Tue Jan 11, 2005, 07:06pm
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Official Forum Member
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Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 9,466
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Quote:
Originally posted by Smitty
Quote:
Originally posted by MJT
Quote:
Originally posted by tmp44
Thought a lot of you would be interested in this. First article is the story of the official one year after the attack, second article is after the first day of the trial.
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/05007/438511.stm
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/05011/440446.stm
Just to add to this...working a 4-7 grade girls rec league championship on Saturday. Small gym, only about 5 rows of stands on one side of the gym (opposite table). 30 seconds left in the game, tie score. I'm running from trail to lead on a fast break on the stands side. Next thing I know, someone grabs me by my arm and spins me around. As I'm spun around, I see a mother on the floor grabbing my arm and then begins to verbally yell at me and pointing her finger. At the same time the girl on the fast break pulls up for 3 and makes it. As soon as the basket went in, I blew the whistle and immediately turned to the game manager who happened to be standing right there and ejected the lady. At that point she begins to yell and point in my face again about how a girl was hurt on the court. She finally leaves, we end the game. Game manager comes up to me after the game and apologizes..it was his wife. I didn't call the police at the time because she did leave the gym, and game manager/husband assured me an apology the next day. I still have not gotten it...now I'm debating and need advise...press charges? FYI, I'm in PA and we have a state law against this exact situation...felony up to 1 year in prison (assault of a sports official).
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After reading both articles, the most pathetic thing is the parent saying, he only pushed the official, and did it in defense of his son and wife. Be man enough to admit what you did, apologize, and take your punishment. Great lesson those parents are sending to their son.
In answer to your question, personally I'd contact them and say, "how about that appology?" If I got it, I'd be done, if not, I might make them aware of the law in the state. A grab is not good, but not like a punch, or body slam.
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Not to defend the guy's actions, but he is facing prison time, so of course he isn't going to admit what he did. Sounds like they have plenty of witnesses and he'll pay for it one way or another. Sucks for the ref...the loser who body slammed him probably doesn't have enough money to gain anything by a civil suit.
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Maybe not, but I'd do it anyway, if it were me. The publicity might help make people aware of the completely unacceptable view we have in our society of physical fighting. Everyone in the whole scrum could plead self-defense, somehow that's supposed to justify ruining someone's life. It just doesn't wash. There's no way for the ref to ever really achieve justice -- but there could be some hope that someone might read an article in the paper, and say, "Wow, how can we keep this from happening again?"
I'm also wondering about adequate security at the game. Why weren't the refs surrounded by guards the instant anyone came near the floor?
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