If You Have To Break The Rules At Least Be Discreet

"Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing."

And when you've lost repeatedly there's a chance that you'll do anything to become a winner. Including, breaking the rules in a very non-discreet fashion. At least that appears to be what Bradenton Prep did on their way to compiling winning records in football, basketball and tennis.

The report lists 19 violations of FHSAA regulations that led to three years probation for the football, boys basketball and boys tennis programs as well as a $38,000 fine.

Recruiting, allowing players to live with school personnel, accepting students who are under disciplinary sanctions at their former school, is that how you build a winner?

In the case of Bradenton Prep, the answer seems to be yes.

Not long ago the school's athletic program was an afterthought - except for the boys tennis program, which has always been among the best.

Look at it now.

Yes, look at what the school was able to accomplish through various rules violations. Instead of building the programs slowly, the school opted for the fast track approach and did its best to go from worst to first.

The football team won the Class 1B regional title last fall in just its second year of existence and fell one win shy of playing for a state title.

In 2006, one year after losing by nearly 100 points in a district tournament game, the boys basketball team played for the district title and advanced to its first-ever regional tournament with a roster that drew criticism from nearly every school on the schedule.

And how did school officials respond to the criticism and allegations? By calling their accusers jealous, and telling everyone that they were just trying to improve their academic performance of course!

Bradenton Prep officials maintained everything was on the up-and-up - the athletes transferring to Bradenton Prep were doing so purely for the chance at a Bradenton Prep education.

The howls from coaches, administrators and parents at opposing schools suggested otherwise. But it was the position of Bradenton Prep officials that they would rather their school be an academic powerhouse than an athletic powerhouse.

That might very well be the case. But Bradenton Prep, according to the FHSAA, apparently wasn't shy about skirting a number of rules to increase its enrollment if that increase brought in a few athletes.

Those athletes, we have to assume, weren't recruited to ride the bench.

And it wasn't shy about the sudden success of its athletic program, claming the finger-pointing was born out of petty jealousy by schools used to easy victories against the Patriots.

Honestly, if the school had gone about this in a much more covert way I have a feeling that they wouldn't have been busted by the FHSAA. As the article points out "stories of recruiting and other misdeeds by coaches and administrations are not uncommon for any high school, especially private schools". However, you rarely ever hear of any of those allegations being investigated too deeply, and it's even more rare that a school is placed on probation and fined almost $40k. Though, when you flaunt it like Bradenton Prep did you're just asking for trouble.

High School Baseball Player Uses Duck For Batting Practice

When you're part of a team there are times when you will probably get dared to do something embarrassing, stupid or illegal. If your teammates are really creative, then the dare will probably be all three. However, at some point it's up to you to decide whether the ridicule you get for not doing the dare outweighs any punishment you might receive for successfully completing it. Obviously, for Derike Bennett any possible teasing was much worse than being arrested for animal cruelty.

A Jacksonville area high school baseball player was suspended because police said he took a dare that ended up in the baseball bat-beating death of a duck.

Derike Bennett, 18, a student at Baldwin Middle Senior High School, was charged with animal cruelty, WJXT-TV reported.

Witnesses said the teen killed a duck on school property by striking the animal with a bat after being dared by his teammates.

A duck? Come on kid. Who are you trying to emulate, David Ortiz? Just standing around, wildly swinging the bat, but doing so in a lazy fashion. If you're going to get arrested for animal cruelty because you took a swing at a feathered friend at least make it sporting. What about a Golden Eagle?



Now there's a challenge! But remember, if you miss there's a good chance it's going to carry your scrawny, bird killing ass back to its nest.

Vince McMahon's Newest Recruit

Normally, high school wrestling is full of grappling, referee stoppages and the occasional pin. Rarely does one of the participants execute a flashy move that wows the crowd. And honestly, I have no idea how this kid didn't hurt himself.



All it needs is a turnbuckle and a top rope, and this kid would be all set for Wrestlemania, brother!

Brandon's Wrestling Streak Has Been Suplexed

Brandon High's wrestling team had put together an amazing streak of wins over the past 34 years, but on January 5, 2008 it all came to an end.

In those three decades, Brandon High had amassed 459 consecutive victories and 468 matches without a defeat.

Brandon's streak for matches without a defeat began on November 29, 1973 when they defeated Chamberlain High 40-12. Their streak for consecutive victories began on January 28, 1974 when they defeated Robinson High 32-17. There is a 9 match differential because in between those two matches Brandon tied with Bradenton High 24-24 on January 26, 1974.

During "The Streak", Brandon produced 46 individual state champs, and they combined to win 66 individual titles. To put that in perspective, South Dade is second in the state with 38 individual titles in the entire history of their program. Brandon also put up numerous records for "most individual championships in one meet", garnering 6 three times and 5 once.

Brandon High put together an amazing streak of wins, but like all good things it eventually had to come to an end.

It's Like High School Basketball In The 50's

We all know that sporting events can get rather heated. Players talking trash, fans elbowing boobs and parents rushing the court are just part of the excitement. But waving a Confederate flag? Come on, who invited David Duke?

Moments after the 48-47 Port St. Lucie victory, students and fans followed the visiting team out of the gymnasium to their bus, the report said.

Students yelled at the bus and blocked its path. Some students were waving a Confederate flag at the bus, Florida Today reported.

This unfortunate incident has caused increased police presence at Satellite Beach High School basketball games, and the principal considered the Confederate flag waving "inciting" and stated that it was handled "very severely". Hopefully there won't be any retaliation when the teams face each other again in January, and everyone keeps their "Battle Flags" at home.

There Will Be No More Friday Night Lights For Raines High School

High school football played under the lights on Friday night has become such a big tradition nationwide that they've made movies and TV shows about it. However, if you're a fan of Raines High School in Jacksonville you better bring your sunglasses for the last two home games of the season.

Neighborhood violence has put an end to a high school tradition at one Northwest Jacksonville campus. Effective immediately, there will be no more home night games for the Raines High School football team.


Athletic officials told WJXT-TV that they worry students could be at risk because of increasing violence near the school.


The changes mean fans planning to attend this Friday's game featuring Raines and Bishop Kenny need to get to the field early. School officials have moved the game to 1 p.m.

The school district has decided to move the school's remaining two home games to Friday afternoon because of safety concerns.

A shooting that happened about two weeks ago near the school as a Raines football game against Lee High School was letting out prompted administrators to consider a change.

While it is sad that violence is the cause for the schedule change, administrators say that the change isn't permanent and it is nice to see that they're being proactive. Though, the 1PM kickoff seems to be a bit odd. Aren't the kids still in school at that time? Maybe that's why Florida ranks so low in most of the state education lists.

It Still Has To Be Safer Than Bombardment(!)

Going to school these days just isn't what it used to be. With the violence, censorship, oversexed teachers and sports injuries. It really should include some type of workman's comp for the students. Especially for the kids that have their hands pulled off.

One teenager has been released from the hospital and another remained in serious condition after their hands were severely injured during a game of tug-of-war at school.

Henry Bennett and classmate Mitch Helfer were participating in a team-building activity at Lutheran High School in Parker on Oct. 12 when the accident happened.

Bennett's doctor told Denver television station KMGH that the 16-year-old wrapped the rope around the palm of his right hand for a better grip.

"At some point a bunch of the kids let go, creating an imbalance in the tugging, and it pulled his hand off. The medical term is avulsed," said Dr. Lewis Oster, a microsurgeon with Hand Surgery Associates in Denver.

Bennett underwent a 10-hour surgery to save his hand. He was released from the hospital Wednesday. Helfer, who suffered a very similar injury, remained in the hospital, according to Oster.

Holy schnikies! The kid was pulling a rope one minute, and the next minute his hand was ripped from his body! And you know that the 10-hour surgery wasn't exactly "easy".

Oster performed the delicate surgery on Bennett's hand, first repairing bones with titanium plates. Then, muscles and microscopic veins and arteries were reattached.

Yeah, that sounds pretty terrible. Seriously, one day, if the kid's hand returns to 100%, it might be cool to show off the titanium hand, but it's going to be a long road to recovery, and there are no guarantees.

I wish both kids the best, and would like to remind everyone else, that's why you never wrap the rope around your hand. Your high school gym teacher might not know much about physics or chemistry, but when he tells you not to loop that rope around your hand just listen to him. Rope burns are nothing compared to getting your freakin' hand pulled off.

Damn The Man And His Double Standards!

I'm all for protecting our children from predators and perverts, but sometimes it seems like people go a little too far. Like telling two high school seniors that they had to leave a football game because of their bikini tops and body paint.

Jessyca Altenbach and Monica Cummings are best friends. They do practically everything together and last Friday night was no different.

They're seniors at Manatee High School in Bradenton. They wanted to show their school spirit at the home football game against Riverview Friday night. So they slipped on bikini tops and painted their bodies the school colors. Altenbach says "We were thinking about it about 3 weeks before. We saw the guys do it. We thought it was a good idea. I've never seen a girl do it before so we were like let's do it."

The girls say it took them an hour and a half to get ready and they drove to the game sitting on beach towels afraid the paint would rub off.

But when the girls got to the game to take their seats in the stands school administrators say people in the stands started to complain about their appearance.

Apparently, some people complained that the way the girls painted themselves it looked as if they didn't have on any clothes, and they believed it to be "highly suggestive and offensive".

Attenbach and Cummings have stated that they want both guys and girls to be able to support the team with body painting, and they're hopeful that they'll be able to do so for "Senior Night" this Friday.

Altenbach says “I want to see a change. I want it to be either guys can do it and girls or no one can do it. It shouldn't be guys can do it and we can't."

Jessyca and Monica say this Friday is "senior night" and they want to dress up the same way for that big game. They plan to ask the principal for his approval first.

Hopefully, the school lets them support the team in this manner, which isn't really all that "suggestive or offensive". And if they're scared of shady behavior, then they should hire Chris Hansen and his staff to work the gate.

Not Even Toothpicks Can Shut Down The Tawas

The Tawas Braves had compiled a 5-2 record and were fighting for a playoff berth as they headed into their matchup against the Alcona Tigers last Friday. The winner would make it into the playoffs, and the Braves expected the normal crowd of 1,000 fans to be there supporting them at their homefield.

Unfortunately, something came up and the game had to be moved 40 miles away to Alcona's home stadium.

That something was toothpicks. Thousands of toothpicks strewn across the field.

Thousands of toothpicks caused a big problem for the Tawas Braves high school football team.

Friday night's highly anticipated matchup between rivals Tawas and the Alcona Tigers was to determine a play-off spot for one of the teams, WNEM-TV in Saginaw reported.

The game was scheduled to be played at Tawas, but thousands of toothpicks sticking up out of the ground on the field prompted officials to move the game 40 miles to Alcona's home field.

Instead of the usual 1,000 fans showing up for a Tawas home game, only 150 made the trek to Alcona.

The venue change didn't hamper Tawas though, as they hammmered Alcona 49-0. However, they might want to be cautious about their next home game because some feel a prior beatdown might have caused the toothpick fiasco.

Students from the toothpick-laden school have alluded to the involvement of students from Oscoda, which Tawas beat 72-0 a few weeks ago. It was a record worst for the school.

The toothpicks were removed one by one by fans and school officials.

Seriously? Tossing thousands of toothpicks onto a rival's field after they whooped your ass? Sounds pretty weak. Though, Joe Paterno might want to look into it as punishment for some of his players. I'm sure that Beaver Stadium can hold a helluva lot of toothpicks.

Wearing "Racist" Football Jerseys Is Never A Good Thing

Once again we get another example of how things are a little different south of the Mason-Dixon line. Nathan B. Forrest High School in Jacksonville, FL is still named after a prominent KKK member, and their football jerseys are representative of the uniform he wore during the Confederate War.

The school, named for a Confederate army general and prominent Ku Klux Klan participant, is not performing to the academic standard set by the state's educational authorities.

The student body also happens to be 51 percent black.

Ironic?

We could argue until the end of time about the fairness of Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests and the circumstances of each student, for which there are many valid points.

But I challenge you to think about this simple question: How much power does a name carry?

When the school's doors opened last week, some community members feared and others hoped Forrest would have a new name. A community survey indicated the majority of residents -- albeit mostly outside the school district -- wanted a less controversial figure to represent the school.

But football players, again, will wear maroon and gray Rebels jerseys for Nathan B. Forrest this fall.

This situation reminds me of the Ole Miss Rebels, and the actions they undertook a few years ago to get rid of symbols that are considered "racially diversive".

Mississippi will sideline its Colonel Rebel mascot this football season(2003), taking another step to distance itself from the South's Confederate past.

In the last decade, Mississippi has been steering its image from the Old South by phasing out symbols that some say are racially divisive. Confederate battle flags, once pervasive at football games, have been banished and "Dixie" has been dropped as the school's unofficial fight song.

It seems odd that a high school would continue to function under the name of someone who had an association with one of the most racist organizations to ever exist. Especially after what transpired at Ole Miss, and after the confederate flag was brought down from over top the state Capitol in South Carolina. There is a petition to change the name, and it will be interesting to see if the Duval County School Board approves a change.

The "Muck Bowl" Doesn't Cave Into ESPN

You would think that if ESPN had any interest in televising a high school football game that the schools involved would do anything to get the game on TV. Even if it meant screwing up the scheduling for their other opponents. However, that's not the case in South Florida, where the "Muck Bowl" between Glades Central and Pahokee is an annual occurence.

Originally, the "Muck Bowl" had been scheduled for November 2, which at that time was the final Friday of the season, but the FHSAA didn't want high school players participating in games before school had started, which was scheduled to happen at the time, and they pushed back the start of the season by one week and moved the "Muck Bowl" to November 9. This change meant that Glades Central and Pahokee were scheduled to play Suncoast and Vero Beach respectively on November 2.

One idea was to move the "Muck Bowl" to either Thursday, November 1 or Friday, November 2, but that would hamper the schedules of not only Glades Central and Pahokee but also their opponents.

"We're not going to back out on Vero Beach, and we're not going to mess up multiple schedules for the Muck Bowl to be on TV," Palm Beach County Athletic Administrator Yetta Green said. "If we start moving teams and dates around, it's going to unravel the schedules of at least six teams. It will all snowball."

As of right now it appears that ESPN won't be covering the "Muck Bowl" due to the scheduling, but it's nice to see someone, especially at the high school level, do what's right and not cave in to the pressure of potentially having a game televised on ESPN.

High School Football, Where A Loss Really Isn't A Loss

For the most part, when there are two teams playing each other in any sport you think that either the game counts or it doesn't count for both of them. However, that's not always the case in high school football where "interstate games" often don't count for both teams.

For example, Miami Booker T. Washington asked the FHSAA to make its game against Summerville count as a regular season one. The FHSAA complied because they took "into consideration that Washington, which was 12-2 last season, had only nine regular-season games scheduled". Though, it probably also has something to do with the fact that the game is going to be nationally televised on ESPN, and the more competitive it is the better the ratings will be.

This isn't the first game this season that counts as a regular season contest for one team but not the other.

Jacksonville First Coast, which was 9-2 last season, will meet Berkeley (8-6) at 4 p.m. on ESPNU. That's a game that counts for Berkeley, but not for First Coast.

"One of the agreements we made was, we would play this game like it's playing for a state championship," said Marty Lee, First Coast's coach.

Two weeks ago, Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes -- the South Carolina power that hosts Orlando's Dr. Phillips, on Sept. 6 -- won 41-35 against Charlotte, N.C., Independence. But the loss did not end Independence's 108-game winning streak because it came in a preseason scrimmage.

On the surface these arangements don't seem too unordinary, but I wonder what other teams from these conferences think about one of their opponents getting a win for playing a team that's not "penalized" for losing. It's similar to an NFL team getting credit for a regular season win for a victory they racked up in the preseason. Obviously that wouldn't be fair to the other teams, and I'm curious if anyone has, or ever will, question the validity of these high school games.

Are That Many High School Football Players Really Using Steroids?

This high school football season in Florida is going to be a bit different than past ones because of a bill signed into law by Governor Charlie Crist back in June. The law states that athletes and their parents must consent to the "anabolic steroid random testing program" before they can play any regular season games.

I don't have a problem with the program, but one quote from an Orlando Sentinel article on the matter caught my eye. This is from Nathan Keller, a senior middle linebacker at West Orange High School.

"I'm sure a lot of kids that are hearing about this today are pretty scared, because I think a lot of guys are juiced," said Nathan Keller, a middle linebacker entering his senior year at West Orange High School. "I think a lot of guys might not play football once they realize they could get tested."

"I wouldn't be scared or nervous, because I know I'm not on steroids," Keller said. "But there are probably five kids on every football team out there that are doing at least something to get bigger."

Five kids on every team that are juiced? There are 18 high schools in Orange County alone, so that would mean that close to 100 kids are using steroids. For some reason that number seems awfully high to me. Though, not all 18 of those schools have football teams. Hopefully the new bill can help eradicate the problem that seems to be so big in our area high schools.

Ok, We'll Give You A Get Out Of Detention Free Card But That's Our Final Offer

Recruiting high school athletes is against the rules, but I'm sure we've all heard stories about certain kids playing for certain high schools that seem a bit "suspicious".

Well, Monteverde Academy in Lake County, FL is being investigated by the FHSAA for possibly breaking the rules by recruiting athletes. The FHSAA has launched a probe(insert joke here) into whether Monteverde coaches "induced" athletes, specifically ones from Puerto Rico, to come to the school and play sports for them. According to the information gathered regarding Monteverde's baseball roster, the team played in(and lost) the Class 2A championship game last weekend, things aren't looking too good.

"The Montverde baseball team reached the Class 2A state championship game last week in Sarasota. According to the roster supplied by Kesselring, the 18-player team included 17 from Puerto Rico."

Yeaaah, having Puerto Rican students playing baseball for your school isn't against the rules, but having a roster that's 94% Puerto Rican students when you're being investigated for recruiting from Puerto Rico surely isn't going to help your cause.

Oh yeah, their basketball team went 30-0 last year, and finished ranked #4 in the nation by USA Today. Somebody might want to check that roster for a "Carlos Arroyo".