PA & National Elite HS Hurdler Eric Futch barred from State Meet after possible conspiracy from meet officials

The Guys Get Shirts! wrote:

But that's not what the officials' (barely literate) statement says. It says Futch was disqualified for refusing to acknowledge Lewis. What would be the reason for omitting use of abusive language, if such in fact occurred?

And what of the press box exchange recounted by the reporter? Did he make it up? If so, why would he do so?

Any journalist/reporter who knows anything about anything wouldn't make that up. He would face the possibility of losing his job and all sorts of legal repercussions also. Anthony SanFillipo is a beat writer for most of Phila's pro sports teams, I don't think he'd put his life and career on the line by falsifying a High School T&F story.

The Guys Get Shirts! wrote:

But that's not what the officials' (barely literate) statement says. It says Futch was disqualified for refusing to acknowledge Lewis. What would be the reason for omitting use of abusive language, if such in fact occurred?

And what of the press box exchange recounted by the reporter? Did he make it up? If so, why would he do so?

Correct, the statement says nothing about profanity. However, it did happen.

As to the reporter's recount of the press box meeting, I have no idea if it actually happened.

The District 1 officials are, by and large, older gentlemen who run the meet in an efficient way. However, there are more than a few of them who are short tempered and have, over the years, treated athletes poorly. Based on what I have seen and heard, it is entirely possible the officials in the awards tent were acting like cranky District 1 officials act - inappropriately. It is also accurate to say that the kid blew a gasket and was COMPLETELY inappropriate.

The officials should be permanently let go and the kid should miss the State meet.

Was at that meet wrote:

Futch unleashed a stream of F-bombs and other obscenities that were offensive and disrespectful to anyone within earshot. Although the PIAA officials in District 1 are generally old and nasty, this kid had no right to go off the way he did. Harry Lewis is a gentleman beyond reproach and isn't punishing this kid Futch simply because he turned his back. It's what he said before and after he turned his back.

Change your name to -Was not at the meet-.

If the stream of F Bombs to Harry Lewis were sooooo bad, why was it not in the report?? The official ruling included only that he, "....continued walking by Mr. Lewis without commenting or acknowledgement..."

Any Pow Wow to determine this guy's fate should include his coach.

Awesome for chopping this guy out of the State meet. Have fun living with that one and depriving your state of the top competition. Love the spirit that these officials attack the rulebook with.

Sweep the leg! Get him a body bag....ahahaha!----Seems like the prevailing attitude over at PIAA.

You seem unaware of how rules work. Whether or not he swore is a non issue at this point. A dq is based on what is officially written down on a DQ sheet. If nothing about swearing was on there, it is irrelevant. It cannot be brought up later in response to a protest. A DQ for not acknowledging an official can be protested if the official asked for something that is not requisite as stated in the meet rules. (I doubt being at an awards ceremony is listed as mandatory- maybe I'm wrong.) This should be overturned on protest, these officials should be permanently fired and held civilly liable for any potential loss in scholarship this ordeal might cost this kid. Officials need to learn there are ramifications for abusing kids. If they don't, they are bound to be taught this lesson outside of the legal system sooner or later.

Was at that meet wrote:

Correct, the statement says nothing about profanity. However, it did happen.

As to the reporter's recount of the press box meeting, I have no idea if it actually happened.

The District 1 officials are, by and large, older gentlemen who run the meet in an efficient way. However, there are more than a few of them who are short tempered and have, over the years, treated athletes poorly. Based on what I have seen and heard, it is entirely possible the officials in the awards tent were acting like cranky District 1 officials act - inappropriately. It is also accurate to say that the kid blew a gasket and was COMPLETELY inappropriate.

The officials should be permanently let go and the kid should miss the State meet.

I'm starting to think you're being deliberately dishonest. You seem to have intimate knowledge of how Futch acted, but claim ignorance for how the officials acted, even though Futch and the officials were in close proximity to each other when the interaction occurred. What I'm saying is, you state with 100% certainty that Futch acted badly, but are only willing to admit that "it is entirely possible" the officials acted badly. You claim to have been there and witnessed the interaction, so why are you only presenting one side?

You're also walking back your previous claims about Lewis's integrity being beyond reproach, etc. etc. and now saying the officials should be terminated. Why the change of opinion?

"Sticks and stones, may break my bones, but names will never hurt me."

Seems the adult had the responsibility to take the high road here.

every official volunteer and director involved should lose their job and be banned from having any interaction with piaa or a track meet ever again. This is a disgrace.

When is the state meet? If I were Mr Futch and they did re-instate me, I'd thank them kindly then not show. Unless winning the meet is very important to him. I'd imagine he has one or two, post high-school meets lined up this summer, say later days to PIAA athletics.

If I was Futch and was banned from the state meet, I would show up anyway on go out onto the track from my event and bandit the event.

timing it poorly wrote:

When is the state meet? If I were Mr Futch and they did re-instate me, I'd thank them kindly then not show. Unless winning the meet is very important to him. I'd imagine he has one or two, post high-school meets lined up this summer, say later days to PIAA athletics.

timing it poorly wrote:

When is the state meet? If I were Mr Futch and they did re-instate me, I'd thank them kindly then not show. Unless winning the meet is very important to him. I'd imagine he has one or two, post high-school meets lined up this summer, say later days to PIAA athletics.

PIAA State trials are this Friday, finals Saturday.

The PIAA has some serious work to do to clean house with the officials in this state. If we can't have integrity at the officials level in our sport than we have nothing.

Mortimer wrote:

If I was Futch and was banned from the state meet, I would show up anyway on go out onto the track from my event and bandit the event

That's a nice idea to improve his reputation. Whatever the ruling, bullshit or not, he's got an amazing future ahead and no reason to jeapordize any of it pulling a stunt like that. He's got bigger meets on his schedule, such as USA junior champs in mid june

It is the type of officials in this story that I have run into in the past on many occassions and is the reason why I no longer coach or am involved in High School athletics. To have to deal with such people who are soo bad for our sport on a regular basis was causing me sleepless nights and I was developing an ulcer. As much as I love the kids, it wasn't worth losing my health over.

The sport of Track and Field has a major problem at every level (USATF to middle school) with officials who are in it for their own power trip and influence/agenda and not for the good of the sport or the athletes.

Really sickens me to hear another example of this type of mentality among meet officials/coaches. I say those in PA should make sure this story gets good public press so that people in these officials/coaches lives (outside of track) know the type of vendictive scum bags they are.

Was at that meet wrote:

pay them wrote:

Is it true that they were allowing other people to sit under the tent, but that they weren't allowing this kid to do so? As a full grown adult, I'd have some choice words in that situation.

Then it appears you aren't a full grown adult.

Sounds like you were one of those officials.

Nothing worse than minor track officials. Always been that way. Tiny dicks and no understanding of the emotions of competitors. Looking for a fight.

If they treated people like that in a bar, they'd be in hospital every Friday night. They will never get it.

Harry Lewis retired effective at the end of the meet. The other two should be terminated. No change of opinion.

doperdancy wrote:

Sounds like you were one of those officials.

Nothing worse than minor track officials. Always been that way. Tiny dicks and no understanding of the emotions of competitors. Looking for a fight.

If they treated people like that in a bar, they'd be in hospital every Friday night. They will never get it.

People who think other people have tiny members generally have tiny members. Pretty sure bet you've never been in a bar fight either.

Disgraceful wrote:

SteveWalton is a confirmed troll. Feel free to ignore all further postings by this tool.

Well that's rich. You don't have to call me names. I understand people get a bit testy when hate crimes are discussed, but please try to see both sides.

I can't believe how much negative attention this story is getting.

Let's just take a second and think about this logically. These officials are people, yes they are capable of making mistakes but they are out there volunteering there own time to help this sport. How many people here can say they have taken time to volunteer as a official to help a track meet, (before anyone turns that on me I can say that I just volunteered at a league championship in my own free time). They do not have vendettas against athletes.

Should the meet have had a seperate tent for athletes? Maybe they should have. They should have adjusted the awards ceremonies if they had a computer glitch that delayed the presentations.

That being said as a athlete the individual should have known better then to aruge with the official. He shouldn't have tried to sit under a tent he knew he wasn't supposed to be under. Would he have wanted to sit down out of the sun yes but rules are rules. How many athletes were on the infield? How many wound up in a arguement with the official? But he still could have been fine had he elected to end it at that. He had zero reason to go and mouth off to the official after the second race. If he was upset about something then this is the time to use his supposed advice from his coach to walk away from a situation. Walk away and tell his coach if he really had to get it off his chest and let the adult handle it.

By putting himself in that situation he broke the rules which are now being enforced. A unfortunate situation yes but one that was enforced by the meet director and it was the correct course of action.

This is seeing both sides?

You are a joke and a tool. You don't want to be called names but you post doctored photos like that.

Disgraceful wrote:

This is seeing both sides?

You are a joke and a tool. You don't want to be called names but you post doctored photos like that.

Lighten up, I just posted the photo, don't shoot the messenger.