A Teachable Moment (But is it being used that way?)
The Seattle Times is reporting that the Ballard and Garfield football teams got in a brawl last Friday night at Ballard's homecoming game. The Beavers were up 26-0 with five minutes left and going for a two-point conversion. It failed and, to the Ballard coach, it looked like his quarterback took a late hit but there was no penalty. A Ballard player pulled the Garfield player off the quarterback and the Garfield player threw a punch.
Game on and the benches cleared. It all got settled down with no one hurt. The officials did eject 8 players from the game ( 3 from Ballard and 5 from Garfield) and they will all be ineligible to play this week.
This is the second incident this season for Garfield. Their coach had been suspended after the first incident and an interim coach was in charge at this game. Last year, two of their coaches had to resign after playing ineligible players.
I would suggest that the principal at Garfield and the district athletic director get this situation under control. Garfield does not seem to be promoting a good playing attitude. For any player, being on a team carries the responsibility to behave with respect for the other team and to honor your own team. Any player who can't do that should be let go.
To note, BOTH teams got involved here. But here's what the Ballard coach, Joey Thomas, had to say:
"It's a sad day in Beaver nation," said Thomas, a 1999 Kennedy High School graduate who went on to earn All-America honors at Montana State and enjoy a five-year professional career. "We'd like to show more class and more integrity than that. But we'll use it as a teaching moment."
Here's what David Myers, Garfield's interim coach, had to say:
"We really don't have anything to say about it," Myers said.
That's a big difference. I wonder what Coach Taylor would say.
Game on and the benches cleared. It all got settled down with no one hurt. The officials did eject 8 players from the game ( 3 from Ballard and 5 from Garfield) and they will all be ineligible to play this week.
This is the second incident this season for Garfield. Their coach had been suspended after the first incident and an interim coach was in charge at this game. Last year, two of their coaches had to resign after playing ineligible players.
I would suggest that the principal at Garfield and the district athletic director get this situation under control. Garfield does not seem to be promoting a good playing attitude. For any player, being on a team carries the responsibility to behave with respect for the other team and to honor your own team. Any player who can't do that should be let go.
To note, BOTH teams got involved here. But here's what the Ballard coach, Joey Thomas, had to say:
"It's a sad day in Beaver nation," said Thomas, a 1999 Kennedy High School graduate who went on to earn All-America honors at Montana State and enjoy a five-year professional career. "We'd like to show more class and more integrity than that. But we'll use it as a teaching moment."
Here's what David Myers, Garfield's interim coach, had to say:
"We really don't have anything to say about it," Myers said.
That's a big difference. I wonder what Coach Taylor would say.
Comments
Kudos to the Ballard coaches for seeing the opportunity to teach their kids that the behavior won't be tolerated.
To Garfield (most likely our child's school next year if we don't jump ship) - the football team should forfeit their next game - although it won't make much of a difference to their season, as they aren't playing well anyway. I wonder why they aren't playing well - maybe due to the fact that it isn't a well-run program and personal responsibility and respect don't seem to be valued.
Pathetic.
Where is the accountability? And where are these kids going to learn sportsmanship if not from the coach?
Come on Myers. Step up. WSDWG
- RB 1986
And that's a reason to start a fight?
This is high school, not nursery school.
Garfield forfeited a game this year in protest of late whistles that endangered players. Kinda ironic that this fight started over a perceived late hit by a Garfield player.
Is there a real problem with late whistles by the officials?
- RB 1986
Perhaps it should be renamed the "Let's sit down and negotiate like sensible adults" song.
This from a country where the sensible adults have 2 undeclared wars taking place, one that has now lasted MORE THAN A DECADE.
Ironic on a lot of levels.
Players act out, fight, do dirty stuff all the time. We know that. The point is that it's never to be tolerated, excused or downplayed, or it only gets worse. A lot worse.
It ain't right and the players know it ain't right. Accountability and consequences should therefore be forthcoming to all involved. WSDWG