Posted on 10/11/2012 2:40:00 PM PDT by Libloather
Youth Football Coach Arrested For Allegedly Giving Opposing Player Concussion With Clothesline
October 11, 2012 11:25 AM
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A youth football coach struck a 13-year-old player from an opposing team near the sideline during the fourth quarter of a tied game, giving the boy a concussion and outraging parents and spectators, a Utah police sergeant said Wednesday.
Police arrested Nathan Harris for investigation of felony child abuse after watching grainy video and talking to witnesses about Saturday’s incident in Payson, about 60 miles south of Salt Lake City.
**SNIP**
The incident was an accident and there was no malice behind Harris’ actions, attorney Dean Zabriskie said. He said police have relied too heavily on witnesses who were standing far away and the video — which was shot from the opposite sidelines — shows Harris wasn’t too close to the field and appears to show the coach stepping backward as players came toward him.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicago.cbslocal.com ...
Grainy video
“My son was running the ball out of bounds when out of nowhere the other team’s coach blindsided him and knocked him to the ground! The stands were instantly in a riot and our coaches stormed the field.”
Video is very hard to see but it appears that the coach never stepped forward and was in fact, backing away. My question, did the refs flag the play? ‘Cause if the refs did not call unnecessary roughness, I’m really thinking that it was an accident.
Unnecessary roughness on a coach? That probably isn’t even a penalty.
Unsportsmanlike conduct can be called on a coach and he can be tossed but I doubt there is such a call. Who would have thought it necessary?
I’ve always been of the opinion that part of the penalty of cheap shots should include automatic suspension for the same length of time that an injury, from that cheap shot, takes somebody out of the game.
For coaches, the penalty should be worse.
They ejected the coach from the game. If all they have is that un-enhanced video, then you really can’t see anything.
The refs called it a touchdown and everybody went on, with no lawsuits or charges filed.
All sports are really a mind game. Sometimes parts of your mind overrule other parts and things like this happen.
what a goon
I was not aware of that detail, thanks for the clarification.
The video and witness testimony might be enough for a successful assault case.
Insert Woody Hayes/Charlie Bauman reference here.
A minor correction to the thought on penalties. Fouls are called against the TEAM. While a player (or coach) may be identified as the violator, the penalty is actually against the team. Fouls can even be called against the team for a fan that runs onto the field or interferes with the game.
Granted the call of unsportsmanlike conduct is also a potential call in this case. There are also a whole host of other calls that could have been made as well depending on the circumstances.
OSU's Woody Hayes comes to mind........
How about “Committing Mopery with Intent to Gawk?”
I was actually watching that game and found it hard to believe my eyes.
So if saw the play, what is your opinion? Cheap shot or bad accident?
it looks like that , too . the channel 5 news specialist was no help at all ... new specialist (tee-hee)
That happened in the 1954 Cotton Bowl too.
If you are asking about Woody it was definitely a cheap shot.
If you are asking about this play, I can’t seem to play the video so I can’t say.
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