Rivals - There are routs, there are blowouts, and then there are epic one-sided
losses that would make the likes of Woody Hayes blush. The 100-2 victory by Pikeville (Ky.) Independent Middle School
against Kimper (Ky.) Elementary and Middle School at the Pike County
Preseason Tournament falls squarely in the last category. Now, the
school district's superintendent and school board are allegedly
considering canceling the team's entire season because of a perceived
lack of sportsmanship shown in the 98-point drubbing.
I really wanna feel bad for these kids, but it's just not possible. I mean lets look at the facts. These kids are in middle school playing basketball. Not a damn thing anyone could have said to me in middle school would have made me play any different no matter what the score was. If I got an open layup I'm taking it, if some kid comes in the lain and I can block his shot I'm doing it. Sorry these kids are on a crappy team, but again it's middle school and everyone isn't a superstar. Stuff happens. I've been on teams that came in last place and I hated every minute of it, but that's how life works. Sometimes you win and sometimes you get blown out. If anything it's the coaches fault for not pulling them off the court when they went down 70-0 at half. The winning coach pulled his starters and stopped playing a press defense or they could have won 150-0. There's only so much he can do. Yea he could have his kids hold the ball and stand around, maybe even shoot it in the wrong basket but is that really gonna make the other team feel better about themselves? I mean at some point you gotta ask why these teams are even playing in the same league in the first place? Being a better team definitely isn't a reason to take these kids whole season away.
