Girl Football Player Sits Out After Opposing Team Threatens Forfeit

[joeybee12]

Like the rest of her Southampton (Va.) Academy teammates, Mina Johnson was supposed to be getting ready for a junior varsity football game on Thursday night against Lasker (N.C.) Northeast Academy. The 5-foot-2, 170-pound defensive stalwart may have been the first girl to play football for the academy, but when she got on the field, she was just one of the guys.

As the Tidewater News reported, Johnson recorded four sacks in a recent game against Rocky Mount, and was gaining a reputation in the league as a standout junior varsity player. It all seemed to be going right for the eighth-grader -- until she suddenly decided to sit out her team's most recent game against Northeast.

Why? It wasn't due to injury. Rather, Johnson decided not to play in the game after the opposition threatened to forfeit if Johnson was allowed to play. Apparently, Northeast had a problem with its boys playing football against a girl. So instead of making a fuss about the whole situation, Johnson sat on the sidelines for her team's 60-0 victory.

"There is nothing in the rule books for junior varsity football in North Carolina or Virginia that says a girl can't play," the teen's mother, Mona Johnson, told the Tidewater News. "No one is breaking any rules by allowing her to play."

http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Girl-football-player-sits-out-game-after-foe-thr?urn=highschool-wp7061

[meegbear]

1. So instead of making a fuss about the whole situation ...

Johnson sat on the sidelines for her team's 60-0 victory!!

:rofl:

[CreekDog]

39. She shouldn't have sat and if the other team forfeited, so be it

Sammy Davis Jr. was initially denied residence at the Sands Hotel until Sinatra threatened to pull the plug on Rat Pack shows unless Davis got his own suite. Hotel-casino brass acceded to his demands, opening the door for other black performers who had been forced, post-show, to find accommodations in boarding houses and motels in West Las Vegas. Eventually, when Davis performed in Northern Nevada, he enjoyed residing in a home that casino owner Bill Harrah built for entertainers to stay in during their engagements.

http://onlinenevada.org/sammy_davis_jr.

===========

above is the right answer. having her sit on the sidelines makes some people here feel good because they think it's better that victims of discrimination sit down and take it for the sake of what they think is honor, dignity, etc.

:wtf:

[Aerows]

64. I don't think anyone feels good about discrimination

and if they do, shame on them.

[Jamastiene]

127. Agreed.

She should have been able to play without feeling like she had to sit it out. If the other team wanted to forfeit, that's their problem.

[Aerows]

62. They got their tails kicked for sure

LOL :rofl:

[bulloney]

122. I guess they felt it's worse to be beaten by a GIRL than to be humiliated on the field without her.

What a bunch of backwards idiots.

[Enrique]

2. they won 60-0

I think the other team knew they sucked and was just trying to chicken out.

Why? It wasn't due to injury. Rather, Johnson decided not to play in the game after the opposition threatened to forfeit if Johnson was allowed to play. Apparently, Northeast had a problem with its boys playing football against a girl. So instead of making a fuss about the whole situation, Johnson sat on the sidelines for her team's 60-0 victory.

[jpljr77]

5. Either that, or her team/coaches took it out on them

Like, "OK, jackasses, you forced one of our players to sit out, so we're running up the score." If so, I say good on them.

And whatever the reason for the threat from the other team, they suck.

[Blue_Tires]

34. Reminds me of when our high school played a school for the deaf

We cracked jokes in the stands for the first quarter, but they crushed us from the second quarter on...final score was like 34-14 and they hit harder than any other opponent that season...

[Bunny]

110. Normally, I think that running up the score like that is really poor

sportsmanship. But if the coach approved it because the other team acted like assholes, I could get behind that. :thumbsup:

[Logical]

118. I agree!!

[MineralMan]

3. Good for her. A win like that is much better than a forfeit win.

Sounds like she has her head right where it belongs. She could raise a stink, but chooses not to. That's even more embarrassing for that team than a few sacks of the QB by a "girl." :rofl:

[msongs]

4. good for her? you must be either kidding or nuts. nt

[MineralMan]

6. I'm not either of those things. She sat out the game so the

team could play and get a real win. It was her decision to do that, and not anybody else's. She could have chosen to play and the team would have won by forfeit. Instead, her team kicked their butts, and made them the fools.

While there is a principle involved here, she made a choice. That's also a principle. She didn't get thrown off the team. She'll play in other games. The stupid team that refused to play if she was on the field looks idiotic and got their asses handed to them.

She's won her battle. She plays on the football team and is highly respected by her team members. She's a team member. If you question her decision, you should ask her why she made it. I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you. How an individual makes a point about equality is a personal choice. She made hers. I believe the point was made.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. I'm With You, MM

I think what she did was very cool. If she says no, her whole team doesn't get to play the game. She says "i'll sit" and her teammates get to play.

She acted in the best interest her team. She's to be applauded for that.

[MineralMan]

13. Yup. She's won her battle to be a team member, which was her

goal. She's earned the team's respect by playing very well and being a real team member. And, in that role as a good team member, she did what was necessary so they could play. I strong young woman, I think. I'd hire her in a second when she gets a little older. She'd be an asset to any team.

I understand some peoples desire to make a point about equality here, but she's already won that battle by being a respected team member who plays an important role on the team. For her, it appears, being part of that team is more important than any possible lesson in equality she could teach by forcing the forfeit. Hugs to this kid!

[bettyellen]

25. she hasn't won the batle if she has to be sidelined. the coach should have NOT allowed a player

to be put in this position. He shld have accepted the forfeit, and not allowed any of his players to be dscriminated aainst. I know it;s amusing that they beat this team, but it stinks that she may have been pressured unto the sidelines. Now that the coach has treated her as expendable, maybe she'll have to sit out many more games.
The bigots won the war, even if they lost that game.

[MineralMan]

30. It was pretty clear in the article that it was her decision.

I'm in favor of people making their own decisions, for some reason. Aren't you?

[bettyellen]

45. Actually the coach should have not put the pressure on her to make this call, so no.

I love how we laud her for making a sacrifice and forget the coach and team members should not have put her on the spot like that.
In a million years they would never let another team pick off a player, the coach wouldn;t even consider it.

[wryter2000]

38. Agreed

The team more or less admitted they could be blackmailed into getting her to sit down.

[LanternWaste]

27. I though her goal was to play varsity football?

"battle to be a team member, which was her goal..."

I though her goal was to play varsity football?

[MineralMan]

28. Why wouldn't she be a varsity player?

I'm not sure what you're trying to say.

[bettyellen]

74. because she;s never going to make varsity if she is pushed out of two games a month!

[JoePhilly]

35. moved

[RamboLiberal]

143. Responses like this make me wish for Unrec on responses

[MineralMan]

147. Your comment has the same effect.

Not everyone agrees with everyone else. I wish the person in question could respond directly.

[RamboLiberal]

149. Yeah cause you're totally wrong on this

[MineralMan]

151. Your opinion only.

Not everyone agrees.

[bettyellen]

152. every woman on this thread is apalled you could applaud her sitting down and shutting up

[RamboLiberal]

154. +1000 Applause!

[RamboLiberal]

153. Their opinion only - not everyone agrees

Change the signs to we won't play against a girl.

[MineralMan]

156. No comment.

Not comparable in any way.

[RamboLiberal]

157. As a female who fought sexism I call BS

Kid I was a decent athlete not allowed little league or midget football.

Computer programmer had to look for job under male help wanted. Go be a keypuncher lady.

Martials arts as a black belt had to fight for seniority right to teach adults.

Some shooting ranges wouldn't accept women members(or blacks for that matter).

Just a few. And other women paved my way!

[MineralMan]

161. I absolutely support the right of this girl to play on

the football team, if that is her wish and she can (as she has demonstrated) play. In this particular case, there was a dilemma. She's a regular player on the team, and a good one. When this game came up, the visiting team declared that they wouldn't play if she was on the team, and would forfeit the game. She decided to sit the game out so her teammates could play the other team. They did, and won a blowout game. They even wore pink socks and armbands, both to support her and to support the fight against breast cancer.

Her other choice could have been to insist that she play or let the other team forfeit. I see no indication that the team and the coach would not have supported that choice, as well. She made the other choice. Rather than keep the team from playing and getting the experience all teams gain from playing, she made a decision. Her decision was to choose her team over her own desire to play in that game. She's still on the team. Her team kicked butt. I'm sure she cheered them.

I would have supported the other choice as well, and did so in the thread from a few months ago about a girl who was competing in wrestling and whose male opponent forfeited, rather than compete. She was ready to wrestle and compete on a level playing field. That was what she chose. I supported that decision in the face of a lot of people who didn't.

I support this 8th-grade girl in her decision. She decided, and that's the real point. If I had been there and she had asked me what she should do, I'd tell her that she should consider all aspects of the situation and make the decision she thought best. I've now read all the stories available about this event. From that, it looks to me like she had the choice and made it on her own. She chose the team. I still say, "Good for her."

To the other team, I say, "Screw you!"

I stand by my posts in this thread, and I stand for women's right to make their own choices, based on the situation at hand.

[RamboLiberal]

162. The point is she should not have had to make the choice

[MineralMan]

163. I absolutely agree that she should not have had to make the

choice. The policy is stupid, and was the policy of North Carolina, not Virginia, where the game was being held. I oppose all such policies, and want women to be able to compete wherever and whenever they wish. Not all women can compete in some sports, but there are always women who can, and they should have the opportunity.

In every situation, I believe women should be able to make choices, even if others don't think their choices are the right ones. Equal rights also means the right to make choices, in every situation, without people who might have made a different choice telling them they chose badly. Did this girl make the right choice? I cannot answer that, because I wasn't there and the news stories about this don't make the entire situation clear. If, however, the story was correct that she made this choice herself, then I say she should have the right to make that choice. If she felt that her team should have the chance to play and show their abilities, and decided to sit out the game, then that was her choice. She obviously has the respect of the team, and is a member of that team. For many people, choosing in favor of a team of which they are a part is more important than their own desires. Apparently, that was the case here, if the news story is correct.

If it was not really her choice, then that's another matter altogether. But, there was no evidence for that in any of the 10 stories I read about it. This girl's experience and information is different from anyone else's. She made the decision. Why would I second guess that decision? I'm not her. I wasn't there. I don't know anything more than is in that news story. Other individuals might have chosen differently, based on their own experience and knowledge. But only one person is involved here, and she's someone we don't know.

If you think I'm not in full support of equal rights, then you don't know me.

[CreekDog]

18. should black players have sat when their opponents threatened to forfeit if they played?

really? :shrug:

[JoePhilly]

46. See my comment #37

In that, what I think I see is a very situational element to this ... she's been playing with basically no problem.

If she plays, the other team forfeits and this goes away.

By not playing in THIS situation, she allows her team to stand up for her, on the field. You can be sure that everyone of those guys respects her for letting them handle the jerks on the other team on the field.

Her main goal is to be "just one person on the team" ... and she was in a situation that asked her to give up much more than any of the others ... and she did, and I can't imagine those guys not seeing her with the highest level of respect.

And as they go into life, and have daughters, they will recall the day that they kicked ass, because the other team was afraid to play against "a girl".

And so, if we say "black" and not "girl", things are different ... but if you do some research, you will find that these same kinds of events did occur as the color barrier was being broken.

Team membership comes first. And to be part of the team, you may have to sacrifice, and at times, more than others.

[CreekDog]

56. that's ridiculous

apologizing for discrimination.

:wtf:

[Name removed]

68. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProfessorGAC]

134. Apples and Oranges

In that case, the team would have taken the forfeit. That would have made a more salient point in that era. Don't want to play us, then you lose. That wouldn't go on long.

There is a point other than equality. She already made the team and was a respected member of the team. Why would she want to take it out on her own teammates, THAT HAVE ACCEPTED HER AS AN EQUAL?

Accepting the forfeit would have been a statement in search of a point.
GAC

[bettyellen]

144. if they asked her to sit out at the behest of bigots, she was NOT treated as equal.

of course she was't. allowing her on the team befomes an empty gesture.

[ProfessorGAC]

165. I Never Said Otherwise

I just said i thought SHE was cool! As i said in another post to you, if you have problems with anybody here that thinks it's ok for her to have been put in this position, take it up with them.

I never said that.

[CreekDog]

22. i notice you're both men and you both think she was right not to play

:eyes:

[MineralMan]

36. I think she made her own decision. That's what I think.

She didn't let anyone else make a decision for her. I admire that. Go tell her she made the wrong one:

[CreekDog]

44. You think it's right for people who are discriminated against to take it

that's what you're arguing here.

what's worse is that you're proud of it and that you're getting compliments for it (mostly from other men).

see the honorable thing to do would be for her coach to stand up for all her players by making sure that none of them is singled out.

"Davis was initially denied residence at the Sands Hotel until Sinatra threatened to pull the plug on Rat Pack shows unless Davis got his own suite. Hotel-casino brass acceded to his demands, opening the door for other black performers who had been forced, post-show, to find accommodations in boarding houses and motels in West Las Vegas. Eventually, when Davis performed in Northern Nevada, he enjoyed residing in a home that casino owner Bill Harrah built for entertainers to stay in during their engagements."

http://onlinenevada.org/sammy_davis_jr.

[bettyellen]

47. Exactly right. This girl is being thanked for putting up with this crap, her coach and team

should never allowed it to be an issue. Take the forfeit. In five years, those jerks will have no one to play against,
Now this girl may have no one to play against. Poor kid.

[CreekDog]

57. and you notice all the ones saying she should have sat on the bench--they are all men!

is this like shooting fish in a barrel? :wtf:

[bettyellen]

87. and applauding her for "keeping sweet" and not embarrassing anyone with a demand for equality

[MineralMan]

49. No, I think that every individual should make his or her own

choices. If this girl asked me what she should do, I'd tell her to do what she thought she should do and not to listen to anyone but herself. I believe this girl put her team ahead of herself. I believe that was her decision to make. I seen no evidence that she was under any pressure in making that decision. You might have made a different decision. I'd support your decision, too, if you were in the position to make it. You weren't.

[CreekDog]

53. your posts are here for everyone to see --don't claim to have no opinion

you think it's right she sat out the game so the others could play.

maybe Rosa Parks should have stayed off the bus so that everyone else couldn've been on time for work.

honorable? nah. but keep congratulating yourselves.

i'm always amazed at the contempt that those unwilling to accept discrimination are held by people who often have not had to face it themselves.

[MineralMan]

55. Yes, they are here for everyone to see.

My opinion is that it is her decision to make. That's what I've said over and over again. Seeya.

[CreekDog]

59. You won't own up to the fact that you are PROUD that she sat

you aren't just proud she made her own decision --you're giving her kudos for sitting down and letting everyone else play.

see, when one is discriminated against, the solution is to be quiet, don't ruin it for everyone else. :sarcasm:

[bettyellen]

61. Hey Creek, at least she;s not some shrill feminist harpie all sticking up for herself.

[MineralMan]

65. You are not competent to tell me what I think.

Sorry.

[CreekDog]

66. anyone can point out what you've said

and if you didn't think it, then you wouldn't have been proud of her for making the decision to sit.

would you have been just as proud had she decided to play? not according to your posts right here!

"Sounds like she has her head right where it belongs. She could raise a stink, but chooses not to. That's even more embarrassing for that team"

:hi:

[MineralMan]

69. Yes, they can. Or they can read my posts. Either way, the'll

see what I wrote. I'm done with whatever game you're playing, thanks.

[CreekDog]

72. what about Sinatra?

Seriously.

Maybe Sammy should've just slept elsewhere. Right thing to do right? He made his point, he was already famous, why push it?

Davis was initially denied residence at the Sands Hotel until Sinatra threatened to pull the plug on Rat Pack shows unless Davis got his own suite. Hotel-casino brass acceded to his demands, opening the door for other black performers who had been forced, post-show, to find accommodations in boarding houses and motels in West Las Vegas.

[bettyellen]

71. Obviously proud she didn;t make a loud feninist "stink" that might "embarrass" the team.

because the boys comfort level is what matters here, so much more than equal rights.

[msanthrope]

104. But Rosa Parks did sit in the back of the bus until the time she chose a different action.

Would you castigate Rosa Parks for not acting sooner?

Or would you respect the fact that responding to racism is a deeply personal action, and it's difficult to judge others' actions?

[riderinthestorm]

126. Rosa Parks was an adult. This is a child whose coach should have stood up for her

Instead he sent her the message that she was expendable. This was a 14 year old girl, not Rosa Parks who had a history of activism and the knowledge that she had a support system behind her for her action (yes, I realize she didn't know it would become a national event but she absolutely knew her local group would support her).

Sports at this level are competitive but they are a lot about learning the game, sportsmanship, and fair play. This coach allowed this girl to be discriminated against by the opposing team which is a terrible lesson in itself, and worse he demonstrated to his team that he cares more about winning than any one of them.

I can judge the coach's actions because he's an adult and should have known better.

[bettyellen]

54. Except is was a team choice- to bail on her and allow this discrimination. They did not have to

capitulate to the other team. But it's clear they don't mind allowing her to be subjected to discrimination. And that sucks.

[JoePhilly]

82. Please read the full article .... geeeze ...

"They got trounced, 60-0, by a team motivated to beat them to honor their teammate on the sideline while that entire team was decked out in pink paraphernalia to honor Johnson and breast cancer month."

The article describes how her team responded.

[bettyellen]

84. Awww they wore pink for her, well it;s all better then, right? Another team is doing the same thing

later this month. And you keep going on an on about how imprtant it is not to forfeit. They should maybe just dump her then? Or wear drag next game to make up for it.
Pink ribbons are NOT helping. Keeping her on the field does.
What a pile of misguided horseshit.

[Jamastiene]

130. The pink ribbons were for breast cancer awareness month.

not for her. It's amazing the lengths people who support bigotry will go to to try to justify their support for bigotry, isn't it?

I think she should have been allowed to play and not feel forced to sit on the sidelines. Her coach and team weren't supporting her if they gave in to that bigoted demand. Simple as that.

[ProfessorGAC]

135. So?

I think what she did was a cool thing for her teammates that have already accepted her as an equal. What does my being a guy have to do with that?
GAC

[wryter2000]

33. Her team would have won by default

And the other team would have been disgraced by a forfeit. And her school would have stood up for equality. I don't see how that would have been any kind of loss.

[bettyellen]

51. Exactly. Sad no one stood up for her.

[MedicalAdmin]

85. AND they creamed the asswipes.

Man if one of my teammates had been dissed by the other team like that I would be out for blood.

I think she is one smart and classy lady. I would be proud to know her.

[Obamanaut]

15. Outstanding answer. +1 nt

[LanternWaste]

24. Convenience often trumps conviction...

Convenience often trumps conviction... even when making a point.

[MadHound]

86. Heaven forbid that anybody raise a stink about prejudice

Thank God Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and so many others in the civil rights movement never raised a stink. Where would we be now if they had raised a stink.

Oh, wait. . .

[JoePhilly]

100. Why do you think we are reading about this????

If this girl's team took the forfeit ... do you think DU would be discussing it?

Far more attention this way.

[MadHound]

111. Yet MM is stating that it is OK for the girl to sit, in order to not raise a stink

Sorry, I don't agree with that sentiment.

[me b zola]

97. Lets replace gender with race or religion

If a team had threaten to forfeit because they refused to play with a person of color or a Jewish person, would you expect the person of color/Jewish person to sit out of the game?

[bettyellen]

105. none of the men here so proud she didn't "embarrass" the team will answer you this

[me b zola]

109. I know, i guess it was a rhetorical question

They can't even see the discrimination they are promoting :(

I couldn't quite finish reading all of the responses to the thread because it is so depressing.

[bettyellen]

112. very sad to see they applaud her for literally sitting down and shutting up, so the boys can play!

[Jamastiene]

128. Actually, they can see the discrimination they are promoting.

And, yes, they are proud of it. Justifying it is what they cannot do. That is why they will not answer your question.

I must finally have the perfect ignore list. I cannot see the replies y'all are talking about. I get the gist of what they are saying though. I know those types though. That's why they are on my ignore list.

[ProfessorGAC]

136. I Said NOTHING About Embarassing The Team

I said i thought she thought of her teammates first, and i applaud her for that. The other team are a bunch of jerks. I'm not excusing their behavior. But, since her guys already accepted her, why would she make a point at their expense? They already accept her membership on the team.
GAC

[bettyellen]

139. Others did. Her teamates "accepted" her only until bigots objected to it. Can you help explain

why all you guys think that playing bigots was so darned important that they asked her to make this huge sacifice- to be singled out and expected to liteally shut up and sit down?

With all this talk of the team sticking together, why didn't anyone slam the team for not sticking by their team member and allowing bigotry to splinter them? Men here not only applauding her for accepting her second class status quietly, they are under some foolish delusion that wearing pink ribbons or winning makes up for it.

Her team may have won or lost, but they absolutely put themselves first, let bigotry win, and many here pat them on the back for it. It's insane that anyone here thinks the size of their victory makes a difference here.

They took their team mate and made her a loser, a nobody. They have nothing to be proud of.

[ProfessorGAC]

164. You're Putting Words in My Mouth

If that's all you have, you've got nothing. You're blaming me for things others have said. Convenient argument, at best. Completely dishonest, at worst.

All i said was i thought it was cool that she went team first. That's it. I defended NOBODY except the girl.

I didn't say it was cool that she had to sit for the bigots. Never even came close to implying such a thing. I just respect her for not making others suffer just because some idiots on the opposing team acted like idiots on the opposing team.

You want to continue to hammer home some equality point, go ahead. I am not against equality. For goodness sake, she's on the team. You're arguing against a point i never made.

If other folks said something like what you suggest, take it up with them.
GAC

[wryter2000]

7. Let 'em forfeit

It's there loss and, I would guess, their disgrace. Failure to show up is very bad form.

They should be exposed as being afraid of being beaten by a girl.

[MineralMan]

8. I wouldn't second guess this girl's decision. It was her

decision to sit out, you know. The team got a huge win, a little revenge on the other team, and she's still on the team. What she did was for the team, which obviously supports her as a member. Not every victory in equality works the same way. I honor her decision, and hope she gets many more QB sacks in future games.

[wryter2000]

19. What if all her opponents made the same threat?

Should she sit out all the games?

[MineralMan]

23. You know, I can't answer that. You'll have to ask her and her

team members. It's her choice what to do, don't you think? You might do something different than she would but, then again, you're not on that team.

The first rule of being your own individual is that you get to make your own decisions, regardless of other factors. That's Rule One.

I do not believe, however, that all the other opponents will make that threat. She has played in other games already, and will play in more, I'm sure.

I'm going to let her, her team members, and her coach figure this all out, I think.

[bettyellen]

67. Antoher team is expected to pul this crap later this month. Not good at all.

[Whisp]

32. good point.

and her sitting out just confirms that bullying works and that 'nice' girls give up easy.

I guess she did what she thought was right, but those cretins now think they were right as well.

[wryter2000]

43. Thanks

So now, if I'm an opposing coach who thinks I stand a better chance of beating her team if I can get her sidelined, I can threaten a forfeit, too.

[wryter2000]

20. Now a dupe

This obviously isn't my day on DU. :)

[bettyellen]

40. the team does NOT support her if they let bigots call the shots and leave her alone

to give in to other teams unreasonable demands.
What an awful precedent to set- she can play only when other teams say it's okay? That would never fly if they asked the coach to bench ANY other player.

[MineralMan]

42. Tell her she made the wrong decision. That's my suggestion:

[bettyellen]

48. I'd tell her I'm sorry that her coach and team failed to support her at a crucial time. Her mistake

was only that she caved to pressure for this team that appears to care less about her than they do about cancelling one stupid game. She;s a team member, it is not- was never- just about her as an individual. But when the pressure was on, they left her butt hanging in the wnd. Shame on them.

[MineralMan]

52. OK. I'm sure you could do that, if you had anything to do with it.

I didn't see anything about anyone putting any pressure on her in the article. Did you?

[bettyellen]

60. If they made it clear they;d allow her to be discriminated against, then she was under pressure to

accept the team's decision to allow her to be marginalized that way. Being on a team comes with massive amounts of team pressure, if they wanted to play, and apparently they did, then she made an extreme sacrifice for some spoiled thoughtless boys.

I guess you dudes love that she;s not a shrill feminist harpie who actually stood up for herself, LOL.

[abelenkpe]

9. +1000

I agree. But they lost anyway in grand fashion. Stupid bigots.

[wryter2000]

26. And as someone pointed out

Looks like her team ran up the score. Good for them. :thumbsup:

[wryter2000]

21. Good Lord

Their loss, not there loss. I know the difference.

This is why I don't criticize other people's mistakes.

[HockeyMom]

10. My daughter played JV Ice Hockey back in the 90s

Defense. Yep, checking BOYS. The team also had a girl goalie. She never had a problem like this. Um, well this wasn't in the South, but up North. Maybe that was the difference. One more point. Girls go through puberty younger than boys do, so a 13 year girl in many instances is going to be physically bigger than a boy her own age. Some of those forwards she had to check barely came up to her chest. Their FATHERS did complain about that. Well, give it a few years, Daddy, and your sons will eventually catch up.:evilgrin:

[qb]

12. What... they're not "man enough" to get beat by a girl?

(no offense intended to women or non-sexist men)

[gratuitous]

14. Dear Northeast: The 1970s called

And the load of outdated sexism you requested has been delivered.

[pipi_k]

16. Ooooh...mixed feelings about this...

On one side, I'm thinking the same as another person here...What, aren't they man enough to get beaten by a girl???

On the other side, I'm thinking...shit...she's a defensive player. Maybe a lot of the guys have been taught from early childhood NOT to rough up girls. Even if one of them IS a "defensive stalwart".

I mean, I could kind of see their dilemma. I grew up without a lot of physical contact, so when I got old enough to have to play contact sports in school (like basketball, etc) I was not very good at them because I couldn't make myself actually TOUCH another person or take the ball away or something like that.

Anyway, congratulations to this girl for going out for whatever sport she likes and being good at it. :)

[jeff47]

114. Defensive players are not the ones getting hit.

It's the offensive players that get hit. The defensive players are the ones doing the hitting.

[pipi_k]

123. Yes, I know that...

but a defensive player could STILL get hit in some way, even if it's accidental contact by the offense.

[jeff47]

124. So can the cheerleaders standing next to the field. What's your point?

[pipi_k]

132. Sorry you didn't get my point...

which was that perhaps the reason why some players don't want to play football with a GIRL is that they may have been taught NOT to get rough with girls.

On purpose.

Like during a game, even if it is only a game.

And even if she IS a defensive player, some of whom DO often end up being injured during the games.

I hope that explains it better.

[RamboLiberal]

137. I did 27 years of martial arts & rarely ran in to that attitude

Male & female we sparred in class. I took some hard shots from guys. No big deal. I got kicked or punched in the boobs. And accidentally a couple of guys in the nuts. We bowed an apology and went on.

[pipi_k]

142. Probably because

more people expect to see women in martial arts classes than on football teams.

My point is that if you don't expect to see a female doing something or other, then you're not going to be mentally prepared to treat her like "one of the guys".

Hey...I'm just trying to give some kind of alternate explanation for why the other team wanted to forfeit the game besides them all being a bunch of whiny crybabies who don't want to be beaten by a girl, that's all.

I mean, isn't there at least a chance there's another possibility?

[RamboLiberal]

150. Women had to fight to be accepted in to MA classes

60's & 70's most schools were male only. Some had belts given only to women & kids. Even in 80's I had to have a huge verbal fight with my instructor to be allowed to teach adults. I'm proud to say he now has some schools run by female masters.

You expect to see women in MA classes because brave women fought to break the barrier! And nothing against MMA but that mat be reverting at least a part of MA back to a male dominated scene.

[Romulox]

155. Actually, the chest is a perfectly valid target in MA sparring...

except when facing a woman. The crotch isn't a valid target for either gender.

[RamboLiberal]

158. My MA chest was valid either sex

And we rarely wore chest pads.

[Romulox]

159. In my experience, it was informally "off limits" as a very sensitive area.

Therefore, when sparring a woman, only the arms and stomach are valid targets (again, informally.)

[Snotcicles]

17. They threatened to forfeit because they didn't want to lose 74-0. nt

[wryter2000]

31. Yeah

If she'd played, the score would have been even more lopsided. :evilgrin:

[toddwv]

29. A team that is willing to forfeit for something like that is naturally a bunch of losers.

Great message that the team is instilling in its players.

[JoePhilly]

95. Its the school and coaches, I'd bet the players just want to play.

[JoePhilly]

37. I think she handled this exactly right ... no real athlete wants to win by forfiet.

I agree, she should have NEVER needed to make this decision. But she did have to make a decision.

If she plays, this is all about her. Yes, her team gets a win, but so what.

So she stepped aside, so her teammates could win, not by forfeit, but on the field.

And as the score indicates ... her teammates decided to make their own statement on this matter ... by crushing the other team in a shut out.

From what I can tell, she stepped aside for her friends, and they said ... "we got your back", and then went out and kicked ass ... and maybe sent a message.

Again, she should have never had to make this decision, but I think she put her team first, and her team responded in a very powerful way.

[MineralMan]

41. Yup. Here she is:

I figure she can make her own decisions. She doesn't look like anyone's pushover to me.

[JoePhilly]

58. YUP ... I get the sense she can make her own decisions.

And good luck to her.

[CreekDog]

113. how's the Hallelujah chorus going?

:applause:

[bettyellen]

63. Nope. Her team members did NOT have her back if they agreed to play without her..

[CreekDog]

70. ^^^ this ^^^

or at least the coach could've done the right thing.

some people here are suggesting that if she had refused to sit down, it would've been her fault had her teammates not been able to play.

[JoePhilly]

76. No one is saying that.

If she made the decision to play, and the game never happened, that also would have been fine. SHE could have made that decision. And I think her team would have been fine with that.

My point is that, if she took that path, this all goes away. A team forfeits. Who cares. No one.

The decision she made appears to be a decision that is totally based on her connection, and membership, on the team.

She should have never been placed in this position.

But she has been.

And sometimes, a quiet response, is more powerful.

As the article notes ... her team did the talking.

"They got trounced, 60-0, by a team motivated to beat them to honor their teammate on the sideline while that entire team was decked out in pink paraphernalia to honor Johnson and breast cancer month."

[CreekDog]

81. the coach could have said to the opposing team, "you'll play our players --any of them"

and should have said, "i won't sacrifice *one* of my players so the rest of mine get to play".

that's the honorable thing to do.

but either you disagree with it, or you couldn't even think of it.

[bettyellen]

79. Im shocked Mineral Man would find her sticking up for herself "emabarrassing" not very enlightened.

[JoePhilly]

73. You should read the complete article before posting such nonsense ... here, let me help you ...

From the article ...

In reference to the other team ... "They got trounced, 60-0, by a team motivated to beat them to honor their teammate on the sideline while that entire team was decked out in pink paraphernalia to honor Johnson and breast cancer month."

Which part of this confuses you????

[CreekDog]

77. They agreed to the other teams demand that their player NOT play

They got to play because they sat their own player.

If you're black and I enter a place that doesn't accept blacks, and you agree to stand outside while I enjoy myself inside (perhaps I'll raise a glass to the dude outside who let me in to have fun, guilt free...)

--that's not honorable. Jeez.

[JoePhilly]

88. She is black ...

And this is not a discussion about restaurants ... its about how members of a sports team deal with discrimination. Try to focus.

I do get the sense that you have never been on a sports team ... no idea what team members will put up with for each other.

Because I know you are prone to hyperventilation ... I am not supporting ANY discrimination ... it exists, and how teams RESPOND to it is very important.

Jackie Robinson responded to it in his own way. There is some great reading on how he dealt with it. How he allowed the hate to pass over him, so that he could focus on his responsibilities as a true "team member". He put up with a ton of BS, but he knew that he was setting a path that other could, and would follow. he should never have had to "put up with it", but by doing so, he helped make things move forward.

This girl is setting a path too ... and it seems, she knows that her first priority in doing is so is helping the team, and they seem to be ready to go crush those who would attempt to deny her her time on the field.

[CreekDog]

89. yes, she is black and a woman and she sat while the others played

this is some sort of "victory" for some posters here, yourself included.

[JoePhilly]

93. Is this the deepest thought you can reach?

[bettyellen]

106. It's a lot more meaningful than making BS excuses that these guys had a NEED to play BIGOTS

she should sit out games, but according to you, they never should. HELLO, bigotry supporter!

[CreekDog]

108. how do you feel about the coach?

the coach was faced with a decision that day too.

to go along with the other team's demand that one of the team's players be sat on the basis of their gender.

or not accept and go along with that.

you know what's interesting to me? you and Mineral Man refuse to discuss that topic.

we keep bringing it up.

is it icky? :shrug:

[RetroLounge]

141. Well, it is pretty accurate.

Sad.

RL

[bettyellen]

107. Oh get over it- her team didn;t crush the bigotry- they gave into it. Sad.

[RamboLiberal]

138. And it was totally damn wrong in the 50's & 60's in MLB grapefruit league

When black players couldn't stay in same hotel as white teammates. Also had to stay on bus while white teammates ate in restaurants. That could've been stopped sooner if team management & white players stood up for their teammates.

[bettyellen]

78. Ha ha, You think she needed them to dress in pink and equate her with breast cancer? SERIOUSLY?!?!?

That's fucing hilarious. Did you read the article, it looks like they will have her sitting out another game in two weeks.
But maybe they'll wear pigtails or bras or something, and she'll have to pretend it;s all good. While guys like you trash her for not being a real athlete, because she doesn't just have to fight on the field like the boys do.

[Name removed]

90. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bettyellen]

94. u said real athletes want to play- she is agreeing to sit out a few games, so yeah, you ARE saying

that.

and it doesn;t matter if I am an athlete, this girl is a PUSHOVER when it matters if she didnlt choose to stick uo for herself.

[Name removed]

98. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bettyellen]

103. enough insults and curses, Joe. It is apparent her need to play doesn;t even REGISTER with you.

[wryter2000]

91. By all means, it's best for her to quietly bow out

Northeast isn't the only upcoming opponent considering a forfeit if Johnson doesn't sit out. Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God Christian Academy is also reportedly considering a forfeit as well; the two schools are scheduled to play a game on Oct. 27.
The fact that Word of God may follow Northeast's lead isn't a coincidence. As the Tidewater News noted, both schools have something in common: They play in the same athletic association.
Both teams belong to the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association. According to the league website, participation by boys in girls' sports and vice-versa is prohibited.

We wouldn't want her or her team to have to take a stand against this.

[bettyellen]

96. god forbid she "embarrass" anyone by standing up for herself or needing to play too!

[RamboLiberal]

133. Bet there were teams that wanted Jackie Robinson to sit

As a female who experienced sexism in jobs & sports her coach & team should've never let her sit.

This was exactly WRONG!

I bet there were teams in the past who threatened to forfeit unless the black player(s) sat.

[demmiblue]

50. The team that forfeited was the Southamptom Academy team.

They forfeited their integrity.

Mina was the true team player... too bad she wasn't backed up by the rest of her "team".

[Johonny]

75. I imagine it was the adults and not the kids that wanted to forfeit

[JoePhilly]

80. I say that above ... players want to play ... and settle things on the field.

I think in this case, the decision she made works ... her team mates got the chance to get on the field, and then kick ass ... and the kids on the other side saw their coaches be willing to forfeit games for nonsense reasons. Good ... help them question those authorities.

[bettyellen]

83. it matters so much to you that these guys got on the field... but her notsomuch. Got it!

[Name removed]

92. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bettyellen]

101. wow, impressed at your use of profanity, Joe. OMG you must be right about athletes

their need to play and not forfeit is so strong and noble, no one should call them on it if they want to play all boys or all whites, etc. Their NEED to do this is the only important thing. And the need for women or people of color to be included, well obviously it;s just not as important as their white male team mates. Message received, Joe!

[CreekDog]

116. did he swear at you too?

he told me that he wouldn't tell me to F--- OFF. i admire the restraint it took him to tell me that even though he wanted to tell me to F--- OFF that he would resist that urge and not tell me to F--- OFF.

:crazy:

[bettyellen]

119. oh he told me F_ck You twice and said he could tell I was never on a team, LOL

how pointless was that? LOL.

[jeff47]

99. No, it accomplished nothing.

Forcing the opposing team's coaches to actually forfeit would have accomplished your goal. All this taught the players was if you make a big enough stink, you can be as sexist as you like.

[bettyellen]

102. sent totally the wrong message-and she may be benched again in two weeks,

[wryter2000]

115. Exactly

:applause:

[Logical]

117. I am so glad they kicked the shit out of the other team! Sexist idiots!

[ThoughtCriminal]

120. What's worse than losing 60-0?

Losing 60-0 AND bringing national attention to the game.

[jmowreader]

121. Oh, come on...we all know why the Lasker team pulled this...

After Mina waxed Rocky Mount's quarterback four times in one game, the Lasker quarterback didn't want to go home and have to be harassed about getting his ass stomped by a girl.

[underpants]

125. Private school for no reason on the Carolina border - west of the Dismal Swamp

The high school ;-) was a powerhouse in the early 80's. Flat knocked our quarterback out. Courtland was a football power too.

As much.... I understand why she took one for the team. They respect that.

[Major Hogwash]

129. They should fire Lasker Northeast's coach. He sucks.

He was hoping that they could forfeit the game, so he could use Johnson as his excuse for them losing the game.

[foreigncorrespondent]

131. Well...

...after this I certainly wouldn't be playing for her team again, if I was her. What kind of team support did they show her by running on the field without her? NONE. They may have kicked ass, but they had a chance to make a statement and show her real support by sitting out the game with her.

[RamboLiberal]

140. I notice the next school who is threatening forfeit is a "Christian" school

So it will probably stay a local story. Bet if it was a Muslim school Faux & Freepers would be all over it.

This was sexism & bigotry & is wrong, wrong, wrong. Sorry that some here fail to see that. Sorry that her school & team failed to see that. The adults in this story caved to the bigots.

My biggest disappointment in martial arts in the 80's was in male black belts who failed to stand up to the sexism of the grandmaster against the female black belts. We had to break that barrier on our own.

[Romulox]

145. Can boys play on Southampton's various girls' teams?

:shrug:

[Lance_Boyle]

146. Good luck playing volleyball in high school or college if not.

Don't you know discrimination only ever happens one way?

[bettyellen]

148. boy are you out of touch!

[deaniac21]

160. I'll bet she is headed for the SEC.