Sports

At tournament time, a high school team shows no respect for the game

Bob CollinsBob Collins Feb 28, 2018
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My colleague Paul Tosto asked just the right question Wednesday when he saw Star Tribune sports editor Howard Sinker’s story on Marshall High School’s stalling strategy against Waseca in Minnesota’s Section 2AAA tournament on Tuesday night.

“What would the Wrenshall Wrens say?” Paul asked.

You may remember the Wrens, who in this the 11th year of NewsCut remain my favorite post of the nearly 15,000 written. The women of Wrenshall had no chance to win basketball games. But they tried anyway and in so doing, never embarrassed themselves even while losing a game 65-0 and being the butt of jokes on late-night comedy shows.

Marshall could take a lesson from them.

Rather than try to play the game, the players inbounded the ball and stood there while Waseca’s players stood there and watched.

Here’s a video that shows no respect for the integrity of high school sports.

It was perfectly legal because there’s no shot clock. But what is it high school sports is teaching kids at a time like this?

The Marshall Tigers scored two points in each half, losing 17-to-4.

Marshall’s coach told his team to only shoot wide open three-point-shots or easy layups because he didn’t think his squad could hang with Waseca.

It also can’t hang with Wrenshall, whom nobody with an ounce of sense ever called “losers”.

On social media, the game has sparked calls for a high school shot clock, although long-time high school basketball watchers declared this one game doesn’t offset the hundreds that show a shot clock isn’t needed.

And that’s not really the issue, anyway.

The issue is showing some respect for the game.