With Covid-19, the holidays, and all the distractions we are dealing with right now, you may have missed an important event and subsequent news stories. An incident of reprehensible public behavior relating to something of critical importance… Texas High School Football.
Last month, during a Texas high school football game, a player was ejected for unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike like conduct. A rare occurrence, but not unheard of. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, an individual player crosses the line. There is an in-game consequence and the game goes on. The player will face additional team administered consequences following the game.
But that is not what happened in this case.
When the player heard that he was ejected, he then ran back on the field and blind side tackled the referee. This is a grievous and serious offence that occurred in front of everyone, on the near sacred ground of a Texas Football Field. Such an act required meaningful and serious consequences and accountability for the player, and the athletic program and coaching staff that allowed such a lapse in discipline and judgement to occur.
This is what Texas High School Football consequences and accountability looks like.
- The player is unable to compete in any school (UIL) sports for the remainder of the year.
- The player had criminal charges filed against him.
- The head coach received a public reprimand.
- The head coach was placed on UIL probation through the 2021/2022 school year.
- The school athletic program (all sports) received a public reprimand.
- The school athletic program (all sports) received two year’s UIL probation.
- The football team forfeited out of the state playoffs.
- The school district issued a public apology to the referee and his family, and to the community.
I have not talked to one Texas central office leader, campus leader, or coach that was not only shocked and appalled by the incident; nor thought that the consequences were too harsh. In fact most of them are surprised that the head coach and coaching staff still have a job (though that may change by May).
Reprehensible Public Behavior, Consequence, and Accountability for something really important… Texas High School Football.
The current President of the United States lost an election by over 7 million votes. He has lied to his supporters about those results since Election Day. He called his supporters to the White House lawn, in an event that he advertised would be “wild.” He aired his grievances and then he and the other speakers fired the crowd up, like coaches do in a locker room. Then the President of the United States pointed that crowd towards the Capitol for the purpose of halting the certification of the election results. That crowd of insurgents and seditionists overran and occupied the United States Capitol for over five hours.
Reprehensible Public Behavior. My question is why do we hold high school football coaches more accountable for the actions of their players, than we do the current President for the immediate terroristic actions of his summoned and directed mob?
God Bless the United States of America and those who place country above party and personality.
