Basketball team wins 100-0 over learning disabled kids, apologizes, fires coach

[Resolute 14]

The coach in question was fired after disagreeing with an apology issued by school officials.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...u.2781526.html

[Gozer]

Its kind of a good story if you look at it as the losing team was down 90-0 and was still working hard and trying.

You don't get in some NHL games when its 3-1.

[cyclone3483]

I understand in some situations (like college football) where points are important to national ranking and playoff placement. But I get the impression that wasn't the case here.

More important than winning is integrity. In this case, a Christian school, should reflect Christian values. Running the score up to 100 does not seem very Christ-like to me. Pretty sure Jesus didn't run up the score in open draidle (sp?) competitions .... but let's face it, the guy walked on water and turned water to wine, He could have destroyed Itsaac and Yousef in draidle if He wanted to.

Anyway, I will bet that some of the players were feeling pretty uneasy about running it up, but have to follow the coach's directions. The coach has been punished, but those players must feel terrible.

It really isn't that hard...once you get that 25-0 lead, coast...let the opponent take a few shots so you can practice rebounding, play in different positions to improve team flexibility, encourage the opponents when they make a good play or give them suggestions to improve...and you would bet the opponenets would respect your team all the more for it.

It isn't so hard to win AND still walk away feeling good about yourself.

[cyclone3483]

Resolute 14, you might want to change the thread title though... the report says they were 'learning disabled' not 'mentally challenged'. Some very intelligent people can be learning disabled (e.g. Einstein), but 'mentally disabled' indicates less mental capacity than the average person.

just a thought

[Knut]

http://metrocolumnistsblog.dallasnew...am-that-l.html

Mark Cuban has invited the losing team to enjoy a Mavs game in his Luxury box. Great gesture from him IMO.

[Bobblehead]

From the Dallas Academy website:

Dallas Academy offers a structured multisensory program for students with diagnosed learning differences in grades 3-12.

We believe that structure and a caring, experienced staff are the main factors for success at the Academy. The classes provide a quiet, nurturing environment to students who in the past have had trouble with concentration and short attention spans. Many of these boys and girls are very frustrated and have not been successful in previous school settings.

The multisensory approach is especially beneficial to those students who have been diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and other learning differences. Total enrollment ranges between 140 and 145 students with the class size ranging from 8 to 13 students. Dallas Academy is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and follows the current curriculum guidelines set by the Texas Education Agency.

So yeah, learning disabled.

Although in this case, Dallas Academy only got 7 shot all game, and Covenant had a press on all game, until they got to 100. So the Covenant coach was still a dick.

[Resolute 14]

Yeah, changed. The first story I read characterized them as "mentally challenged" kids, the second, and the one I linked, used "learning disabled".

[cyclone3483]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Mark Cuban has invited the losing team to enjoy a Mavs game in his Luxury box. Great gesture from him IMO.

He comes off like a media whore at times, but the guy does some really nice things.

[burn_baby_burn]

I agree with the firing of the coach. Could there have ever been a worse display of sportsmanship in the entire history of the world? It is my understanding that the winning team kept using a full court press despite having a huge lead. If that coach had any sense of decency, he/she would have no press at all playing a zone defense with the bench players. If my kid played on that team I would have demanded the coach be fired on the spot.

[GirlySports]

Isn't the onus on the losing team to find competition closer to it's level? Even though this is an extreme case and the coach is an ahole, I heard that this team hasn't come close to winning a game in 5 years. They need to find a small school close to their level and then work their way up.

[cyclone3483]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

I agree with the firing of the coach. Could there have ever been a worse display of sportsmanship in the entire history of the world? It is my understanding that the winning team kept using a full court press despite having a huge lead. If that coach had any sense of decency, he/she would have no press at all playing a zone defense with the bench players. If my kid played on that team I would have demanded the coach be fired on the spot.

Hitler invading Poland with Tanks and Heavy Artillery while all the Poles had were Horsemen with rifles. I think that was a worse display of sportsmanship.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

I agree with the firing of the coach. Could there have ever been a worse display of sportsmanship in the entire history of the world?

This comes to mind:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/222-0

And yeah, I agree. Very bad form by the coach.

I guess some school aged leagues here in town have a rule where you automatically forfeit a game if you win by more than 40 points.

[cyclone3483]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Isn't the onus on the losing team to find competition closer to it's level? Even though this is an extreme case and the coach is an ahole, I heard that this team hasn't come close to winning a game in 5 years. They need to find a small school close to their level and then work their way up.

I agree that the losing school need to look themselves in the mirror. Their administration is at least partially responsible for setting up the scenario., but each is accountable for their own actions.

If your team is up 25-0 after a few mins against a completely overmatched opponent, time to be compassionate and take the high road.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

This comes to mind:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/222-0

And yeah, I agree. Very bad form by the coach.

I guess some school aged leagues here in town have a rule where you automatically forfeit a game if you win by more than 40 points.

And that coach that ran up the score got a trophy named after him. This coach was fired; oh, the injustice of it all! Fate is a fickle mistress.

[Gozer]

Anyone else wonder if the dyslexic kids were cheering?

[cyclone3483]

Originally Posted by Gozer

Anyone else wonder if the dyslexic kids were cheering?

does it make me a bad person for laughing at that?

[CaptainCrunch]

Screw compassion and fair play, and not humiliating the enemy.

You should be grinding your boot into the back of their neck, throwing elbows when your winning big. Slam dunking over top of them while sticking out your toungue.

they held em to 7 shots, it should have been zero shots, the winners should be running laps until they puke up their liver.

Sure winning creates character, while losing creates education.

Crush em all I say, and let the basketball gods sort em out later.

[Jason14h]

A few points to ponder

#1) Why is a team that hasn't won in 4 years still in this league? This is a blatant failure by the league.

#2) I suppose they "Ran it up" HOWEVER, they were up 25-0 in 3 mins. I am not sure how long these game are, but they certianly took the foot off the gas HUGE. How much can you not try before it becomes extra embarassing? Should the girls purposely miss shots? Throw the ball out of bounds? They played their bench players.

#3) I agree 100% with the coach's reaction to the apology.

I respectfully disagree with the apology, especially the notion that the Covenant School girls basketball team should feel 'embarrassed' or 'ashamed,

Why is the school making an apology that the players should be ashamed? The league should be ashamed for allowing two teams of such an obvious skill difference play.

Was it in good sportsmenship? No. But firing coach because he either did his job and won the game, or because he defended his players is the school taking the easy way out.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Screw compassion and fair play, and not humiliating the enemy.

You should be grinding your boot into the back of their neck, throwing elbows when your winning big. Slam dunking over top of them while sticking out your toungue.

they held em to 7 shots, it should have been zero shots, the winners should be running laps until they puke up their liver.

Sure winning creates character, while losing creates education.

Crush em all I say, and let the basketball gods sort em out later.

7 shots is way too much!

Would you agree that if this was a boy's game, the game would have been called in the second quarter due to the inevitable brawl. HS aged boys wouldn't stand for this. I also think it would be much harder to find a boys team that inept. No matter how bad the team, there is going to be one boy who makes a shot at some point.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by cyclone3483

Hitler invading Poland with Tanks and Heavy Artillery while all the Poles had were Horsemen with rifles. I think that was a worse display of sportsmanship.

I woudn't call war or empire building "sporting".