[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

May 1996, Hoosier State Games, Girls' 13U Pool Play:

During the pregame warmups I notice that A1 has tape on her ears. I ask her if she is covering ear rings with the tape. She says yes. I inform her that I cannot make her remove her ear rings but she cannot play while wearing them. Ninety seconds later:

Coach A (to me): Why are you harrassing my player (A1) about her ear rings.

Me: I did no such thing. I told her that I couldn't make her remove her ear rings but I would not allow her to play while wearing them.

Coach A: The officials let her play in their game the previous night.

Me: I can't comment about the officials in your game last night, but the jewelry rule is a safety rule that cannot be waived.

Coach A: The game is about the girls not you.

Me: Coach, you are absolutley correct. The game is about the girls and you and I have a resposibility to make sure that the players are able to play under safe conditions.

Coach A: You're an idiot.

Me: Coach, I may be an idiot, but your opponent is going to star the game with two free throws and the ball at the division line while you have lost the coaching box for the entire game.

Coach A: You can't T me, the game hasn't started yet.

Me: Yes I can and I just did.

Coach A: Next, you're going to tell me that you can throw me out of the game before it even starts.

Me: Yes, Coach, that could happen.

Coach A: If you think that you can throw me out of the game before it even starts, you are a bigger idiot that I thought.

Me: I am a bigger idiot than you thought, because you are not longer in the game. Please leave the facility immediately.

Coach A: WHAT??

Me(to Assistant Coach A): Please have Coach A leave the gym immediately.

Asst. Coach A: I can't do that.

Me: Sure you can because you are your team's head coach now.

Asst. Coach A: I can't do that.

Me: Sure you can or Team B will win the game by forfeit.

The entire exchange took less that two minutes and we still had five minutes before tipoff.

MTD, Sr.