Looking at the Media IV: Yes sir, we have an idiot!
I didn't even finish the article when I knew I wanted to write about it; the ignorance displayed by the author is just amazing, and the actions displayed by the people in charge is just saddening.Here's some of the good/ugly bits:
"Hopkinsville Athletic Director Rick Roberts was busy today, firing off letters to re-establish the credentials of a head coach Russ Guffey, assistant coach Scott Stevens and freshman Alex Hayes. That mail barrage will most likely get them re-instated, but not until after Thursday's regional championship game." Once again, we have the person responsible for the sportsmanship of a team working overtime to reward poor behavrior.
"All three were tossed on the extremely quick whistle of referee Paul Hafer, who reacted harshly to a strong, but not obscene protest put up by the Hoptown sideline over a play near the Hopkinsville penalty box." Three paragraphs in, and already the author is showing massive amount of ignorance. First, coaches, in the NFHS or USSF, do not have the right to protest at a game - their job is to hand out technical information not to yammer on at the referee. He also says it's not obscene - yes, the game was in Kentucky, but it was still October, so my guess is that the author was inside the press box, and didn't hear what was said. "You're a fucking idiot" said softly will get you the same red card as one yelled. And "penalty box" - ugh.
"The drama occurred over a from-the-back tackle by Hayes on a Caldwel player near the penalty box on a breakaway play. If the tackle is made within the penalty box, a red card is automatically placed on the defensive player, which is how Hafer saw the outcome." Bzzzzt! Wrong-o, Mr. Burnside! A red for Denying an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity doesn't have in the Penalty Area, but merely fulfill a small number of requirements - the same ones for FIFA or NFHS matches. Is it frequently inside the area? Yes, but have to be? No. It's clear he's not writing about something he knows.
"'We're obviously happy to get away with a win. We came out here with the objective of beating a much-approved team and we were able to do that,' said Guffey". Apparently they either have speech impediments in Hopkinsville, or no copy-editors (the later has always been my excuse - but then again, I'm not paid to do this).
"Guffey was perplexed over the red cards issued to him, and Stevens, since there weren't any yellow cards issued, or advance warnings." Cuuuuuuuuuz, if it's bad enough, you don't have to?
"'We were just asking why there was a penalty kick and the next thing we knew, two of us were gone,' said Guffey." I admit to not having a ton of experience - but in three years, I've NEVER had a coach just ask that. That's someone launching a pound of baloney at the readers (and to the people who control the suspensions, no doubt), that the author bought, wrapped, and delivered. The reality is, is that the referee will be sending in a report, detailing just what was said - and if it's full of crap, the coaches will be reinstated (in a perfect world, but the reality is he could utter all seven words you can't say on TV and probably get back, since coaches control the NFHS), and the ref will be thrown out on his rear. Then the author can write about that, and I'll write a retraction.