Uniform/jewelry police - the pain

[bainsey]

I think a lot of people are viewing this rather myopically. Miss Laird's jewelry did not cost her team any championship, and it's a shame she things that way. Instead, it cost her team some points.

This was not a one-event contest. Monrovia won this meet in the same fashion that other teams win theirs -- because they outscored their competition, and all of the points add up. You can feel bad for Miss Laird (I sure do), but don't forget there was a bunch of Monrovia girls who also played a role in the reason there's a trophy at that school.

Had this incident happened at the beginning or middle of the meet, you can bet that this would get no press. But in reality, when a basketball game ends with a one or two point margin, those calls in the first quarter affect the outcome of the game every bit as those in the final minute. Never, ever think that one play wins or loses a game/meet/match. Every contest is a collection.