Two High School Footbal Students Suspended After Barreling into Referee

[Stuart G]

Source: Huf Post


Posted: 09/06/2015 06:55 PM EDT

A pair of San Antonio high school football players have been suspended from their team and their school after they appeared to tackle a field official during a Friday night game.

The tackle occurred in the final minute of a game between John Jay High School in San Antonio and Marble Falls High School, located roughly 50 miles northwest of Austin.

John Jay was trailing Marble Falls 15-9 in the final minute of the game, according to the San Antonio Express-News. In video of the incident, a John Jay player wearing jersey No. 12 is seen charging into the back of the referee from seven yards away as the ref watched a play unfold nine yards in front of him. As the official went down, John Jay player No. 81 ran from the other flank and barreled into the man headfirst.

Names of the high schoolers and the official have not been released.


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/john-jay-football-tackle-ref_55ec97abe4b03784e2762092

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If you hit link, you can see the hits. I have never heard of this happening. ???

[PSPS]

1. Thank heavens this nationally-important 2-day-old story was posted in LBN !!1!1!

[Duckhunter935]

2. Posted: 09/06/2015 06:55 PM EDT

[Stuart G]

5. The story is about the suspension of students due to possible assult.

Evidently the suspensions happened today, as far as I know.. I had never heard of this anywhere in this country. That is why I just posted this. Stories about students hitting and hurting teachers have appeared here occasionally, and the opposite. But this one, is new to me.

[Duckhunter935]

7. That is why I posted the time stamp

It fits the SOP

[Stryder]

23. Possible assault?

Stop this crap right now. Jail time.
No way to spin this.

[63splitwindow]

29. You find humor in what happened?

[Abouttime]

80. There is another side

The ref was using racial slurs. Maybe he had it coming?

[840high]

17. I first read it today on another site.

Glad it was posted.

[63splitwindow]

25. Saw it on news tonight...

also glad this was posted.

[840high]

18. Not enjoying your wee-end - eh?

[marble falls]

42. The news of the suspension IS LBN. And I was glad to read it.

[olegramps]

45. Doesn't everyone know that organized sports builds character. Maybe for some, some not.

[Kurska]

49. It fits the SOP

don't like it don't click it.

[Duckhunter935]

3. They should be removed from the team for the season.

[marble falls]

40. They should be arrested. They could have seriously injured the Ref. I think its pretty obvious....

they were looking to put the hurts on the Ref.

[tomm2thumbs]

4. various angles - video

[tomm2thumbs]

6. Could have paralyzed him or worse

[Duckhunter935]

8. I think they should be charged

For agrivated assault. Pads and helmets used as weapons in a premeditated attack.

[Stuart G]

9. I agree. Why not charge the two with assult and battery.

One hit the ref when he was already down. Why?

[herding cats]

16. That looked very intentional.

That ref could have been, and may even still be seriously hurt. I read they (the ref) wanted to press assault charges but none were followed up on that night. I don't blame them for their desire in the least. It's a testament to what's become of HS sports programs when when things such as this take place. Which is the precursor to college sports and then pro sports atrocities committed by the players. We are broken.

Look at the kid, #3 on the opposing team. They're completely confused by what took place and walking around with their hands out looking back at the ref on the gound. They knew it was wrong, too.

The AP picked this up today and it's spread from coast to coast and has even been picked up by the Daily Mail rag. Maybe people will start to pay more attention at lower levels to what's taking place within our US sports culture now?

Since it was two players acting from the beginning of the play in a fashion that was apparent they were attacking the ref, I'm not convinced the coach wasn't involved either. It reeks.

[marble falls]

41. No doubt that the coach was involved. Either directly by ordering it or by fostering the 'culture'.

[yuiyoshida]

27. totally intentional

[7962]

10. They should be arrested and charged with assault. Watch that video.

That hit on an old guy with no protection couldve killed him

[6chars]

12. didn't look accidental

[7962]

26. Hell no it wasnt an accident. They hit him well away from the play.

The deep guy ran straight at the ref as soon as the ball was snapped. then the other guy falls on top of him!

[smiley]

11. I wouldn't be surprised...

to see both athletes charged with assault. Which is exactly what it looked like to me.

[pangaia]

13. The coach should be fired and the football program discontinued.

[truebluegreen]

37. I'm leaning that way too.

Two other players on that team had already been ejected from the game: WTH kind of a program is that coach running?

[pangaia]

46. The COACH is 100% responsible.

If he taught his players about being human beings, whatever their parents are teaching them, this type of thing would be impossible. Screw high school football, anyway.

Can imagine this happening in a high school orchestra?

---OK, now somebody will find a story about a trombone player throwing his slide at a conductor. :&gt )))

[TexasBushwhacker]

62. My guess is it was the coach's idea

There is no way these kids decided to do this on their own. The coach probably told them to do it and that they would get suspended for a couple of games. Coaches get fired when they have too many losing seasons, even in high school and head football coaches often make more than the principle.

[pangaia]

68. Good points, all.

[TexasBushwhacker]

78. As far as I can tell, they've had 2 losing seasons n/t

[Reter]

48. "Her clothes were too skimpy so the rape was expected

Victim blaming.

[truebluegreen]

50. Wow.

Responsible adults in charge of the program have no responsibility? Wow.

[Reter]

63. My bad

I got the coach mixed up with the ref. I thought someone was blaming the ref for a bad call.

[truebluegreen]

66. Whew!

[sarisataka]

51. Psst, see that guy

The one with the stripes. He's the ref, not the coach.

He's the victim. No one is blaming him.

[bluestateguy]

14. I have a friend who refed games to put himself through school

It's a thanklesss job; you never get applause or thank yous when you make good calls, but one questionable call will make you more hated than Osama bin Laden.

[bluestateguy]

15. This would have been a good ripped from the headlines storyline for Friday Night Lights

nt

[Pharaoh]

19. They could have broke his back

or neck. I'm sure they thought it was funny. But need face the consequences....

[Feeling the Bern]

20. Assault, thrown off the team, expelled, sued for any medical bills

I played football for 15 years. Never once did that ever enter my mind.

This was intentionally. There was nothing unintentional about that.

[dsc]

21. frankly these kids should be in jail and expelled

There is no excuse at all for this behavior. And the refs should refuse to work any games with that school until those kids are expelled.

[jtuck004]

22. Assault and battery is the combination of two violent crimes:

assault (the threat of violence) and battery (physical violence). This legal distinction exists only in jurisdictions that distinguish assault as threatened violence rather than actual violence.

wiki.

Lining up and performing a cowardly battery on an unsuspecting adult from ambush isn't their first crime.

That takes practice.

[Euphoria]

38. Coach and program "culture" need to be

looked at as well.

[63splitwindow]

24. yep, criminal charges appear appropriate...

and those can proceed in the regular fashion for that jurisdiction. Let the chips fall where they may.

[6chars]

32. on video, many witnesses, numbers on back

pretty good evidence.

[C Moon]

30. That is sick!

[roscoeroscoe]

31. Absolutely criminal

Criminal charges, banned.

Investigate the program

[onecaliberal]

33. Not only should they be arrested but they should be expelled from the school district.

What the hell kind of depraved mind does that?

[No Vested Interest]

34. I've heard that high schol football is taken very seriously in Texas,

but this is several steps too far.

[sarisataka]

35. At first I thought criminal charges? Really?

after seeing the videos it is clear this is indeed a premeditated act with an attempt to harm.

[tblue37]

36. Apparently 2 other players had already been ejected and the team was losing

the game. It sounds as though these jerks were trying to exact revenge on the referee for his calls.

[Sunlei]

39. They planned that. Off the team, no more football for those two idiots.

[paleotn]

43. Felony assault.....

Kicking them off the team and suspending them from school is not enough. This warrants criminal charges.

[riversedge]

44. There has been several stories over the last several years of how Texas HS football

rules the roast. Some of the stores are not good. Parents get over-involved (getting in fights with coaches refs etc), kids feeling guilty for not winning, links with patriotism (not in a good way). This article reminded me of those stories.

[Paladin]

47. Looks like blatant criminal assault.

Those two players should face charges, and the entire John Jay High School football program should pay a severe, lengthy price for this ugly incident. And spare me the "Texas Football Culture" deflection, OK? Nothing like this is countenanced by Texas football enthusiasts at any level---pro, college or high school.

Looking forward to the response from the officials' association on this.

[workinclasszero]

54. "Looks like blatant criminal assault." For sure.

1. Instant suspension from school.

2. Never play football again for life.

3. Jail time.

[Paladin]

55. Your 1. and 2. immediately, and forever.

I'll wait for the results of a trial for 3., but a sentence of jail certainly wouldn't displease me.

[workinclasszero]

56. I just hope there are no lasting physical

problems from this vicious assault.

[Paladin]

57. Amen to that. (nt)

[RandySF]

52. I wouldn't be surprised if criminal charges come as well.

[GOLGO 13]

53. Texans will hail them as heros

Texans love football more than they love Jezuz. And they love them some Jezuz. They'll excuse this behavior because....FOOTBALL!

[goldent]

60. I kinda doubt they will be hailed as heroes

[philosslayer]

58. Possible racist comments?

According to the young men in question, the referee had been making racist comments to them throughout the game. Their actions are not acceptable, but IF the allegation of racist comments is true, then that is clearly a mitigating factor.

I will reserve judgement until more facts are known.

[Doctor_J]

67. first, the kids are probably lying about the racial slurs. second, they deserve jail time

anyway.

[philosslayer]

69. You have no way of knowing that

How about we do a bit of investigating before we raise the gallows

[tabasco]

70. How about recognizing that any kind of verbal assault

does not justify a brutal physical assault?

[philosslayer]

71. No, but its certainly a mitigating factor

When children are subject to racial slurs from adults, I'm inclined to give the children the benefit of the doubt.

[Doctor_J]

72. And that if the ref had been using racial slurs all night, he'd have been removed from the field

long before it came to this.

An experienced and respected ref suddenly spends the entire night hurling n-bombs? And then the coaches and other refs let it go on all night? Yeah sure.

[goldent]

59. Needs more investigation become making a final conclusion.

[d_legendary1]

64. From the look of it these kids might face jail time

regardless of racists comments or no the law does not allow for assaulting an individual if they say disturbing things.

[herding cats]

65. I doubt there were any racist comments by the referee

He's a highly respected business man from Austin, TX. He works in a field where he has to have a sense of diplomacy and understand where the limits are and respect them at all times. Officiating was a personal, and private, passion of his for the past 14 years. Never once was there any such complaint against him logged in the past which I could find. He could still be a closet racist, anything is possible after all, but it's highly unlikely he would slip up and go off calling both Latinos and AA kids racial slurs all of a sudden. Even if he did, considering his career and how such an action would destroy it, he would not be pursuing legal charges against them. He'd have just wanted it to go away as quietly and quickly as possible. If he did use racial slurs, then he's ruined in his career. Which is as it should be.

If anything I think the kid(s) might have been exposed to some good 'ol boy racism from the students in a podunk town and assumed the ref was from the area as well. They were as wrong about that as they were to assault and the liable and slander the victim. He's very upset by the slander being committed against him.

He said today:

“Libel and slander have already been committed against me. I will be contacting the appropriate people soon and any statement from me will come at a later date.”
http://www.texashsfootball.com/i-try-to-keep-my-officiating-quiet-unfortunately-this-will-be-big-news/

I'm not going to out him even though it's bound to happen before too much longer.

[Dr. Strange]

73. Mike Pereira weighs in:

[WhoWoodaKnew]

74. Hear Hear!! Couldn't have said it better myself.

[tblue37]

75. Could you summarize for us deafies? nt

[happyslug]

76. He wants the whole team suspended for the rest of the year

The rationale is right, referees must be PROTECTED. This was so clear an attack on a referee that just to suspend the two people who did the attack is NOT enough the whole team must be punished for the rest of the year.

[tblue37]

77. Sounds right to me. nt

[Manifestor_of_Light]

79. Charge the bastards with aggravated assault, a felony.

And sue them for personal injuries in state court.