[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I would like to comment on the use of the F-word.

I am 49 years old and a member of the free speech movement of the 60's and 70's that has held true to his convictions and have not become politically correct. I will defend to the death the First Amendment except for libel, slander, and falsely yell fire in a crowded theater. I do not believe in censorship in any shape or form. Having said that let me say that one must exercise responsibility (not self censorship) when choosing the words that one uses to express themselves.

I am a structural design engineer and my father was a carpenter for over fifty years. I have been on construction sites all of my life (it seems) and I would describe my language as colorful at times. That means that I can curl your hair if it is straight and straighten it is curly, etc., etc.

The player who uses the F-word should be commended for exercising his/her First Amendment rights during a basketball game (or anyother sporting event), but there is a price to pay for not conducting him/herself in a sportsmanlike manner. Why? A basketball game is not a democracy. Due to my business I also can substitute teach mathematics and physics in my local school district and today's students do not understand the concept that a classroom is not a democracy. A classroom is a dictatorship and the teacher is the dictator.

Over the last thirty years or so this country has seen a decline in civility in all segments of life. But good manners and good sportmanship is timeless. If one of my students uses the F-word, that student is done for the day in my class. The use of incidental profane language in my classroom or on the sporting field will be dealt with appropriate penalty (TF, yellow card, restricted to the bench for baseball and softball).

There is no excuse for vulgar language in sports. Fred Horgan, a former president of IAABO and Canadian representative to FIBA, has always said that we officials are the keepers of the game of basketball and hold the integrity of the game in our hands, not the players or coaches. And we must step and take that responsibility.

Would I lose any sleep over disqualifying B2 for his incidental use of the F-word. Furthermore, if the coach ask you what the player said it is all right and necessary for you to tell him exactly what the player said. If you do not want to actually say the F-word tell the coach that his player used the F-word and how the player used it. You should always tell the coach exactly what the player said if the coach asks and you should always report exactly what the player or coach (if it is a coach that is the guilty party) in your game report if a report is required. You cannot be diplomatic in a game report. The authorities need to know exactly what happened so that proper action can be taken against the guilty parties.

I apologize for getting on my soap box but if an official is not willing to do his/her job because everybody uses profanity now, then maybe it is time for that official to consider hang-up the whistle.