Kids Basketball Game - playin' dirty!

[CathrynRose]

This is horrible!

This is a CHILDREN's sporting event!!!

Terrible: http://www.cnn.com/video/us/2006/06/23/shaw.ks.basketball.assault.affl/content.html

 

[paigevz]

I'm dial-up, can't get the video as my connection isn't fast enough. Please describe it to me?

 

[Royalbear]

however, the victim threw the first punch or shove, so he is not above reproach, either. I didn't get the whole story, but it looks like CNN is involved because the father is not satisfied with how the prosecution is going.

My son plays many sports, but we always emphasize to play a clean game. However, playing in sports can be highly emotional, and physical and sometimes teenagers whose area of the brain responsible for thinking of long term consequences is underdeveloped will get in a fight. If something like this happened, I would expect swift justice (kid being thrown out of game, game being forfeited) but I would not worry about long term prosecution. I guess I am saying they need to be punished, but not as adults with prosecution. If we want them to learn anything, we need to teach them, not punish them as adults. I would leave the punishment to school officials, not police officials.

That being said, if this happened after a game, I would expect some police involvement.

 

[jgmklmhem]

however, the victim threw the first punch or shove, so he is not above reproach, either. I didn't get the whole story, but it looks like CNN is involved because the father is not satisfied with how the prosecution is going.

My son plays many sports, but we always emphasize to play a clean game. However, playing in sports can be highly emotional, and physical and sometimes teenagers whose area of the brain responsible for thinking of long term consequences is underdeveloped will get in a fight. If something like this happened, I would expect swift justice (kid being thrown out of game, game being forfeited) but I would not worry about long term prosecution. I guess I am saying they need to be punished, but not as adults with prosecution. If we want them to learn anything, we need to teach them, not punish them as adults. I would leave the punishment to school officials, not police officials.

That being said, if this happened after a game, I would expect some police involvement.

I agree the kid who got taken down initiated the contact but disagree that the extent to which this went is just part of sports. The initial take down I can see....the continued pummeling takes it to the next level where prosecution needs to be taken seriously.

 

[declansdad]

however, the victim threw the first punch or shove, so he is not above reproach, either. I didn't get the whole story, but it looks like CNN is involved because the father is not satisfied with how the prosecution is going.

My son plays many sports, but we always emphasize to play a clean game. However, playing in sports can be highly emotional, and physical and sometimes teenagers whose area of the brain responsible for thinking of long term consequences is underdeveloped will get in a fight. If something like this happened, I would expect swift justice (kid being thrown out of game, game being forfeited) but I would not worry about long term prosecution. I guess I am saying they need to be punished, but not as adults with prosecution. If we want them to learn anything, we need to teach them, not punish them as adults. I would leave the punishment to school officials, not police officials.

That being said, if this happened after a game, I would expect some police involvement.

What the first kid did has become part of the game of basketball and there certainly was no intent to injure. The second player's conduct was totally unjustifiable and should be severey punished. He should receive at least a one year suspension if not longer.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

I played basketball for many years and what I seen was the boy trying to clear the guard---Generally though it isn't done with your hands but rather with stepping back into them or bumping them to the side to clear the space for manuvering---REGARDLESS the opposing team member was way out of line! When he hooked the kids neck to throw him down then proceeded to pummel the kids face it went from bad sportsmanship in a school event to assault and battery beyond the scope of the school.

Calling the game or forfeiting it would not have been appropriate punishment and it was quite obvious from the takedown that the assailant wasn't new to fighting and had his fair share of knock down drag out fights in which he more than likely did very very well

I think the victims dad is justified in persuing charges and hope he succeeds!

 

[DukeStreetKing]

I agree with the dad pursuing his case. The first player certainly did initiate contact but the second player knocked him unconscious and still continued to pummel him. That went above and beyond the normal court retaliation.

 

[Royalbear]

I think the second player should ABSOLUTELY be punished. Not being allowed to play on the team would only be a start in my opinion. (In our school system he would be a marked player and our coaches would probably not have him on the team for a long time) I don't think, however that prosecuting him in a court of law and perhaps having him spend time in jail is going to make him into a better person, I argue that it will make him even more aggressive.

I do understand the father wanting to pursue prosecution, I wonder what I would do if I were really in his position instead of just thinking about it. But I also understand the volatility of teens and sometimes their act first, think later mentality and I would hate that he would start a criminal record as a result of this incident. (If, however, he had a reputation for this kind of behavior, then a stronger punishment is warranted).

 

[declansdad]

I do understand the father wanting to pursue prosecution, I wonder what I would do if I were really in his position instead of just thinking about it. But I also understand the volatility of teens and sometimes their act first, think later mentality and I would hate that he would start a criminal record as a result of this incident. (If, however, he had a reputation for this kind of behavior, then a stronger punishment is warranted).

But it is a criminal act. It's called assault and battery. The pushing and shoving in a game can be dealt with by the officialsand. What this kid did has nothing to do with the game and needs to be dealt with by the court system.