Worn out: Everyone loses when uniform rule rules day
Cross country infraction at Baltimore County title meet ridiculous on so many levels
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News item: The Hereford boys cross country team had the Baltimore County championship taken away because of a minor underwear violation by the fourth-place finisher.
My take: This is the kind of thing that drives more and more kids to video games, where there are no overly officious adults to take the fun out of everything.
Related news item: Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association official Steve Smith admitted in The Baltimore Sun that the infraction had absolutely no bearing on the outcome of the race and also said that officials headed off a number of other uniform violations before the race so those kids could run legally.
My take: Which basically proves that the petty rule in question was arbitrarily enforced and poorly administered.
Bonus take: So everybody loses. The kids who got the trophy know they didn't really win. The kid who committed the heinous crime of wearing the wrong color stitching on his undergarment will always know he cost his team a championship. And the adults in authority -- from here to the home office in Indiana -- ought to be embarrassed and ashamed of themselves for their lack of common sense.
News item: The life and career of Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson was celebrated Monday night at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall with heartfelt testimonials from Earl Weaver, Cal Ripken Jr. and a variety of other former teammates and Baltimore sports figures.
My take: It was a great event that reminded everyone of an era when the Orioles -- and the old Colts -- kept Baltimore near the center of the professional sports universe.
News item: The Orioles named their new bench coach on Thursday. It's former Cleveland Indians coach Jeff Datz, who last served as bench coach for recently fired Tribe manager Eric Wedge.
My take: Datz comes highly recommended by some pretty important people around the game, but I think Orioles fans were hoping for somebody a little more familiar. Guess Brooks didn't want the job.
News item: The Ravens face the undefeated Denver Broncos on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, badly needing a victory to end a three-game losing streak and keep them on a path to the postseason.
My take: They'll get it. I've looked into my crystal ball and see Willis McGahee scoring two touchdowns and Terrell Suggs getting multiple sacks in a solid bounce-back win.
News item: The Washington Redskins have announced that Jim Zorn will remain head coach at least through the end of the season.
My take: It was a tough call, but owner Daniel Snyder decided that he hasn't tortured Zorn enough to justify paying the remainder of his
contract.
News item: Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman has met with the Orioles, but is also being courted by Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. The 21-year-old left-hander has been compared to Washington Nationals No. 1 draft choice Stephen Strasburg.
My take: Like you, I can't wait to see which of the Orioles' big-money division rivals end up getting him.
Bonus take: Maybe it's time for another Orioles goodwill trip to Cuba. The last one obviously didn't work.
News item: The Indians have hired former Nationals manager Manny Acta, who was also offered the chance to manage the Houston Astros.
My take: What does it say about the 103-loss Nats that two other major league franchises apparently feel that Acta got the most out of them before he was fired?
Bonus take: If a .385 winning percentage gets you two long-term contract offers, shouldn't Dave Trembley (.413) at least get a new company car?
News item: Andre Agassi says in his new autobiography that he was pushed into tennis by a demanding father and he temporarily turned to crystal meth in the 1990s during his troubled marriage to Brooke Shields.
My take: Thank God for the demanding father. People who use crystal meth and don't play world-class tennis often end up living out of dumpsters and usually have trouble selling their memoirs.
News item: Police arrested a female Philadelphia Phillies fan after she allegedly offered sex to an undercover police officer in exchange for World Series tickets.
My take: When they said it was easy to hit a home run in Philadelphia, I guess they weren't kidding.
Listen to Peter Schmuck when he hosts "Sportsline" on WBAL (1090 AM) and check out "The Schmuck Stops Here" at
baltimoresun.com/schmuckblog.
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StumbleUponOh, Good Lord, people, a kid breaks a rule CLEARLY outlined in a national rule book, is caught and admonished and everyone thinks the rule is bad and the officials wrong? What is this world coming to?
As a high school official in three sports, and a coach in another, I can tell you the uniform rules are in each rule book, they are clearly explained and they are there for a reason. Are we to only follow the rules and laws we deem valid? This athlete went against the book and he got busted. Next time I can assure you he will wear the proper uniform. To make excuses for the kid doesn't really do him any good, now does it? Should we tell him, "It's OK Johnny, go ahead and break the rules, but only the ones we think are wrong." What kind of life lesson is that? The fact that the rule has no bearing on the actual competition is not the point. The Federation is made up of high school associations from every state, and the people making the rules are coaches, former athletes and local officials. They think the rule is necessary or else they wouldn't put it in there, the Fed isn't in the habit of making arbitrary rulings or un-necessary rules. Everything is outlined in the rule books so that there is no question as to what is legal and what isn't.
Playing by the rules is still one of the requisites of competing, The kid needs to understand that and so do all of you
Ken400 (10/31/2009, 12:46 AM )
Peter, thanks for keeping the cross country disaster in the spotlight. The Hereford fiasco is a disgrace and should make cringe any person who has ever officiated. The best comment I read was the one which stated the "winning" school should refuse to accept the trophy and/or hand it to Hereford.
Samtheone (10/31/2009, 12:14 AM )
Copyright © 2009, The Baltimore Sun
Even though this has a disaterous effect on the young kids who gave their all into this event, I support the official who made the call. As a former runner, I have been appaled by the lack of discipline over the last couple of years on these "individual" expressions being allowed to be displayed by athletes customizing their uniforms. Check on the definition of uniform. Todays athletes know the rules and challange them (most of the time successfully) because of the decline in the number of participants. I know it may seem petty, but just imagine if all the runners, expressed their individuality. You would end up with a sorid group of participants that would horrify and tear down the fabric of the sports organization. One important note... this rule was used against Baltimore City Schools several times over the last two years and know one seemed to take notice. Hoorah Steve Smith and the Officials, who dare to make a stand.
runnning4ever (10/31/2009, 1:09 AM )