Texas girls hoops team seeks forfeit of 100-0 win

[HedleyLamarr]

"short attention spans and dyslexia" may be disabilities but it's not like they were playing against kids with cerebral palsy or downs syndrome.

They probably forgot about the game once it was over....

[Viper]

Wait, this was reported on the Onion...but it was true?

Yes, otherwise it won't be on USA Today, or ABC LOL!

Or ESPN.

[rams80]

Two words: Wrongful termination

[TC]

One team won and one team lost.

You play all-out until the final buzzer.

[spyboy1]

One team won and one team lost.

You play all-out until the final buzzer.

No, you don't. When you are up 59-0 at halftime, you put in all your bench players, stop shooting 3's and you do not, under any circumstances, use a full court press. In fact, you probably do all of this when you are up 30-0 against a team that has gone winless over the last four seasons.

It's called "class", which apparently you could use some of if that's your real, honest attitude.

[Yac12]

Why should the coach be punished? Because his team won a game convincingly?

I'm not up to speed on high school basketball, but isn't there a shot clock still in play? How about the school/district system instituting a mercy rule, where the clock doesn't stop unless the game is within a certain amount of points? What do you suggest.....the coach telling his team to stop playing?

on the shot clock: I don't know about Texas, but I know here in Wisconsin, there isn't. For the life of me, I don't know any good reason they shouldn't start using it.

From what I have been told is one reason for no shot clock for high schools in Wisconsin is the cost involved in putting them in. That is the same reason for no visible play clocks for high school football in Wisconsin. Even when playing at a location where there are clocks available, they don't use them for football.

[BB61]

One team won and one team lost.

You play all-out until the final buzzer.

And what does winning 100-0 over a team that hasn't won a game in four years get you? You don't get any extra points in the standings, you don't get any extra incentive.

I agree that you have play hard throughout, but there is a point where you realize that neither team gets anything out of stealing the ball at half court and coasting in for constant layups.

I'm not going to say that I agree with the coach getting fired, but I think there's something else in play here. It's very possible that there could've been a suspension brewing originally and there was some sort of disagreement between the coach and the school that escalated it to a termination.

[Gary]

I'm sorry but 100-0 is inexcusible. The fact they played a school that hasn't won a game in 4 years and is mentally disabled should tell you where the mental state of the players are.

No there should not be a mercy rule, but at least some kind of way to get a lower shot-clock so that way there the other team has a shot. Give it some balance. The coach shouldn't be fired, but he should be looked into. Possibly a suspension. Where is the good sportsmanship here, I don't see any in a 100-0 blowout, all I see is someone padding his ego

[ProvidenceRI]

I wasn't there, but:

In high school, and middle school, we used to blow out 2 teams (1 a deaf team and 1 a small Catholic school). We were usually up 40 points by half. We would then basically play a stall offense the rest of the game. It was embarrassing to play in, I felt bad for the other team..

In middle school, my soccer team sucked. We were on the other end of things. It was embarrassing to watch a team purposely not score against you because you were that inferior.

My 2 cents: Is was much more demoralizing to have the winning team let up. I wish they had piled on the goals so they would think of my team as equals.

It's a game. If you are not prepared to lose by 1 point or 100 points, do not play it. No team should be punished for winning by that much. The league should of had a mercy rule.

[DEAD!]

*Herm Edwards* You play to win the game... but I never anything about embarrassing the other team

[TC]

One team won and one team lost.

You play all-out until the final buzzer.

No, you don't. When you are up 59-0 at halftime, you put in all your bench players, stop shooting 3's and you do not, under any circumstances, use a full court press. In fact, you probably do all of this when you are up 30-0 against a team that has gone winless over the last four seasons.

It's called "class", which apparently you could use some of if that's your real, honest attitude.

Sorry that I was blunt with that post. Yes, you do put in your worst players or players that don't get much playing time after you're up by fifty. But those players still have to play all-out. If I didn't get much playing time and finally got into a game, the last thing I would want my coach to tell me is to not play as hard as I normally would. Maybe you would try to run some new plays, try stuff you normally wouldn't do, but you still play hard.

It's sad that it had to happen to this particular team, and I agree that these two teams should have never played each other in the first place. The girls on the losing team should know they aren't likely to win a game, I hope they are just having fun playing the game. I can say that I have been on terrible winless basketball teams, and it sucks to lose. I remember getting blown out 82-2 in one game. But you get over it. You just practice, get better, and have fun in a situation like that.

[rams80]

I'm sorry but 100-0 is inexcusible. The fact they played a school that hasn't won a game in 4 years and is mentally disabled should tell you where the mental state of the players are.

OK then....

Why is this school (the losers) still in the Conference at this point? If they refuse to face reality that they are outmatched in the Conference, perhaps their athletic director should be replaced by someone who knows that continuing on this course is not healthy.

[pcgd]

I wasn't there, but:

In high school, and middle school, we used to blow out 2 teams (1 a deaf team and 1 a small Catholic school). We were usually up 40 points by half. We would then basically play a stall offense the rest of the game. It was embarrassing to play in, I felt bad for the other team..

In middle school, my soccer team sucked. We were on the other end of things. It was embarrassing to watch a team purposely not score against you because you were that inferior.

My 2 cents: Is was much more demoralizing to have the winning team let up. I wish they had piled on the goals so they would think of my team as equals.

It's a game. If you are not prepared to lose by 1 point or 100 points, do not play it. No team should be punished for winning by that much. The league should of had a mercy rule.

While I agree that patronizing the other team helps nobody, I don't think shooting 3s and having a full court press on is a way to do it either.

You put in your backups, you play solid d, but nothing fancy, you work on your offensive plays and don't shoot anything outside the arc. The coach should have taken this as a learning opportunity. You don't get many game like situations to actually practice an offense or get the JV players into a game.

[DEAD!]

I wasn't there, but:

In high school, and middle school, we used to blow out 2 teams (1 a deaf team and 1 a small Catholic school). We were usually up 40 points by half. We would then basically play a stall offense the rest of the game. It was embarrassing to play in, I felt bad for the other team..

In middle school, my soccer team sucked. We were on the other end of things. It was embarrassing to watch a team purposely not score against you because you were that inferior.

My 2 cents: Is was much more demoralizing to have the winning team let up. I wish they had piled on the goals so they would think of my team as equals.

It's a game. If you are not prepared to lose by 1 point or 100 points, do not play it. No team should be punished for winning by that much. The league should of had a mercy rule.

While I agree that patronizing the other team helps nobody, I don't think shooting 3s and having a full court press on is a way to do it either.

You put in your backups, you play solid d, but nothing fancy, you work on your offensive plays and don't shoot anything outside the arc. The coach should have taken this as a learning opportunity. You don't get many game like situations to actually practice an offense or get the JV players into a game.

... not to forget: this team will now be targeted by future opponents for doing what they did.

[BrySmalls]

I wasn't there, but:

In high school, and middle school, we used to blow out 2 teams (1 a deaf team and 1 a small Catholic school). We were usually up 40 points by half. We would then basically play a stall offense the rest of the game. It was embarrassing to play in, I felt bad for the other team..

In middle school, my soccer team sucked. We were on the other end of things. It was embarrassing to watch a team purposely not score against you because you were that inferior.

My 2 cents: Is was much more demoralizing to have the winning team let up. I wish they had piled on the goals so they would think of my team as equals.

It's a game. If you are not prepared to lose by 1 point or 100 points, do not play it. No team should be punished for winning by that much. The league should of had a mercy rule.

While I agree that patronizing the other team helps nobody, I don't think shooting 3s and having a full court press on is a way to do it either.

You put in your backups, you play solid d, but nothing fancy, you work on your offensive plays and don't shoot anything outside the arc. The coach should have taken this as a learning opportunity. You don't get many game like situations to actually practice an offense or get the JV players into a game.

... not to forget: this team will now be targeted by future opponents for doing what they did.

Wonder if there would be a further outcry if the winning team wins the state title?

[ProvidenceRI]

While I agree that patronizing the other team helps nobody, I don't think shooting 3s and having a full court press on is a way to do it either.

You put in your backups, you play solid d, but nothing fancy, you work on your offensive plays and don't shoot anything outside the arc. The coach should have taken this as a learning opportunity. You don't get many game like situations to actually practice an offense or get the JV players into a game.

True. Their acts were classless, but not illegal.

[DEAD!]

... not to forget: this team will now be targeted by future opponents for doing what they did.

Wonder if there would be a further outcry if the winning team wins the state title?

I would say no because at least they would have played against comparable competition to win the title.

[O_Town_Clown]

I'm sorry but 100-0 is inexcusible. The fact they played a school that hasn't won a game in 4 years and is mentally disabled should tell you where the mental state of the players are.

OK then....

Why is this school (the losers) still in the Conference at this point? If they refuse to face reality that they are outmatched in the Conference, perhaps their athletic director should be replaced by someone who knows that continuing on this course is not healthy.

I don't think these girls should be kept from participating because of a poor record, or because of a disability. They deserve the right to play and be a part of a team as much as anyone.

Do you really think it's so out of the question for other teams in the conference to exhibit a little sportsmanship? Do you want to be the one to tell these girls that they just aren't good enough to be a play? That they can't put on a uniform and make their parents proud?

I really think people in this thread are arguing just to stir up debate. I can't believe that posters on this board are so devoid of logic and compassion.

[Cujo]

What ever happend to "It's just a game"?

This coach may be an insensitive a**hole, but he shouldn't become unemployed for choosing not to go soft on an opponent. As unfair as 100-0 might seem those involved, the guy was simply doing his job. How hard is it to just move on and just get ready to play the next game, really?

[LMU]

It's a double standard when you have teams that are put together to compete and vie for titles forced to play teams nowhere near the talent level and with mental and physical disabilities who are only there for the fun of it.

You can't force competitive teams to drop their whole approach to the game whenever they're scheduled against one of these schools and become essentially Special Olympics coaches.

If Dallas Academy wants to play basketball, either have it as a PE sport, or form a league against other like academies. Don't throw your players against these schools you have no shot against, as all it will end up doing is cause the PC uproar that it is now.

The coach should definitely file a wrongful termination lawsuit, because it's quite frankly unfair to both sides when you force one team to handcuff themselves and the other to be destroyed on a regular basis.