Pepper passes on fan misbehavior ordinance

A security guard tackles Gregory Gall, 31, of Mount Washington after he ran onto the field and stole the football from Packers quarterback Brett Favre Sunday. (Photo by Glenn Hartong/The Cincinnati Enquirer)

Councilman David Pepper,who's running to the right in his law-and-order campaign for Cincinnati mayor, doesn't think the city needs an ordinance cracking down on fan misbehavior after an incident at Sunday's Bengals game.

Pepper, who chairs City Council's Law & Public Safety Committee, said state legislation -- such as the bill proposed by state Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township -- probably makes more sense, given that Hamilton County sheriff's deputies help provide security for the county-owned stadiums.

That's Pepper the councilman. But Pepper the fan couldn't help but to be impressed by Bengals fan Gregory Gall's fourth quarter run on the field of Paul Brown Stadium.

"That was the most effective charging of the field I've ever seen. The guy clearly had a mission," said Pepper, who attended the game with Campaign Manager Greg Landsman and City Council candidate Wendell P. Young.

"You certainly want to discourage that," he said. "In all seriousness, if they hadn't blown the whistle, the guy could have gotten buried."

As it was, the tackle by the stadium security guard was "the best hit of the game," Pepper said.