a T.O. with T.H.

As a sports nerd, it is my responsibility to know the ins and outs of even the lesser-known stories.

One of these instances was a story this past week of a Texas girls high school basketball game ending in a score of 100-0.

At first I cracked up. Sorry to be insensitive, but before you know the details, a royal beat-down of this magnitude is rather entertaining.

Then I read the rest of the story.

I learned that the school that lost is The Dallas Academy from Texas. This is a co-ed private school that caters to kids with learning disabilities such as Attention Deficit Disorder and Dyslexia.

If that is not bad enough, the girls’ basketball team has only eight players, none of whom had played much basketball before this year.

In the defense of the winning school, Covenant, Dallas Academy has no business in Covenant league. But still, 100-0?

Now, I understand being competitive. I love to win as much as anyone out there. When I played any sport I always looked to beat opponents however I could. But I never would have gone this far.

Think about it. In order to win 100-0 you would have to bypass 50-0, 60-0, 70-0, etc. As obvious as that sounds, just take a second to think about how ridiculous it is to get up 70-0 and still want to score 30 more points.

Also, I am against any rule that says you shouldn’t blow out teams or you should forfeit after a certain score is reached. But at some point, the moral implications of beating a team with learning deficiencies and no basketball experience by triple digits.

What message are you sending? What lesson are you teaching? For both teams this game could be destructive.

Fortunately, the coach of Covenant was fired Monday, and the school issued a formal apology. This apology, however, came online and only was written after the story got out.

So I would like to say on behalf of the sports world not to judge the entire group on one terrible example. Not all athletes and coaches are relentless jerks who will do anything to beat any opponent.

It was unfortunate to hear and read about, and I hope that this kind of thing doesn’t ever happen again.

And for the record, I am pulling for Dallas Academy and every school like it that gives its students sports as a means for escaping from a difficult reality. It is refreshing to see people playing the game because they love it, and not just because they want to win.

Women’s College Basketball

This weekend, the sports world lost a great human being and coach.

Kay Yow coached the North Carolina State Wolfpack for 34 years before her untimely death Jan. 24 after a long battle with breast cancer.

Yow was not well known by the general population, but in the world of NCAA basketball she was one of the most beloved and popular coaches ever to grace the sidelines.

She won 737 games in her coaching career, even after being diagnosed with cancer in 1987.

And during her final 20 years, she fought the disease and coached.

However, Yow is not only remembered for her success on the court. She did lead the ‘Pack to a Final Four and five ACC championships, but outside the lines of Kay Yow Court (Reynolds Coliseum) is where she made her mark.

Many people say the inspiration and effect of her personality will live on forever.

The college basketball world never can and never will forget Kay Yow. May she rest in peace.