Coach appears to headbutt official

[Adam]

I would not work a game in which he was coaching.

[LRZ]

Originally Posted by Adam

I would not work a game in which he was coaching.

Probably not an issue any more. He was immediately suspended and then fired as Neshaminy coach, and many officials doubt he would ever be allowed to coach another PIAA team.

In the aftermath, I worked several Neshaminy JV and 9th grade games, and everyone was on their best behavior.

[griblets]

Originally Posted by Adam

I would not work a game in which he was coaching.

More importantly, my children are not attending his class.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by griblets

More importantly, my children are not attending his class.

Agreed. I'm doubtful that this was his first violent outburst.

[LRZ]

Originally Posted by Adam

Agreed. I'm doubtful that this was his first violent outburst.

According to all I've read and heard, he has a wonderful reputation as a teacher. And, to be fair, I have not heard about previous incidents.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by LRZ

According to all I've read and heard, he has a wonderful reputation as a teacher. And, to be fair, I have not heard about previous incidents.

Do you need a lot of incidents to make a judgment?

Peace

[LRZ]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Do you need a lot of incidents to make a judgment?

Peace

I wasn't making a judgment at all, but merely stating facts in response to speculation.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by LRZ

According to all I've read and heard, he has a wonderful reputation as a teacher. And, to be fair, I have not heard about previous incidents.

He may well have such a reputation. I'm just saying I have a hard time believing this is the first time he's been this stressed.

I also have a hard time believing coaching a basketball team is more stressful than teaching special education students. If I had a special education child in his class, I would have pulled him as soon as I saw this video.

Originally Posted by Refhoop

So having him fired is the only thing that would make you happy?

I can't speak for him, but either that or jail time.

Originally Posted by so cal lurker

Many otherwise normal and professional folks lose their $!! in unexpected ways in the emotion of a sporting event -- a kind of emotionally charged event that doesn't happen in the same way in a classroom. Of course this guy should be sanctioned in his role as coach, and the criminal charges are not inappropriate. But judging an entire teaching career on a single moment on a basketball court is gross overreaching, as is assuming there must have been other misbehavior. Without any indication of inappropriate behavior in a classroom, I'm hard pressed to see why anyone would be stressed about a kid in the class -- I wouldn't. (Nor would I have any problem whatsoever reffing his game unless this was a repeat incident. He f'd up. He probably knows it. He's probably embarrassed by it. And I think it's unlikely to be a repeat. [I also think the school was completely right to fire him as a coach; I just don't see it as necessarily a life-time ban.])

Sports creates tension, stress, that reveals character, IMO. I have a difficult time believing, however, that coaching a basketball game is more stressful than teaching special education students on a daily basis.

The charges they filed are a joke.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by Adam

If I had a special education child in his class, I would have pulled him as soon as I saw this video.

As a parent of a special needs child, I can say that this may not be so simple. Sometimes there is only 1 Special Ed teacher for a whole school. So I'm glad they fired him - otherwise it would have been a difficult situation for the parents of the kids in his class, assuming he was the only Special Ed teacher in that school.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Smitty

As a parent of a special needs child, I can say that this may not be so simple. Sometimes there is only 1 Special Ed teacher for a whole school. So I'm glad they fired him - otherwise it would have been a difficult situation for the parents of the kids in his class, assuming he was the only Special Ed teacher in that school.

I wasn't aware he was filed. You're likely right. My whole issue is, even if he has never demonstrated this sort of tendency before, or been caught, he has now sufficiently demonstrated to me that he has too much difficulty controlling his temper and his reactions.

I know my son can be extremely difficult in a classroom setting, and his teachers to date have done a tremendous job with him. I wouldn't trust someone with this guy's demonstrated temper to actually help him.

Now, that said, if my son was actually in that school, I'd do more due diligence than just ranting and raving on the internet.

[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by Adam

Agreed. I'm doubtful that this was his first violent outburst.

Many otherwise normal and professional folks lose their $!! in unexpected ways in the emotion of a sporting event -- a kind of emotionally charged event that doesn't happen in the same way in a classroom. Of course this guy should be sanctioned in his role as coach, and the criminal charges are not inappropriate. But judging an entire teaching career on a single moment on a basketball court is gross overreaching, as is assuming there must have been other misbehavior. Without any indication of inappropriate behavior in a classroom, I'm hard pressed to see why anyone would be stressed about a kid in the class -- I wouldn't. (Nor would I have any problem whatsoever reffing his game unless this was a repeat incident. He f'd up. He probably knows it. He's probably embarrassed by it. And I think it's unlikely to be a repeat. [I also think the school was completely right to fire him as a coach; I just don't see it as necessarily a life-time ban.])

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by so cal lurker

Many otherwise normal and professional folks lose their $!! in unexpected ways in the emotion of a sporting event -- a kind of emotionally charged event that doesn't happen in the same way in a classroom. Of course this guy should be sanctioned in his role as coach, and the criminal charges are not inappropriate. But judging an entire teaching career on a single moment on a basketball court is gross overreaching, as is assuming there must have been other misbehavior. Without any indication of inappropriate behavior in a classroom, I'm hard pressed to see why anyone would be stressed about a kid in the class -- I wouldn't. (Nor would I have any problem whatsoever reffing his game unless this was a repeat incident. He f'd up. He probably knows it. He's probably embarrassed by it. And I think it's unlikely to be a repeat. [I also think the school was completely right to fire him as a coach; I just don't see it as necessarily a life-time ban.])

I am going to have to disagree with you big time. This incident revealed character? If someone does not want to be associated or be around that person, that is their choice. Yes he screwed up, but he did so in such a minimal level of importance. It is sports, not life or death. If you act that way in a sport, what will you do when you are involved in something much more important? If an official went up into the stands or assaulted a coach, we would not be talking about them staying as an official and in some cases might result in actions associated with their real job.

I have been on this site for years and have had people try to equate words with what someone should be viewed in their jobs. This guy actually assaulted someone in plain view of everyone. Remember the ESPN correspondent that that was slightly rude to a towing company employee when her car was towed? Well ESPN suspended her for that action. And she did not assault anyone. To me what he did took it too far and if the official had responded with physical action, we would be talking about both of them being in trouble. I have no sympathy for this guy at all and certainly do not get upset at those that want nothing to do with him as a result. He even got mad at the wrong person for the play in question. But after all we know how rational coaches can be when they do not get their way.

Peace

[PaREF]

I just saw a clip from the DA's press conference and he seemed to be making light of the incident. He said that he felt that the coach was expressing his displeasure with the call but there was no intent to injure him. But then he went on to say that he basically "ran the guy over"! So, it's only harassment, not assault.

If I lived in that area of Pennsylvania (I live in Central Pa) I would spend the next election season campaigning against the current DA. What an embarrassment! I'll be writing the PIAA asking them to formally protest the action of the DA

[Refhoop]

Originally Posted by PaREF

I just saw a clip from the DA's press conference and he seemed to be making light of the incident. He said that he felt that the coach was expressing his displeasure with the call but there was no intent to injure him. But then he went on to say that he basically "ran the guy over"! So, it's only harassment, not assault.

If I lived in that area of Pennsylvania (I live in Central Pa) I would spend the next election season campaigning against the current DA. What an embarrassment! I'll be writing the PIAA asking them to formally protest the action of the DA

So having him fired is the only thing that would make you happy?

[PaREF]

Whether he is fired or not is up to his employers. My point is that the DA said that there was no intent to injure, so he did not charge him with assault. I just don't understand how you can say that a head butt is not an intent to injure. Did you watch the clip from the press conference? When the DA talked about him "running over the guy" he acted like it was funny!

There are many discussions about how we as officials are protected from assault under the law but we have a (in my opinion) clear case of someone assaulting an official and he is not charged with assault but harassment. I'm not sure what would be necessary to constitute assault in Philadelphia. Being hit with a chair, kicking, punching? Does blood need to be spilled or is a broken bone OK? I guess every municipality has its own idea of what is or is not assault.