Editorial: Ruling sent bad message to players

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2003 | 8:59 a.m.

The Cheyenne High School football team played well on Nov. 7, defeating Bishop Gorman to advance to the semifinal game in the Sunset Region's championship series. But the game ended badly, with a brawl involving several players from both teams breaking out after they had lined up to shake hands. With Bishop Gorman's season over, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association ruled Nov. 13 that the school must forfeit its first Southwest Division football game next season. And it ruled that Cheyenne must forfeit its semifinal game against Centennial High School. This was a strong but correct ruling -- football is a team sport and the actions of some team members have repercussions for all of them. There's nothing unfair about it. That's the nature of team sports.

Although the Cheyenne coach criticized the discipline, the Cheyenne principal declared that the school would not challenge the ruling in court. Anyone middle-aged or older may have been taken aback by the principal's remark, wondering why a court challenge would even be mentioned. But times have changed. What was once considered the type of discipline that builds character and preserves order within schools is apt now to be perceived as outdated. What about these players' chances for college football, pro careers, endorsements? This is becoming the attitude today.

What happened next was a manifestation of this attitude. One of the player's mothers sought relief in District Court. Her attorney argued successfully before Judge Jackie Glass that her son had been denied due process. The player wasn't given enough notice of the forfeiture decision and did not have a chance to appeal it, the attorney said. Anyone remember the old days? Appeal a school disciplinary action for fighting? In court? It was unheard of then and should be unheard of now. Judge Glass should have dismissed this argument. Instead, she issued a temporary (15 days) restraining order against the NIAA's ruling. So Cheyenne got to play in the semifinal and is scheduled to play Saturday in the final.

Or is it? The NIAA, together with the Clark County School District, filed for a hearing in District Court before Glass, to argue that it has the authority to impose discipline where warranted. Although she imposed her TRO almost immediately, Glass decided Wednesday that she couldn't hold a hearing for the NIAA until Tuesday. That led the NIAA to consider rescheduling Saturday's game for after the hearing. We hope Glass is persuaded to rescind her order and allow the NIAA to exercise its proper authority. If she doesn't, what lesson will our students learn as they head into adulthood? That misdeeds are inconsequential if you have a good lawyer?