What's Your Take on This story?

[yellowdog]

What do you think of this story -- it is something that pops up from time to time.

 

 

From the Washington Post:

 

"It's almost unheard of for a high school football coach to ask his defense to give up a 73-yard touchdown. It's equally rare that every member of that defense would be eager to do so.

 

That was the case Friday night at Central-Woodstock, when Warren County Coach Heath Gilbert asked his defense to yield a touchdown to Central. Warren County was leading, 28-7, with just over a minute remaining, and Gilbert wanted to get senior running back H.B. Banjoman back on the field.

 

Banjoman had entered the game needing to rush for 334 yards to become the Virginia High School League's all-time 10-game rushing leader. But with Central on offense in the closing seconds and Banjoman 34 yards shy of the mark, it appeared his chances were slipping.

 

That's when Gilbert formulated his plan.

 

"I went to the defense first because they had played hard all game, and asking them to give up a 73-yard touchdown was asking a lot," Gilbert said. "But every one of them said they wanted to do it. Our middle linebacker [brandon Weaver] said he was already thinking it. The whole team wanted that record to be a part of our program's history."

 

So the Wildcats' defense let Brandon Pence score from 73 yards, and moments later Banjoman had his chance. On his 38th carry -- the last of his high school career -- Banjoman got the remaining yards he needed as time expired to surpass the 2,592-yard record set by West Springfield's Damone Boone a decade ago.

 

Banjoman finished the season with 2,608 yards and 37 touchdowns on 292 attempts.

 

"That last play I knew I needed 12 yards to get it, and once I got past that mark I just really couldn't believe it," Banjoman said. "When I got tackled I just laid there soaking it in for a minute. Then my whole team ran out to congratulate me. They earned this record as much as I did. It says more about Warren County than just me as an individual."

 

The unorthodox way in which the record was attained left a sour taste in the mouths of Central's players and coaches. The teams did not shake hands at game's end, and police officers were hurried onto the field to quell the verbal exchanges between players and prevent matters from escalating.

 

"I knew there would be ramifications for doing what we did," Gilbert said. "We upset some people, maybe even some of our own fans. It was a kind of bush-league thing to do, I guess. But I thought he deserved the opportunity. He still needed 34 yards, and it was his job to try and get them, and it was still their job to try and stop him. I don't have any regrets. I figure with all the work that he and our offensive line had put in this season, it was the least I could do."

[my2cents]

What do you think of this story -- it is something that pops up from time to time.

From the Washington Post:

 

"It's almost unheard of for a high school football coach to ask his defense to give up a 73-yard touchdown. It's equally rare that every member of that defense would be eager to do so.

 

That was the case Friday night at Central-Woodstock, when Warren County Coach Heath Gilbert asked his defense to yield a touchdown to Central. Warren County was leading, 28-7, with just over a minute remaining, and Gilbert wanted to get senior running back H.B. Banjoman back on the field.

 

Banjoman had entered the game needing to rush for 334 yards to become the Virginia High School League's all-time 10-game rushing leader. But with Central on offense in the closing seconds and Banjoman 34 yards shy of the mark, it appeared his chances were slipping.

 

That's when Gilbert formulated his plan.

 

"I went to the defense first because they had played hard all game, and asking them to give up a 73-yard touchdown was asking a lot," Gilbert said. "But every one of them said they wanted to do it. Our middle linebacker [brandon Weaver] said he was already thinking it. The whole team wanted that record to be a part of our program's history."

 

So the Wildcats' defense let Brandon Pence score from 73 yards, and moments later Banjoman had his chance. On his 38th carry -- the last of his high school career -- Banjoman got the remaining yards he needed as time expired to surpass the 2,592-yard record set by West Springfield's Damone Boone a decade ago.

 

Banjoman finished the season with 2,608 yards and 37 touchdowns on 292 attempts.

 

"That last play I knew I needed 12 yards to get it, and once I got past that mark I just really couldn't believe it," Banjoman said. "When I got tackled I just laid there soaking it in for a minute. Then my whole team ran out to congratulate me. They earned this record as much as I did. It says more about Warren County than just me as an individual."

 

The unorthodox way in which the record was attained left a sour taste in the mouths of Central's players and coaches. The teams did not shake hands at game's end, and police officers were hurried onto the field to quell the verbal exchanges between players and prevent matters from escalating.

 

"I knew there would be ramifications for doing what we did," Gilbert said. "We upset some people, maybe even some of our own fans. It was a kind of bush-league thing to do, I guess. But I thought he deserved the opportunity. He still needed 34 yards, and it was his job to try and get them, and it was still their job to try and stop him. I don't have any regrets. I figure with all the work that he and our offensive line had put in this season, it was the least I could do."

They did not have to score on the 73 yard run, should have recovered the onside kick, and then they had the chance to stop him from gaining the other 34 yards he needed. The bottom line is he got the 34 yards legit. Bush yeah, I can't fault the coach from giving him the chance.

[gotmilk?]

They did not have to score on the 73 yard run, should have recovered the onside kick, and then they had the chance to stop him from gaining the other 34 yards he needed. The bottom line is he got the 34 yards legit. Bush yeah, I can't fault the coach from giving him the chance.

I totally agree!!!!!

[dpemberton]

Has anyone ever heard of a movie called Rudy? The situtation is different but still portrays a team doing unusual things to give one player a chance they would not get otherwise.

[yellowdog]

my2cents had a great thought. I wonder why the opposing team didn't try an onside kick after they scored a touchdown? Wouldn't that be the thing that a normal team would have done? They were just two touchdowns down at that point and stranger things have happened.

 

If they did a regular kick-off after the gift touchdown then perhaps they we rooting for a record to be set also?

[fromthetop2]

How come Michael Strahan and Brett Favre come to mind?

[snoball5278]

i don't see how any true sportsfan can condone such a classless act. that sure shows alot of respect to the poor guy that set that record long ago. if i had been the opposing coach i would have told my defense to stay on the sideline. hey maybe they should give the previous record holder another touch and see if he can retain his rightful title, i mean thats only fair isn't it(?), the pretender to that title got an extra touch, only seams fair to me. this classicly shows how, nowadays, personnal accolades are more important than the integrity of the game. do you think lambardi, or landrey, or parcells, or ditka would pull some kind of self serving BS like that?(and make no mistake the whole thing is COMPLETELY self serving) of course they wouldn't. in a just world, that other team would have got the onside kick, scored, converted 2, and won. personally if i were on that defense they would have had to physically remove me from the field. let a team score on a 73 yrd run? i'd rather watch my mom get beat up, than LET someone score on me or my Defense. have they no dignity, have they no heart, the whole fiasco shows a complete lack of integrity to anyone and everyone involved with that program.

[snoball5278]

Has anyone ever heard of a movie called Rudy? The situtation is different but still portrays a team doing unusual things to give one player a chance they would not get otherwise.

the guy had 291 attempts that season(not counting the last one) that's 29.1 carries a game. i believe he had an adequete amount of "chances", and how in the world do you compare RUDY to a guy that had 292 touches in one season!!!!! thats like comparing a moped and formula one car, RUDY ............i really hope that was a joke that i didn't get.

Edited December 13, 2005 by snoball5278