High School football player charged after late hit

[Carol]

James LaShoto, a high school football player from Arlington Catholic High School near Boston, is facing criminal charges for assault and battery after allegedly head-butting an opponent -- 17-year-old Daniel Curtin (pictured right) -- from Abington High School in a game on Sept. 19, according to The Boston Globe.

http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/...tball-player-charged-after-alleged-head-butt/

Video is on the link. Hit occurred near the center of the screen, behind the line of scrimmage.

Curtain's helmet fell off in the tackle, after which, LaShoto (allegedly) head butted him.

I dunno, I think this was a dirty hit but.....criminal charges? I don't agree. Anyone else?

 

[CanuckMA]

Absolutely. Deliberate, not required for the play. he had him stopped, on the ground, the play is done. He then head butts him. That's assault.

 

[Big Don]

Thank God there aren't cops at sparring, late hits happen...

 

[grydth]

I'm more familiar with these cases from hockey, a very rough sport where fights are a part of the game. Usually the line between just a match misconduct and a criminal indictment is where the hit is unquestionably dirty and has the result of serious harm.

Two examples: Marty McSorley hitting Donald Brashear in the head with his stick from behind. Todd Bertuzzi driving Steve Smith's head into the ice after jumping him from behind. I believe both were criminally convicted... as well as suspended. McSorley's career was ended in disgrace.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

Thank God there aren't cops at sparring, late hits happen...

Yeah, accidents happen, but if you watch the video in slow-motion, it becomes clear that this was not an accident. He had him on the ground then made a deliberate head-butt.

 

[Nolerama]

Football is

While I think it's wrong, I don't think criminal charges should be pursued in this case.

The offending player should be kicked off his team for unsportsmanlike conduct for a set amount of games (I'm sure there's a standard time for this).

Testosterone and aggression go hand-in-hand with football. I'm sure coaches on both teams have taught really good ways to knock the wind out of an opponent (legal or no) without the referees watching. That happens.

It's football. People hit each other. Hard.

Tempers not only flare, but players are encouraged to do so.

To press charges is to buy into the litigious nature of this country, and enhance the 'whine-ability" of a nation too afraid to enjoy life in fear of potential lawsuit.

Pressing charges on a HS football player for being rough? Might as well handcuff his parents, his coach, and the entire school administration. Might as well press charges on the sparring partner who throws bombs in the gym. Etc.

There are better ways to handle this. It's on a personal level between the players and their families and they should seek out the lesson learned in this incident; which is that stupid, unsportsmanlike behavior has is potential consequences and reflects not on just the player, but his community. Wouldn't that show better sportsmanship and personal accountability than slapping some poor kid with a lawsuit?

Alas, the litigious society we live in is also an instant-gratification society. A lawsuit is like the microwave dinner version of solving this problem.