BleedGopher
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HS coach fired for not apologizing after 100-0 win
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MinnMarchDTF
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Pardon my French, but, WTF?
MinnesotaMadman
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Stupid. It really doesn't give any details. If they were pressing the entire game, I can see why an apology would be expected, but if all they did was play defense and execute their offense, then I see no reason why anyone should have to apologize. If you go out and play good pressure D, execute your offense and the other team doesn't stop you, who is at fault then for the lop sided score? Should they have just sat on the ball all possession? How is dribbling at the top of the key for a minute every possession good for any team? I guess without more details I can't really saw more.
From the Barn
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They were pressing and jacking 3s until they got to 100. They were playing against a school for kids with learning disabilities.
Seeing mismatches like this is somewhat commonplace in high school sports, depending upon which sport it is and who is playing who.
I'm in favor of winning the game obviously. But there is also a part of the game that says "don't embarrass your opponent," and this is especially true at the high school level. If what the parent who was at the game says is true, then its pretty clear this team and this coach were trying to run up the score and thus embarrass the other team.
If this was a college or pro sports situation, I wouldn't even notice. But the fact that these were two high schools that were playing one another makes me more than a little disappointed. Even if he wasn't trying to run up the score, it looks fishy to have a final score of 100-0. The score alone would seem to indicate that he was trying to win this game by triple digits. Of course, I don't know all the facts. But until then, color me disappointed...
I'm in favor of winning the game obviously. But there is also a part of the game that says "don't embarrass your opponent," and this is especially true at the high school level. If what the parent who was at the game says is true, then its pretty clear this team and this coach were trying to run up the score and thus embarrass the other team.
If this was a college or pro sports situation, I wouldn't even notice. But the fact that these were two high schools that were playing one another makes me more than a little disappointed. Even if he wasn't trying to run up the score, it looks fishy to have a final score of 100-0. The score alone would seem to indicate that he was trying to win this game by triple digits. Of course, I don't know all the facts. But until then, color me disappointed...
Friend Of Tubby
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Starters left in until (near) the end.
MinnesotaMadman
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Here is the statement from the coach.
http://www.flightbasketball.com/100-0-Texas-Game-Response-From-Coach.html
In our own words: The Journey to a 100-0 victory
By: Coach Micah Grimes
After counting down the seconds until the final buzzer, I lined up my girls to wish the opposing team well, and then headed into the locker room for our post game rituals. After the girls and I said our goodbyes, I headed home to reflect like I always do after every game. But this was no ordinary game. Little did I know that in the next eight days, Barry Horn would write an article for Dallas Morning News about our 100-0 win over Dallas Academy that would start a firestorm of articles, nationally broadcasted news stories, and hateful email about me and the 8 young ladies that make up the Dallas Covenant School girls basketball team. I’ve always taught my girls to value honesty, integrity, compassion for others and to stand up for those values despite the consequences. So it is for Andi, Savannah, Taylor, Lauren, Wren, Marquita, Blair, Tiffany and our assistant coach Kelly that I tell our story.
The Team. We are hardly the “elite basketball powerhouse” that we are described as in the National and local media. Up until 3 years ago, we rarely had a winning season. In fact, during my first year at Covenant four years ago, we experienced one of our worst seasons - a losing record of only 2 wins and 19 losses that sunk to an 82-6 low in a game that forever changed us and how we approached the game of basketball. Two years later we made the first Final Four appearance in the school’s history. Like Dallas Academy, Covenant is a small Christian school, which is why we are in the same district. We don’t have a home gym so we rent out facilities or gym space in the community so we can practice, and then watch game film at the home of one of the players. We’ve never had a full roster. Only about 30 high school girls attend Covenant and only 8 of those girls play basketball. During many of the games this year, we played with 6 girls, and sometimes only 5. When players fouled out, we’ve had to finish the game with 4. But we always finished the game.
The Players. Rarely does a coach find a player who will run the extra laps, do the extra push-ups, or shoot the extra baskets without complaining. I have 8 such players—2 freshmen, a sophomore who is new to the school and team, another sophomore who has been with us for two years, two Juniors who have been with us for 3 years, a Senior who is new to the team and school, and another Junior who is new to basketball and is learning how to play for the first time in her life. My girls believe in each other, motivate each other, and see each other as family. The respect and admiration I have for them and their parents are the main reason why I come back to Covenant each year.
The Game. The game started like any other high school basketball game across the nation. The teams warm-up, coaches talk, the ball is tipped, and then the play begins. We started the game off with a full-court press. After 3 minutes into play, we had already reached a 25-0 lead. Like any rational thinking coach would do, I immediately stopped the full-court press, dropped into a 2-3 zone defense, and started subbing in my 3 bench players. This strategy continued for the rest of the game and allowed the Dallas Academy players to get the ball up the court for a chance to score. The second half started with a score of 59-0. Seeing that we would win by too wide of a margin, running down the clock was the only logical course of action left. Contrary to the articles, there were only a total of four 3-point baskets made; three in the first quarter, and only one in the third quarter. I continued to sub in bench players, play zone defense, and run the clock for the rest of the game. We played fair and honorably within the rules and in the presence of the parents, coaches, and athletic directors for both Covenant School and Dallas Academy.
The Apology. In response to the statement posted on The Covenant School Website, I respectfully disagree with the apology, especially the notion that the Covenant School girls basketball team should feel "embarrassed" or "ashamed". We played the game as it was meant to be played and would not intentionally run up the score on any opponent. Although a wide-margin victory is never evidence of compassion, my girls played with honor and integrity and showed respect to Dallas Academy. We honor God, ourselves, and our families when we step on the court to compete. I do no wish to forfeit the game. What kind of example does it set for our children? Do we really want to punish Covenant School girls? Does forfeiting really help Dallas Academy girls? We experienced a blowout almost 4 years ago and it was painful, but it made us who we are today. I believe in the lessons that sports teach us. Competition builds character, and teaches us to value selflessness, hard work, and perseverance. As a coach, I have instilled in my girls these values. So if I lose my job over these statements, I will walk away with my integrity.
Sincerely,
Micah Grimes
http://www.flightbasketball.com/100-0-Texas-Game-Response-From-Coach.html
In our own words: The Journey to a 100-0 victory
By: Coach Micah Grimes
After counting down the seconds until the final buzzer, I lined up my girls to wish the opposing team well, and then headed into the locker room for our post game rituals. After the girls and I said our goodbyes, I headed home to reflect like I always do after every game. But this was no ordinary game. Little did I know that in the next eight days, Barry Horn would write an article for Dallas Morning News about our 100-0 win over Dallas Academy that would start a firestorm of articles, nationally broadcasted news stories, and hateful email about me and the 8 young ladies that make up the Dallas Covenant School girls basketball team. I’ve always taught my girls to value honesty, integrity, compassion for others and to stand up for those values despite the consequences. So it is for Andi, Savannah, Taylor, Lauren, Wren, Marquita, Blair, Tiffany and our assistant coach Kelly that I tell our story.
The Team. We are hardly the “elite basketball powerhouse” that we are described as in the National and local media. Up until 3 years ago, we rarely had a winning season. In fact, during my first year at Covenant four years ago, we experienced one of our worst seasons - a losing record of only 2 wins and 19 losses that sunk to an 82-6 low in a game that forever changed us and how we approached the game of basketball. Two years later we made the first Final Four appearance in the school’s history. Like Dallas Academy, Covenant is a small Christian school, which is why we are in the same district. We don’t have a home gym so we rent out facilities or gym space in the community so we can practice, and then watch game film at the home of one of the players. We’ve never had a full roster. Only about 30 high school girls attend Covenant and only 8 of those girls play basketball. During many of the games this year, we played with 6 girls, and sometimes only 5. When players fouled out, we’ve had to finish the game with 4. But we always finished the game.
The Players. Rarely does a coach find a player who will run the extra laps, do the extra push-ups, or shoot the extra baskets without complaining. I have 8 such players—2 freshmen, a sophomore who is new to the school and team, another sophomore who has been with us for two years, two Juniors who have been with us for 3 years, a Senior who is new to the team and school, and another Junior who is new to basketball and is learning how to play for the first time in her life. My girls believe in each other, motivate each other, and see each other as family. The respect and admiration I have for them and their parents are the main reason why I come back to Covenant each year.
The Game. The game started like any other high school basketball game across the nation. The teams warm-up, coaches talk, the ball is tipped, and then the play begins. We started the game off with a full-court press. After 3 minutes into play, we had already reached a 25-0 lead. Like any rational thinking coach would do, I immediately stopped the full-court press, dropped into a 2-3 zone defense, and started subbing in my 3 bench players. This strategy continued for the rest of the game and allowed the Dallas Academy players to get the ball up the court for a chance to score. The second half started with a score of 59-0. Seeing that we would win by too wide of a margin, running down the clock was the only logical course of action left. Contrary to the articles, there were only a total of four 3-point baskets made; three in the first quarter, and only one in the third quarter. I continued to sub in bench players, play zone defense, and run the clock for the rest of the game. We played fair and honorably within the rules and in the presence of the parents, coaches, and athletic directors for both Covenant School and Dallas Academy.
The Apology. In response to the statement posted on The Covenant School Website, I respectfully disagree with the apology, especially the notion that the Covenant School girls basketball team should feel "embarrassed" or "ashamed". We played the game as it was meant to be played and would not intentionally run up the score on any opponent. Although a wide-margin victory is never evidence of compassion, my girls played with honor and integrity and showed respect to Dallas Academy. We honor God, ourselves, and our families when we step on the court to compete. I do no wish to forfeit the game. What kind of example does it set for our children? Do we really want to punish Covenant School girls? Does forfeiting really help Dallas Academy girls? We experienced a blowout almost 4 years ago and it was painful, but it made us who we are today. I believe in the lessons that sports teach us. Competition builds character, and teaches us to value selflessness, hard work, and perseverance. As a coach, I have instilled in my girls these values. So if I lose my job over these statements, I will walk away with my integrity.
Sincerely,
Micah Grimes
UpnorthGo4
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There is no excuse for 100 - 0. Period. His three best players should have been permanently on the bench well before half-time. It sounds like they played off and on for the whole game. How come he didn't address the fact that his assistant coach was very vocal in urging his team to try to make it to 100 points? When they did do it the assistant coach was obnoxiously loud in cheering for his team.
Even if you don't sit your best players on the bench, there are plenty of ways to hold down the score without telling your team to miss baskets on purpose:
1. Minimum number of passes before you can shoot - good practice
2. Run the shot clock down on offense
3. No three point shots
4. No pressing - let the other team shoot
5. No steals - let the other team shoot
6. All lay up shots with left hand - good practice
7. No lay up shots
8. No fouls
9. No offensive rebounds
10. Everyone plays a different position - good practice
11. Worst ball handler is the point guard - good practice
We all know a$$holes in sports. They are everywhere. This guy and his assistant are two of them.
Even if you don't sit your best players on the bench, there are plenty of ways to hold down the score without telling your team to miss baskets on purpose:
1. Minimum number of passes before you can shoot - good practice
2. Run the shot clock down on offense
3. No three point shots
4. No pressing - let the other team shoot
5. No steals - let the other team shoot
6. All lay up shots with left hand - good practice
7. No lay up shots
8. No fouls
9. No offensive rebounds
10. Everyone plays a different position - good practice
11. Worst ball handler is the point guard - good practice
We all know a$$holes in sports. They are everywhere. This guy and his assistant are two of them.
Agreed about running up the score but something I haven't seen mentioned is why is a team from such a small school of kids with learning disabilities that hasn't won a game in four years competing on its own? I'm really not a fan of co-ops but in this case it seems necessary.
If I had to guess, I'd say that they had more than just learning disabilities. Things like dyslexia and simple attention span disorders don't explain the inability to score a single point. I'll bet that Dallas Academy is actually a special ed. school.
Schlic Daddy
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I understand your point and agree they shouldn't have won 100-0, but I think you compromise the integrity of the game by doing the points that I highlighted. Also, and maybe it's my competitiveness, but while I would certainly switch to a zone and stop pressing, telling my team to pass up a wide open layup or to not play defense (the no steals--I'm guessing the other team was bad enough that they flat out threw passes right to Covenant) or to not try for offensive rebounds is a mistake. You should not have your players on the floor if they are not giving 100 percent, regardless of the score. You can play hard, take a steal if it's given to you, box out, and make layups without running up the score.
In defense of the coach, it's hard to pull your starters when you only have 3 bench players.
I don't know what was said by the coaches during the game, but if they really did make scoring 100 points a goal, that's wrong. They should play hard, but should not make it a goal of scoring a certain number of points.
Jeshurun
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Since none of us were there, and we don't have all the facts, I am inclined to take the coach at his word. I don't see any reason why not to. I would rather take his word than the comments of some people who don't actually know what happened and claim that they were jacking up 3s all game. He says they only took 4 in the game. Why should we think he is lying? What cause do we have to not believe him? It used to be in this country that a person was innocent until PROVEN guilty, but I guess no proof is needed on the juries of the media and message boards.
TheDinkytowner
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Totally agree.
Notice only 1/5 of the letter was on the game itself, the rest was fluff.
Well I think he was trying to show that this wasn't a David v. Goliath match-up that the media has made it seem. The 2 schools are relatively the same size, with similar sized basketball rosters. In the article that ran in the newspaper it mentions only the size of the losing team and not the winning team, providing the notion Covenant is much bigger. He is also saying that a similar loss Covenant suffered a couple years ago seemed to turn that program around, which Dallas Academy could use as a building block. I personally don't see how a 100-0 loss could be used as a motivational factor because I would feel embarrassed, but who knows.
Maybe the state of Texas should have a mercy rule in place so this type of stuff doesn't happen. From what I have heard of this story I think the school was wrong firing the coach ... This stuff happens in women's college basketball and just did a week or two ago when UCONN clobbered a good Syracuse team. You don't see Geno Auriemma getting canned and he even had a scuffle with one of the Syracuse players during the handshakes.
cncmin
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Ridiculous!
No, not the fact that a team won 100-0 and had to apologize to the other team for it...I think it's ridiculous that the coach got fired.
First, it sounds like he played all of his players and played standard defense for most of the game. If the other team can't score what are you supposed to do?
Second, the WORST thing a team can do to another is to stop playing hard, and just let the other team score and purposely give them the ball. How would you feel if you were losing badly and another team just sat there and let you score free layups for the last 5 minutes? Would that make you feel better? The most denigrating thing someone else can do in the world of competition is to "have mercy" on you and completely stop playing the game. That's just laughing at the other team and treating them with no respect. Maybe after the first 8 minutes that team could have just dribbled the ball around the court for the last 24 minutes such that the score was less lopsided. If the winning team stops making layups and holds the ball the whole time, that's the most frustrating thing; it takes away all chances for the losing team to score. Now THAT'S unsportsmanlike.
I'm sorry, but if the other team can't score and can't play defense, then maybe they shouldn't be playing high school basketball. It should probably be the guy losing 0-100 that got fired as opposed to the other way; it's obvious that he hasn't taught his players how to play basketball.
No, not the fact that a team won 100-0 and had to apologize to the other team for it...I think it's ridiculous that the coach got fired.
First, it sounds like he played all of his players and played standard defense for most of the game. If the other team can't score what are you supposed to do?
Second, the WORST thing a team can do to another is to stop playing hard, and just let the other team score and purposely give them the ball. How would you feel if you were losing badly and another team just sat there and let you score free layups for the last 5 minutes? Would that make you feel better? The most denigrating thing someone else can do in the world of competition is to "have mercy" on you and completely stop playing the game. That's just laughing at the other team and treating them with no respect. Maybe after the first 8 minutes that team could have just dribbled the ball around the court for the last 24 minutes such that the score was less lopsided. If the winning team stops making layups and holds the ball the whole time, that's the most frustrating thing; it takes away all chances for the losing team to score. Now THAT'S unsportsmanlike.
I'm sorry, but if the other team can't score and can't play defense, then maybe they shouldn't be playing high school basketball. It should probably be the guy losing 0-100 that got fired as opposed to the other way; it's obvious that he hasn't taught his players how to play basketball.
MinnesotaMadman
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Plinnius, Dallas Academy is a school for kids with learning differences such as ADHD and Dyslexia, but I wouldn't qualify it as special ed. Their website claims 80-90% of the schools graduates go on to attend college. The school isn't for people with low IQ's, but for kids who have trouble maximizing their potential in schools do to other problems associated with learning.
Kids with ADHD and Dyslexia can be good at sports. My uncle is dyslexic and was the goalie for his high school hockey team. I ran cross country with a few ADHD kids in high school who became really good runners.
I really don't think the coach should have been fired. I am inclined to believe him as he was actually at the game as opposed to this guy who wrote the story who wasn't even there. Interviewing people after the fact (I believe the article was printed a week after the game) just leaves lots of room for error. If you go to the link I posted earlier, it is obvious he his players love him and want to play for him. It also bothers me when institutions come out and speak for all of their members. The players don't feel the apology reflected how they actually felt about the game and for the school to come out and speak for them is wrong in my opinion.
Kids with ADHD and Dyslexia can be good at sports. My uncle is dyslexic and was the goalie for his high school hockey team. I ran cross country with a few ADHD kids in high school who became really good runners.
I really don't think the coach should have been fired. I am inclined to believe him as he was actually at the game as opposed to this guy who wrote the story who wasn't even there. Interviewing people after the fact (I believe the article was printed a week after the game) just leaves lots of room for error. If you go to the link I posted earlier, it is obvious he his players love him and want to play for him. It also bothers me when institutions come out and speak for all of their members. The players don't feel the apology reflected how they actually felt about the game and for the school to come out and speak for them is wrong in my opinion.
Geno is easily the biggest d-bag/a-hole in womens college basketball history.
As for the 100-0 game. There are ways for a coach to limit his teams scoring while not taking it letting the other team score. A mimimum number of passes is a great example. Have your players in the 2-3 zone sag quite a bit. etc. just be creative it didn't have to be that brutal.
From the Barn
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Or just don't shoot. Refusing to run up the score isn't as insulting as running up the score.
GophersInIowa
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I've talked to a few friends who coach basketball and they all agree that games like this is a perfect time to try different things. Maybe a set or play that hasn't worked well in the past or something like that. Don't know if this coach did that or not but things like that may reduce the blowout of the game. However, the girls on the winning team still would be playing hard the entire time.