Officials Weigh Booing Ban at High School Games (state of Washington nanny alert)

ABC News ^ | Sunday March 4th, 2007 | Good Morning America

[ajolympian2004]

Some High School Sporting Officials in Washington State Want to Throw Unsportsmanlike Behavior Off the Field

March 4, 2007 — From brawls on professional basketball courts to out-of-control parents at Little League games, unsportsmanlike behavior can be a problem.

Now, some high school sporting officials in Washington state are considering tough new rules — including a ban on booing.

Those who support the ban say that too often, spectators are cruel.

"It's the organized effort to try to intimidate or try to make fun of someone that becomes personal in nature that can escalate then into other concerns that we might have," said Mike Colbrese, executive director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.

Colbrese and his colleagues said they have trouble hiring coaches and referees because of the abuse they take. By banning booing from the stands, they believe they can create a more welcoming environment on the court and field.

Experts agree that behavior at school sports events is not what it used to be.

"Parents are more intense, family members are more intense, siblings are more intense," said Christine Brennan, a USA Today sports columnist and ABC News consultant. "Everything is ratcheted up."

The Interscholastic Association claims it just wants to reinforce good sportsmanship.

[ajolympian2004]

My take -

It will be virually impossible to ban booing in sports now with the rise of PGA golfer Boo Weekley.

Boo Weekley

http://www.pgatour.com/players/02/62/89/

I didn't even know who he was until I caught part of the Honda Classic last Sunday. I tuned in and heard the crowd booing and couldn't believe it. Booing in golf? I figured that one of the players had committed a serious golf ettiquette violation on a previous hole and then I hear this golfer's name finally and realize what's going on.

Boo missed an easy 3 foot putt on Sunday on the 18th hole which dropped him into a four player sudden death playoff. Another player won the playoff. If he makes that putt he gets his first PGA win.

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[socal_parrot]

Hissssssssssss...

[Kimmers]

I can see it now high school students yelling

BoooooooooooooooooooB !!!!!!!

[digger48]

Maybe they could all sing Kumbaya instead of the National Anthem, too

[rbosque]

Loony liberals at work.

[proxy_user]

You gotta admire Mark Wilson.

He called a 2-stroke penalty on himself because his caddy couldn't keep his mouth shut, made a 40-foot put to get in the playoff, and then made another one of the first hole of the playoff to stay in. The next day, he won it.

[ajolympian2004]

Yeah, that was amazing. I couldn't make it up in time to see the playoff Monday morning on The Golf Channel.

[paul51]

"Parents are more intense, family members are more intense, siblings are more intense," said Christine Brennan, a USA Today sports columnist and ABC News consultant. "Everything is ratcheted up."

Is that supposed to be an excuse or rationalization for bad behavior? No wonder the children don't know how to behave. The parents don't know how.

[paul51]

"Parents are more intense, family members are more intense, siblings are more intense," said Christine Brennan, a USA Today sports columnist and ABC News consultant. "Everything is ratcheted up."

Is that supposed to be an excuse or rationalization for bad behavior? No wonder the children don't know how to behave. The parents don't know how.

[mdittmar]

Boo did fine,Mark Wilson did better.

Washington should be split at the entrance to Mt. Rainer.

An Eastern Washington and a Western Washington.

[joebuck]

But it will be ok to say moooooovers.

[proxy_user]

And I had to go to work before the playoff started!

What was really annoying was the 9 AM meeting didn't come off because of technical difficulties in connecting to Hong Kong and the UK.

[Psycho_Bunny]

The irony about hard-left societies is that they have to pass laws curbing the myriad of poor behaviors their policies give rise to.

Not that there wasn't booing before, but as societies become more liberal, people tend to lose the internal checks that breed a sense of civility and restraint.

The lack of basic civility in Seattle is breath-taking.  My current pet-peeve are the increasing instances of people bringing their dogs into restaurants and grocery stores. 

WTF? When did THAT become OK?

I mean sure, it's fine in places like Alaska or Arizona where the weather is so extreme that leaving a dog in the car can be considered cruel.  Businesses in places like that tend to be prepared for dogs.

But in temperate areas?  Where no one's prepared for it?  It's like the employees are scared to say, "Excuse me but, we can't have non-service dogs running around our store.  We would appreciate your taking it outside."

 

[Question Liberal Authority]

What if the people booing are illegal aliens undocumented workers? You can't kick them out of anything.

[doodad]

I missed that part. What did the caddy do?

[proxy_user]

It was on Friday.

He hit a shot, and another player's caddy asked Wilson's caddy what he had hit. Without thinking, the caddy replied '17 degree hybrid'.

Wilson heard it and called a two-stroke penalty on himself. Official confirmed the penalty.

[JoeSixPack1]

"Parents are more intense, family members are more intense, siblings are more intense,"

PC madness could swoop in any second and eliminate competitive sports completely. So cheer or boo or raz the coach like it's the last game!!!!!

Show some heart out there people!! :-)

GO TEAM!!!!!!

[Minn]

I thought it was aginst the rules to ask the question, not to answer it.

[proxy_user]

Nope, you can ask all you like.

It is against the rules to give advice to a competitor. The caddy is considered to be one with the player.

Of course, Wilson's caddy was mortified by his mistake.

[1FreeAmerican]

I was in my local Home Depot the other day when I smelled the distinct oder of DOG POOP!! Sure enough, some old guy was cleaning up the mess on isle 4. Disgusting, and I told him so.