Wow.
Cross country created comments on the blog.
Who would have thought?
But the question begs? Was is cross country, the subject or Palma that created such a stir?
Palma is an easy target to attack. Success creates animosity.
Yet, I'd like to believe in this case, it was the subject because any school — or coach — that pulls a stunt like that should be chastised.
You can't be afraid of a little heat. Nor should a team need to save themselves for a meet four days later, thus alienating your fellow city schools by jogging the race.
The comments, though, were rather amusing. But lets not have a Salinas City Meet Joggers Invitational. And I doubt there are any runners at Palma from Ethiopia. Good stuff.
John Devine has been writing about high school sports in Monterey County since, well, practically since he was an athlete at King City in the days just after leather helmets. In PrepNation, John has even more in-depth analysis of the latest results and news he's brought to you in The Herald and in his weekly videos.
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6 comments:
John-glad you enjoyed the comments from your blog, as did I. But thanks for putting that up, it was very informative that a school would stoop this low just to show that they have a lack of respect for the other schools in Salinas. But, hey, what can you say, it's Palma and Palma can do anything. Hopefully when they do participate in their next race (wait I wonder what school fits in their category for actual competition). I hope they fail miserably.
As much ammunition as there is in regards to Palma athletics and the ability to bash them I believe that this is an isolated incident. Actually this has been a beating in the waiting for both the track and cross country programs. First the track team skips the Salinas City Track & Field Championships. Then the Cross Country team follows suit by jogging the same sort of event. Why are these coaches allowed to keep doing this? I know 4thN725K said it is none of our business but come on. Parents are actually showing up to these meets from Palma watching their kids jog. Do they have no pride in what is going on as well? Do they really believe this is the way their kids should be competing and learning about competition and sportsmanship? What has happened to high school athletics that coaches and athletic programs can pull stunts like this consistently without out any consequences. Maybe morality, pride, and sportsmanship in athletics have left high school sports the same way it has college and professional sports. Or maybe Palma just has programs that don’t get checked, don’t care, or just are allowed to keep going on their delusional path of what they believe is the best way to make themselves look like true idiots.
Where is Notre Dame in all this conversation? They jogged just as well as Palma if not better. Does the Palma coach direct them as well, or does N.D. have a coach that believes Palmas philosophy is Christ like, or maybe Palma follows N.D.? Either way the ladies are just as good as the men in the Salinas City jogging Championships.
I know for many of these kids the lessons they have learned from their track and cross country coaches just reinforce the attitudes at home. ‘Lets go jog a meet because these kids are just going to jog through life’. Palma pride used to span further than just the gridiron. Take a Palma valedictorian and starting safety for the Cal Bears in Mike McGrath. You think he jogged on and off the field to attain his accolades. Mike Sparks, one of the best athletes to come out of Palma was just as ferocious on the track as he was running in between the tackles. The point is protecting young men from competition just hinders their growth once they leave campus. Palma has always prided itself with maturing boys into men and supplying the tools to succeed in life. Many kids have gone on to the finest institutions across the country and in turn are in position to be leaders. But what kind of leaders is Palma grooming? What lessons are learned by quitting and mocking the competition. Unfortunately through no ill will of the kids, the coaches are destroying the maturation of men. Under the direction of coach Scott Broch, the Palma harriers have competed like boys and will leave the program as boys.
Good job RammerJammer. With the lack of competing in a competitive sport because they are more worried about a race that won't help them in their own division, is just ridiculous. What is the point Chieftans? It is just like not competing in a competitive workplace. With the lack, you will not survive and you will be suspended or fired. The C.C.S. should consider a punishment for these good ol' boys. With this lack of sportsmanship, it may not hurt them now, but years down the line, they will reminence on this situation and regret it. So, Palma coaches, do the right thing, and participate in the C.C.S.
Yes, Rammer Jammer. Especially those kids who don't play sports. If they don't "try out" for a sports team, then I'm sure they won't "try out" for a job either. Because they exhibit no "Palma Pride," they probably won't exhibit any pride in any of their personal accomplishments, and will lead lives of self-depreciation. Now, by having a group of kids jog a cross country meet, Palma is undeniably showing that it is now "grooming" not a group of leaders, but rather a group of delinquents and criminals.
On a genuine note, you said, "through no ill will of the kids, the coaches are destroying the maturation of men." Do you really give the "kids" no accountability? Some of these "kids" are of legal age, and even those below I'm sure are capable of making coherent decisions. Is it not possible that they might agree with the coach's wishes? And if not, you hold no expectation that they may refuse to participate in the meet if 'jogging' was the stipulation, or may have instead actually RAN the race? No, of course those innocent Palma "boys" are merely mindless minions of the emperor that is Scott Broch.
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