By now, many people have seen the
recent lop-sided score by Aledo High School over Fort Worth Western Hills
High School in Texas. The final
score was 91-0. While at first glance it is extremely easy to say that
Aledo showed poor sportsmanship, in reality it’s hard to say Aledo could do
much else.
Butt-whippings in sports are nothing new to most people, but it never fails that every once in awhile there is one game that really grabs the attention of the entire country. This game certainly was one of those games, and to make matters worse a parent of a player for Western Hills filed a bullying report on the Aledo coaching staff. I personally find this accusation a bit ridiculous.
Aledo is the #1 ranked team in
class 4A in the state of Texas, which is the second largest classification in
the state. While some people may
see this and ask why would such a dominant team schedule a weak opponent, Western
Hills is unfortunately in the same district as Aledo; therefore the two teams
are required to play in a district match-up.
Aledo’s offense ran a total of 32
plays, the starting running back touched the ball 6 times (4 of those for a
touchdown), and most of the starters only played 16 snaps, according to ESPN.com. ESPN quoted the head coach, Tim
Buchanan in saying, “I can’t tell the backups not to play hard, they’ve worked
their tails off all week. They’ve
lifted weights in the offseason.
I’m not going to tell them not to play.”
So my question for people that
believe the coach was out of line is, “What should Buchanan have done? Tell his backups that rarely get to
play to take a knee or fall down when they touch the ball?” Keep in mind these are also kids that
have put in just as many practice hours as the starters without the chance to
play regularly. Should Aledo’s
coach send the message to his players that sometimes in life you will be better
at a job than someone else, so in order for them to not get embarrassed or look
bad, don’t work too hard to do your best so that it is fair for everyone involved? I sure hope this isn’t where we are
headed as a society, but should I be surprised?
Here is a participation ribbon,
thanks for reading.
Someone wins, someone looses. I have always tried to teach my children to be the "Best" that they can be. If you first do not succeed try, try again. I agree with the Coach.
ReplyDeleteThank you Tyler, I always like to read your protective on articles.
After hearing this story I am shocked at the uproar about it. I believe the Aledo coach did everything right. You mentioned in the blog that you can't ask a third string player not to play when given the chance. Yes, it ran up the score, but those kids were probably super excited just to play the game that they love. Being a third string player, you get beat up in practice being on scout team and helping to prepare the staters. You rarely get the opportunity to actually play, These players are the unsung heroes. The fact that these athletes had the opportunity to compete is exciting for the players.
ReplyDeleteIn today's society, we seem afraid to hurt someones feelings or tell a child they didn't win, but that is an aspect of life that every child needs to learn. There will always be winners and losers in life. These children that think they are entitled to an easy way out or sympathy because they aren't as good as their opponent are going to have a rude awakening when they get out of their sheltered atmosphere. This story is a prime example of what is wrong with today's youth. These kids and there parents need to toughen up their skin and accept they lost the game. It Happens. Get past it and move on and prepare for the next game.
The fact that a players parent claimed that Aledo bullied their team is amazing. If you look up the stats to this game they did anything but run up the score on Western Hills High School. If Aledo really wanted to they probably could have scored 150 or even more. The coach didn't even play his starters or second string the whole time. The third string got playing time as well. Even then they didn't throw the ball much and ran it down their throats. The fact that this parent thought this was bullying just shows you how todays sports have changed from just even 10 years ago. These days it seems everyone has to be a winner.
ReplyDeleteAledo's coaching staff did exactly what they should have done. When any person that knows anything about football watches this they realize right away the Aledo (a dominating team played a weaker opponent. Maybe someday it will be Western Hills turn to pay Aledo back. I only hope the parents that dreamed up the bullying issue are there if Western Hills ever runs up the score on another team. Good article and thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteI always told my boys...some you win some you lose and some get rained out. The score showed who won the game.Aledo shoud be proud and hold their heads high they whooped em. Enjoyed your article Tyler.
ReplyDeleteThese days, children are put in a bubble and parents want to make sure nobody's feelings get hurt at the end of the day; an "everybody is a winner" mentality. When in reality, this is a lie. When these kids grow up and lose, they won't have a clue on how to handle it. It is frustrating to hear stories like these due to the fact that parents are creating monsters without knowing it. You win some, you lose some and the earlier you learn it, the better.
ReplyDeleteAs a child, playing sports helped sculpt me into the person I am today by showing me how to cope with adversity and defeat. It allows people to grow and develop but also shows that their work or practice may not be good enough, so work harder. In no way was this game bullying, the parents and players were just embarrassed! Happens to the best of us; WORK SMARTER AND HARDER SO IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN!
I can understand the parent filing a grievance in this situation. However, it is baffling that the term “bullying” was used to describe what transpired. At most, the grievance should be filed with the UIL alignment committee, as they are the ones who ultimately created this situation. At no time should athletic superiority be labeled as “bullying”, as it is a complex and sensitive subject that goes beyond a high school athletic competition. Simplifying the playbook and running 32 plays does not constitute the definition of “bullying”.
ReplyDeleteAledo has been a powerhouse for the last 5 years and seemingly continues to gets better. That being the case the only one to blame for any district blow out games would be the UIL that makes up the district, not the teams that play in them. Each school should play every sport to the best of its abilities regardless of the outcome. I personally long for the day where a team’s athlete can compete to the best of their abilities without concern of retaliation for blowing a team out of the water. What more can I say but Go Bear Cats!
ReplyDeleteI think that sportsmanship is a really good topic because this is something coaches should teach their players. The reason is because sportsmanship is a sign of someone’s character and if you are betting a team by 50 or more I think that your best players should no longer be in the game. When you leave your best players in at that point not only are you showing poor sportsmanship but also you are risking injury to those player in situations that doesn’t call for it. Also when you are up by that much, that is a good time for the players who do not get that much playing time in other games to get a chance to play and broadcast their talents.
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