Roland, TJMS, 01.07.10: Houston Jack Yates High School Principal Ronald Mumphrey

The Yates coach was not unsportsman like! Why do we keep teaching our kid to be so whimpy! Based on Yates record the opposing team KNEW they were going to get whooped hard! They took the first string out be put them back in after other players got into a fight. How is this bad! They just got whooped.

I listened to the interview this morning. I do understand the principal’s point of view and I get the “32 minutes of hell” philosophy, but I still think there is something inherently wrong with running up a score 170 – 35 regardless of the winning ethos. I myself played on Texas school basketball teams from 7th thru 12th grade at public and private schools. Fortunately, most of the teams I played for had far more wins than losses; however, there were occasions where we were just simply out-gunned, and opposing teams could have easily ran up the score if they so desired. All throughought my “career” it was an accepted practice that once the point spread was 20 points or more the “B” or possibly the “C” team got playing time, and more importantly the winning team would stop pressing. Basketball is not like a boxing match where the apparent loser, can all of a sudden land the winning knockout punch and win the match…if the tide of the basketball game began to turn, then the starters would play again and pressing would resume. I am glad I received this lesson in sportsmanship and humility as a child from past coaches and opposing coaches; it is something that has guided my behavior in military and civilian life as an adult. Why continue the “beat down” when it is obvious that the win is guaranteed?

Thanks for allowing Coach Mumphery to come on the air and explain what REALLY happen. We appreciate that!