2009's wildest moments in high school sports

[grunewar]

We've talked about poor behavior a bit lately. Below is from Today's Washington Post. Some stories have been posted before, others are new. Enjoy!

Varsity Letter - By Preston Williams - December 31, 2009

Why, it must be time for the annual spin around the country to ponder the wild and the wacky from the world of high school sports in 2009.

Portland, Ore. -- A father, allegedly unhappy with his son's playing time, hired a private investigator to tail the basketball coach, instructing her to call authorities if the coach was drinking and driving.

Kirkland, Ill. -- After only one person confessed, school officials canceled the remainder of a boys' basketball season because of urine the players had left on floors and toilet seats in another school's locker room.

Poultney, Vt. -- A junior varsity basketball coach -- who had told referees they needed to take command of the game or he would take action -- received a life ban from coaching in Vermont after tripping an opposing player.

Valparaiso, Ind. -- An upset fan who attacked a basketball referee after a game was arrested by the ref himself, a moonlighting Indiana State Police officer. "You can't arrest me; you're a referee!" the fan said in between shoves of the trooper-referee.

Allentown, Pa. -- A girls' basketball coach, angered by the heckling of a player's father, was found not guilty of disorderly conduct after he went into the crowd during a game and allegedly placed his hands around the man's neck. "As long as you're yelling, your daughter doesn't play," the coach told the dad. (My personal favorite)

Litchfield, Ill. -- Two boys' basketball players, suspected of stealing cash and iPods from players from another school while sharing a locker room at a tournament site, were arrested for the crimes while their game was going on.

Cut Bank, Mont. -- A boys' basketball team was forced to forfeit its game after a player, dunking during warmups, shattered the glass backboard, violating a state postseason rule.

Fair Oaks, Calif. -- An athletic league appeals committee reversed the result of a boys' basketball game after one team was awarded 18 technical free throws -- the shooter made 17 of them -- with 12.3 seconds left in the game. The team should have shot six free throws.

These are just basketball. Entire article is at:2009's wildest moments in high school sports - washingtonpost.com