There are several schools of thought when it comes to running up the score. There's the "Steve Spurrier Run 'Em Up" philosophy (blow out your opponent until they beg for mercy.) Then there's the "Tee Ball Let's Make Sure Everyone Plays and Screw the Score" mode of operating.It seems pretty obvious that The Covenant School in Dallas subscribes to the former. How do I know? Well, because they beat another team 100-0 in a girls' high school basketball game. The
But they won't be playing Covenant again this season; they canceled their Jan. 30 game against the team. After the game, Dallas Academy informed the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools that it was withdrawing its girls team from the league for the rest of the season.To make matters worse, the Covenant coach, Micah Grimes, has issued what appears to be a really weak attempt at an apology, saying that "It just happened."
"We just said, 'The hell with it,' " said Jim Richardson, Dallas Academy's headmaster.
Against Covenant, Dallas Academy was surprised to see an obviously superior team keep the pressure on until it scored its 100th point in the fourth quarter. "I'm sure they could have won by 30 points and still had just as good a time," Civello said.
Pardon me for being blunt, Mr. Grimes, but that's just stupid. 100 point games don't just happen in the NBA, they don't just happen in college basketball and they sure as hell don't just happen in a girls' high school basketball game, especially against an opponent that's losing 59-0 at half.
Grimes also went on to describe the game as "a learning experience" which is just embarrassing. The good news is that both the headmaster of Covenant and the director of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools seem pretty willing to make amends; while I'm not one to typically call for someone's resignation, it would be nice if part of that process involved teaching Grimes how to dictate a better apology.
Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Good for Grimes!
There is no reason he should have been expected to take it easy on the other team.
If the Dallas academy wants to think about playing realistically against another team, they better be ready to either accept defeat or plainly be better at the game.
I wouldn't expect an apology if my friends and I lost a game to the Lakers.
Gee Nate- I sure hope you re-join the human race soon. You talk as if this were a simple case of competition and winning and losing. You better check your facts- Covenant was up 59-0 at the half and continued to full court press and shoots 3s until late in the game. Dallas has a total of 20 girls in the school. If the Lakers played you and your buds (do you guys have learning disabilities too?) the Lakers would have enough class to ease up a little when the outcome was certain. As for what Chris said, it's too ignorant to merit a response
As a girl's high school coach, we have backed off the press in the first quarter, and then told our girl's to not play D outside the 3 point arc to allow the other team some ball control. We later added a 5 pass rule before shooting unless the pass was for a lay-up. However, we said no passes to someone open for a lay-up until 5 passes. Subs played a lot. It still was a huge blow-out, but the game was respected. We teach respect the officials, the other team, the coaches and their teammates. Respecting the game is playing hard, but you can do it with structure that respects the other team. Remember, it is just a game.
Nate- 100% agree. What sports is becoming is sickening. It's no longer about showcasing skills as a team...it's about who shows the most "class".
Everyone needs to just calm down. Its not like they were playing a team of people who were mentally handicapped, if you look at other sources you will find out that this team was from a school that dealt with learning disabilities such as dyslexia and short attention spans. So basically they 100 pointed the Sylvan Learning Center.
Which is funny no matter what.
That's different because your team is not disabled and their team was it's just plain out stupid for them to do that and i think their coach is a jackass for doing this!!!!
These are high school girls, not the Lakers. You really think letting up some when you are up 59-0 at the half and start the second half and realize they aren't mounting a comeback is wrong? This story is just ridiculous and so is that team and their coaching staff who apparently though sportsmanship is less important then reaching the 100 point milestone. In school, they are there to be taught proper lessons and this coach taught them that winning and having no compassion means more then anything else. Yes, you can win and still with dignity, especially when coaching a team that young.
I have seen girls HS games before. The winning team typically doesn't score more than 60 points.
Grimes, the coach, should have told his team to make sure you get the shutout, and held back on his offense. By scoring 100 points while shutting out your opponent, is definitely runnig it up.
It's not that you expect an apology if a bunch of normal guys lose to the Lakers. It's another thing if the Lakers keet going full throttle in the 4th quarter when up by 75 point already.
He was definitely rubbing it in, and his apology was so lame.
This is a disgrace. Plain and simply shameful. Stories like this don't make the next generation of winners, it makes the next generation of ruthless, self-absorbed monsters. The coach can't be blamed alone though... a girl in High School should have known enough to say that what they were doing was wrong. Perhaps that is expecting too much from people, but I was raised to remember there are people other than myself in this world. I hope the Covenant girls learn consideration someplace other than the school and coach which are so obviously letting them down.
wow Nate they have mental disabilities its like college kids playing eighth graders
The coach of the winning team should be FIRED for such a lack of sportsmanship. What did the coach do for his own players? The wrong message was passed on to his girls.
I totally agree the winning coach should be FIRED! This is blatant poor sportsmanship. I know many of a school system that would FIRE a coach for the negative press that this situation has caused. Shame on you Coach!
If the losing team doesn't like it, practice more. The coach of the losing team obviously doesn't care about his team if they were that unprepared. I don't care how "superior" a team is you can score 2 points by accident. The loser coach should be fired for lack of effort and putting his kids in that situation in the first place.
Chris, You are a fuc--ng idiot. It was a team with learning problems.
Grimes you are slimy and grimy.............
What you did has no justification!!!
Where is the sportsman ship?
Some of you guys need to read the article before you comment. A school for children with learning disabilities, which would be ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and a slew of other disabilities up against a what would be supposedly be called a religious school and you get a blood bath. It is very hard to coach children with disabilities but the fact they try is a the issue and for a school to beat on them like that is totally beyond the realm of sportsmanship. If anything, The Covenant School in Dallas should be the team removing itself from the league. I can only imagine the way they were beating them, they were probably laughing it up. As for thier coach, you do not deserve the title of coach, you stand relieved!
I agree with most all of what you said, I don't think autism falls into the catrgory though, They would fall under the area 10 special olympics org in Dallas. I coach in area 11 special olympics in Tarrant county Texas and I know how it can be difficult, but I will tell you this every one of the athletes that I coach has more heart and alot better people than Covenents players coaches and "fans" and a few of the posters on this board
depends on the severity. ASD (Austism Spectrum Disorder) ranges from severely autistic to highly functioning autistic. Many people remember the movie "Rainman" with Dustin Hoffman, and he played a highly functioning autistic character in it. I work with that type of students at a at a private school like that, along with ADD/ADHD and Dislexic and they also play sports in the private school leagues and usually do not fair so well, but they learn how to play a sport and socialize as a team.
We also play against bigger schools that have tryouts while we play anyone who wants to join the team because we are a small school, and that is fine for us. Teaching life skills is our goal. The difference is the other schools know that and do not go out for blood. When they find themselves with a safe lead, they quickly put in reserves, go to a half court press and just enjoy playing instead or trying to beat someone down!
most of you all are friggin boneheads... Covenant did what they were supposed to do, win and give 100% through all four quarters. If the other team had a problem they should have forfeited like the pathetic losers they are. It's sports, not charity. The dallas' headmaster should be the one under scrutiny here. the message he sent to his pupils is that when the going gets tough... QUIT. what a pathetic loser. he should be fired, and same with the dallas coach. teach them to play as a friggin team and they should have scored at least one basket. gees people.