In his 30 years with the KHSAA, Tackett says, “The Band Played On” game was the first instance he could recall of a postgame scuffle between opposing players. Now they are becoming numerous.

 

“It’s not unusual for us to get 8-10 (incidents) in a soccer season, 4-5 in a football season,” Tackett said. “We’ve had them in volleyball. ... It changes your mood when you think, ‘My Lord, I used to worry if they were going to clip and block below the waist. Now I’ve got to worry about kids sucker-punching someone in a handshake line. What’s happened?’ ”

 

Shortly after the Alabama High School Athletic Association released a report that showed that ejections of players and coaches had reached a six-year high in 2012-13, competing coaches for rivals Cullman and Walker exchanged punches following a football game.

 

Last month at least 27 Wisconsin police officers responded to a melee incited by a handshake-line scuffle after Madison West lost to Memorial.

 

In January two Chicago high school coaches and two players were suspended after a handshake-line shoving match escalated into a fight. Spectator Tyrone Lawson, ostensibly fleeing the gym as the fight spilled outside, was fatally shot at the scene.

 

“Instead of looking forward to prom, I’m looking for an insurance policy to bury him,” Lawson’s mother told the Chicago Tribune.

 

“It’s not just here,” Tackett said. “It’s not just there. It’s not an urban/rural thing. It’s just an atmosphere that it could go wrong at any second. What it is a sign of is that perhaps that hair-trigger that has always been there is a little tighter right now. Maybe people are more willing to take out their aggressions (postgame) than doing it on the field.

 

“I’m 53. I would not have thought about doing something crazy in postgame because I knew first my coach was going to whip me, then my parents. That can’t be said today.”

 

Much as we might prefer a sports world populated by gracious winners and noble losers, hostilities don’t always end at the final gun/buzzer/point/out. Ben Blood, then a hockey defenseman for the University of North Dakota, lost his assistant captaincy last year for a handshake-line fight with the Minnesota Gophers.

 

“Every time you hear of it, you don’t dare say, ‘That’s the worst ever,’ ” Tackett said. “Because you’ve just jinxed yourself.”

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20131009/COLUMNISTS01/310090143/Tim-Sullivan-least-KHSAA-commissioner-Julian-Tackett-shaking-things-up

I hear there are fights in bars too. I'm thinking they should all be closed permanently so they don't have to worry about fights taking place there.

I hear there are fights in bars too. I'm thinking they should all be closed permanently so they don't have to worry about fights taking place there.

 

:lol:

 

Reach much?

Is this really a "controversy"?

I just think that by the KHSAA doing this, they are ignoring the real issue of player/coach behavior. If someone can't control themselves before/during/after a game, then they should be punished with real consequences. Start fining the schools (not just the coaches) who have coaches and players that misbehave and I promise that the schools and AD will take notice.

What was "The Band Played On" game? I know in 87 there was a fight in the playoffs between Shelby Co and I believe Holy Cross after the game.

 

I'm fine with the no handshake thing. If you work in education you know how much things have changed with kids, parents and schools.

Where are all the KY incidents they were talking about?

I just think that by the KHSAA doing this, they are ignoring the real issue of player/coach behavior. If someone can't control themselves before/during/after a game, then they should be punished with real consequences. Start fining the schools (not just the coaches) who have coaches and players that misbehave and I promise that the schools and AD will take notice.

 

How are they ignoring the issue? They are getting right out in front of it, stopping it before it starts.

:lol:

 

Reach much?

No kidding.

How are they ignoring the issue? They are getting right out in front of it, stopping it before it starts.

Just out of curiosity, what do you think the issue is?

Sounds like, IMO, the underlying issue may be lack of reporting of incidents by the schools. This allows them to punish those that don't report as well as take action against those that do. I would think the punishment for those that lack to report incidents will be much more than those that report a minor incident, as long as they aren't repeat offenders.

I cant believe that Tackett said his coach would have whipped him had he gotten out of line..WTH

He needs to quit talking to the press imo, this is disturbing to say the least.:thumb:

I cant believe that Tackett said his coach would have whipped him had he gotten out of line..WTH

He needs to quit talking to the press imo, this is disturbing to say the least.:thumb:

He's getting to the point of being anotgher Mike Brown or Jerry Jones, everytime he opens his mouth tthe rest of the state holds it's collective breath.

The sad part for KY is he is now on the national stage doing it....WOW:scared:

 

Can you say "Gag Order" my Lord!!!

Just out of curiosity, what do you think the issue is?

 

I think the issue has nothing really to do with sportsmanship as its presented. The handshake line at the end of game means nothing really. How you play between the lines and between the whistles is the true sportsmanship of the game. The intent of this is strictly liability and really nothing more. The best practice to relieve as much of that liability as possible is to remove the format that could possible lead to an issue. In other words, if there is not any post game activities, this severely limits the possibility of any bad things happening. Yes its a protect your backside statement, nothing more, but a good one.

Edited October 11, 201313 yr by Ram