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Little League removes softball team from World Series over social media post
Yahoo! ^ | 8-5-17 | Mark Townsend, Big League Stew

Posted on 08/06/2017 8:36:34 AM PDT by TaxPayer2000

The Atlee Junior League softball team was removed from the World Series championship game on Saturday after posting an inappropriate photo on social media.

According to the Richmond-Times Dispatch, Little League officials were made aware of the photo, which shows several members of the team giving the middle finger to the camera, on Saturday morning. It was quickly decided to disqualify the team, which consists of girls ages 12-14, from further competition.

The photo in question was taken moments after Atlee defeated Kirkland American in the semifinals on Friday.

Little League spokesman Kevin Fountain released the following statement to the Times-Dispatch explaining the committee’s decision:

“After discovering a recent inappropriate social media post involving members of Atlee Little League’s Junior League Softball tournament team, the Little League® International Tournament Committee has removed the Southeast Region from the 2017 Junior League Softball World Series for violation of Little League’s policies regarding unsportsmanlike conduct, inappropriate use of social media, and the high standard that Little League International holds for all its participants.”

As a result of the disqualification, Kirkland American was given Atlee’s spot in the championship game.

Atlee manager Scott Currie was clear in stating that the photo reflected poor sportsmanship, but wasn’t convinced the post was enough to “justify the disqualification.”

“Somebody got a hold of it. I guess they ran it through to Williamsport,” Currie said. “Williamsport decided to disqualify us.”

Coach Chris Mardigian added that the photo was in response to the treatment Atlee players received from members of the Kirkland American team during their visit. Kirkland serves as the host city for the tournament.

That may explain his team’s actions, but it doesn’t justify them. It’s a truly unfortunate way for a team’s memorable journey to end. But it’s also a good lesson on the importance of making good decisions and acting responsibly at all times.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: atlee; badbehavior; dq; littleleague; snapchat; sports; sportsmanship
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To: Artemis Webb

Those kind of consequences? It affects both teams: Kirkland knows it doesn’t belong in the finals. The winner of that game knows they didn’t play the best team, just the one appointed to that game. Fining the team would have penalized the players without tainting the tourney.

This is girls softball politics, which makes beauty pageant politics seem trite.


21 posted on 08/06/2017 8:59:22 AM PDT by RinaseaofDs (Truth, in a time of universal deceit, is courage)
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To: TaxPayer2000

Top left looks like a coach. Have a nice trip home @$$holes!


22 posted on 08/06/2017 9:02:21 AM PDT by ConservaTexan (February 6, 1911)
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To: lee martell

So then, do we not administer any discipline because these kids are growing up in a different world than most of us here? Do we say that’s ok because the popular culture encourages this sort of thing, which was not true for those of us above a certain age here?

Or is a softball team not the time and place to discuss the coarseness of the popular culture; should be ignore this incident because the world is so screwed up in so many ways, and kids growing up today don’t have the frame of reference that us older folks have????


23 posted on 08/06/2017 9:02:32 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: jpsb

Their actions are less tacky than what public school teachers typically demonstrate during class discussions. Critical thinking skills are taught as challenging your parents’ beliefs...never the teacher/professor’s beliefs.

This photo shows poor behavior but so is spitting on the ground. Perhaps they were disqualified in an effort to advance another team and is simply favoritism.


24 posted on 08/06/2017 9:02:53 AM PDT by Monterrosa-24 (...even more American than a Russian AK-47 and a French bikini.)
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To: ConservaTexan

She’s the coach? Yep she looks older. Then, my gosh, she should have administered discipline and told her girls to cut it out.

What the heck; adult role models, adults in charge of kids activities encourage this horse blank activity????


25 posted on 08/06/2017 9:04:28 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: txrefugee

Completely agree.


26 posted on 08/06/2017 9:06:17 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it.)
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To: Monterrosa-24

Well, in that case, then none of us here know the rest of the story. If there’s an untold story/back story to this, then maybe none of our comments make sense, if we don’t know how this entire event transpired.


27 posted on 08/06/2017 9:06:17 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: TaxPayer2000
The old school of hard knocks. This is a lesson none of the young "ladies" will soon forget. Too bad for the girls who didn't act out.

We should start a collection to donate a copy of this book to each girl on the team.


28 posted on 08/06/2017 9:09:31 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: TaxPayer2000

The comments on their Facebook page are really sad. I can see why they have the attitude they have if this is how the adults in their lives view the world.


29 posted on 08/06/2017 9:09:53 AM PDT by Not A Snowbird (A year in Arizona... and I haven't burst into flames yet.)
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To: TaxPayer2000
The Internet, Social Media, and the ease in which to put yourself out to the world with just a click, has changed the world forever.

That said, it still is great to sit out on your back deck listening to a classic rock station while reading a book on your Kindle on a very sunny and warm summer afternoon.

30 posted on 08/06/2017 9:10:07 AM PDT by SamAdams76
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To: Dilbert San Diego

I suppose they could have booted the six bad,actors and made them go apologize personally to the other team members.

But this is a TEAM and operates as such, not as a collection of individuals. So team punishment is very appropriate.


31 posted on 08/06/2017 9:12:50 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: RinaseaofDs

Using your logic is still have my job at Arthur Andersen since it was only 100 out of a company of 120,000 that were the bad actors.


32 posted on 08/06/2017 9:24:47 AM PDT by Jarhead9297
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To: Artemis Webb
Actions have consequences. My thoughts exactly.
33 posted on 08/06/2017 9:26:28 AM PDT by Reno89519 (Drain the Swamp is not party specific. Lyn' Ted is still a liar, Good riddance to him.)
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To: TaxPayer2000

Doesn’t excuse their behaviour but according To Richmond.com “Friday’s game ended in a double play shortly after a baserunner from the Kirkland team was ejected for stealing signals from the Atlee team while on second base and relaying them to the batter. A Kirkland coach was ejected as well.”


34 posted on 08/06/2017 9:37:04 AM PDT by CTGOPPER (Connecticut Conservative)
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To: CTGOPPER

I’d say both teams were treated according to the rules. Both were penalized for bad behavior.

By the way, it was apparently one of the players that posted the picture, and it doesn’t appear that the coach was in the picture as some here have speculated.

Snapchat pics are supposed to only post for a few seconds. Obviously this one made it past its expiration time and is now out there for posterity. Lesson learned?


35 posted on 08/06/2017 9:46:00 AM PDT by Norseman (Defund the Left....completely!)
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To: TaxPayer2000

Sportsmanship was once a very popular practice and was taught to the youth of my generation at an early age. But it went out of fashion in the late 20th century. Today, you would be hard pressed to find anyone who can even tell you what it meant. Indeed, sportsmanship has fallen so far out of fashion that mentioning it is likely to be met with derisive laughter. I hope these girls (Can I use that term?) have learned something, but I doubt it. More likely they believe they are victims of “Unfairness”.


36 posted on 08/06/2017 9:46:02 AM PDT by Chuckster ("Them Rag Heads just ain't rational" Curly Bartley 1973)
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To: TaxPayer2000
inappropriate use of social media

"That may explain his team’s actions, but it doesn’t justify them. It’s a truly unfortunate way for a team’s memorable journey to end. But it’s also a good lesson on the importance of making good decisions and acting responsibly at all times."

and there it is... the rules are very simple, you just have to read them

37 posted on 08/06/2017 9:46:22 AM PDT by Chode (You have all of the resources you are going to have. Abandon your illusions and plan accordingly.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

This is Free Republic. It’s what we do.


38 posted on 08/06/2017 9:49:18 AM PDT by Chuckster ("Them Rag Heads just ain't rational" Curly Bartley 1973)
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To: TaxPayer2000

Disgusting behavior. Shame on them. Anyone who apologizes for or rationalizes this is part of the problem.


39 posted on 08/06/2017 9:51:51 AM PDT by shanover (...To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.-S.Adams)
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To: TaxPayer2000

Now that was a bad idea.

Too bad everyone got caught up in it.

Actions have consequences. Who knew?


40 posted on 08/06/2017 10:12:07 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (Fourth estate? Ha! Our media has become the KCOTUS, the Kangaroo Court of the United States.)
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