Profanity?

[Dan_ref]

This story can be found at

http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news/ap/...layersdqd.html


Shout of 'Jesus Christ!' disqualifies player in
state tourney


May 25, 2001

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Frustrated high
school tennis players in Tennessee can yell ``Jesus!'' or
``Christ!'' without censure. What they can't do is scream
``Jesus Christ!''

Those two words were shouted by Bearden's Cameron
Boyd after he lost serve in the third set of the Class
AAA championship doubles match -- and he and
partner Brandon Allan were disqualified.

Jan Genosi, the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic
Association official at Thursday's match, came onto the
court and awarded the victory to Scott and Andrew
Felsenthal, citing the profanity rule.

Genosi said the state association closely follows U.S.
Tennis Association rules, which permit players to yell
``Jesus'' and ``Christ'' -- just not in the same breath.

``You allow 'Jesus' and you allow 'Christ,' but you
won't allow them together?'' Boyd asked Genosi.
``That's ridiculous.''

State tennis rules call for an automatic default on a first
offense for visible or audible profanity or obscenity or
physical abuse of a player or official.

``I don't have any leeway,'' Genosi said. ``I'm going by
the rule.''

Bearden coach Ann Ham said she had not heard that
phrase included in warnings about forbidden profanity.

Scott Felsenthal would have preferred to win on the
court and thought it should have just drawn a warning.

``But I'm also glad they enforce such strict rules,'' he
said.