Cheap Shots! Who is responsible?

[Endword]

High school football is great for the participants and the fans. We all love watching players that give it all they have and walk away with their heads up, win or lose. But, what should be done about those players that degrade themselves and their team by taking "cheap shots". I am not talking about the play where one's momentum takes him into an opposing player late; I am talking about consistently late hits, hits out of bounds, or going at an opponents knees from behind. Friday night I watched a good running back take one cheap shot after another while playing on defense. I walked away from the game both mad and embarrassed for him and his coaches. So, who straightens him out? His teammates? His coaches? Noone? My opinion: I hope his coaches have enough class to put an end to it. It is really pretty simple: "You play like that, you don't play at all!" What do you think?



[This message has been edited by Endword (edited October 22, 2001).]

[playpepper]

We have played a team for the last two years where from between 8-15 instances are caught on film in which they are grabbing players crotches. When this physical pain is coupled with racial slurs things can get out of hand in a hurry. Our guys responded well but last year this same team ended their season in a fight against a team with the same make up as ours. It cannot be an accident.

[tigerfanman]

Both of my sons have had knee injuries while playing defensive backs. I wish the referees would start enforcing the NCAA rule about blocking above the waist in the defensive backfield. I have seen a lot of players hurt when they were not even in the vicinity of the play. I've advised my boys to "raise cane" with the ref every time it happens, and they eventually start watching/warning, but seldom penalize.

[hsguru]

Gee was the runningback Carraway from Merkel? He is the same way in basketball. The coaching staff needs to sit him down and read the riot act to him. It is ridiculous the way he played friday night against Wylie.

[footballer2]

Endword-there is no doubt about who is responsible- the head coach of this particular player is responsible. ultimately the way his team plays(by the rules or not by the rules)is the head coaches responsibility. i believe that the way players and even assistant coaches behave is a direct reflection of the head coaches integrity and character-period!

[Da Mules]

No doubt it is the head coach who has the chief responsibility, and right behind comes the refs. West TX refs have been pretty good about blatant spearing and late hits this year, I have seen 3 immediate rejections for this this year. But if you've got players doing this consistently, you've got a head coach who either approves of it (winning is the ONLY thing, men!) or is a total spineless dumb***s.