Is this fair?

[Txbroadcaster]

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/news/story?id=2605816

OSCODA, Mich. -- The Oscoda Area High School football team hasn't won a game, or even scored a point, in four games this season. Because of that, the school district has decided to cancel the remaining games.

Despite pleas from players and parents, the board recently upheld the school's earlier decision to end the season, saying players risked injury in trying to take on much stronger opponents.

"When you go to a game on Friday night and see a team physically dominated, those are the indisputable facts," coach Kyle Tobin said.

"Seniors, I feel for you. There's nothing I can say other than I'm sorry," board member Neal Sweet said. "But you're not quitters. You went out there and did your best."

Tobin said the team was not physically competitive, had too few players and faced a tough schedule in the North East Michigan Conference, The Bay City Times reported.

Senior quarterback Mike Gondek pleaded with the school board to reconsider the school's Sept. 19 decision to cancel the remaining games.

"All I ever wanted to do was play football," Gondek said. "My teammates never felt so unsafe that we didn't want to be out there."

Tobin, a first-year coach, defended his decision.

"I have 28 years of coaching experience in high school and college, and I know the difference between a team playing bad and a team that's unsafe," he said.

[PPHSfan]

Read that yesterday.

I feel bad for the kids.

[kaorder1999]

thats rediculous!

[Technoredneck]

Fire the coach, not the kids!

[Maroon87]

That sends a great message to the kids dontcha think?:mad:

[pirate4state]

:doh: :doh: WTH is wrong with these people??? :confused:

[Bullaholic]

I, too, feel for those kids and parents. Don't think that would ever happen in Texas----makes you appreciate what we have in HS athletics from administrators clear down to players in this great state.

[3afan]

Originally posted by PPHSfan
Read that yesterday.

I feel bad for the kids.


yep

[Scholar]

I thought this was going to be a thread on the fairness of pooch kicks.

[kaorder1999]

ttt

[big daddy russ]

"Seniors, I feel for you. There's nothing I can say other than I'm sorry," board member Neal Sweet said. "But you're not quitters. You went out there and did your best."
Sweet added, "Remember kids, winners never quit and quitters never win. And we're all winners even if we quit halfway through the season."

All that hard work in two-a-days, etc, for nothing. It's not only a shame for the kids, but everyone involved with the program.

[kaorder1999]

typical case of Administration listening to and trying to please the Idiot Parents of the kids not playing who are mad at the Staff

[BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END]

Originally posted by Technoredneck
Fire the coach, not the kids!
:clap:

[SWMustang]

Originally posted by kaorder1999
typical case of Administration listening to and trying to please the Idiot Parents of the kids not playing who are mad at the Staff

your kid must really suck if he can't play for this team...

[sWaterislife]

"I have 28 years of coaching experience in high school and college, and I know the difference between a team playing bad and a team that's unsafe," he said.

Just for arguement sake.. What does this really mean.. Are these kids bad or are they taking risk in getting somebody hurt..

Like after a tackle, trying to hurt somebody's knee or something..

LIke i said this statement puzzles me..

or, they having so many injuries that they are calling it quits.. that's what i would think..


NEVER SEEN A HIGH SCHOOL SUCK SO Bad (except snyder), USing that as an excuse to stop a season.. sorry tiger fans had to take my shot..lol

[Butkus]

Originally posted by sWaterislife



NEVER SEEN A HIGH SCHOOL SUCK SO Bad (except snyder), USing that as an excuse to stop a season.. sorry tiger fans had to take my shot..lol Good gosh son jump in there and make our town look bad. Sound alot like those other two younguns.

[Z motion 10 out on 2]

Crazy.

[BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END]

I think that this is a poor choice by the school district. It does nothing but show their students that they are willing to give up on them. I think that it extends further than football and goes into the classroom as well. There is no legitimate reason to have ended that football program prematurely. As a player, it is understood there are certain dangers associated with the game, that is why it is an optional extracurricular activity, so the reason of danger being involved is without merit. I just think that it goes to show how adults and the powers at hand have such little faith in our youth these days, and if they are going to give up on them on the football field, what are they going to do when they get them in the classroom and they don't understand how to solve a math problem, or comprehend a passage from a piece of literature. Are they just going to give up trying to teach them how to succeed, or are they going to try harder so that their students can become the best people they can become? The football field is not just a game, it is a classroom, and that school board just closed one off from their students.

[wimbo_pro]

I dont know any more details than you guys, but I CAN imagine a case where I might understand the circumstances. To make my point, imagine if a 7th grade team went and played a big 3A or 4A varsity team. There would DEFINITELY be the chance of major injuries. Is this sort of the case here? Are the kids so small and so few in number that the size/ability diffference could be endangering the kids? Sounds a bit far-fetched to me, but I guess possible. Maybe thats why the coach said he is afraid for their safety..I dunno.

[sWaterislife]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/highschool/09/28/season.canceled.ap/index.html

There's more to this article...

--------------------------------------------------------
The scores in Oscoda's games this season were 46-0 against Flint Hamady on Aug. 25, 30-0 against Whittemore-Prescott on Aug. 31, 44-0 against West Branch Ogemaw Heights on Sept. 8 and 44-0 against Tawas on Sept. 15.

Oscoda forfeited its game Friday against Pinconning and had four more games left on its schedule.

Tobin coached the Whittemore-Prescott football team to three state finals and one championship before leaving three years ago.

He said Oscoda High could barely meet the minimum number of players needed to field a team. He said one reason was that it did not have a junior varsity football team last year. It also lost several players to injuries.

Coaches put several sophomore players on the junior varsity team so they could compete and train without so great a risk of injury.

Some in the audience of about 100 people Monday spoke in Tobin's support.

"When you have a coach who comes and says 'unsafe,' it's not about the band, the boosters or the cheerleaders. It's about some kid getting paralyzed," said Terry Ekdahl, whose has a son on the junior varsity team.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

So they could barely field a team anyways...

Still unsure about this.. i'll look into this more.. DOnt know why this is so interesting - I mean it aint world peace..

[sWaterislife]

Okay last post on this subject for me unless we really want to discuss it... BUt here's a better understanding.... THis is from that town's newspaper.. It's a long article and so here's the link and exert from the story..

http://www.oscodapress.com/articles/2006/09/28/news/news01.txt.

-------------------------------------------------------

He also said three starters came to him in the week previous to the Tawas game and told him they wanted to quit. According to Tobin he counseled them that if they wanted to quit that had to be an individual decision.

He said, when he met with the players on Sept. 18 he told them he was not going to quit. The next day only nine or 10 players came dressed for practice and, according to Tobin, he spent 2-1/2 hours trying to get equipment together for players who came without gear so they could have a half-line practice.

---------------------------------------------------------

I think this makes sense now.. See there's always two sides to every story...

[sweetwater07]

thats not right...that coach is setting a good example for the players and the youngins coming up to play for this program....i couldn't imagine ending a season because they suck so bad....well maybe Merkel...lol..:D