uknowme

I agree. Bearden has also improved its facilities tremendously and I guess everyone is forgetting about Webb, probably the nicest HS field in the Knoxville area. Also, Helton-Ridley, or Ridley-Helton to some, could be used if more seating was brought in. It is the same playing surface used by the minor league for years only the stadium is gone.

I was simply responding to your comment about what happens in the dugout is the team's business, and you are wrong. Because you disagree with a rule does not give you the right to call people ignorant or say they sound ignorant. I know the coaches at Pigeon Forge and even went to college with one of them. I've umpired PF games, and they're a very talented, well coached bunch of guys; however, rules are rules, and jurisdiction and responsibility are jurisdiction and responsibility. The statement that a kid should be ejected should not be taken so personally. I'd be willing to bet the kid that was punched along with his parents do not feel the same way you do if they were being completely honest. Peer pressure is a powerful tool, you know? The fact that the game turned out the way it did most likely eased some of the pain, however. Congrats on a great season.

necvol, I know that it seems strange and does seem a little harsh to force a team to limit celebrations, but the TSSAA did stress at the state meeting and all local meetings and clinics (at least the 6 I attended) to not allow this to happen. It was explained that several teams complained that it should be considered taunting. I will admit that a lot of crews did not enforce it. Unfortunately, it sounds like you got one that did. Congratulations on a great season.

Ignorance is the lack of knowledge. That's not the case here. NFHS rules state implicitly that "A coach, player, substitute, attendant or other bench personnel shall not: a-f.......g. commit any unsportsmanlike act to include, but not limited to, 1...2. use of profanity, intimidation tactics, remarks reflecting unfavorably upon ANY other person, or taunting or baiting." That's the rule. Section 3 Article 1 2005 NFHS Rules Book. Furthermore, umpires are solely responsible for everything that occurs, not just outside the dugouts. Many lawsuits have been filed and won over similar situations. I for one would not want to be on the stand during an assault case with the only action being taken was that I "laughed" and said it is the coach's responsibility. Wrong answer. Finally, because someone states an opinion does not mean he is bashing the program or the coaches. This is not a situation that requires input from fans, parents, or anyone else. What they or you think simply does not matter. All that matters is the rule, and the rule is clear. If it is a bad rule, join the TSSAA rules committee and lobby to have it changed.

I umpire as well at levels much higher than this game but whether you or I umpire is not at question here. It has been stated several times that at least one official witnessed this. It seems to me that it happened between innings so a pitch or a foot on the rubber does not come into play. Again, the coach should handle the situation after the fact, after he was ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct. The play at first is another matter. This sounds like a judgement call which can't be appealed anyway, so I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the umpire on that one.

You are wrong. I guess if a SS throws a punch at his 2nd Baseman on the field then that's okay too. It is his teammate after all. That's a rediculous statement. An umpire has jurisdiction over all matters once he/she steps through the gate. It's because of this kind of lack of control that umpires are required to "butt" in.

If a TSSAA rep made that comment he needs to be reported. The umpires can and have ejected players for actions in the dugout. Throwing equipment or profanity are two examples. A punch is unsportsmanlike conduct regardless of the color of the uniform worn by the receiver of that punch. I would have ejected the player immediately!

That makes a lot of sense. Fire all the TSSAA officials because the ones on the field on that particular day did not exercise their authority. The dugout incident is an automatic ejectionl. The play at first base is an ejection if it is judged to be malicious contact. If you fire all the officials then a few of the already disgruntled parents could officiate. Then where would the fighting be taking place?

A bit of a surprise. Not the 9 part necessarily but the 0 part.

Ouch! Thanks for the update.

Does anyone have an update on the 12:00 matchup?

Feed has been interrupted, sorry.

Bases Loaded 2 outs, 14-10. Ellison is batting

Runners on 1st and 2nd, 2 outs (both SO's), still 14-10 Loudon bottom of 7th

Jackson Southside 14-10 score. Runner on first, one out. Everret is pitching

Bottom of 7th coming up

Are you still at it?

Good point; however, your off by about 30 pitches. A pitcher only gets 8 before the 1st batter he faces. After that its 5 per inning. Also, in a situation like this a pitcher doesn't necessarily even throw 5. Most don't throw with much velocity during warmups in games like this. With that said, 126 pitches is over doing it for any HS kid.

You are right! If you break the rules, you lose the game. With that said, my coach didn't lose anything. He's still coaching a team in another county where I live. He's certainly not in Halls or Oak Ridge. My post was simply to point out that just because Halls caught a break does not mean Polston is somehow a rule expert. To say that someone knows the rules like the back of his hand as many on this and other threads have stated is rediculous. I happen to have known Polston before any of his players were even born and he is a great coach, but truths are truths. Before you or others claim he knows the rules so well that he overturned a win with a protest, you should read the rules yourself. There was no protest. It was simply ruled a forfeit because a violation occured and was reported. I don't feel any burn regardless of who wins or loses. It is a game, and to make coaches look like Gods is silly. Enjoy your win! Heck, enjoy the big win over South Doyle! It was a great game, but remember, since you are so emotionally involved you are the only one likely to feel any burn.

First of all, the Halls-Oak Ridge game was not finished under protest. Only rules 1-9 in NFHS Rule Book can be used for protests if a given state allows protests. The delay in that game was simply in attempts to get an immediate ruling on the infraction because of the fact that the game was part of the district tournament. Umpires are instructed to attempt to remedy any irregularity as soon as possible in the post season due to scheduling. Coach Polston could have simply waited until the state office opened and reported the situation. The same result would have been realized. Instead, he created a 20 minute delay by demanding that an immediate forfeit be granted. The rules do not state that an immediate forfeit, or any forfeit for that matter, is the ruling for this infraction. That has been the result in the past, however, and in this case was not if it would happen, but what the proper process would be. He must not know the back of his hand very well.

Both are outstanding players; however, they are also sophomores.

Why do you say that?

Any word on an outcome yet? I had to be out of town.

Can SD force a second game tonight?

How did things play out that way tonight?