Matewan ethics

[boogerred]

I really don't see anything illegal about it. This situation of thrashing an opponent kind of reminds me of what a wrestler from Warren did when I was in high school and coaching at RV.

If you are not a wrestling fan, you probably won't totally understand this, but, oh well.

The wrestler from Warren was a standout. I know he made it to the state meet at least once. The kid wanted to beat the school's record for takedowns. So instead of pinning his opponents quickly (like he could have in most of his matches), he would score a takedown and then give his opponent and escape (Making the score 2-1 in his favor.) He continued doing this, which totally embarassed many wrestlers, until he secured a technical fall (win by 15 points).

Did anyone really make a fus about this? No. It wasn't the nicest way to win, but it was his and his coaches' prerogative to win that way.

What does everyone want to do about this whole Matewan thing? Should there be an asterisk beside the record? Absolutely not. The kid broke the record, period! Everyone should just get over this!

[Flashing Cursor]

I just wonder if the team/player who held the old record took this much flack.

I've taken some beatings and handed out a few too. Humiliation and jubilation are both a part of winning and losing. I will tell you this, I felt more humiliated losing to a team I should have beaten than losing a game by 60+ pts to a team I knew was better. I've had it happen :-)

[OVCfan32]

no rules. . .
this is all BS. . . .
its simple. . any normal good coach. . with a decent team wont risk hurting his players and the other team's once the game is at hand. . . .they think of the next game. .

Its fine that he did this. . it might make him a douche. . but its legal. .

just don't play them. . . . .and you'll get rid of him cause no one will want to play a coach that does that

[wemufans]

You know what they say about paybacks their *ell. Classless! That coach will get paid back one way or another!

[boogerred]

Absolutely, what goes around, comes around!

[Yossarian]

Amazing how anyone could defend this. I have seen many coaches run up the score. Just the other night one team was up five touchdowns and hadn't substituted anyone until about five minutes left in the fourth quarter, and then only after the other team did. Someone referred to it as a beat down when a team humiliates another. I wonder what would have happened if Abe Lincoln had decided to put a beat down on the south? He certainly could have, and to hear some on here he should have. Part of his greatness and legend was that he understood it took a greater man to have respect and compassion for a vanquished foe. Another fairly intelligent sports figure put it this way, "It's not the honor you take with you, but the heritage you leave behind." (Branch Rickey)

[Yossarian]

Not meaning to start a war here either but I don't think it's whining when you stay off of a fence post and call a spade a spade. It's wrong period. What the coach did will be remembered longer than the record. Too many coaches doing this these days. What goes around does come around.

[marathon rebel]

i remember this hearing about this game, and i believe i saw it on espn....

as a wise coach told me,
dont run up the score when u have a good year, because the other team will never forget it, and when u have down year they will return the favor.

coming from south gallia this is very true.... my junior year was less then kind to me, but teams had the respect for the young athletes to cut us a break and not run it up 40+ to zero, the next year most those same teams had lost seniors and our team had became better, we did the same for them

[revjimjones]

But they will live on forever, both the coach and the running back.

Kind of like revolutionary suicide....

PM me if you want some Flavor-Aid. Yes, Grape Flavor Aid not Kool-Aid as many believe.

[madpolecat]

Yossarian wrote:

I wonder what would have happened if Abe Lincoln had decided to put a beat down on the south?

He kinda did...

anyway...

Is running up the score an a**hole thing to do? Of course it is. In my life, I have discovered than many more people more-resemble that orifice than any other body part.

[EAST 2005-2008]

I just received in a PM an article written by ChicagoTribune about above game.They stated any national coverage of this was a disgrace because the opposing team only had 13 total players,including offense and defense.Knowing that makes this even more reprehensible.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Yossarian wrote:
I wonder what would have happened if Abe Lincoln had decided to put a beat down on the south?

He kinda did...

Check the history books again, Abe and the north got their butts kicked all over the battle field for the better part of three and a half years. It wasn't until Stonewall Jackson was killed, that the tide turned as General Lee lost his right hand man. The North simply had more supplies and equipment, they were able to cut off the south with Sherman's march to the sea and wait out the rebs. Once they won the battle at Gettysburg they were able to chase the rebs instead of being chased. Odds are, that if General Jackson were alive at the battle of Gettysburg the south would have won the battle, resupplied at the village, and then had a straight shot at marching on Washington.

[Yossarian]

I was referring to after surrender at Appomatox history. Many people in the north wanted to strip the south of everything including their dignity because of the war. Lincoln refused. The Gettysburg Address honored all dead not just Union. Lincoln was not perfect he just got it when it came to saving the union and allowing people to keep their dignity. Coaches need to get it after a game is in hand but many don't or don't care. To me when you are up five touchdowns with five or six minutes to go in the fourth there should be subs in the game even if one here and one there. I've seen coaches wait until they sub the entire JV team and then only when the other team does. the other team should not have to insert the JV for you to make a concession at that point.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Not the topic, but if you only want to refer to a 1.5 year section, from Gettysburg to Appomatox, of a 5 year war then go ahead. The civil war analogy does kind of work here, the south didn't run it up and beat the north like dogs when they had the chance, so Abe didn't have Grant and Sherman destroy the south when the tide had turned and he had the chance.

[seasick80]

I have a solution for Wv teams playing football against ohio teams from here on out! When you sked a team from Wv, no matter WHAT TEAM THAT IS, Call Cincinnati Elder and have them play for you! No more problems, no more whining, no more WV records. As for Ohio teams running up scores agianst Ohio teams, thats Ok, as long as it isnt Wv teams against Ohio teams!!

[boogerred]

I know this is off topic but about the whole Civil War thing...

Maybe the south was winning in the Eastern theater, but by no means were they whipping the north. And I am sick of hearing people say that if Jackson were still alive the south would have won Gettysburg and then marched on Washington. Ok if Jackson was at Gettysburg, the south may have taken Cemetery hill, where Old Baldy Richard Stoddart Ewell was content with the successes of the day.

But could the Confederates have realistically taken that hill? I doubt it. The problem with Gettysburg was that the north retreated through the middle of the town with semi-narrow streets and the Confederates followed - thus creating a log jam. So with Ewell's and Powell Hill's corps in, at best, mass confusion, retreat would have been futile. Not to mention, Sickles' and Hancock's corps that were coming up.

Even if I concede on the South taking Cemetery Hill and winning the Battle of Gettysburg, I doubt the Rebs would have been in any shape to march anywhere for at least three days. And with all of the Confederates except Longstreet's corps being engaged, no further pursuit would be possible.

This would have just lenthened the Civil War. the Confederates would have had to had retreated back to Virginia due to lack of supplies.

AND, General Stonewall (not to be confused with Mudwall Jackson) Jackson's battlefield techniques were becoming outdated - techniques designed against weapons significantly less brutal the the rifled musket with a Minie ball. It would have been lambs to the slaughter.

[madpolecat]

I guess I was referring to the complete economic and social beat-down that we know as RECONSTRUCTION...

I guess one could say that wasn't Lincoln's fault, though.

[gloria7771]

It is no suprise to this Wahama fan that this happened, I wonder if he was on the field himself. He should be disiplined for his conduct as a coach and of course shame is not in his vocabulary. After what we experienced there last year with Yogi so close to the players it looked like a scrimmage. He had been warned by the officials only once but he was on the field the entire game. Close enough to touch the wide receiver. I think the man should be dismissed as the example he is teaching his team is not one of sportsmanship and good conduct. I thought we would need to fight our way out of the stadium and we lost.
Why isn't something done with him? What did he teach the rest of his team? One person is more important than them?
Would he do this for every kid? I think he's a joke and all coaches in class A should refuse to play them.

[madpolecat]

Yogi Kinder is a legend in that part of the world...