Northside ISD investigating incident with official, Jay players (Video)
 

Northside ISD investigating incident with official, Jay players - San Antonio Express-News

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RNCrs63JeuM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

That is assault. Hopefully the U will press charges and those two never play another game in high school.

No way I am continuing a game, in any sport, if this happens to someone on my crew. Suspend it, get the hell out of there, and let the state deal with it.

I understand your frustration SC but unfortunately, if we are working our position effectively , we may not be able to ascertain in that moment what has just happened.

I had a game 2-3 years ago where a pursuing, yet out of the play LB, pushed the umpire down. In the moment, all we knew was our U was down but it wasn't until I looked at the video days later that I felt it was an intentional act.

Texas administrators should ban them from further athletic participation, ever. If they are not removed, if I were Texas officials, their games would not be worked.

If they are not ejected from the game, I am filing charges and even civil charges when I see this video. It is that simple. And I hope the action with the state organization will be severe and permanent. End of story.

Peace

Per ESPN, the secretary of the Austin Football Officials Association has come out and said, "The first thing we want is that those two kids never play football again."

I am confident that the UIL will see to it that these two players do not participate in another athletic event for the rest of their high school tenures.

I would agree with what you say in many instances. However this incident goes above and beyond what I have ever seen, and likely what anyone on that crew has ever seen. The first hit on the official could be chalked up to a single out of control player. The second hit (which would be targeting if on another player), would be the reason this game would be ended immediately at that point. All I would need as a referee is to have the U come tell me what happened, even if I didn't see it personally and game over.

As for the penalty these players should get. I don't think the U needs to ask that charges be filed with video evidence of assault and battery all over the internet. Those players should be charged. I rarely advocate criminal charges for something occurring in a sporting event, but this was SO FAR above any action related to the game of football that the criminal charges are warranted.

Also, these players need to be suspended for the rest of the school year from any athletic participation by the state association, and they should be expelled by the school district. Many states have a law that states that any student who physically assaults a school employee, or a person working under a contract with the school system SHALL be expelled. Michigan requires 180 day expulsion from school, I know that (It doesn't get enforced as evidence by Jayru Campbell last year being allowed to return, and promptly getting arrested for domestic assault his first day back).

https://www.sbnation.com/2015/9/6/92...ficial-referee

The alleged reason for the hit

Both players were ejected from the game

Of course an alleged racial slur is the justification used. One problem: the assault is on video, the alleged slur is not. Another problem: being offended by something someone said isn't a license to attack that person.

Possible law that would be applicable:

PENAL CODE

TITLE 5. OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON

CHAPTER 22. ASSAULTIVE OFFENSES

There shouldn't be much to investigate here.

I do not care what he said, there is a way to handle that situation. We had an official use a term in our area and players did not act that way, it was reported and then an investigation. And often those are he said, he said situations anyway unless someone independent can corroborate the information. But if you report the incident, then you might find out this official had a previous problem or incident. Heck if I did something like this every time someone said something directly offensive to me, I would be fighting every day. There is a process and kids need to know how to handle those situations, because I can guarantee to them this will not be the last time. And now they probably lost their playing careers over this silliness. If they haven't lost them, they should.

Peace

This should be the quickest investigation in the history of the Northside ISD and UIL and should result in the immediate suspension from interscholastic competition of these players for whatever eligibility they have remaining.I will add to APG's legal research by adding the maximum sentence for a class B misdemeanor in Texas:
A.Up to 180 days in jail
B.Maximum $2000 fine
C.Both

Mike Pereira in a video is calling for cancellation of the entire team's season and if that's the route that is chosen good luck trying to defend it in court because inevitably some parent will sue saying why should my child suffer for the actions of these two? My questions is for all of you who work football would you officiate this team if no substantial action is taken against them by the state?
https://www.facebook.com/FOXSportsSo...94624/?fref=nf

I would have absolutely no problem with them canceling the entire season. The only problem is that would only apply if this was a coaching staff issue, meaning they instructed this or if other players than these two were involved. If it is only these two players, I am fine with them being removed from the team and even being expelled from school. But I think this is also why there is an investigation. I do not think the investigation is trying to figure out if these players are guilty of something. I think they are trying to figure out how high this went and if others should be held responsible. And it also might be an issue of liability, as if the coaches are involved, this has wider ramifications. I doubt seriously these kids are on the team anymore. But you do not want to announce everything until you have more evidence as to who and how this happen in total. Because the official even has a right to go after the school legally if he feels this was about the school and coaching staff. I am sure the school has lawyers that are advising them in this matter as well. I am going to wait and see what is announced before I start going crazy about what I think has happened.

Peace

IF it's determined that the coaching staff had any knowledge that this was going to take place and/or told the players to do it... I would never work a game for those coaches ever again; at that school or at any other school.

Of course, right now there's no evidence that the coaches were involved (or not involved) directly or indirectly. So we'll have to see how the investigation plays out.

This story is hitting all the national outlets now. I've seen references on ESPN, local network news, and MSNBC just this morning.

If the coaching staff had any involvement, not only should they be fired, but they should be charged with conspiracy to commit.

Four players ejected in one game, including two for assaulting an official, there's no way I won't believe there's not a major coaching issue with that school.

I may be slightly heavy handed but if I were in charge around there, I'd be looking to clean house with a big broom.

No different than it'd be if a teacher had students slug a visiting district administrator in the hallway.

Apparently, there was some coach involvement:

John Jay coach suspended, reportedly told players ref 'needs to pay' | More | Sporting News

NASO Statement on Texas Incident
 

For Release September 8, 2015

In Marble Falls, Texas this past weekend, an officiating nightmare took place. It took place and nobody was sleeping. Fortunately someone was videotaping the game. Without any room for equivocation, that video shows two players from John Jay High School in San Antonio purposely and with malice physically assaulted back judge, Robert Watts during the final moments of the game. He was viciously and without warning knocked to the ground by a Jay player and then, while prostrate on the turf, was helmet-speared by a fellow Jay teammate.

Robert is a long-time member of the National Association of Sports Officials. That fact energizes us to take a stand on his behalf. But, make no mistake, had Robert not been a member of NASO, we would be taking to the ramparts in his defense and in that of all men, women and young people who officiate our games.

What occurred that night on that field is unacceptable and we in the officiating community will not accept it. NASO has taken steps to ensure that Robert is provided the full benefits of NASO insurance, legal and consultation services. Whatever course of action he intends to take in order to have his assault properly redressed, NASO will stand in support of him.

NASO president, Barry Mano, has been a frequent and often quoted media interview about this horror. He has presented NASO’s firm belief, backed unanimously by the NASO board of directors, that commensurate consequences must result from this act, wherever they may lead. Certainly calling to account the two players will be just a starting point. An investigation by the proper authorities and jurisdictions is underway now. The facts and the broader truths will be of interest to all of us in the officiating world.

NASO works in partnership with the Texas Association of Sports Officials (TASO) and the University Interscholastic League (UIL) in a number of officiating programs. The three organizations embrace the belief that assaultive behavior against sports officials will not be tolerated nor accepted at any level.

*Hopefully this incident will cause state legislators to seriously think about upgrading assault on a sports official to a felony.Texas Class B misdemeanors are punishable by up to 6 months in jail and/or $2000 in fines maximum.People ask us why there are a shortage of officials nationwide? This incident serves as notice why.

Unfortunately, the law against abusive of a sports participant is not applicable to this case.

The key part of the law, which I disagree with is:

a Class B misdemeanor if the offense is committed by a person who is not a sports participant the actors in this case were sports participants, therefore the law does not apply.

I disagree with the wording of the law in light of previous attacks by participants against officials (Michigan soccer ref killing). The penalty should apply to any non-participant who commits and act clearly outside the scope and context of the game.

A chop block against an opponent is an act while illegal under the rules of the sport, would not constitute an act completely outside the scope of the game.

Running into the back of, then spearing an official is an act that should be considered outside the scope of the game.

Completely agree.

I disagree with cancelling the entire season. Even if the coaches told the players to go out and "make the ref pay". Cancelling the entire season does not just penalize the players involved (who should never play again), but also penalizes every single player on the team who was not involved in the acts, the coaches who were not involved, and the school community that was not involved. All of those involved both directly and indirectly should be suspended permanently from all participation in high school athletes.

There is one other group that gets penalized if the school is forced to cancel the season. Every single team who was supposed to play John Jay High School would be left without an opponent to play. That means one less opportunity to participate during the season because of nothing they did.

Rest assured that part of the law will be looked at by the state legislature.Regular assault is still a possibility-these kids cannot get off without some sort of criminal prosecution.If that were to happen that school would go on my block list for football immediately.

I'm not sure I'd hold the school responsible if the DA decides not to press charges, it's not the school's fault in that situation.

If the school doesn't bar these two from any further athletic participation, however, then they'd go onto my block list for ALL sports, not just football. That would be a sign that the school administration doesn't support the officials hired to work their games.
h

If I was the assigner for that school, I wouldn't give them officials.

SC-in any sport or just football? how long? until the department as a whole takes the NFHS sportsmanship course? until that football staff is fired?

jTheUmp-I can appreciate that viewpoint.However think about it this way,if charges are not filed then the DA refuses to protect sports officials in that jurisdiction? admittedly the odds of charges not being filed are very low-I believe in one of the reports it said a Soph and Senior were involved.For the Soph it's not only an issue of will charges get filed but at which level (Juvenile or Adult court). In Texas adult court charges should be proffered against the senior unless he is under the age of 17 (definition of Adult in Texas).

Until the school bans them from all sports, which I believe they'll do. Sorry, but I wouldn't send an official to a school that doesn't show that it's willing to take a strong stance against crap like this. This isn't in our job description and obviously we're not paid enough to put up with this. Chances are, if the punishments aren't severe enough, you would have a significant number of officials who would refuse to work that school anymore. There's a human element to what we do.

All that to say, I believe the school district and the UIL will come down hard. If they don't, TASO could simply refuse to give that school officials.

The coach is responsible for this, judging from what evidence we have.

Canceling the team's season is not enough. That coach needs to be locked up in jail.

It's more like a battery that happened to take place in the vicinity of a football game.

More developments

Players claim racial slur used by referee in Texas football viral video case

Texas penal code does not distinguish between assault and battery

Video Interviews - Good Morning America
 

9/18 - Interviews with the two players:

https://gma.yahoo.com/football-playe...pstories.html#

They apologized, that's great. I'm glad they're owning up to their mistake.

They didn't mean to do this? I don't think you understand what that phrase means.

I think it's great that these two have apologized but they still need to face criminal prosecution to the fullest extent of Texas law for this.They should also be barred to the alternative school for the remainder of their academic careers.

• Texas HS football players say coach told them to hit referee
• John Barr and Michael Sciallo

• 4K Shares
• Email
• Print
• Comment

SAN ANTONIO -- The two Texas high school football players, suspended for blindsiding an official during a Sept. 4 game, both say they were following a direct order from their assistant coach before delivering the infamous hits.
John Jay high school senior Michael Moreno, 17, and his teammate Victor Rojas, a 15-year-old sophomore at John Jay, spoke publicly for the first time since the video of their blindside tackle of referee Robert Watts went viral.
Moreno and Watts first appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" Friday morning with their San Antonio-based attorney, Jesse Hernandez, before also sitting down for an extensive interview with ESPN's Outside the Lines.
Moreno told OTL he was standing on the sidelines next to teammate Trenton Hobdy when their position coach, John Jay assistant Mack Breed, took the two players aside and ordered them to hit Watts. Moreno said Breed had grown angry after Watts used racist language and ejected John Jay's starting quarterback earlier in the game.
"Right before I was going to the field he pulled me and Trenton to the side and told us, 'You need to hit that m-----f-----,'" Moreno said.
"He was like, 'You need to hit him. You need to make him pay the price,'" Moreno added.
Last week Outside the Lines was provided the accounts of four John Jay players and one sideline source. Those players and the source were not named due to the ongoing school investigation but, according to those accounts, Breed did not explicitly tell Hobdy to hit Watts.
After the sideline conversation with Breed, Moreno said, he and Rojas took the field, each lining up at safety for the next defensive series. Moreno said it was Hobdy who communicated Breed's instructions to Rojas. The players say they looked at each other and asked: "Are we really going to do this?" Rojas said.
On that defensive series, Rojas can be seen hitting Watts from behind. Moreno then appears to spear Watts with his helmet as Watts lay defenseless on the ground. The players say the video of the hit, which has now been seen by millions of people, led to a flood of hostile comments on social media.
"People [are] talking about [how] we're criminals and thugs. They just know us by that video," Rojas said.
"I think we're just seen as these thugs and gangsters and we did this on our own," Moreno said.
"We would never seek violence as an answer. We were just doing what we were told. That's what everyone needs to understand," Moreno added.
Moreno and Rojas both described Breed as "a second father."
According to Northside Independent School District officials, it was Breed who, referring to Watts, said: "That guy needs to pay for cheating us." To date, nobody from the school district has said Breed explicitly told the players to hit Watts. Breed has been placed on administrative leave for his conduct during the game.
Moreno and Watts also confirmed earlier reports that Watts used racist language during the game.
According to the accounts of four John Jay High School players and one person who was on the sideline that night, Watts called two players the N-word on separate occasions, once before the infamous hit and once after. Those accounts, provided to OTL last week, were corroborated by Moreno and Rojas during Friday's interview.
Rojas alleged that Watts at one point told a Hispanic player to "speak English, this is America." Moreno contends the ref used a racial slur directed at a black player. The teenager also said at the last moment he realized the gravity of what he was about to do and softened his blow on Watts.
"I pulled up a lot," Moreno said. "It was hard for me during the whole thing to actually do what I did. And to this day I regret it. It's one of my biggest regrets and it's been affecting my life greatly."
Watts has declined to comment. His New Jersey-based attorney, Alan Goldberger, however, has said in multiple interviews that Moreno and Rojas fabricated allegations that Watts used racist remarks during the game in order to make excuses for their own actions.
When reached by phone this past weekend, Goldberger said, "I'm not going to get into a media debate with these kids. Mr. Watts has denied he made any offensive remarks." Goldberger declined further comment.
Goldberger said that Watts has no prior history of complaints about his language during games and told OTL in an interview this week that it defies logic that Watts would use racist language, knowing the potential repercussions.
John Jay is predominantly a minority school. Marble Falls High, which hosted the game, is a predominantly white school northwest of Austin.
According to the player accounts provided to Outside the Lines, it wasn't Moreno or Rojas who first alerted John Jay coaches to the alleged racist remarks by Watts but rather quarterback Moses Reynolds and Hobdy.
In the fourth quarter, according to the accounts of two different John Jay players obtained by Outside the Lines, Reynolds ran the ball up the middle on a quarterback keeper and, after getting tackled, found himself on the receiving end of some trash talk from a Marble Falls player. According to the accounts of two players, Reynolds did not respond to the opposing player but instead turned to Watts, threw him the ball and said, "See, I'm not saying nothing."
Two John Jay players said Watts, apparently angry with the way Reynolds had thrown the ball to him, confronted Reynolds and said: "N-----, throw the f---ing ball at me again."
On the next possession, Reynolds was playing safety when a Marble Falls running back broke through the left side and wasn't tackled until he reached the John Jay secondary. Reynolds, who was tied up with a Marble Falls blocker, was not in on the tackle. While video of the play, reviewed by Outside the Lines, clearly shows the Marble Falls player striking Reynolds in the face mask at least twice, only Reynolds, who retaliated by pushing the opposing player's face mask, was ejected from the game by Watts.
When Reynolds came to the sideline, he told John Jay offensive coordinator Roy Garcia and Breed that he'd been called the N-word by Watts, according to a person on the John Jay sideline, who asked not to be identified because of the school district's investigation.
Later in the fourth quarter, when Watts heard John Jay senior defensive lineman Sammy Alvarado speaking Spanish, Watts reacted by saying, "We're in America, speak English," according to Rojas, who said Friday that he overheard the remark.
With the clock winding down and John Jay trailing 15-9, the video shows Rojas hitting a defenseless Watts from behind, knocking him down, followed by Moreno lowering his helmet and piling into Watts while he was on the ground. As Watts rose to his feet, he immediately confronted Hobdy.
"You can't see it on film but the ref was all up in his face, chest to chest," said a team source, who witnessed the exchange from the John Jay sideline.
As Watts confronted Howdy, he said, "Did you hit me?" according to one player's account of the exchange. Hobdy responded by saying: "You don't know who hit you," that same player said.
Watts questioned Hobdy again, asking, "Did you hit me, n-----?" according to the accounts of two John Jay players.
Hobdy was ejected from the game, even though he hadn't hit Watts, while Moreno remained in the game.
As Hobdy came to the sideline, visibly upset, he told offensive coordinator Garcia and defensive position coach Breed about Watts' use of the N-word, according to a source on the John Jay sidelines. That same source said John Jay head coach Gary Gutierrez was made aware of the racist language allegedly used by Watts.
"It burns me up on the inside," the source said, when asked about the impact Watts' alleged remarks had on the John Jay players.
"If the kids [Rojas and Moreno] would have never done anything, this wouldn't be an issue and he'd probably just go on making comments like that."
<article class="ad-300"></article>Rojas and Moreno, who were suspended from the team and the school, will attend Northside Alternative High School pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing conducted by the Northside ISD, and could also face assault charges.
Moreno, an honors student, and Rojas, who received John Jay's "Student of the Year" award as a Freshman, both said they understand they may never play football again but added that they are hopeful school officials will at least allow them to return to John Jay to complete their education.
"Education is my priority ... [I'm] missing out on so many opportunities, besides football, in the classroom and it's hard," Moreno said.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Who hired that dumbass attorney?

≡ Toggle the menu ✉ … Widget
Texas high school football coach reportedly admits to telling players to blindside ref
Business Insider
Emmett Knowlton 3 hours ago

(YouTube)
Mack Breed, an assistant football coach at John Jay High School in San Antonio, reportedly admitted to giving his players instructions to hit a referee in a game on September 4 — an incident that was caught on video that has since gone viral, ESPN's Outside the Lines reported today.

PBChocolateBananaSmoothie
SlimFast™ Sponsored

From Outside the Lines:

In a signed statement detailing his interactions with the head coach after the game, John Jay High School principal Robert Harris says the team's secondary coach, Mack Breed, admitted he "directed the students to make the referee pay for his racial comments and calls."

While Breed insists that Robert Watts — the referee — used racial slurs at his players, and this led him to give his players the instructions, Watts and his lawyers have vehemently denied the claim.

In that same statement, Harris explained that Breed admitted to Gary Gutierrez, the team's head coach, that he'd given the players explicit instructions after Gutierrez told him that the two players in question had been kicked off the team. This admission reportedly happened on the team bus back from Marble Falls, and when they returned, Gutierrez relayed the information to Harris in a face-to-face meeting in the high school's parking lot.

From the statement:

"[Gutierrez] stated that Coach Breed initially asked him what was going to happen to the players during their ride home from the game. After Coach Gutierrez informed him that the players would be removed from the team, he informed Coach Gutierrez that he directed the players to strike the referee."

The next day, Breed and Harris met in Harris' office, and Breed confirmed what Gutierrez told him. From Harris' written statement:

"Coach Breed told me that he directed the students to make the referee pay for his racial comments and calls. He wanted to take full responsibility for his actions. Mr. Breed at one point during our conversation stated that he should have handled the referee himself."

Last week, Michael Moreno and Victor Rojas, the two players suspended from school and possibly facing criminal charges, appeared on "Good Morning America" and said that their coach told them to hit the ref.

Here's the play:





Both Moreno and Rojas will appear in a private hearing on Wednesday that will determine whether they will be found guilty of violating the Student Code of Conduct. As ESPN notes, the two have already been assigned to alternate schools and are prohibited from watching John Jay games as spectators.

Breed will appear in a separate private hearing on Thursday with the University Interscholastic League, and the governing body of Texas high school athletics could sanction Breed and John Jay's football program.

We have reached out to Breed, Watts, and the school district for comment.

Players ordered to hit ref can return to school next semester, lawyer says

John Barr, ESPN.com

Two Texas high school football players who hit a referee in a Sept. 4 game at the direction of the team's assistant coach will be eligible to return to their school for the spring semester, the players' lawyer told ESPN on Wednesday. The decision comes after individual hearings were held by the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio.

The two John Jay High School players, 15-year-old Victor Rojas and 17-year-old Michael Moreno, have been assigned to an alternative school and have been prohibited from even watching John Jay games as spectators. The punishment for the two teens, according to their attorney, Jesse Hernandez, is 75 days in the alternative school. With credit for time they have already spent there, the boys will be eligible to return to John Jay when the semester starts on Jan. 15.

"Obviously the boys wanted to return to John Jay High School immediately, but we think this punishment is within the bounds of fairness, and the boys have accepted responsibility for their actions," Hernandez said.

Northside ISD released a statement saying that two disciplinary hearings were held, one for each player, to address "violations of the Student Code of Conduct."

"Because both are minors and protected by the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), NISD cannot release any information about any consequences assigned at the hearings or confirm their names," the statement read.

Northside Independent School District officials, seen here Sept. 9, determined Wednesday that John Jay players Victor Rojas and Michael Moreno can return to the school next semester, but a hearing Thursday could lead to sanctions for the football program. AP Photo/Eric Gay
Moreno, a senior, is done with football at John Jay because he'll be in the alternative school for the balance of this semester. But Hernandez said nothing in Wednesday's ruling by a Northside Independent School District hearing officer prevents Rojas, a sophomore, from playing football next year.

That could change Thursday, when the University Interscholastic League meets in Round Rock, Texas. The UIL, the governing body of Texas high school athletics, could sanction Rojas; the assistant coach, Mack Breed; and John Jay's football program. Rojas could be suspended from football, and John Jay's season could be canceled.

The hearings come on the heels of an Outside the Lines report that Breed told John Jay principal Robert Harris that he ordered his players to hit the referee out of anger that the official used racist language, according to evidence obtained by OTL.

In a signed statement detailing his interactions with head coach Gary Gutierrez after the game, Harris said Breed, the team's secondary coach, admitted he "directed the students to make the referee pay for his racial comments and calls."

On Sept. 4, Rojas and Moreno blindsided official Robert Watts late in the fourth quarter of a game in Marble Falls, Texas, on a deliberate tackle from behind. The incident was captured on video and has nearly 11 million views on YouTube.

According to a sideline source and the accounts provided to Outside the Lines of four John Jay players, Watts used the N-word twice during the game, once before and once after the infamous hits, and also used language offensive to Hispanics.

Watts has declined to comment, but his attorney, Alan Goldberger, said Watts denies he used racist remarks of any kind.

Harris' statement detailed a meeting the day after the game, in which Breed admitted calling for the hit.

"I later met with Coach Breed at John Jay High School ... in my office in the presence of Coach Gutierrez," Harris wrote. "Coach Breed told me that he directed the students to make the referee pay for his racial comments and calls. He wanted to take full responsibility for his actions. Mr. Breed at one point during our conversation stated that he should have handled the referee himself."

Breed has declined to comment publicly about what he told his players. He is expected to attend the UIL's meeting on Thursday.

Had the students been found guilty of violating the Student Code of Conduct, the range of consequences could have ranged "from assignment to alternative school to expulsion," a school district spokesperson said.

Absolutely disgraceful ruling by the school district-let's hope the UIL will act with a little more conviction in their actions towards these kids and that school.Would you work there now with this ruling?

I'm ok with the kids being allowed back in the classroom. But neither of them should be allowed to play or attend sporting events for the rest of their high school careers.

The AC should be permanently banned from coaching at ANY level, and I'd be ok with a post-season ban for the school and a possible suspension of the HC.

Well one is a senior, so he is done. The other is a sophomore, so he basically gets suspended for a half of a season.

Regarding the nonsense about "racial slurs", which is directly from "the dog ate my homeword" strategy; what possible difference could/should that make?

Have the standards somehow been lowered that should anyone make a "comment" that another party may be offended by, it somehow justifies a premeditated, dangerous and obvious ASSAULT as an acceptable response?

Where will that logic lead to?

Man what I wouldn't give to see that UIL hearing being streamed.That coach will most definitely be done-if not thru UIL sanction then common sense.What AD would hire this guy after this controversy?

The hearing on those two players and coach is being streamed live
WATCH LIVE: UIL hearing on Jay players

I didn't catch who from the UIL was speaking but it sounds like at least one of them in the hearing are defaulting to believing the claims of the players about racial slurs being made.

The impression I get is they are looking to pin anything they can on the officials. Typical UIL response.

Welpe-the audio quality is so poor on the UIL side that even on full audio I can barely hear them

It is, I can't believe they don't have them all mic'd as well. I can hear them ok by shoving my earphones into my head but I'm not catching every word. I am hearing enough though.

The players didn't even attend the hearing. "They couldn't make it."

Probably under advice of their lawyers pending a criminal investigation.

that's probably good advice by the attorney as any statement given at this hearing I believe is admissible in a court of law.I'm shocked too that the UIL didn't mic the panel especially knowing this hearing would be open to the media.There are microphones on the table but the gain on them isn't turned up very high.

And the final wrap up was essentially:

To the school and head coach - we know this isn't your culture and we understand. Thank you.

To TASO - You did a thorough job. Now go investigate some more before you report back to us.

Watching this did no favors to my blood pressure today.

exactly-we really didn't learn anything new here and I was expecting a verdict on potential UIL sanctions against John Jay.I would hope assignors consider pulling their crews from John Jay home contests until either the prosecutor's office acts and/or the UIL levies sanctions.

Apparently the opposing HC said that none of his players reported hearing any racial slurs.

What I find funny, is the racial slur they claimed the officials said, was not directed at them. I have heard no other players come up and say he said this or they heard him say this.

Then where are the parents? No parents are standing up for their children and saying, "I think this is wrong?" And where is the HC of the program where his kids did this? Nothing from him? Nothing to suggest he did not advocate this? Nothing to say this is not acceptable behavior by the coach or the players? Nothing?

So many holes in this story on all sides it is funny.

Peace

Another Update
 

Ex-John Jay assistant admits saying ref 'needs to pay,' denies ordering players to make hit
14m
EmailComment
ESPN.com news services
ROUND ROCK, Texas -- Texas high school sports officials showed leniency Thursday after a former assistant football coach denied ordering two players to blindside a referee but acknowledged making comments that may have unintentionally instigated the hit.

In doling out final penalties for the Sept. 4 incident, the University Interscholastic League suspended former San Antonio John Jay assistant Mack Breed for the rest of the school year and placed him on two years' probation. Breed could have been suspended for up to three years, but UIL officials said his willingness to testify helped reduce the sanctions.

Breed said he wanted to "clear my name" and got choked up when defending himself.

Head coach Gary Gutierrez was given a public reprimand and two years' probation, and the two players involved were suspended from all sports or extracurricular activities for the rest of the academic year.

The suspension will end the high school career of 17-year-old senior Michael Moreno. The other student, 15-year-old sophomore Victor Rojas, must agree to speak with UIL officials about the incident before he can ever be reinstated.

Northside ISD Superintendent Dr. Brian Woods called the actions of the UIL "fair and appropriate."

"I continue to be saddened by the incident but know that the actions by a few do not represent the character of Jay High School or the Jay High School community," Woods said in a statement.

The hit on umpire Robert Watts came near the end of a heated game that included multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and a player ejection. Video of the hit, which Watts has said caused a concussion, created a national stir when it was posted online.

The UIL held three public hearings on the incident, but Thursday was the first time it heard in-person testimony from either Breed or Watts, who had been accused of directing racial slurs toward players before he was hit.

Breed denied allegations that he ordered the players to smash Watts. He admitted using harsh profanity on the sideline and saying out loud that Watts should "pay the price," but insisted it was never meant as an order and wasn't directed to any players to take action.

"I never told any players to hit or take out" the umpire, Breed said. "I said a lot of things to my players to get them motivated because they were letting the officiating get the better of them."

But Breed also said he realized after the game his comments could have unintentionally instigated the hit. Breed said he resigned shortly afterward because he was told by school officials he would be fired.

"I feel like you can coach again in Texas," panel member James Colbert told Breed. "I feel like you are being honest. You also need to recognize ... your comments added to this powder keg."

Panel members said they were frustrated that the students have not spoken with them to give their version of events.

Watts, who previously submitted written testimony, appeared in person Thursday and again denied allegations by Jay players that he used racial slurs during the game.

"One hundred percent not true," Watts said. "I did not make any racial slurs toward anyone [and] can't speculate why they would make something like that up."

An investigation by the Texas Association of Sports Officials found the claims of racial slurs could not be confirmed. Watts said he is "not well" since the incident but declined to elaborate.

Gutierrez, the head coach, was placed on probation because panel members determined he didn't do enough to control the emotions on his sideline during a tense game and noted that his players deemed an attack on a game official to be OK.

Panel member Gil Garza said he was disturbed that one of the players who hit Watts stayed in the game.

The entire incident "was unacceptable, and it shouldn't happen. It's hard to defend," Garza said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Correct. It was allegedly directed at another player who either didn't hear it, or did and did or said nothing about it. To this day, no one has filed a complaint with TASO as no one wants to put their name on something they know to be false.

I don't know anything for sure, but I'm betting that the official will retire and initiate a lawsuit against several parties involved here. Texas law on soverign immunity makes it tough to hold a school district liable, but there may be some causes of action available.

Then stop trying to, Mr. Garza.

One thing I just can't get my head around, exactly where is the line that justifies (authorizes, excuses, tolerates) something (ANYTHING) that could possibly be said, that would allow the kind of deliberate, intentional ASSAULT shown on this video?

UPDATE:

John Jay coach sentenced to 1 year in jail, will serve a suspended 18 month probation