[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by kbilla

While I agree with you on 2), the distinction that should be made IMO is that you don't penalize "intent", you penalize the act in this case. Regardless of why they leave the bench, if they somehow come to their senses between the time they leave the bench and reach the fracas, if they don't participate, then you can only penalize them for leaving the bench...either way they are gone, but it still matters in terms of adding up the FT's....

kbilla:

You are correct, you can't penalize intent in this case, but I have never seen a player or coach or other bench personnel, leave the bench and not participate. Why leave the bench, when you have a ring side seat to the fight in the first place. And as the father of two teenage boys, I know that they sometimes don't come to their sense until it is too late. Having said that, I can assure you that my two youngin's are well behaved when it comes to the nonsense that was the subject of the original post. NFHS Baseball Rules stipulate that anybody that leaves the dugout to join a fight on the field is ejected and OhioHSAA Rules stipulate a two game suspension at that level are played before a player can resume play. My older son two years ago incurred the wrath of the Toledo Start H.S. jr. varsity baseball coach because he was the only player that refused to leave the dugout to join a fight on the field. My son set him straight (and so did I later, because to describe this young punk, the coach I mean, as a horse's rear end would be an insult to the two horses that my wife and I have owned). The coach got mad at me because I had taught his son to be a good sportsman. LOL.

Mark, Jr., will take the OhioHSAA umpiring class this winter and the umpires who have umpired his games in the past can't wait for him to join their ranks because he is the only player in his games that has a level head out there. Just a chip off the old block. But I am really looking forward to Thursday of next week when Mark, Jr. and I officiate his first basketball game. We have a boys' jr. H.S. DH and I can't wait for him to carry his "old man" for two games.

MTD, Sr.