OT - OSAA gone too PC?

[WreckRef]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Did a game last season - Girl's Varsity - where the home team fans in the first half chanted "Bounce, bounce, bounce" every time the point guard dribbled the ball, and screamed "Whoaaaaaaaaaaa" every time the "star" player had the ball in her hands, ala the "Cameron Crazies"...as the AD was letting us into the locker room at half, he told us he would "take care of that stuff"!! I asked him "Why?" and he felt that it was not "proper sporting behavior". So he made them stop.

Whatever.

Agreed. I don't see anything wrong with this. We did the, "Bounce, bounce, bounce, pass, pass, shot!" thing in high school as well as the old favorite, "Air ball!! Air ball!!"

We also used to yell, "Boring... boring... boring!" Unfortunately that was at our own team because we had Norman Dale for a head coach.

Originally Posted by WreckRef

Agreed. I don't see anything wrong with this. We did the, "Bounce, bounce, bounce, pass, pass, shot!" thing in high school as well as the old favorite, "Air ball!! Air ball!!"

We also used to yell, "Boring... boring... boring!" Unfortunately that was at our own team because we had Norman Dale for a head coach.

And Nebraska basketball fans would chant that back in the Moe Iba days. Ahhh...the days gone by....

[eyezen]

So this would probably be frowned upon in OR.

[JRutledge]

That is funny.

Peace

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by eyezen

So this would probably be frowned upon in OR.

A picture of a guy in women's clothing? Nuh-uh. Just ask the Portland mayor.

[DonInKansas]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Like all "moral" judgments, no matter where the line is drawn, some will say it's too severe and some will complain it's too lax.

Ooo! Oooo! I wanna say it!

"Always listen to Bob........."

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by Tim C

So let me get this straight: The Oregon School Activities Association has generated rules that require schools to model Good Sportsmanship and you are against that.

The OSAA is just following the general philosophy the NFHS that feels that a sporting event is an extension of the classroom and a learning experience for players, coaches, officials and fans.

My, what a terrible thing.

Let the college crowds model what ever they want. High school sports has a totally different direction (intended result) than college or professional sports.

If attendance is down because of this (and there is no data to prove it is or is not) then perhaps it is the correct people that are staying away. I have enjoyed football and basketball games more this year than anytime in the past 10 years.

Tim Christensen

Secretary
Oregon Athletic Officals Association
State Baseball Umpire Committee

Publication Committee Member
National Federation of State High Schools
High School Today

Tim,
First question: When you go to games, do you go as an observer or as a fan?

Whether you want to admit is or not, the OSAA has taken things further than the NFHS Rules indicate.

I have played sports since the early 1960s, coached sports since the mid 1970s and first officiated in the late 80s. I have been an Athletic Director, Athletic Board President, League Commissioner, Referee Assignor, Referee Mentor, Referee Assessor, Club Director, etc. during the past 20+ years. I think that I have always taught my players to play the right way including utilizing good sportsmanship at all times.

My personal opinion is that the OSAA has gone too far with some of these regulations. You have the right to disagree with my view, just as I have the right to disagree with yours. For gosh sakes, if kids can't have some fun at the games they are likely to find something else to do. I know, I know, kids can have fun by just cheering their own team. I am sure that is your opinion. That is fine. I just happen to disagree.

We have some very clever "Student Sections" in Central Ohio. Yes, they do the basic "Air Ball", etc. But, they also come up with some very interesting cheers as well. "You can't do that", "fundamentals", and many other catchy cheers do not cause harm to the game or the team in my opinion (don't officials actually tell the players "they can't do that" when they commit a foul or "fundamentally, you cannot take four steps while holding the ball"?).

There are some aspects of these rules that may make sense. But, I just think that some of them have gone too far.

As the distinguished Bob Jenkins accurately stated:

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Like all "moral" judgments, no matter where the line is drawn, some will say it's too severe and some will complain it's too lax.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by CMHCoachNRef

We have some very clever "Student Sections" in Central Ohio. Yes, they do the basic "Air Ball", etc. But, they also come up with some very interesting cheers as well. "You can't do that", "fundamentals", and many other catchy cheers do not cause harm to the game or the team in my opinion (don't officials actually tell the players "they can't do that" when they commit a foul or "fundamentally, you cannot take four steps while holding the ball"?).

I love the "He's a Freshman" clap, clap, clapclapclap.

Or the "Just like Football" only to have the team that won in football lose in the playoffs. That was rather funny last night.

Peace

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I love the "He's a Freshman" clap, clap, clapclapclap.

Or the "Just like Football" only to have the team that won in football lose in the playoffs. That was rather funny last night.

Peace

And when I was in HS, we had both of those directed at us! Our "freshman" turned the naysayers off by drilling 5 straight 3-pointers and quieting them down.

The football one, we were down and had a furious rally, and pulled it off in the last few seconds. We came back at the buzzer with "Not Like Football"! Whoo!

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Tim C

So let me get this straight: The Oregon School Activities Association has generated rules that require schools to model Good Sportsmanship and you are against that.

The OSAA is just following the general philosophy the NFHS that feels that a sporting event is an extension of the classroom and a learning experience for players, coaches, officials and fans.

My, what a terrible thing.

Let the college crowds model what ever they want. High school sports has a totally different direction (intended result) than college or professional sports.

If attendance is down because of this (and there is no data to prove it is or is not) then perhaps it is the correct people that are staying away. I have enjoyed football and basketball games more this year than anytime in the past 10 years.

Tim Christensen

Secretary
Oregon Athletic Officals Association
State Baseball Umpire Committee

Publication Committee Member
National Federation of State High Schools
High School Today

And this from the board's harshest critic of political correctness!

[WreckRef]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I love the "He's a Freshman" clap, clap, clapclapclap.

Or the "Just like Football" only to have the team that won in football lose in the playoffs. That was rather funny last night.

Peace

A couple of years ago, InHD (no longer around) broadcast one of games from my old high school because they had a nationally recognized player. He dominated the game and the opposing students started chanting, "One man team!!" The students from my old high school responded with, "No man team!!!" I thought it was a clever comeback.

[Tim C]

Mbyron wrote:

And this from the board's harshest critic of political correctness!

Obviously we disagree but please don't make my decisions for me.

You think this is a politically correct issue whereas I think it is trying to teach "the right thing."

Regards,

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Tim C

Obviously we disagree but please don't make my decisions for me.

You think this is a politically correct issue whereas I think it is trying to teach "the right thing."

Isn't this the crux of the issue - legislating vs. teaching?

Isn't the governing body (OSAA) is trying to make the decision for you as what is acceptable and what is not? Why can't the school, teacher, coach and/or parent decide this for themselves, considering they have the direct contact with the sudent and the behavior, instead of that decision being made for them by someone that has no direct contact with any of the individuals involved?

[Tim C]

" . . . Why can't the school, teacher, coach and/or parent decide this for themselves, considering they have the direct contact with the sudent and the behavior, . . . "

What seems to be lost here is a definition of WHO the OSAA is:

The OSAA is made up of representative educators, superintendents, principals, coaches, teachers, and school board members.

The "OSAA" does not establish rules they are simply the independent organization that keeps the voluntary member schools in line.

It would be my view that the new "sportsmanship rules" were established by the exact people that you have mentioned in your post.

Regards,

[Adam]

Tim, is it a governing body with punitive authority? If so, it doens't matter how if it's democratically elected or the members are assigned by God in this case, as Joe the Principal at Average High School in Smallville, OR, can't make this decision and he has to follow the rules set forth by the OSAA. As you say, they "keep the voluntary member schools in line."