My "dismissal"

[Pantherbert]

thank you gottalovit. Finally somebody with their head on strait. I've avoided this thread becuase, being a huge supporter of the Bartlett program these events have been very painful to watch.But the post by highschoolstats just made me sick.Ben a thug? A disgarce? Good Grief!Speaking as a non-player and die-hard Bartlett follower I can testify to the fact the Ben is NOT a thug.And like TJ said, he is VERY bright. Smarter than a lot of people on this board.( that is not meant as an insult to anyone personally...just making a point)Now,as far as Coach Smith goes, maybe his emotions got the best of him too. I dunno. I wasn't there. I can say this though. I was at a basketball practice today while working on a project for the basketball team and he is very demanding of his players.Some players just can't handle that. I now I couldn't have. Now, there are some things Ben has said that I just don't agree with and some I do but the bottomline is I still have a lot of of love for Big Ben. Not for his basketball skills but for his being so great to me and my folks whenever we had the chance to speak. Ben..if ya read this buddy....I just wan ya to know that despite all these ugly details.....there are still people back at Bartlett who respect and love you. e-mail me sometime at Pantherbert@aol.com I'd love to talk to ya. Have a great day everybody

[Guest bartletths55]

"Young man your an insult to your family,friends,school, and high school basketball."

Everyone, this man has an opinion, and according to the 1st Ammendment he can speak it freely.

 

"How can you get on here and try an explain yourself. There is no explanation for it!!"

Your right, there is no explanation. Thats why I've been apolagizing for it.

 

"The only thing your coach should be blamed for is having you on the team in the first place."

Yes, if he had never convinced me to play this would have never happened and I wouldn't have wasted so much of my life on it.

 

"How dare you compare yourself to such great men also. They tried to rid the world of thugs like you!"

To say that they tried to rid the world of anyone is inaccurate...that was Hitler. The people that I mentioned all tried to make the world a better place for themselves, often by any means neccessary. So have I. Both stood up for what they believed in, whether people considered it right or wrong. So have I. All of them were willing to face the consequences of their actions. So have I.

 

"You showed you have no dedication to the game, you also showed you have little respect for anyone."

When did dedication come into this subject? If you want I can give you proof of my dedication. But the bottom line was that I was more dedicated to what I believe to be right than basketball. As for respect, well that something that you can't demand from me. You have to earn it.

 

"So what a coach get's onto you, he's only trying to make you better."

Are you even aware of what happened?

 

"Not only should you have been kicked off the team,you should have also been kicked out of school. And...I'll have a Big Mac and fries, get use to that because with an attitude like yours McDonalds is as far as you will get in life!!!!!"

Such a shallow point of view. As if to think that profession, wealth, or fame had any real significance at all to me. Such materials may be important to you, but then again, Thoreau would have said that you live a life of "quiet desperation." I'm the one that has to face myself in the mirror everyday, and I'm the one who has to live with myself if I don't stand up for what I believe in. I've tried living in your world, and everyday I came home upset because I had put my priorities aside for something as insignificant as basketball. The fact that you relate a job to success reveals that you either value money or what other people think of you. I value neither of those. I had much rather be poor and looked down upon, than wealthy and well thought of, if it meant that I got to keep my individuality. You can go ahead and keep your high paying job, and keep sacrificing for it too. But I won't sell-out.

[Dice1550]

That last post made me respect the kind of individual that Ben is. It seems to me that he has his priorities straight. The path that he took to get where he is was by no means correct, which is why he apologized for what he has done. He knows he was wrong so quit trying to crucify him for things that you probably know nothing about. I'm sure you have made plenty of mistakes in your lives and there's nothing worse than a hypocrite. Let he who has no blame throw the first stone.

[maddawg]

I know very little about this situation... which is to say, i know only what I read on here. This boy seems to prove a point that is abundantly clear... sports are not for everyone!!! If this young man chooses not to live his life following team rules and team concepts then that is his choice. If he wants to work at a fast food joint or live in the woods of walden pond then let him. To many times adults try to force their values and beliefs on kids by not letting them stump their toes along the way. A child must know what "hot" is to know what being burned feels like. This child had to be coersed into participating in an event he obviously had no desire to do( didn't he quit earlier) and yet someon else who was "looking out for his future" decided that he should take some other course. If this young man wants to play and succeed then he needs to do that, however if he is not willing to devote his time and energy to working toward a team goal, then he and the team are better off without him on the floor. Only time will tell if he has made the best decision for himself and his future, but ONLY he will have to live with the choices he has made. But a word of advice from an old man... if you air your dirty laundry then don't expect everyone to agree with your cleaning... if you aren't the "sellout" you say, you shouldn't have to come to a public forum to tell everyone.

[dynasty03]

I have just a simple question for people on this thread that are accusing Ben of basically all things and everything including a thug. Have you ever made a mistake, maybe something you look back on and think...why did I do that? I'm sure Ben wouldn't have touched Coach Smith if he had to do it over again. People talk like he slapped coach smith in the face and then kicked him repeatedly right before he set his office on fire and left him to burn. I hope that all of these post were made by high school students because it would be a crying shame for an adult to act so childish over a situation that probably didn't effect them in any way and i would venture to say that they wouldn't have ever heard of it unless they read it on this board. Ben was wrong he admits it. He is acting more mature on this board than basically anybody else. I am going to wish Ben the best of luck in whatever he does down the road. I don't know him but I do know how it is to be misunderstood. Good luck.

[23sMom]

an assault doesnt always mean a brutal punch to the head...just touching within ones "boundary" is enough for a warrant...so I give you this advice...keep your hands to yourself

[Stokomo]

What if a coach puts his hands on a player? Same way, huh?

I can tell you from personal experience, if what you call an assault were enforced in practices, there would be a lot of respectable coaches in jail right now. Today's world has become an "I'll sue you if...blah, blah, blah." That has made most players soft. This kid stuck up for what he believes. He said he was sorry for what he did and willing to live with the consequences that came. Please leave the kid alone and let him try to become the best he can. Hey b/f, you can do anything. Look at Bill Gates, he dropped out of college. Chris Tucker was told to go to army or college, look where he is making millions. President Bush was an alcoholic before he got his act together, now look at his position. If the threads on here indicate anything the men mentioned in my thread, then that should show you to still strive to turn this into a positive and do something with it!!!!

[23sMom]

I wasnt bashing him,and yes if a coach places his hand on a child in anger,,then yes it is an assault.

[Chakra20]

23smom you really have no idea on what goes on in practices do you. Ive been pushed, cursed, shoved, and slapped on the head with a clipboard etc. etc..

 

Political correctness has gotten out of control in this country. Thsi young man sounds pretty intelligent to me, much more than the other people that have posted on here. Id say the coached upset him off and he wanted to quit, and got talked into playing when he didnt want to. That was his mistake he should ahve went with his gut feeling they are usually right.

[swish1]

One can secure a "warrant" because of accusations. However Assult is an ACT that involves a physical THREAT. Simply touching someone is not necessarly an assult.

[ELA]

I hate the movie Varsity Blues mainly because it is a player's Dream and even though it may have some elements of truth, it does not work that way in the real world. Coaches are put into positions of authority to stop young men from doing many of the things that those men in the movie did! The job of the coach is to win, but he is also there to teach character! There is so much wrong with that movie that it makes me sick. Players think sports is just about having fun, but if you don't learn about hard work and develop the work ethic to improve as an individual and a team... you have missed the whole point of high school athletics all together!

[swish1]

Can we not edit anymore? ASSAULT is the correct spelling. Sorry!