John Jay High football violence

[lkwdsteve]

Now we see an interview with the two football players who intentionally blind-sided a referee. This whole thing is pissing me off more and more.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE for what happened. The school should lose it's football program for the year. Period.

[RYou]

Clearly a criminal assault and they'd facing juvie court if it happened on the street.

[RYou]

We have another here in NJ.  D end ripped the OTs helmet off and slapped him in the head with it for 10 stitches.  Refs never saw it.

[FalconWrestlingKY]

The coaches need to be looked at for the ref attack. Either the coach ordered the hit or they have absolutely no discipline on the team. Either way the coaching staff needs to face consequences as well.

Reminds me of the utter breakdown of discipline that happened with my old high school's football team that culminated in a sexual assault in the locker room, and I still consider that coaching staff partially responsible. The kid was a rapist, threatened my sister with rape, nothing you could do about that but the fact that his teammates were supporting him is a serious issue.

[a guest]

Saw the interview on good morning America.

My only comment is that those kids should stay off the TV interview circuit.

[brycemus]

If WWII taught me anything, it's that being ordered to do something does not save you from the guilt of the action

[red viking]

Now we see an interview with the two football players who intentionally blind-sided a referee. This whole thing is pissing me off more and more.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE for what happened. The school should lose it's football program for the year. Period.

I agree that that there should be a serious punishment for the kids. Jail or the juvenile equivalent. Head coach should also lose his job because he has responsibility for whatever happens regardless of whether he "ordered" it. However, punishing the other players by not having a team for a year is going to far IMO.

[red viking]

I'm a high school football official too.

[lkwdsteve]

I'm a high school football official too.

Yes, I understand your point and have thought about it. To be consistent, you must then insist that a team NEVER be excluded from competition for reasons due to recruiting violations. How about the punishment of Ohio State players and Penn State players who were not involved in other types of  accusations and subsequent guilty verdicts? In Ohio, high school teams have been punished by actual on field wins being turned into forfeits thus denying uninvolved teammates the opportunity for post season play.

If you do concede that there can be a place for forfeitures, up to including full seasons, I would put intentional violence at the top of the list.

What rankles me is the lack of outcry, from the school, parents, league officials, and Texas state officials. Instead we are hearing EXCUSES. How does the state association get the point across that there is no excuse? Taking the season away gets the point across. I guess I would settle for taking part of it away, but nothing less.

[red viking]

I'm a high school football official too.

Yes, I understand your point and have thought about it. To be consistent, you must then insist that a team NEVER be excluded from competition for reasons due to recruiting violations. How about the punishment of Ohio State players and Penn State players who were not involved in other types of  accusations and subsequent guilty verdicts? In Ohio, high school teams have been punished by actual on field wins being turned into forfeits thus denying uninvolved teammates the opportunity for post season play.

If you do concede that there can be a place for forfeitures, up to including full seasons, I would put intentional violence at the top of the list.

What rankles me is the lack of outcry, from the school, parents, league officials, and Texas state officials. Instead we are hearing EXCUSES. How does the state association get the point across that there is no excuse? Taking the season away gets the point across. I guess I would settle for taking part of it away, but nothing less.

I haven't heard any excuses myself. Everybody that I spoke to about it thought that the players should be put in jail. I don't remember what happened to Ohio St. but I definitely agreed from day 1 that the Penn St. punishment was too severe. That being said, college and high school football are very different. Among other things, college football at bigger schools generates revenue and high school football costs the school money. With more incentive for corruption, the penalties against the team itself at the college level need to be more severe IMO.

[lkwdsteve]

Who suffers more when victims of collateral damage, high schoolers or college players? Regardless both have been victimized in the past, rarely for reasons involving violence.

Excuses? What I have seen and heard so far:

1. Nuremberg defense. Our superiors told us to do it.
2. Referee had it coming because of his judgement calls AND/OR because of racists comments.
3. "we are good boys".

The more I see excuses, the more I'm motivated by the idea that it is imperative to show that there are no excuses for violence.

[fsgrecofolk]

Fire the staff, those two should be expelled and if they are junior classmen, ban from all sports for the remainder of high school years.  If they have clean criminal records, this could be simple assault or possibly aggravated.  First offenses rarely garner severe jail time even with assault charges.

[mspart]

It was the Asst Coach.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/john-jay-assistant-coach-ordered-hit-on-targeted-texas-referee-in-anger/ar-AAeGlgD?li=AAa0dzB&ocid=mailsignout

He should be prosecuted and fired and made to apologize and hung by his toenails etc.

mspart

[RYou]

It was the Asst Coach.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/john-jay-assistant-coach-ordered-hit-on-targeted-texas-referee-in-anger/ar-AAeGlgD?li=AAa0dzB&ocid=mailsignout

He should be prosecuted and fired and made to apologize and hung by his toenails etc.

mspart

...and not even the team assistant, he was a temp replacement filling in for the missing coach.

[fsgrecofolk]

The kids still should not be allowed back in the district or play sports.  Jail may be excessive but booting from athletics isn't.  They should know better.