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Football ref attacked on field

Ranb

Penultimate Amazing
Ranb
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http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/07/us/texas-football-official-hit/index.html
The defensive back comes charging in at full speed, knocking his blindsided target to the ground. A teammate follows moments later by diving in helmet-first. These kinds of bone-crushing hits often land the players involved on football highlight reels. But this time, they could land the players in jail.

The reason: They didn't level an opposing high school player but a game official.

No arrests have been made. Police in Marble Falls, Texas, said they are investigating the incident. Investigators have contacted Burnet County Attorney Eddie Arredondo, whose jurisdiction includes Marble Falls, and the prosecutor has said he is open to filing charges.... If charges are filed, he said, the football players could be looking at counts of assault.
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http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/09/referee-targeted-john-jay-high-school-football-players-press-charges
“I like to keep my officiating quiet; unfortunately this will be big news. Libel and slander have already been committed against me. I will be contacting the appropriate people soon and any statement from me will come at a later date.”
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I'm not aware of student ball players ever being charged with assault for actions on the playing field during a game. Anyone heard of any?

Ranb
 
The football equivalent of a friendly fire incident? Collateral damage durig play, or a separate action?
 
I read it was retaliation for the referee ejecting two players from the game. During a running play a player seems to deliberately run into the stationary referee, tackle him, then another player dives into the fallen official.

Ranb
 
Ranb said:
I read it was retaliation for the referee ejecting two players from the game. During a running play a player seems to deliberately run into the stationary referee, tackle him, then another player dives into the fallen official.

Ranb
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Well that's the way to get back at the guy for ejecting players - get yourself ejected!
 
Matthew Best said:
Then they need to be banned from sport. And I don't see any reason not to charge them with assault as this couldn't possibly be considered part of the game.
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It's that simple. Not very different to climbing the umpire's chair in tennis and whacking them over the head with a racquet.
 
Matthew Best said:
Then they need to be banned from sport. And I don't see any reason not to charge them with assault as this couldn't possibly be considered part of the game.
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I agree with this, and if the coach had any part in it he should be fired.

ETA: There is precedent in the NHL for players being charged with assault for in-game activity, and this is clearly assault.
 
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Matthew Best said:
Then they need to be banned from sport. And I don't see any reason not to charge them with assault as this couldn't possibly be considered part of the game.
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Texas is a state which has laws about game officials.
There's assault and battery battery, and then there's the higher crime of assault and battery on a sports official.

So, if soccer mom or hockey dad attacks a ref after the game, the punishment will be worse as opposed to just attacking someone in a road rage incident.

Does it matter if the ref/ump/official was a ref/ump/official in the game? I don't know, but I hope so.

I don't think it would be fair for someone to be attacked in road rage incident and then Mr./Mrs. attacker have a heavier punishment b/c the person they attacked is a ref/ump/official. Ya know? Just a random encounter?

But, if a person attacks a ref/ump/official because of call in the game; I hope that's when the heavier punishment kicks in.
 
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Elizabeth I said:
Well, there's talk of the school being suspended from play for at least the season. Some people want them suspended for the rest of the year, all sports - basketball, baseball, tennis, etc.
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I would have no problems with any of these
 
Now the suspended students are saying the refs used racist language.
Forgive me for being a little skeptical about that.
When in doubt,play the Race Card.
 
Or introduce footballs into their nether regions quickly!! I'm thinking a little fatback and a clown mallet.


ETA: and leave them on their own to figure out a way to remove them.
 
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