100-0 Blame Game

On January 13th, the girls varsity basketball team at the Covenant School of Dallas put a 100-0 beat down on the ladies of the Dallas Academy.  The story has received national attention since then, and things got heated again over the weekend when Covenant fired coach Micah Grimes.  Sports personalities across the country have taken the path of least resistance and blasted Grimes for the spectacle (check out the Mike & Mike video accompanying the ESPN story for some truly self-righteous indignation), but several other parties have apparently been given a pass:

• The Covenant players.  I just checked the roster on the Covenant School website and it includes 1 senior and 3 juniors out of eight players.  I'm guessing at least one of those four girls has been playing ball long enough to know what good sportsmanship means.  I'm guessing any one of those four girls could have stopped this at any time by running out the shot clock, not going for an easy steal, and not attempting to drain 3's for the entire game.  I'm guessing that one of those four girls wishes she had the chance to be the voice of reason given the chance again.  Some of the most stunning displays of sportsmanship in athletics come from leaders on the field.  Often without the prompting - or even in defiance - of a coach.  The Covenant players can let the coach take the fall, but mercy is all the more meaningful when it is granted by a peer.
• The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS).  Check out the quote from Edd Burleson, director of TAPPS in the ESPN article.  Is anyone surprised Edd is advocating the golden rule, given that his organization didn't have the foresight to enact any other rule that could have prevented this?  The Dallas Academy team has been winless their past four seasons.  As an athletic governing body, how did Edd and company not see this coming?  I hate the idea of excluding anyone from high school athletics.  So barring the Dallas Academy from TAPPS play on the basis of their enrollment or roster size is unacceptable.  But somebody had to imagine team with a creep of a coach and some callous players making this possible.  Where was the mercy rule?

Don't get me wrong.  I agree that coach Grimes was largely responsible for committing an egregious violation of the concept of fair play.  But it bothers me that personalities like Mike & Mike let the buck stop there.  Clearly there are other parties who could have prevented or put a stop to this shameful display.  If this really is a "teachable moment," then let's make sure the right people are learning.