I encountered a situation last season during
a Junior Varsity High School Game.
Team A was down by 3 touchdowns going into the
Fourth Quarter.
With Possession,Team A's QB was sacked for 2
consecuative plays.
Showing signs of duress;the QB,while returning upfield
to the area where we spotted the ball, shouted at his
team to "Start F///// Blocking".
Team B was very amused and were laughing very loud.
Both sidelines did here the shouting and,the crowd in
the stands were also in augh.
As a crew we were stunned.
We spotted the ball.
Set the Play Clock and we finished the game a little
uneasy.
Three of us were teachers and, Team A and B were both
Catholic Schools.
How bad was that.
Would should we have done?
I think I should have stopped the clock and talked to
the QB.
I know if my son spoke that way on the field it would be
15 yard Unsportsmanlike Conduct for his team.
Thanks for any input.
God Bless,
Coach Gerry Faust

Profanity is prohibited by the rules, that should have been a USC. If both the sidelines and crowd can hear it then you definitely need to penalize him.

It's one thing if the QB gets sacked by a crushing hit and mutters somthing under his breath then I will let it go, but in your case the fans and both sidelines could hear.

As much as I hate profanity anywhere on the field at any time, I don't think I would have flagged the kid. Not when he's down two touchdowns.

But, I would definitely talk to him (and the rest of the offense) about staying poised while frustrated. In a blowout like this, I really think we have an opportunity to establish a perspective with these kids about one of the hardest lessons that they will learn: personal discipline during adversity and leadership. I would tell the team that "each of you needs to decide on whether you can be disciplined and take the high road for the next few minutes." And then I try to find one of the kids to exhibit leadership by exhorting his teammates to stay focused on their assignments.

Oh, and I would ask the Umpire to have a similar discussion with the defense: winning with dignity!

What JMN said. It's always important to talk to winning and losing teams in the last few minutes about playing with dignity, poise, class, and like men. I think the QB would have been talked to by me.

Coach Faust, speaking of catholic schools, profanity etc. I had a Catholic vs. public school game last fall. We had a no call PI that went against the catholic school. The Catholic crowd (with a large student section) started chanting the very familiar "BS" chant. The public school kids remarked, "I thought this was a catholic school." No flags or anything, but that was not a shining moment for that school.

Sometimes me thinks the Lutherans are just as bad! Had a parochial league basketball game where I t'd up the head coach of the Lutheran school when his team was getting their butts kicked royally. The coach for the Catholic school involved was an angel, not a peep even though he was winning like crazy.

I'm not that familiar with Catholic doctrine and have had very few Catholic friends, but I do remember several years ago when I first started playing church softball, I always saw the team from a Catholic church "partying" after their game in the parking lot with plenty of beer. To be honest, while I'm sure other teams' players left the park and went home or elsewhere and drank, I can never remember another occassion of a beer party after a church softball league game.

In fact, I can't remember that occuring very often from commercial teams when I played in those leagues, or the leagues were the same night as church. I will say the Catholic boys were much better behaved than most commercial teams I played against.

Nothing wrong with the Catholic HS team, but after they lost by one point to the arch rivals, a couple of the mothers were shouting and demostrating "You should all rot in hell!!!"
So much for christian charity.

It's definitely USC.

I don't let the score of the game dictate when I throw a flag. That's poor officiating!

Funniest line I ever heard on the field.
 

Couple of seasons ago the First Assembley of God school was playing the Catholic high school. The Catholic school was ahead by a couple of touchdowns. The head coach of the First Assembley high school yelled out to his offense: "Jesus just told me that we're gonna score a touchdown on this play!". Well next play his team goes and throws an interception and our head linesman said: "Well coach I guess Jesus was wrong." Thank the Good Lord that their coach has a sense of humor.

With all the talk these days of profanity and obscenity I reflect on a situation years ago during a softball game.

The pitcher could not get the ball within three feet of the plate. Finally, he yells to me, "Where in the f!!! do you want me to put it." My response was, "Outta here!"

The team manger came up to me and appealed on why I threw him out saying, he didn't curse.

Now my upbringing was in a highly religious Kentucky family where "shoot" was a curse word. But here in New York the f-word is regarded as ultimate word for any situation and it is not cursing according to the locals.

So, in answer to the initial posting. It depends upon where you are if a flag is appropriate.

Sorry Ed but I disagree, the F word is profanity no matter where you are. When you watch tv in NY do they censor out the f work? ;) Sounds to me like it might have been an adult league which might be a little different.

What's so bad about fudge?

Carbs.

So, it is profanity unless you are an adult??

BTW. Howard Stern is form Long Island.

It's profanity either way, just depends on how tight you'll be on profanity.

Had a game last year between a Catholic HS and Public HS. Tight game and the ref drops a running into the kicker flag against CHS, who is home (I am working HL). PHS declines the penalty and takes the result of the punt. As I am going back to my spot, I hear,"That is a f--ing b---t call." And I start wondering why the visiting team is upset. I look around and it is a member of the chain crew whose son is out on the field. I call a time out and we go to the home coach to let him know we are tossing the chain crew member, who hasn't stopped swearing yet.

The head coach radios up to his brother, the AD, that they need a new chain crew member. So as we are standing there, at midfield waiting on the AD to remove the offender, the PA announcer says,"We need a volunteer to replace a member of the chain crew. Anyone interested please see Coach Jones at the gate to the field." The guy throws down his downbox, comes walking at us swearing. Gets there, stops, looks at the Umpire and BJ. Says,"You two are all right, but those two are dickheads (looking at me and my ref)." Starts walking and swearing as he is lead up the field and out of the stadium. He finally got out of earshot at the top of the stands, but was swearing as he faded off in the distance. What an interesting way to model Christ's love...

Parents are ignorant.

Ignorance really implies not knowing any better. This fell under stupidity. Funny, but stupid.

He falls under both. Too ignorant to know he is stupid.

Ditto, Ed

REPLY: The shame of it really is that he made a complete and utter fool of himself, and his son is the one who is rightfully embarrassed. Poor kid...

If a parent comes on the field , walking toward me , swearing , etc... I will be backing away looking for a Police Officer . In order for the game to continue I would need assurance of a escort out of town after the game or the game ends at that point ( at least for me )

If a parent is stupid enough to walk on the field he/she is stupid enough to secure a weapon and use it.

It's sad to say but that is what our society had evolved too.

A couple of years ago I was doing a 10-12 year old game. Glancing at the team box I noticed a "coach" had suddenly fallen over and other "coaches" were assisting him.

After a few minutes two "coaches" lifted him up and drug him off the field.

Seems the "coach" was drunk and had passed out. My partner pointed out the son of the drunken "coach" who looked embarassed.

I really felt for the poor kid. What an example!