UIL ?Gives Yoakum a Freeebie

[Pudlugger]

Josh Johnson, the heart and sole of the La Grange defense, has been denied eligibility by the Poobahs at UIL. This kid moved to La Grange LAST SPRING and finished his junior year at LGHS. He lives with his grandmother, legal guardian, and is trying to get on with his life after some nastiness at Burnet last year. Precisely because he is a great linebacker several jealous and self-serving ADs in district 24 have black-balled him as ineligible. Here we have a clear case of grown men screwing with the future of a young man because of their own narrow and selfish interests, to win district. What is the message here for this kid? That people will screw you over for their own reasons despite your efforts to set your life straight? So much for building character and all that crap. This sort of thing will come back to haunt coaches when they can't get kids to come out for football and they all want to play soccer and go on community service fieldtrips after the game. If the coaches don't step forward and speak up for the players they will forfeit their right to lead. This really ticks me off.

[This message has been edited by Pudlugger (edited August 29, 2002).]

[sinton66]

What could they possibly cite as their reasoning? If he is living within La Grange's district, I don't get it. Usually the only thing that would allow the UIL to do this is a confession from the kid or the parents that the move was for athletic purposes only. Suspicions are just that, suspicions. They don't mean squat! Find him a lawyer and sue the UIL. Make them PROVE their suspicions.

[Pudlugger]

Originally posted by sinton66:
What could they possibly cite as their reasoning? If he is living within La Grange's district, I don't get it. Usually the only thing that would allow the UIL to do this is a confession from the kid or the parents that the move was for athletic purposes only. Suspicions are just that, suspicions. They don't mean squat! Find him a lawyer and sue the UIL. Make them PROVE their suspicions.


Yeah, LG will appeal. Meanwhile he can't play Friday night. I can tell you the whole teanm is fired up about this. Apparently the UIL thinks that a player has no constitutional right to move about the country freely if he happens to be a great player. This will backfire on the district 24 ADs because this sort of thing really mobilizes young men to focus on getting the job done. Talk about bulletin board material! If this kid gets blackballed because Elgin has no balls watch out when these teams collide, because the La Grange team will make them pay.

[sinton66]

I don't blame them for gettin' fired up. If I lived there, I'd be chipping in on his legal fund. Sounds to me that he's proven himself to the locals, and they should back him all the way!

[ATMO]

I know the young man and was fairly close to the situation in Burnet. The DEC has no grounds to rule him ineligible unless his guardianship has not been legalized. So, what were the grounds for their decision?

[bd62]

that is a sad deal. he evidently has worked hard and is doing the right things.grand mothers have a way of doing that. i know mine raise me and my 2 brothers but the schools in our dist. did not vote us out. if he wasnt doing the right things i guarantee coach v. would not put up with it. lagrange has a class program and it is a shame that the other schools in dist. did that.but what comes around goes around.motivation for lagrange in dist.
as far as the game in yoakum all we want to do is get better and have no more injuries. we have several boys out with injuries. brandon price our besr defensive lineman is out for 3 weeks. at first it looked like for season.
playing a team like lagrange gets you better. good luck to both team and hopely no injuries on either team.

[Old Green]

It appears that there are a lot of sour apples in that district . the young needs a chance to redeem himself. That UIL rule sucks sometimes.

bd62. glad to here Price will be back by district. I will be in Yoakum for the game yelling for the Bulldogs.

[PISSonU]

Hark, did I hear that (GASP) Elgin had something to do with this? What a shocker - and all you guys were bad-mouthing HungryHornet for telling it like it is. Hmmm, feels a little different when it hits closer to home, doesn't it? WE TOLD YOU SO!

[TarponFanInNorthTexas]

That seems like in incredibly unfortunate situation for that young man. Judging from what i've read thus far about it on here, it sounds like the UIL shouldn't have ANY grounds to deny him eligibility.

Anyhow, my biggest question is this.......I haven't seen anything remotely close to Yoakum getting a freebie........What's up with that??? All I see are La Grange and Burnet on here, where does Yoakum come into all of this? And how did Yoakum get hooked up with a freebie? How does one GET hooked up??? C'mon, hook us up! HEHE

[Pudlugger]

Originally posted by TarponFanInNorthTexas:
That seems like in incredibly unfortunate situation for that young man. Judging from what i've read thus far about it on here, it sounds like the UIL shouldn't have ANY grounds to deny him eligibility.

Anyhow, my biggest question is this.......I haven't seen anything remotely close to Yoakum getting a freebie........What's up with that??? All I see are La Grange and Burnet on here, where does Yoakum come into all of this? And how did Yoakum get hooked up with a freebie? How does one GET hooked up??? C'mon, hook us up! HEHE

Well I mean the UIL has inadvertently helped the Yoakum cause by ruling him ineligible. It seems that there will be guys out on both sides tonight, so depth will be a big factor in the outcome.


[This message has been edited by Pudlugger (edited August 30, 2002).]

[bigcat8]

Why make the comment about Elgin? Elgin could care less if the young man plays. Furthermore ,get your facts straight. This issue has never been put to a DEC vote.
Originally posted by Pudlugger:

Yeah, LG will appeal. Meanwhile he can't play Friday night. I can tell you the whole teanm is fired up about this. Apparently the UIL thinks that a player has no constitutional right to move about the country freely if he happens to be a great player. This will backfire on the district 24 ADs because this sort of thing really mobilizes young men to focus on getting the job done. Talk about bulletin board material! If this kid gets blackballed because Elgin has no balls watch out when these teams collide, because the La Grange team will make them pay.

[TarponFanInNorthTexas]

Originally posted by Pudlugger:
Well I mean the UIL has inadvertently helped the Yoakum cause by ruling him ineligible. It seems that there will be guys out on both sides tonight, so depth will be a big factor in the outcome.


[This message has been edited by Pudlugger (edited August 30, 2002).]

Well, I wouldn't say that. (freebie) One man doesn't make a team, and that is something I have ALWAYS believed in. Yoakum is still going to have a game to play, regardless of WHO La Grange puts on the field.

[Chris Hart]

Pudlugger, I am sorry to hear this I was rooting for this young man.But I knew it was coming after they did the same thing to Bernard Scott in Wichita Falls a few days ago.If his guardianship has been legalized I think this decision will be overturned, as with the Scott kid.This stuff is travesty plain and simple.It makes me sick!

------------------
Big Green Dawg

[oldbuff78]

Word in the coaching circle was no legal guardianship. The UIL will require that. When i coached a Kid at Houston Memorial, we had the same thing.

[sinton66]

If indeed, his grandmother does not have legal guardianship, that would definitely make the difference.

[Primo_Style]

Hey josh not gettin to play is really sorry!
Elgin better care if he plays this boy can play some ball i know i played with him. Man i wish you all the luck this season johnson and #20 and #3 From Burnet Want someone to tell Josh whats sup!! Can anyone do that for us.

[halliegirl]

Anyone who knows Josh should know how much the game means to him, i cant believe UIL is taking that away. As a close friend, josh im so sorry..hope u fight this. we love u here in burnet, dont forget it! UIL..wake up and let him play!!