My "dismissal"

[Guest bartletths55]

I have been reading some of the posts on this board and have noticed that some of these posts are about me and some personal information about me. I would like to take this opportunity to express my opinion on the situation. I have said it many times and will say it many more, if it were just about basketball, I would have no problems at all with playing. But that isn't the case. Ever since I started playing at Bartlett there have been some things I didn't agree with in the system. When I questioned them I was scalded at. When I tried to change them, I was ignored. And when I tried to leave, I was persuaded into coming back. I have always had disagreements with Coach Smith, not so much about basketball but about other things. So I sallowed my pride and just did what he told me to, relevant to basketball or not. But Coach Smith tries to fit everyone in the same mold, and individuality is one of the freedoms I cherish most. He tried to tell me how to act, think, and speak. Many people would gladly sacrafice these freedoms to play in such a program. But I refused, and as a result I'm not playing anymore.

 

As for the exact incident that occured, I would be more than happy to explain. I broke a rule in a pick-up game, I cussed. As a result, Coach Smith insulted my character. An arguement insued in which I told him he couldn't talk to me in such a fashion and poked him with a finger. He told me to leave. As I was in the locker room trying to get my thing so I could leave, he fallowed me and among other things called me a hipacrit and a disgrace. As I was attemping to leave, he told me to listen to him and I told him that I had listened to him for 3 years and now its my turn, with some colorful idioms added in. I then left.

 

The claim that I was kicked off the team is a half-truth. I was asked to leave conditioning, however I was never informed that I was officially off the team.

 

Coach Smith is a good basketball coach, but that doesn't equate with him being a good person, and there are several people that agree with me on this, including former players. The truth is I didn't see any sign that Coach Smith cared about his players, but that he cared about winning instead. He even forced me to play when I had a stress fracture in my foot, which later developed into a fracture. He takes kids and turns them into his "robots" and justifies it by saying he preparing them for the real world. He was also stubborn and closed-minded. And not once has he even treated any player with a fraction of the respect that he demands for himself. I say all this not to speak badly of Smith, but to say that these are the sacrafices one must make to play for him and how he feels he needs to act in order to win. Which is fine, if winning is all you want to accomplish, but thats not my goal in life.

 

TJ was writen about me standing up to the man, and in my mind doing what I did was the only way I could be rid of Bartlett Basketball. I knew that standing up to an authority figure like Coach Smith has consequences, and I without any hesitation faced them.

 

For those of you who have said that I whine too much or the I don't have a good attitude, I will say this. Marin Luther, Thomas Payne, Sitting Bull, and Frederick Douglas were all accused of having "bad attitudes." And I will gladly join their company.

[TheEgoHasLanded]

Ben,

 

I played against you and I played for a coach that was just like Coach Smith, in fact...just think of the coach that Coach Smith watches film with, hangs out with, and you probably have a good idea of who I am talking (mine was somewhat fiery you could say!).

 

They both are good men in nature, and they are tough on individuals...I understand exactly what you are saying...I do not feel that you were 100% right or that Smith was 100% wrong (I don't think you think you are 100% right either)...I honestly hope that everything works out for you, and I hope that you are able to do whatever it is you wish try. Good luck man.

[TnBball]

Sounds like the basketball version of Varsity Blues to me.

[GHSgozz22]

Mox, you're the starting center now.

[wildcatfan]

I think we ought to get the story from the coach as well. I'm afraid that sometimes high school kids tend to embellish stories.

 

Young man, first of all, a player should NEVER poke his finger in the coach's chest. Call me old-fashioned, but a player should respect his coach to his face. If your coach is as bad as you say he is, then you lowered yourself to his level by poking your finger and using foul language as you left.

 

Quitting your high school basketball team because you violated team policy does not put you in the same company as the gentlemen that you mentioned. Those guys did a lot more. Basketball is trivial in the grand scheme of things. Martin Luther took on The Church (he risked his life for his beliefs). Thomas PAYNE was a writer (wrote the Age of Reason), but I assume that you meant Paine- he wrote patriotic literature to stir up the colinies against the British. What you did in no way puts you in their company. You broke team policy and left. Period.

[Edited by wildcatfan on 10-26-02 12:52P]

 

[mg]

it is obvious after reading his (bf) own words here on this thread, that he did do the right thing for him and that it was best for both him and the team that he left....

 

it is clear that (bf) has a strong spirt of individulaism...this type of personaility is difficult to deal with, both from the player and coaches perspective, in competitive sports...

 

most competitive sport programs are run like a ship, you have many members who comprise a team and they all have to contribute, but there is one captain and only one captain....it is his way or the highway....that is how it works, not only here, but in the real world as well....

 

if you work for a company...then you will work for the "man"...

 

many young people, and still many adults have a hard time understanding this concept..... a deomocracy only occurs when you have the right to vote for who and what you want...a team is not a deomocracy....

 

i am not saying that (bf) or the coach did anything wrong..

 

however i do appauld this young man for standing for what he believes in, right or wrong, i think that took courage on your part....

 

my only suggestion is, make sure that you learned someting positive from your experience......

[mhalionboy03]

I know Coach Smith and he is one of the most well-respected members of the Bartlett community and he deserves all of the respect that he has. He is a man of integrity and character. More importantly in this situation, he is an authority figure. I agree with wildcat fan that poking him in the chest or cursing any adult is something that a high school student, even a senior star player, should NEVER do. And you played for Coach Smith for several years and you knew not to use curse words around him. It is a rule. Students and players follow rules. It maybe o.k. for NBA players to "stand up" to a coach (e.g. Latrell Sprewell), but not in High School athletics. It shows a lack of maturity and respect. It's fine to suggest some changes to Coach Smith, but he is the one who has been coaching 18 years and has a AAA state title. If he doesn't accept your suggestions, deal with it. If I suggested that our school not shorten classes to 15 minutes a day, and they didn't agree, I couldn't cuss out or poke my principal. You can critique his coaching style all you want, but he still has that title. But I will not let anyone get on here and defame the character of Coach Smith. He is an excellent teacher and coach and he DEFINATELY cares about his students and players. He has always placed his players above winning. And Ego, I hope you weren't insulting that buddy of Coach Smith. Because on my list of heros, Coach Smith is #1, and the man you referenced to is #2. Do they run tough programs? Absolutely. Are they hard to put up with sometimes? Absolutely. Do they do what their supposed to do? Absolutely. Harding's Volleyball Coach took on a lot of criticism when he took over last year because of his rigorous practice schedule, but his first year, he took a team that was eliminated from the first round of the region tournament the previous year, and they won the region tourney his first year, and this year they won state. It payed off. More importantly, his girls learned life lessons that they will carry with them, like respecting authority and teamwork and selflessness. Coach Smith tries to teach these same ideals. Obviously it doesn't work on all of his players. Coach Smith will have another successful season this year even with out his starting senior. Go Panthers!

[kareem]

Insued? Fallowed? hipacrite? Try ensued, try followed, and try hypocrite. It seems that not only manners and respect are lacking, but also an ability to spell. Hubie Smith probably should have dismissed you from the team long before he did if you are the kind of kid who will poke him and use disrespectful language with him. He is the coach; you WERE the player. You will never get anywhere with this attitude in any walk of life. How 'bout this? You complain; you are an individual; you don't play college ball; you don't graduate from college; you will never be mentioned by people generations from now, much less 5 years from now in Bartlett.

[23sMom]

he(player) is really lucky that the coach didnt bring criminal charges against him....never touch someone that doesnt desire the touch...for that is an assault...no matter how big or small it seems...it is an assault

[TheEgoHasLanded]

mhalionboy,

 

If you know who I am thats fine, if you don't thats fine too, I don't get on this site to promote myself, my school, or my friends. I get on here and say it like it is...I did not disrespect the individuals in question, and I know about 150% more about the three individuals and there philosphies then you do. It is not as peachy clean as you think it is, I was around that for 4 years, and it made me a better person, but both coaches deserve and demand ultimate respect, and for some, that is not what they are willing to give. You watch things from the sidelines during games, but you are not there at practices or behind closed doors. I'm not mad at you or anything lionboy, but I do believe that myself, BF, and TJ know a little bit more about the individuals then you do...keep up the good work, and PLEASE keep informing me on MHA, your my number 1 contact...thank you.

[Guest TatesLocke]

He's lucky Coach Smith didn't hit him in the mouth. A teacher has a right to defend themselves if a student puts their hands on them.

[mhalionboy03]

I know that I'm not in the locker rooms with them or in the practices. And if you want to criticize that aspect of them that's fine. I just didn't want anyone to get on here and insult the reputation and character of these coaches. I do know these men as individual's, and bf said that Coach Smith cares more about winning and I can't stand by silently while that's said. I am not saying that they are always right, but I am saying that they are about much more than winning, on and off the court. I understand that Coach Smith's players probably hate his guts after some tough practices, but he is a tough coach and he will push his players. You go down to Oxford and you ask Rod Barnes what he thinks Coach Smith did for Jonathon Loe (who will get to play this year, I'm so excited!). Coach Smith is one of my personal heroes and I just don't like bf basically slandering him on here. I respect him much, much more as a person than I do as a Coach, and was trying to defend him as one. And I will do my best to keep you up to date on all the victories we will hopefully @@@@ up this year. Less than a month away! Go Lions and Go Panthers!

By the way, my two favorite teams will meet in a Hall of Fame Game at Harding on Nov. 19.