PREPS

JRutledge · #1 (**permalink**) Thu Apr 26, 2001, 02:19am

I was just wondering. I was talking to a friend of mine that lives in Louisiana and I asked him about the show Preps, on Fox Sports Network. I was just wondering, how many have seen this show. I guess I was surprised because I did not realize that the entire country was shown this show.

For those how do not know, this show is about HS students in Illinois playing basketball. It focuses on basically 3 HS players, the main one and the most popular one, Eddy Curry from Thornwood HS. For those that do not also realize, Eddy Curry is a 6'11' Senior that signed a letter of intent to Depaul University and now is bypassing that to go into the NBA Draft.

And the show gives a good example of Illinois High School March Madness. I just want to see who sees the show and what are your impressions about the show if any.

Kelly Kinghorn · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Apr 26, 2001, 02:49pm

I have seen the show several times. I have been interested to see the referees at the games. Of course I was not expecting to see anyone that I knew, but to see postioning, hustle, physique, etc. Not always impressive....

PAULK1 · #3 (**permalink**) Thu Apr 26, 2001, 06:17pm

I have seen the show and was very concerned with the
profanity that was being constantly beeped out from the coaches. If an official used that language or if it was a math or science teacher we would never be heard from again.
Now the suprised look on kids faces after I T them for an F bomb makes perfect sense.

JRutledge · #4 (**permalink**) Thu Apr 26, 2001, 07:35pm

I see guys that I know all the time or at least have seen before. Especially some of the Chicago Public League officials.

PaulK, I agree that the profanity might be a little much, but unless they are saying something to you, I really do not know what you can do. And much of the language has been in the locker room where we have even less control. But I had coaches who cussed all the time when I was in HS. So that really does not surprise me at all. I am more surprised that the coaches would use that language as frequently and know this will be on TV for everyone to see.

Peace

PAULK1 · #5 (**permalink**) Thu Apr 26, 2001, 10:04pm

I agree unless they say something to me or that I can here that I can do nothing. I do realize that locker room
language does exist and by no means am I a prude (being a 20
military vet I can string some words together when I need to). But why are coaches allowed to use profanity in the name of motivation aren't they educators also? What would happen to the math teacher who before the finals let loose a stream of profanity to motivate the students to do better?
And I guess the biggest question is why are the administrators and parents allowing this to go on?

JRutledge · #6 (**permalink**) Thu Apr 26, 2001, 11:15pm

If you lived in some of the places that these kids lived, profanity is the least of your worries. The only kid that you did not here a lot of that on their team, was the kid from Downers Grove North High School. For those that do not know, Downers Grove is basically a lilly white, rich area compared to the area of Chicago that some of these kids grew up in. They see things much more horrible than the coach using the F word.

I used to work on the South Side of Chicago in a retail store, and you see much worse than what you hear on that show. I worked in Englewood, one of the worse areas in Chicago and cursing was not a big problem. Not necessarily where these kids lived that are on the show, but shootings, drug dealers, robbery, gangs, crack houses are much more of the norm. So I believe that the usage of the language has a reflection of the type of environment that these kids come from.

It really is not an excuse, but it is an explaination.

MOFFICIAL · #7 (**permalink**) Sun Apr 29, 2001, 08:02pm

I'll get on my soapbox here. If I hear profanity and can pinpoint it's source I will T it up everytime regardless of where it's directed. If I can't clearly identify the source then I'll issue a statement at a dead ball to let the players know I'm listening.
If we do not enforce the rules then who will?

JRutledge · #8 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 30, 2001, 12:27am

Even if a kid misses a shot and is mad at him or herself? What if you are the only one that hears the profanity because you are standing right next to the kid?

Quote:

Originally posted by MOFFICIAL
I'll get on my soapbox here. If I hear profanity and can pinpoint it's source I will T it up everytime regardless of where it's directed. If I can't clearly identify the source then I'll issue a statement at a dead ball to let the players know I'm listening.
If we do not enforce the rules then who will?

BigDave · #9 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 30, 2001, 12:45am

Zero tolerance on this issue. These players are required to be professional. They are not only representing themselves, but also their school and everyone involved with it.

I don't care where they grew up, who they hang out with, etc. When they are on the court they have to project a good, clean image. If they can't, they leave.

MOFFICIAL · #10 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 30, 2001, 08:15am

Absolutely correct Big Dave.
In the professional world mistakes happen and things don't always go your way. They may be your fault or the fault of others. This does not excuse poor behavior or uncontrolled outbursts. If I hear profanity clearly and can pinpoint the source I ring them up.

JRutledge · #11 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 30, 2001, 10:10am

Guys,

I understand you have a moral code and everything, but how do you justify that. If a kid says under his breathe after missing a shot or getting knocked to the ground, "damn it," you are going to T that kid no matter what? I am sorry but that to me is looking for trouble. Because it is going to be your word against his, no one will know why you called what you did, and your judgement will be questioned even more.

I am not saying allow profanity of any kind allow kids to behave any way they choose. I am saying that giving T's should be obvious to someone other than yourself. And at the higher levels there is going to be more intensity and more profanity period. As long as I do not have players cursing at me or the players, I personally do not care what they say. I have had players curse out their coach, you think I am going to T a kid for getting into his coach? Hell no!! That is the coaches problem, not mine. And if the coach does not have the balls of pulling a kid out for disrespecting him, then that is his battle.

Now what I will do, if I hear a kid cursing and I am clear of the person that said it, I will address that person myself and make it clear that profanity will not be accepted. But I always think we cannot have a zero tolerance policy, because zero tolerance means to me, no thinking and no evaluation.

dhodges007 · #12 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 30, 2001, 12:44pm

Quote:

Originally posted by JRutledge
Guys,

I understand you have a moral code and everything, but how do you justify that. If a kid says under his breathe after missing a shot or getting knocked to the ground, "damn it," you are going to T that kid no matter what? I am sorry but that to me is looking for trouble. Because it is going to be your word against his, no one will know why you called what you did, and your judgement will be questioned even more.

I am not saying allow profanity of any kind allow kids to behave any way they choose. I am saying that giving T's should be obvious to someone other than yourself. And at the higher levels there is going to be more intensity and more profanity period. As long as I do not have players cursing at me or the players, I personally do not care what they say. I have had players curse out their coach, you think I am going to T a kid for getting into his coach? Hell no!! That is the coaches problem, not mine. And if the coach does not have the balls of pulling a kid out for disrespecting him, then that is his battle.

Now what I will do, if I hear a kid cursing and I am clear of the person that said it, I will address that person myself and make it clear that profanity will not be accepted. But I always think we cannot have a zero tolerance policy, because zero tolerance means to me, no thinking and no evaluation.

I will warn the kid as well. I don't think zero tolerance means that there is no warning either...

Just a thought...

Tom Cook · #13 (**permalink**) Mon Apr 30, 2001, 07:25pm

I've gotta go with JRutledge. If a kid is just upset with himself, give him a warning. The second time you'll probably have to give a
T. But if you warn the kid AND tell the coach that you have warned him, then the T will have the coach mad at the player instead of at you.