[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

1) I am a structural engineer, a professional person (some would say, others would not). But since I was small boy I have been on construction sites where colorful language is the norm. I assure all the people who are reading this of the following: a) If you have straight hair I can curl it; b) If you have curly hair I can straighten it; c) If you have hair I can cause it to fall out; and c) If you have no hair I can make you grew it. It is suffice to say that in certain situations, my language would be described as colorful. Having said that lets look at the “F” bomb situation.


2) Why is the “F word” a flagrant technical foul. The rules say so.

NFHS R4-S19-A4: A flagrant foul may be a personal or technical foul of a violent or savage nature, or a technical noncontact foul which displays unacceptable conduct. It may or may not be intentional. If personal, it involves, but is not limited to violent contact such as: striking, kicking and kneeing. If technical, it involves dead-ball contact or noncontact at any time which is extreme or persistent, vulgar or abusive conduct. Fighting is a flagrant act.

NCAA R4-S26-A5: Flagrant technical foul dead ball (women: flagrant foul). A flagrant foul shall be a technical foul when it involves either unsporting conduct that is extreme in nature, or severe, excessive contact against an opponent while the ball is dead. R4-S26-A5a: An exception is a foul by an airborne shooter.

FIBA: I would quote this rules code but the rules are spread over three different sections that requires a Philadelphia lawyer to put them all together.

Using the “F word” is “vulgar” under the NFHS rules code and would fall under “unsporting conduct that is extreme in nature” under the NCAA rules code.


3) My lovely wife and I have two sons, and we have taught them good manners from the time that they were little boys. Good manners and sportsmanlike conduct go hand-in-hand. In the world of sports good manners and sportsmanlike conduct cannot exist without the other. My sister and I were taught those same principles by our parents and my high school basketball coach and our high school golf coach.

The reason some players think that acting in an uncivil manner is acceptable is that our society has tolerated it. I have been a substitute teacher in the Toledo Public School District at the jr. H.S. and H.S. level, and many students use the “F-word” like the use chewing gum (I could not think of a better analogy, so lets not get started on the chewing gum thread). And when one of my students used the “F-word” that student gets a instant E-ticket ride to the Dean’s Office for the rest of the class period. I had once had a jr. H.S. principal tell me she does not expect her students to exhibit good manners because they have not been taught good manners at home. When I heard her I was stunned that she would admit to a parent and taxpayer in her school district that she allows such poor behavior from her students.

JR stated that officials are not parents of the athletes and therefore it is not an official’s job to teach the athletes morals and standards, but good manners and good sportsmanship are expected of the athletes, and when these norms are violated there are certain punishments that must be meted out by the game officials. I have heard in appropriate language used in a manner that only I and maybe one or two other players could hear and I have told them that as college men or women they are above using that kind of language. One would be surprised how quickly these young men and women get the point. And I have given technical fouls to college players for swearing and even tossed a college player years ago for using the “F-word.”

The point is that just because high school and college students are participating in sports is no excuse for them to not exhibit good manners and good sportsmanship.