Incident in Texas HS Playoff Game
 

Not sure how this disgusting display of misbehavior has managed to escape major attention. From the Allen-Trinity playoff game. Would not be surprised if the umpire pursued criminal charges.

SPORTSbyBROOKS HS FB Safety Blindsides Referee in Playoff Game

I work the umpire position, and I definitely would press charges. That was clearly an assault.

I wonder how the other officials reacted? I can't imagine being on that crew and having to keep my composer after something like that.

I agree with Umpirebob. I'd drag the little weasel into the criminal justice system for a while. I'm just shocked at this, and equally shocked that it hasn't gotten more media attention and condemnation.

What happened after the play? Did another member of the crew catch it? What were the ramifications, if any?

Honestly, I would not be surprised if the other officials did not see it or did not see the entire situation until they saw the tape. It happened so fast after the play, I could easily see fellow officials seeing the very end of the play.

What happen to the player in the game? It did not seem like the article talked about the results of the situation during the game. Was the official alright?

Peace

Maybe I missed it, but was there a flag thrown on this play?

I can't imagine anyone saw anything during the play that would have resulted in anything at the time. No other official would be looking at that spot to see the whole thing happen. It's not unusual for an umpire to get hit by a linebacker so he probably didn't think anything of it at the time. On video though this guy didn't do a very good job disguising what he was doing. It would have been better for him had the play gone the other way but there is no way for him to plead "accident' based on what I saw.

Actually, it was clearly battery, a higher grade misdemeanor in most states. I hope the official was not seriously injured.

I had a defender contact me this year, although it wasn't nearly as violent as this situation and I didn't come close to going down. But it made no sense that he would run into me based on the play. The BJ and I were both convinced it was intentional. I asked the defesnive coordinator which I have a pretty good relationship with to take a look at the film. He didn't feel it was intentional but at least we made him aware of it.

Does anyone know if any action has been taken against the player?

Having worked as a U for many years I can say that it's entirely possible that the U had no idea what happened. You get battered around so often that it becomes a part of the game. If he wasn't told what happened by one of the other officials he probably didn't have a clue until he saw the video.

I can't imagine that being the case, walt. Everybody on the field is going to the left when you're suddenly hit by a Mack truck moving in the opposite direction. Nope, I bet he had some realization of what happened.

He may have suspected something was amiss but there's no way he'd know for sure without sensing something beforehand.

Just brings us back to my earlier question, did anyone throw a flag?

I too would like to know the outcome. TXMike?

It is not over yet Waiting for the U to decide what he will do although I hope his advisors let him know the longer he waits to file the case the less enthusiasm it will get from local law enforcement authorities.

The play happened on the next to last play of the game. The player involved is on the team that was ranked number 1 in the country until they lost this game. The team roster says the player involved is a senior. This player had been complaining about being held the entire game.

None of this is important, but I am just providing some information after talking with the official involved. There was no flag on the play. The other officials were looking at their keys, and the incident happened almost immediately after the snap, with the flow going the opposite direction. Yesterday was the first time that the official involved had even seen the replay of the incident, as the crew had not yet received a copy of the game film. I believe that they are still in the information gathering mode right now, and the state body that governs high school athletics still is waiting for more documentation.

As of Tuesday AM, the videos have been removed from YouTube. I wonder why.

Your "I wonder why" was probably facetious, since the answer is plain: lawyers.

Videos are here:

Outrage of the day: Euless Trinity football player blindsides ref

Big: I'm a Texas attorney. Tell your buddy (the guy hit) to contact me if he would like to discuss the matter (without charge) and I can tell him his options here. skh_91 at hotmail.

WOW!

No official deserves this. It was obviously pre-meditated as the play is going right and the player goes left directly toward the referee. He can't say he was fooled that bad. He makes the hit then turns toward the point of attack.

Hope charges are filed and the court gets to sort this out.

Videos are down now.

Maybe that guy is related to the LSU guy who got taken out by the umpire and this was just payback. :)

I guess that's supposed to be humorous but there's nothing funny about this situation.

I know it's not funny, but this was the exact thought I had after reading the story. Weird......

The video has found its way back

Video: Euless Trinity High School Safety Blindsides Referee | BuzzCuts | buzzcuts.com

And the punishment begins

HS Game Time Blog - DFW

Euless Trinity football player disciplined for hit on official | Dallas/Fort Worth High School Sports | HS GameTime.com | Top Stories


The video, taken from two angles, is from the late stages of Allen's 34-21 win over Trinity in the Class 5A Division I Region I final Dec. 6 at Texas Stadium.


At the snap of the ball, the Trinity linebacker immediately runs to his right and knocks umpire Robert Rosales to the ground, even though Allen is running a play to the linebacker's left.


<clipped>

The game was officiated by members of the Houston chapter of the Texas Association of Sports Officials. Tommy Moore, the chapter's executive secretary, and other officials said they do not believe Rosales intends to pursue legal action. Rosales could not be reached for comment.

Moore said he doubts Rosales realized it was anything but incidental contact until he saw the game video.



"It's common for an official to get run into sometimes because there's a lot of action out there," Moore said. "But I've never seen anything like this video."
<!-- vstory end -->

Thank God it's never happened, but I made a promise a long time ago; If a player, coach or fan assaulted me on the field, sideline or after the game, I would do whatever necessary to see that they spent that night in jail, and would pursue it as far as possible.

I have always thought I owe that to everyone else wearing stripes. In my book, striking an official is right below smacking your mother. You just can't go there, ever.

I hope I have the intestinal fortitude to press the issue also should it ever happen to me. Some things are larger than us as individuals and thinking of it that way may help someone make the decision to go forward even though it could be difficult, and be "costly" to us or our association in terms of future game potential.

Likewise, I made the same promise. I witnessed an incident following a HS county tournament baseball game last spring where one of the umpires was physically assaulted by a fan while leaving the field and heading for the parking lot.

I wasn't working the game but stopped by to watch and knew a couple of the umps. I walked with them to the parking lot when they were approached by a fan. A few words were exchanged. I tried to position myself between the fan and the umps but before I could get there the fan grabbed one of the umps around the neck.

Fortunately we were being followed out by another fan who was an off-duty police officer. He witnessed the entire exchange and subdued the fan before any real harm could be done.

Of course, by subdue I mean the officer wrestled him to the ground and held him until the local police showed up.

I'm sure Mr. Rosales is a fine official and took the contact in stride but there needs to be a STRONG message sent that officials are not fair game and this type of action is not going to be taken politely.

Why in the world would he not file charges? He was assaulted. As was alluded to above, allowing this sort of thing to go unpunished, simply emboldens others to try the same thing.

I know this won't be popular, but I don't know that I would press charges either.

1. I simply don't believe it emboldens others to try the same. This kid will be on youtube for millennia as an example of how not to behave. Do you really think charging a kid with misdemeanor assault in TX is going to stop a 17 year old kid in Oregon from committing misdemeanor assault in the heat of the moment? Please.

2. I'm an adult that realizes that "kids" occasionally make mistakes. I don't think there is anything that the criminal justice system is going to teach him that he hasn't already learned at this point.

3. I simply don't demand a "pound of flesh" for a "pound of flesh". Some might deem that weak - I disagree. In this situation, I don't know that I'd feel wronged enough to tag a "kid" with a (deserved) record.


I respect and understand the argument on the other side. I guess I just don't find this situation to be as black and white as some.

1 - I dont care what it would do for kids in Oregon I know it would have an effect in Texas and that is what i care about

2 - Then you do not know the "teaching power" of the CJ system

3 - The "record" will only be a misdemeanor and will have no effect on his future employabilty He could even become a FBI Agent if this was his only transgression.

In my day, you wouldn't have had to worry about what the criminal justice system would have done. What your father would have done to you would have sufficed. Sadly, strong parenting is in short supply anymore.

Well if the kid in Oregon or anywhere else follows this example he should be so duly punished.

What the criminal justice system will teach him is what happens when you make a mistake. Obviously, he has not completed his education in right and wrong. What if this player's "mistake" had caused some serious damage to this official would will still be here debating whether this mistake should or should not be punished?


While the age of the player is unknown if he is under 18 he gets a juvi record which is sealed at 18. If he is over 18 there are several courses of action especially for a misdemeanor that will not impact his future. In some jurisdictions he could get an action in contemplation of dismissal which could hang over his head for some period of time. If he did not commit future crimes it would be dismissed with no record showing.

There are ways to punished and help this young man complete his education in responsibility and right and wrong.

I personally find it preposterous that the "I will not do it again" letter suffices for his actions and like one post said, in my day the court would have been at home in back of the wood shed.

Brett, perhaps some of us from an older generation would consider being viewed on u-tube doing something reprehensible embarrassing and stupid, but there are far too many in the current generation who consider it exhilerating and empowering.

Being sorry because you got caught, doesn't have the same level of repentence as learning and understanding why you were wrong. Our personal actions ALWAYS have consequences, often known and sometimes unanticipated, and we each have to learn of their existence.

A really unpleasant penalty, for a stupid act in Texas provides a learning opportunity for a lot of other 17 year olds in Texas, and if publicized as much as the act itself, can teach a lesson to 17 year olds in Oregon and a lot of other places.

Punishment shouldn't be, "a pound of flesh". It should be something measured that will support the argument, that can be easily recognized, that doing what was done is not worth the consequence that follows choosing to do it.

Don't know what you consider serious, but the dire consequences of a juvenile deciding to deliberately attack an unsuspecting adult, in a supervisory role, to the extent of causing serious bodily injury to satisfy personal frustration, seems like a lesson this young man absolutely needs to learn and clearly understand as soon as possible. Not only for society's benefit, but for his personal lifelong benefit as well.

I guess if this man grows up to assault another authority figure -- say a policeman -- can we pretty please at that point decide to slap his wrist? Just a little? Hmmm?

People wonder why there's so much lawlessness and lack or respect for authority in this country. It's because we teach it during childhood.

I just saw this posting. I played LB in high school and free safty in college and was always thought of as a hard nosed football player and Lord knows I did my share of complaining to officials about being held, receivers running pick routes, ect. and some of those discussions with officials were heated particularly at critical points of a game but I never disrespected an official verbally or ever took any action physically against them. This kid is a disgrace to his parents, team, coaches, his position and the game. I hope the official presses charges so this kid can get some time, in juvy, to think about what he's done. He's a POS as far as I'm concerned.

I noticed there's two different groups saying the official involved won't be pressing charges or doubt he will. The UIL (Texas state association) told the school (from what I gleaned in the article) that the official won't be pressing charges (Makes me wonder if he was told not to, or forget even getting a playoff game again???) while the Texas officials association (TASO?) said they doubt he will (makes me wonder if they've actually even talked to him!).

Wow, Those are sobering thoughts. I hope they aren't true, but they very well could be.

Can we please stop with the hyperbole?

If you want the kid to be punished via the criminal justice system, fine. Let's not pretend that the punishment will be a deterrent to the next kid that loses his mind during a physical game, though. Let's also not pretend that we live in the wild wild west and that authority figures in this country haven't repeatedly and irreparably abused their authority leading to the diminished respect some here have for authority figures in general.

I understand the player violated the criminal code in TX. I understand the desire of some to charge him with a crime. I would support the battered official if he chose to press charges. What I won't do is sit here and watch ALL of you pontificate ad nauseam on how the offended official is wrong (in his handling of the situation) and you are right without pointing out that the situation might not be so black and white for some of us.

Personally, I would treat this as a civil matter if injured and would consider it a risk of stepping on the field into a heated physical situation if not. I just can't imaging getting the police involved either way. If that makes me stupid in all of your eyes, I'll wear the hat.

Brett,

I do not see this as an either/or situation. You can still have a criminal case as well as a civil case. There is president for this all over the country when fights or other non-playing action takes place on a field or during play. I have no problem with a kid getting some kind of criminal case against him in this very situation. And if I was the official, there would be a civil case too. People would expect the same if an official went off and hit a coach or player. I do not see why this is any different.

Peace

TASO (Texas officials association) is very much lacking in quality leadership, so I don't doubt the mixed message some are hearing about the charges. I wouldn't be surprised if someone in TASO leadership said "don't file because we don't want to risk angering anyone", or "we don't want to bother with the hassle."

Instead, there should have been a press release from TASO and UIL commenting on the situation and note that assault charges were being looked into.

Brett, OK, In my eyes, you're stupid. What that boy did anywhere else would have been immediate grounds for an arrest. If you consider what happened just a risk of stepping on the field, I'm glad I don't depend on you to have my back in a situation like this.

Every time something like this goes unpunished, it puts the rest of us in danger of being on the receiving end of a shot like that Texas official took. That may be OK in your book, but not in mine. And, thank goodness, not OK with the guys I work with every Friday night. I pity the guys you work with, if, in fact, you are an official.

Anyone ever consider that having charges filed against the kid might actually be doing him a favor? There is the chance that he has no structure in his life and getting into the juvenile system might be a wake up call for him? Believe it or not, I've seen kids turned around by the system. Of course, maybe I've blown his situation out of proportion but I suspect that what I saw on video was not normal for a kid and maybe a symptom of something more serious. Now, it's possible that the coaches might be addressing the problem and many do a great job of being the father figure to troubled kids but then there are some that are only concerned with winning games.

TASO leaders did recommend he file the report, but he chose not to.

I'm with you Brett.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...nes_joseph.jpg
You are passionate, Mozart, but you do not persuade.

I didn't say the official was at fault if he didn't drag the kid through the process. My call is that SOMEONE, preferably his school, UIL, TASO or as a last resort, the offended official, has to provide some accounting. Otherwise it sends the signal (and you're naive if you think it doesn't in this YouTube era) that you can take such action and have a good chance at getting away with it.

As others have said, I sure wouldn't want you as a back judge behind me in the middle.