Dawgs owed an apology (Abilene Newsreporter)

[supercentex]

Jon Garrett: Dawgs owed an apology

Spoiler alert: If you have not seen the end of the movie "Million Dollar Baby," you may not wish to read the first two paragraphs of this column.

---

Do you remember the end of "Million Dollar Baby, when an overmatched opponent's sucker punch sent Maggie to the floor?

The blow broke the aspiring champion's neck. It also turned a shoo-in for the pantheon of boxing movies — a short list containing "Raging Bull," "Rocky" and "The Hurricane," — into a 50-cent morality tale not worthy of the characters it betrayed.

Once the theater lights flicked back on, many were left with an empty feeling.

That's how I felt Sunday morning after reading an Abilene sportswriter's story about the West Texas Rehabilitation Center 7-on-7 State Qualifying Tournament.

The event, a qualifier for the Fox Sports Net 7-on-7 State Championships, was won by Copperas Cove. The Dawgs, having already clinched a state berth in the semifinals, capped their day with a 25-20 win over Abilene High School, the tournament's host team.

Near the end of Cove's victory, Abilene quarterback Taylor Potts aggressively approached a member of the Dawgs defense before teammates and coaches from both sides broke up the confrontation.

The details were reported in Sunday's Herald. I feel they were reported without bias or malice toward either party. I stuck to the facts, though I could have made many assumptions based on Potts' demeanor and actions.

I was caught by surprise when I read Abilene Reporter-News sportswriter Troy Shockley's story. In particular, I bring this passage to your attention:

"The good times became strained in the championship, though, where Copperas Cove pushed the envelope the entire game.

"In 7-on-7 competition, tackles are made by simply touching the player below the neck and 'excessive force' is not allowed. The rules define excessive force as 'shoving, pushing, or striking a blow.' The rules also state that 'responsibility to avoid contact is with the defense' and that 'deliberate bumping or grabbing' is not allowed. Finally, there is to be 'no taunting or trash talking.'

"All of these infractions are subject to penalization and Copperas Cove routinely broke most of them against the Eagles, yet was never once penalized for doing so."

Shockley's lapse into rhetoric in a news story disappointed me but his condemnation of the Dawgs angered me.

His insinuations that Cove got away with the use of excessive force is unfair. His thinly-veiled depiction of the school's 7-on-7 team as a bunch of trash-talking thugs is not only wrong, but irresponsible.

If Shockley believes he did observe this behavior, he should have immediately talked to those involved — players, coaches and officials.

After that, if he still wanted to share his insights, he should have resorted to an opinion column (such as this).

Instead he chose to turn what should have been a straight story into an opinion piece.

I was on the sidelines for that game. If Cove was aggressive, it was only in reaction to the physical force used by the home team, which routinely used the bump-and-run and other tactics.

As for the Dawgs not being penalized by the referees, their inaction speaks volumes.

Mr. Shockley, I think, got a little too caught up in being a good soldier for the home team.

The young men from Cove who traveled 200 miles to Abilene to spend Saturday representing their school — a task I believe they accomplished with dignity, restraint and respect for the other squads—are owed an apology.

[jtk1519]

This is gay.

[wide-e-wide]

Is this a real journalist? He spent way too much time writing
about a "pretend" game of football. Man...talk about taking
something a little too serious.

[cougardude]

This is gay.


That's a real mature reply! :confused:

[jtk1519]

That's a real mature reply! :confused:

About as mature as this article.

[NewSherriffInTown]

The guy is right though. It seems like the Abilene reporter went overboard alot. I understand that the "impartial" journalists of newspapers are usually homers, but that was ridiculous.

[Eaglewatcher]

No this guy is not right. If you want to read a biased article go back to the "Abilene QB" thread and read the original article by Jon Garrett in the Killeen Daily Herald. I can't believe this guy saw the same game I did. If you want to read biased and home town spin, take a look. The reporter with Killeen left out a lot of things that spin the story.
Maybe this is the same guy trying to stir the pot on the LSWC site also. If so I'll tell you again. Get over it. You won the game.

[lklgb]

if I were Potts,I would keep my head on a swivel during the cove scrimmage.

[Eaglewatcher]

Now that's real smart. QB's are off limits at scrimmages and everyone know it. (Unless they run with the ball, and even the the play will not be allowed to go to completion.) The are not even allowed to scramble without the whistle blowing the play dead. Taylor shouldn't have confronted the Cove player, but he had every right to be upset.(A Cove defender pushed down a AHS receiver) There is no need to fan the flames and escalate this beyond what it was, a meaningless (both teams already qualified for A&M) 7 on 7 game. As has been pointed out before, Abilene didn't take this game seriously and neither should anyone else. Way too many people are drawing conclusions about this game from newspaper accounts that are not complete or accurate. If you weren't there, you have no way of knowing.

[lklgb]

I was there

[Eaglewatcher]

Then you should realize that the referees did a very poor job of controlling the game and I think it was their fault that the game got the way it was toward the end. I do not blame the Cove players for being aggressive, but it IS the responsibility of the defender to avoid contact. The amount of contact that was allowed in this game was way more that what I have seen in the previous 10 or so 7 on 7 games I have seen this year. When one side is allowed to play aggressive, then the other side will usually respond in kind, until they find the ref's limits. These ref's seemed to have very few limits. No one wants anyone to get hurt in these things, thats why the rules are written the way they are.
No one in Abilene that I know of is "mad" or out for retribution at the scrimmage. I would hope that the Cove players and coaches feel the same. That doesn't mean the scrimmage won't be hard hitting, I'm sure it will. But I am also sure it will be clean.

[lklgb]

The reason I said what I did about the swivel is that most middlelinebackers I know won't take that kind of stuff from a qb,especially with his coaches sitting right there to remind him of this in sept.

[Eaglewatcher]

The Abilene receiver that caught the ball the in play that had just happened was "touched" so aggressively that he was flattened. Did you fail to see that? Taylor's response was understandable under the circumstances. The MLB in question should know that he was over the line for a 7 on 7 game, and you should too. He should be at least able to take what he gives out without getting all bent out of shape.

[adcwalker]

And if the Cove MLB would have responded to Potts and hostal actions happended both teams would have been disqualified for the State 7 on 7 Tournament. Cove has been through that before and I am sure they don't want it to happen again.

[Eaglewatcher]

Exactly. Thats why to referees need to keep things under control.

[wide-e-wide]

Wow..I haven't seen people get this bent out of shape over a touch
football game in a long time. I think it was in PE ...about 1984.
Now that was mean bunch of 4th graders let me tell 'ya.

[odessapermian.com]

REVENGE TIME! Abilene and Copperas Cove will be in the same pool at the Brownwood SQT this weekend. Oh boy! :D





.

[CCDawgs05]

if I were Potts,I would keep my head on a swivel during the cove scrimmage.

Our defense wont care....if Potts is not careful, he wont have a head at the end of the scrimmage...

[relraiderfan]

You Cove players are ridiculous. Potts was defending his teammate that you had just SHOVED to the ground. Not to mention the excessive bumping and shirt grabbing you did the whole game. How about you give the guy some respect for standing up for his teammate. And if he wanted to get real confrontational anyways he could have layed you on your back just like you had just done to them.

[CCDawgs05]

Oh well im done with this...if people cant take a little pushing and a little bumping, Abilene is in for a long ride when they scrimmage us....im done with this talk....

[odessapermian.com]

I watched Abilene play 7 on 7 last year. They push and shove too, just like everybody else from time to time. It is still football ya know. :rolleyes:

[Eaglewatcher]

Good grief OP.com, no one said we didn't push and shove too, but in this particular game Cove was past the limits several times and were not called for it, and one time in particular and that is what the incident much discussed about Potts and the mlb is about. And really, 7 on 7 is not football, but only a summertime cousin to it, in which contact is supposed to be very limited. As I said before, I don't blame the kids, they were only doing what the referee's allowed.

[CCDawgs05]

Good grief OP.com, no one said we didn't push and shove too, but in this particular game Cove was past the limits several times and were not called for it, and one time in particular and that is what the incident much discussed about Potts and the mlb is about. And really, 7 on 7 is not football, but only a summertime cousin to it, in which contact is supposed to be very limited. As I said before, I don't blame the kids, they were only doing what the referee's allowed.


Well said....Well said....

[odessapermian.com]

Cove was .....not called for it...... I don't blame the kids, they were only doing what the referee's allowed.


Then there was no need for this thread or any others on the subject, agreed? :D

[Eaglewatcher]

Since I never thought anybody owed anybody an apology --- I agree.

[wide-e-wide]

Are you guys really having an argument about touch football?
I'm gonna start a thread about that home run I was robbed of
back in '83....yeah it was wiffle ball...but if you can argue touch
football I can argue wiffle ball.

[Eaglewatcher]

Wide - we were having a discussion about bad reporting, misinformation and bad refeering. But I think most questions have been answered several times at this point.

[wide-e-wide]

Well if your gonna argue bad journalism, this could take forever.
That will never go away. There will always be some homer...somewhere
that can't shut his mouth.

[ilovefootball]

Typical Abilene. The fact that this article was written is embarrasing.

[jtk1519]

If I'm not mistaken, there was some "rough play" during the AHS/Cove scrimmage prior to last season. There could be a history between these two teams and that history could have spilled over during their 7 on 7 game.

Fact is that while this is touch football, a player is going to push the envelope as far as the zebras will let them and that is fine by me. Both teams are guilty and both papers suck. No apologies are necessary and those demanding such apologies should pull their heads out and find something better to write about.

[supercentex]

Cove has a history of problems........ against Bryan in 2003 in 7 on 7 both teams were disqualified.

[jtk1519]

Cove has a history of problems........ against Bryan in 2003 in 7 on 7 both teams were disqualified.

I dont want to place all the blame on Cove. I know Abilene High has had players recently that play with a lot of intensity whether it's a Friday night or just warming up for a 7 on 7 game. I know Abilene Cooper plays pretty rough sometimes... just ask OP.com. It doesnt mean there thugs and it sure doesnt need to be reported. Like it or not, that is the way the game is played.

[Eagle81]

Oh well im done with this...if people cant take a little pushing and a little bumping, Abilene is in for a long ride when they scrimmage us....im done with this talk....

Kind of like all the other scrimmages? That's funny.

[Eaglesnest]

Thomas Metthe / Reporter-News

Abilene High's Lyle Leong Jr., left, breaks up a long pass during Saturday's championship game against Copperas Cove in the Abilene qualifier for the Fox Sports Net 7-on-7 tournament.

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Football Fun in the Sun
Eagles happy to qualify for 7-on-7 state

By Troy Shockley / Reporter-News Staff Writer
June 19, 2005

They didn't win it all but, really, they didn't much care - they're still going to state.

That was the attitude of the Abilene High School 7-on-7 football team on Saturday, after falling to Copperas Cove 25-20 in the championship of the West Texas Rehabilitation Center 7-on-7 State Qualifying Tournament.

Both teams that reach the championship game earn the right to advance to July's Fox Sports Net 7-on-7 State Championship in College Station.

''The pressure was definitely off this last game,'' said Abilene High defensive back Wade Baker. ''We came here wanting to qualify, and we did that, so that pumps us up pretty good.''

The Eagles got to the championship game by virtue of an undefeated record in pool play and a 36-12 win over Frenship in the first round of bracket play. Falling to Abilene in pool play were San Angelo Lake View (36-6), Breckenridge (35-12) and Jim Ned (33-30).

Knowing it had already clinched a state-tournament berth, Abilene High played many of its backup players against Copperas Cove, giving them valuable experience against a quality opponent.

It was an opponent that, until the final minutes, Abilene High was beating.

After going to the half tied at 13, an interception returned for a score put Copperas Cove up, 19-13. The Eagles answered with a score of their own, reclaiming the lead by one point, 20-19. Then, after three previous scores off of one-play drives - two long passes and the return - Copperas Cove finally scored on a sustained drive, going ahead 25-20.

Abilene High was stopped on the ensuing drive, and the defense then did the same to Copperas Cove. There wasn't enough time left on the clock for the Eagles to get a pass off, however, and the game was ended.

According to the National Weather Service, the heat index in Abilene had climbed to 98 degrees by that time, and AHS defensive back Jeff Williams said while the conditions weren't ideal, he was headed home a happy man.

''It's exhausting,'' he said with a grin. ''It's all a lot of fun, too, though. I really like 7-on-7. It really helps with our pass protection and with this, you can only get better. But, yeah, I'm hot. Put that in there. I'm hot.''

Just as hot was the Abilene High offense, which put up an average of 32 points per game. Many of those points came from the familiar tandem of Taylor Potts and Lyle Leong.

Leong said while he wanted to win the tournament, the team accomplished what it set out to do.

''I'm a little tired, but it was worth it to qualify for state,'' said Leong, whose diving and leaping grabs wowed fans all day. ''You want to take it serious enough to win, but you don't want to be so serious you can't have fun, either.''

The good times became strained in the championship, though, where Copperas Cove pushed the envelope the entire game.

In 7-on-7 competition, tackles are made by simply touching the player below the neck and ''excessive force'' is not allowed. The rules define excessive force as ''shoving, pushing, or striking a blow.'' The rules also state that ''responsibility to avoid contact is with the defense'' and that ''deliberate bumping or grabbing'' is not allowed. Finally, there is to be ''no taunting or trash talking.''

All of these infractions are subject to penalization and Copperas Cove routinely broke most of them against the Eagles, yet was never once penalized for doing so. Williams said while frustrated at the way Copperas Cove played, he was happy with how his team responded in turn.

''It's not that we don't take it seriously, too, but there's a point ... this is summer ball. I mean, it's like flag football - it doesn't mean anything. This is supposed to be for fun.''

Leong agreed, but added that more than fun, 7-on-7 is intended to help teams come together sooner once fall rolls around.

''It's just about coming together as a team and seeing what we can do,'' he said. ''It's a learning experience so (younger players) can learn what they can do to get better. And, for us, that's happening.''

align=center>PLAYING IN THE POOL


Pool A was dominated by Abilene High, but San Angelo Lake View held its own, losing only to the Eagles in its first game of the day. Lake View got wins of 19-13 over Jim Ned and 32-19 over winless Breckenridge. The Indians finished third in the pool, getting one win over the Buckaroos, 31-19.

Pool B was won by Rockwall, which came out of the pool undefeated after wins over Coleman (26-20), Graham (33-20) and Brady (39-13). Graham, which according to coach Brad McCoy had never before played in the 7-on-7 tournament, finished 2-1. Aided by former Jim Ned receiver Chance McCoy, Graham defeated Brady 33-25 and Coleman 41-32. Coleman's lone victory came over winless Brady, 33-26.

Pool C was taken over by Brownwood. Led by Kye Darden - an all-around athlete who played receiver, defensive back and punter last fall for the Lions - Brownwood swept the pool to remain undefeated in 7-on-7 this summer with an 11-0 record. Already state qualifiers, the Lions were unable to advance past pool play, meaning second-place Frenship got the bracket-play berth. Frenship lost only to Brownwood (40-24), giving it a 2-1 mark in pool play.
Despite the absence of many key players - Chris Hall, Sean Holamon and Demetrius Gore to name a few - Cooper held its own, finishing 1-2.

Quarterback Will Casey played well, and several receivers had a good day for Cooper as well, including senior Matt Donahue who made several big plays.

The Cougars defeated winless Merkel 20-14 to start the day, but then fell to Frenship (40-13) and Brownwood (35-14). Cooper actually went to the half tied at 14 with Brownwood, but was unable to get on the board in the second half.


Pool D fell victim to the quick-strike capabilities of Copperas Cove, which came out of pool play unscathed. Midland Lee was the runner-up, earning wins of 30-28 over Early and 31-27 over Marlin. Lee's only stumble came against Copperas Cove, where it fell 28-20. Marlin earned a win over 0-3 Early (34-24) to finish pool play 1-2.

The JV Pool was won by undefeated Clyde, which took wins over the JV teams from Abilene High (14-6), Graham (27-12) and Brownwood (39-13). The Abilene High JV finished 2-1 in pool play, downing Brownwood 33-27 and shutting out Graham 27-0. Brownwood went 1-2, with its only win coming over 0-3 Graham, 27-22.
Contact sports writer Troy Shockley at shockleyt@reporternews.com or 67
:)