciting in the game.

But for the people out there who don’t get the message and are going to act the fool at the next Stanley Cup playoff game, be sure you don’t do it around Samantha Rivera.

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Wonder how volunteering can change your life? Ask a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Those who give back get so much in return.

True

Larissa Gummy was first introduced to the work of the Peace Corps in high school. All it took was seeing a few photos shared by her ninth-grade teacher, a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, to know that one day, she would follow in those footsteps.

This inspiration eventually led Larissa away from her home in Minnesota to Rwanda in East Africa, to give back to her family’s country of origin and pursue her passion for international development. Though her decision confused her parents at first, they’re now proud and excited to see what their daughter has accomplished through her volunteer work.

And just what was that work? Well, it changed from day to day, but it all had to do with health.

Mostly, Larissa worked for Rwanda’s First 1,000 Days Health project, which aims to improve the conditions that affect the mortality rate of kids within the first 1,000 days of being born (or almost three years old). These conditions include hygiene, nutrition, and prevention of childhood diseases like malaria and acute respiratory infections (ARI). Addressing malnutrition was a particular focus, as it continues to cause stunted growth in 33% of Rwandan children under the age of five.

In partnership with the local health center, Larissa helped with vaccination education, led nutrition classes, offered prenatal care to expecting mothers, and helped support health education in surrounding communities. Needless to say—she stayed busy with a variety of tasks.

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13 side-by-side portraits of people over 100 with their younger selves

These powerful before-and-after photos reveal just how beautiful aging can be.


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Czech photographer Jan Langer's portrait series "Faces of Century" shows them in a different light: as human beings aged by years of experience, but at their deepest level, unchanged by the passing of time.

In the series, Langer juxtaposes his portraits with another portrait of the subject from decades earlier. He recreates the original pose and lighting as closely as he can — he wants us to see them not just as they are now, but how they have and haven't changed over time. That is the key to the series.

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An 8-year-old snuck his handwritten book onto a library shelf. Now it has a 56-person waiting list.

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel— written by "Dillon His Self"—captured the hearts of his local librarians and their patrons.

KTVB/YouTube

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel captured the hearts of his local librarians.

Writing a book is no easy task, even for adult professional writers. Many would-be authors dream of a day when their work can be found on library shelves, unsure if it will ever come.

But for 8-year-old Dillon Helbig, that day has already arrived—in truly unconventional fashion—thanks to his own determination to make it happen.

Dillon wrote his 81-page graphic novel, "The Adventures of Dillon Helbig's Crismis" (written by "Dillon His Self") in a hardcover journal with colored pencils over the course of a few days. He even put a label on the back of the book that reads "Made in Idho" [sic] and put an illustrated spine label on it as well. Then, without telling anyone, he brought it to his local library in Boise, Idaho, and slipped it in among the books in the children's section.

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The longest — and probably largest — proof of our current climate catastrophe ever caught on camera.

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A guy may have met his 'dream girl' at a bar but she only gave him part of her phone number

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The world heard about it on January 17 when Twitter user Henpecked Hal shared a picture of the napkin with her partial phone number written on it. "My 22-year-old cousin met his dream girl at a bar and it's going pretty well,” Hal wrote in the tweet.

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Someone created a video of what it's like to party in your 30s and it's internet gold

Everybody out by 10.

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A real life look into what it looks like to party in your 30s

Something happens at some unknown point in your 30s where partying no longer looks the same as it did when you were in your early 20s. There's no real warning. In fact, sometimes it happens mid-party. You're having a good time dancing, taking a Jägerbomb, then you slowly feel the youthful excitement drift from your body.

You realize you have a big meeting Monday you have to prepare for and you'd rather hear your cat's best motorcycle impression than spend one more second being bumped into by sweaty people in the club. And just like that, a different partying expectation is formed. One where you know that dropping it low may mean that you can't get back up.

Where sensible shoes take priority and you're not going if there aren't comfortable chairs, a reasonable end time and music at an acceptable decibel level. Malena Tudi, perfectly captured what it's like to party in your 30s, it's instantly clear that bumping and grinding with strangers isn't on the list.

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