Click images for desktop size: "Stone Soldier" by Dakann There's a bit of a scandal at the high school where I volunteer. One of the players had conflicting birth dates - one set showed 1988 and another showed 1987.
Its important because if he turned 19 before October he's an ineligible player.
He did and he was.
The HC is the one who caught it. He reaffirmed why I like him. He didn't wait and see if it would be caught. He didn't sit the player out and pretend nothing happened.
He called the league and forfeited all the games. He called the players and coaches together and let us know what had been done. He sent a letter to each of the varsity players explaining the facts.
He took full responsibility. He didn't blame a clerk for making the mistake. He didn't blame the kid. He never let anyone have a clue as to whom the kid might be.
The HC has a family and a teenaged daughter in there too.He has put them at risk. He needs the job, wants a better one. He knows he has a good chance of being fired for this because the local papers who carried the story have all pointed out that this would be the first losing season in 47 years . . . A few parents have already expressed outrage.
We were going to go to the state playoffs, now we would have to win out and hope for a few miracles to make it but we still might play for the championship. The players opportunities for the future haven't been impacted - a college recruiter isn't going to scratch their names off the books over this. Sure, there's some disappointment but I would rather that a kid see a man stand up in the path of fire because it was the right thing to do instead of just winning a championship.
Its what I mean about the game teaching the athlete about life.
I think the HC did something heroic and courageous. I have seen him do nothing but the right thing. He could have kept his mouth shut. He could have slunk around worried that one of the other coaches might catch the technical error. It wasn't that the kid has his grades fixed to be eligible. It wasn't that they were trying to sneak in a bigger kid for a fifth year of eligibility. It just happened and it was wrong. The HC stood up to it in a way I understand and relate to.
He's a fine man who just set a sterling example to the players on his team, and a good example to other coaches and their players. I note that none of our opponents, especially our less economically disadvantaged opponents, have refused to accept the forfeit, claiming they did not deserve the win. (I've done that in the past and believe it is the proper response here. I don't blame them for taking advantage of the technicality, nor do I judge them. They understand the needs of their own teams, I can't claim to know that.)
My feeling is that the HC is a good man who has done the best thing. If he is going to be attacked for it I will support him.

Click images for desktop size: "Streetfighter" by Sega I'm sick and I'm tired but there are some fights that get thrust in your way and you know that to avoid them would be to your detriment and to the detriment of the community and to society. I am old battered warrior which means I want to win with the least effort possible. That makes me dangerous because I've fought people like this far too many times.
Maybe I'll be wrong and people might actually understand that teaching a few noble sentiments and learning to be proud of the right things is more important than a game. Its a big lesson that the game teaches these young people.
Now, tomorrow, we have to play the highest ranked team we've yet to face. I figured us to win. It will come down to the team and what they want.
I think that's how it should be.

I'm doing okay. I wonder if people realize that I'm pretty happy. The things that bother me don't stop me from being happy.
My puppy is happy. She bugs me all the time and insists I be happy.
Things bother me. Nothing mush is like I want it to be. So what.

I may have found a housemate. My puppy's and my house is cute and with just us here it feels like a home - maybe a bit slap dash but still a home. We'll be okay.

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