Two OHSAA Football Games End After Violent Incidents

[radiodavel]

Two OHSAA Football Games End After Violent Incidents
https://statelinesportsnetwork.net/2019 ... -incidents

[Nibbles]

The day I have to go through metal detectors and pat downs will be the last time I go to a high school sporting event!

[formerfcfan]

The day I have to go through metal detectors and pat downs will be the last time I go to a high school sporting event!

Why would you have to go through those?

[Proud_Pirate63]

They use both at the state championships in Canton.

[Mad-Dogg]

If I was a official I would have ruled the walnut ridge game a forfeit by both teams. There would not have been a winner if I was the ref. That’s disgusting and very unsportsmanlike

[FANOSPORTS]

It's sad but there have been all kinds of incidents (some didn't have a chance to get out of hand) at city league stadiums and gyms in major cities over the years in both football/basketball even with tons of police presence. I've personally witnessed a gang fight at Beechcroft, gunfire outside the stadium at Walnut Ridge and I was coaching a Jr. league football team (11-12 year olds) from Groveport Madison about 15 years ago that traveled to Marion-Franklin for a game on a Saturday afternoon and their fans came from the home stands and sideline and attacked 2 officials on the field during the game. I promptly called our kids to the sidelines facing away from the ruckus, gathered our parents up and after speaking with their coaches, left a few minutes later. The Columbus police were there within minutes but it was a traumatic event for the kids. This happened on the same field where the incident took place friday night at the high school game.

[Poo Bear]

It's sad but there have been all kinds of incidents (some didn't have a chance to get out of hand) at city league stadiums and gyms in major cities over the years in both football/basketball even with tons of police presence. I've personally witnessed a gang fight at Beechcroft, gunfire outside the stadium at Walnut Ridge and I was coaching a Jr. league football team (11-12 year olds) from Groveport Madison about 15 years ago that traveled to Marion-Franklin for a game on a Saturday afternoon and their fans came from the home stands and sideline and attacked 2 officials on the field during the game. I promptly called our kids to the sidelines facing away from the ruckus, gathered our parents up and after speaking with their coaches, left a few minutes later. The Columbus police were there within minutes but it was a traumatic event for the kids. This happened on the same field where the incident took place friday night at the high school game.

The United States outside of southern Ohio.

[formerfcfan]

If I was a official I would have ruled the walnut ridge game a forfeit by both teams. There would not have been a winner if I was the ref. That’s disgusting and very unsportsmanlike

You don’t have that power as a ref.

[Poo Bear]

If I was a official I would have ruled the walnut ridge game a forfeit by both teams. There would not have been a winner if I was the ref. That’s disgusting and very unsportsmanlike

You don’t have that power as a ref.

Can you refuse certain venues if you don’t feel safe?

[formerfcfan]

If I was a official I would have ruled the walnut ridge game a forfeit by both teams. There would not have been a winner if I was the ref. That’s disgusting and very unsportsmanlike

You don’t have that power as a ref.

Can you refuse certain venues if you don’t feel safe?

You’re not forced to take on contracts to work a game that you don’t want to work.

[Poo Bear]

You don’t have that power as a ref.

Can you refuse certain venues if you don’t feel safe?

You’re not forced to take on contracts to work a game that you don’t want to work.

Quick fix then.

[formerfcfan]

Can you refuse certain venues if you don’t feel safe?

You’re not forced to take on contracts to work a game that you don’t want to work.

Quick fix then.

No it isn’t.

[Poo Bear]

You’re not forced to take on contracts to work a game that you don’t want to work.

Quick fix then.

No it isn’t.

What’s the answer / solution? Many venues are very combustible environments. Or are these events just to be accepted and tolerated ? If I was a ref I would def be concerned.

[FANOSPORTS]

It's sad but there have been all kinds of incidents (some didn't have a chance to get out of hand) at city league stadiums and gyms in major cities over the years in both football/basketball even with tons of police presence. I've personally witnessed a gang fight at Beechcroft, gunfire outside the stadium at Walnut Ridge and I was coaching a Jr. league football team (11-12 year olds) from Groveport Madison about 15 years ago that traveled to Marion-Franklin for a game on a Saturday afternoon and their fans came from the home stands and sideline and attacked 2 officials on the field during the game. I promptly called our kids to the sidelines facing away from the ruckus, gathered our parents up and after speaking with their coaches, left a few minutes later. The Columbus police were there within minutes but it was a traumatic event for the kids. This happened on the same field where the incident took place friday night at the high school game.

The United States outside of southern Ohio.

Well, I do remember a bench clearing brawl back in 1974 down there that I played in where they stopped and ended the game in the 4th qtr. and the teams have never played each other again even after the other school consolidated years later. It was a pretty good rivalry back then.

[Poo Bear]

It's sad but there have been all kinds of incidents (some didn't have a chance to get out of hand) at city league stadiums and gyms in major cities over the years in both football/basketball even with tons of police presence. I've personally witnessed a gang fight at Beechcroft, gunfire outside the stadium at Walnut Ridge and I was coaching a Jr. league football team (11-12 year olds) from Groveport Madison about 15 years ago that traveled to Marion-Franklin for a game on a Saturday afternoon and their fans came from the home stands and sideline and attacked 2 officials on the field during the game. I promptly called our kids to the sidelines facing away from the ruckus, gathered our parents up and after speaking with their coaches, left a few minutes later. The Columbus police were there within minutes but it was a traumatic event for the kids. This happened on the same field where the incident took place friday night at the high school game.

The United States outside of southern Ohio.

Well, I do remember a bench clearing brawl back in 1974 down there that I played in where they stopped and ended the game in the 4th qtr. and the teams have never played each other again even after the other school consolidated years later. It was a pretty good rivalry back then.

Were the referees beat down and taken to the hospital by the squad during this brawl ?

[formerfcfan]

Quick fix then.

No it isn’t.

What’s the answer / solution? Many venues are very combustible environments. Or are these events just to be accepted and tolerated ? If I was a ref I would def be concerned.

ANY venue, ANY game is a “combustible” environment. It’s a physical, violent game that carries with it the potential that physical and violent aftershocks carry beyond the whistle. Any spark can ignite a flame wherever the vapors present — it’s happened so far this year in the inner-city (this game), outer-ring suburban youth football (Watkins Memorial where the parent assaulted the ref and punched another parent) and with the rural farmboy teams (the Oxford Talawanda incident versus Mt Healthy.) Also, bear in mind with this incident in particular the injured ref was not attacked but rather he got caught in the crossfire and couldn’t get out. It’s still horrible what happened, but that distinction needs to be made to prevent the false narrative that’s been intimated by regurgitates and comments of this story alike on the forums and social media.

The solution will be most likely be that the OHSAA (in conjunction with its member schools) establishes a penalties scale for game-ending brawls and an additional one for referee incidents, and they’ll do so after this season. They need to get it right, and the only way they can get it right is if they take their time and establish bullet-proof criteria that leaves no room for gray area in future situations. As for this incident in particular, it’s not worth doing anything about. It’s not. Put your own personal thoughts, feelings etc about the topic aside and recognize that the OHSAA, administratively, is very hand-bound on this issue: the discipline aspect is basically beyond their reach, and whatever is in their reach has to be handled with deliberation and gathering of all the facts. That’s not going to happen immediately and if they were to surmise a punishment then it can’t be something without precedence or something that won’t later be codified into their rules and regulations.

[FANOSPORTS]

The United States outside of southern Ohio.

Well, I do remember a bench clearing brawl back in 1974 down there that I played in where they stopped and ended the game in the 4th qtr. and the teams have never played each other again even after the other school consolidated years later. It was a pretty good rivalry back then.

Were the referees beat down and taken to the hospital by the squad during this brawl ?

No, but after speaking with both coaches at midfield they got out quickly and back then there was no uniformed security at all . The head referee was probably around age 40 at the time and had been ALL-SEOAL back in his playing days and was still in pretty good shape to handle himself !!!!!

[Poo Bear]

Well, I do remember a bench clearing brawl back in 1974 down there that I played in where they stopped and ended the game in the 4th qtr. and the teams have never played each other again even after the other school consolidated years later. It was a pretty good rivalry back then.

Were the referees beat down and taken to the hospital by the squad during this brawl ?

No, but after speaking with both coaches at midfield they got out quickly and back then there was no uniformed security at all . The head referee was probably around age 40 at the time and had been ALL-SEOAL back in his playing days and was still in pretty good shape to handle himself !!!!!

Cool story and yeah been brawls at many sporting events but the narrative was more about referees being targeted or even assaulted

[Poo Bear]

No it isn’t.

What’s the answer / solution? Many venues are very combustible environments. Or are these events just to be accepted and tolerated ? If I was a ref I would def be concerned.

ANY venue, ANY game is a “combustible” environment. It’s a physical, violent game that carries with it the potential that physical and violent aftershocks carry beyond the whistle. Any spark can ignite a flame wherever the vapors present — it’s happened so far this year in the inner-city (this game), outer-ring suburban youth football (Watkins Memorial where the parent assaulted the ref and punched another parent) and with the rural farmboy teams (the Oxford Talawanda incident versus Mt Healthy.) Also, bear in mind with this incident in particular the injured ref was not attacked but rather he got caught in the crossfire and couldn’t get out. It’s still horrible what happened, but that distinction needs to be made to prevent the false narrative that’s been intimated by regurgitates and comments of this story alike on the forums and social media.

The solution will be most likely be that the OHSAA (in conjunction with its member schools) establishes a penalties scale for game-ending brawls and an additional one for referee incidents, and they’ll do so after this season. They need to get it right, and the only way they can get it right is if they take their time and establish bullet-proof criteria that leaves no room for gray area in future situations. As for this incident in particular, it’s not worth doing anything about. It’s not. Put your own personal thoughts, feelings etc about the topic aside and recognize that the OHSAA, administratively, is very hand-bound on this issue: the discipline aspect is basically beyond their reach, and whatever is in their reach has to be handled with deliberation and gathering of all the facts. That’s not going to happen immediately and if they were to surmise a punishment then it can’t be something without precedence or something that won’t later be codified into their rules and regulations.

I have no clue what “false narratives” you’re implying. You mention inner city’s and ”farmboy” teams , whatever that even means. Referees and umpires are always at risk and I implied if they don’t feel safe at certain venues can they refuse to work that venue. I’m not an umpire or a referee , if you feel it’s all good then play ball .

[formerfcfan]

As far as your last comment “If I was a ref I would be def be concerned” - OK, I see why you would feel this way but at the same time your concern would be better well-rooted in the fear of being intentionally assaulted (which happens, and where the threats of being assaulted and especially being subjected to verbal abuse happens quite often!) rather than the ‘1 in a million’ chance of being the innocent bystander ref that unfortunately got swept up in the fracas. At the beginning of any season, you have a schedule that you agree to. I’m sure some refs get their schedule and see the occasional game that they personally aren’t thrilled about having but regardless they take it on. Very rarely do I know of refs declining a game and really I think if we do see some refs trying to decline a game (I really doubt it will happen) it’ll come down to them and their associations/assigners. Probably won’t be looked too highly upon by their fellow refs if they keep refusing games at particular schools/leagues and it won’t be a good look if the word gets out that “the refs don’t want the city league games.”