When I was wearing a microphone for a HS football game a few years ago, one coach said, "I don't mind you wearing that, (as if I really cared to ask his permission) but please don't embarrass my players by announcing the number of the kids when they get penalties." Now, HS practice is to *still* not do so, but I found it funny in the same way. We tell the whole world who fouls in basketball, but we have to relay the numbers by carrier pigeon (or umpire to wing) in football. Just silly.

Full disclosure: I called my first flagrant foul ever (24 years) this season. The name of the player was not in the article in the paper. Nor were the names of the players who committed technical fouls in the same game.

Edited to add: The first and last name of the player in my game is in the box score just below the article. Matter of fact, now that I think about it, I used the boxscore to help with the report (saved me from digging out the game program).

Fixed it for you.

"casually" my azz. You claimed it was bad journalism.

Like altering quotes?

I do enjoy it, thanks. I think it's comical when done correctly and properly acknowledged with a "fixed it for you."

Oh, wait, that's not what you meant, is it? You meant the following:

Rather than this:


Fixed it for you again.

This story is not about some misconduct penalty; it is about a player suffering a serious medical sports injury. The author of the story assumed editorial opinion by associating the foul to the medical consequences with the phrase 'cheap shot' in the lead. Was it a cheap shot? Was it a hot dog dunk by Etherington? Would Etherington have lost his balance without being pushed from behind? Regarding the foul, how flagrant was it? The foul was committed before the dunk but yet it didn't interfere with Etherington enough to prevent the dunk. Etherington lost his balance after the dunk. Emotions run high with serious medical injuries especially when mixed with phrases like 'Cheap Shot'. #40 is a juvenile under the supervision of his family and his school. Do I associate his and his families name with this emotional story which associates (in my opinion unfairly) his foul with the medical injuries? These are the factors I consider as editor and as editor I make the correct call and omit the kid's name.

An absolute cheap shot. It was not a hot dog dunk...not even close. I doubt the player would have lost his balance but that doesn't matter...the fact is he did due to an unnecessary push. That play was an easy flagrant foul...no doubt about it...I think it was a bush league play.

Yeah I never really got that...especially at the high school level, I think just about every kid can handle an announcement stating he committed a foul. If he can't, then he's got a tough life ahead of him.

Or they learn to "play the victim".