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Then we need to find another motivation than sports, because we are setting them up to fail if we give them the idea sports are their ticket to a better life. Only a fraction of all high school students ever go pro.

What inner city kids need are good examples and hope.

I agree sports is a great tool if used properly to teach the kids. It provides life long lessons, if the lessons are taught properly. I was saddened about the probe into the funds @ Northern. But with all things, I will wait until probe is completed to give my opinion. As this point it is just an accusation, but it has been proven that an accusation is all that is needed to be found guilty.

There really is something wrong with our educational system if the only reason a young person goes is to play sports.

Turkey, you seem to have this "Igligigli's number. But, with one correction they were not even the last kid picked for kick ball. I have noted this person's comments about removing athletics for a number of posting now and I have come to the conclusion that this person is just another one of those jealous individual who do not like the attention that athletics gets in NC and in this country. Any one that played kick ball at least has some small appreciation for athletics and understands the social aspects that athletics brings to a community and to a young kid. So Turkey do not waste your time because you will never change that person's mind. That person is probably also jealous knowing that there are those of us who have a PhD, MA, MS and BA, BS that can kick a ball and did so on athletic scholarships. Case in point, why is this person reading the sports section so much if he is not a closet want-to-be athlete (smile)?

I did track and field in high school, and tae kwon do in college. Sports had no impact on my education. My health yes, education no.

I repeat: to say that sports is the only reason to go to school is a warped world view that needs to be eliminated.

It is without question that each and every student deserves the privilege to peruse excellence in whatever creative outlet they choose. Whether it is the arts or science and math or writing or (God forbid…sports). And in doing so, they realize the hard work and dedication that goes along with perusing their “passion”. Athletes who are willing to put in the time it takes to become successful (and I don’t mean successful as only winning games) deserve the accolades they earn…it requires so much sacrifice and commitment to become a successful team. The “wins” are just icing on the cake.

This notion that getting rid of sports (sponsored by non athletes) at the high school level is ridiculous. I would love to win the Pulitzer Prize for literature but that is just not going to happen…I’m okay with just reading someone else’s genius and will continue to discover things that I can excel in! That doesn’t mean I will ever stop enjoying all the great books I read.

Not everyone will find that athletics is the answer to pushing through to obtain his or her goal. However, for some it is and why shouldn’t they have our support to strive to be the best they can be? And with that have the most qualified coaches who are willing to sacrifice their time simply because they share in that passion. I agree this situation has gotten out of hand. However, I also agree that to fight for what you believe in is admirable.

"Shut UP" That says it all doesn't it.

I agree any who have been falsely accused should work to clear their name. If you know them you have more info than most of us.

ForTheKids, I am sort of confused but I think you may be able to help me because you made the comment and have in a number of your postings indicated that the kids collectively are being or have been blamed or accused. It is my understanding that there are only 5 ineligible players that have caused the loss of games and a championship. Am I incorrect? I think the major issue here and across the country and in the world of High School, College and sand lot sports is that when an individual player is found to have caused an infraction that player is deemed ineligible, In addition while ineligible that player played in a number of contest then that player and the team he/she were a member of has to forfeit those contest. However, it is unfortunate that there are students on those teams who must go down with the ship when an ineligible player is discovered. The issue here is two fold one is there were players who were found to be attending the wrong school knowingly or unknowingly (smile) and if this fact had of been caught in a timely manner then all of this would be moot. But, I am trying to determine which students are you referring too who are being blamed or accused and I am sorry for my confusion. Are you referring to the kids that happen to be on the wrong time at the wrong time or those kids that were said to be attending the wrong school because of where they live?

"what do we tell our kids when they have been falsely accused/blamed? I was at the meeting and not one person came up to me to sign the petition. I was able to walk into the school with no problem. For the ones who provided false addresses, I wouldn't back them. But for the ones who didnt and still declared ineligible, then I tell them to fight to clear their name."

ForTheKids - I hate to tell you, but your COACH brought the bad name to the kids. The PROGRAM didn't follow the rules and the PROGRAM has suffered the consequences of those actions. You can defend the coaches all you want. you can defend Northern all you want. The fact remains and will always remain that you had INELIGIBLE kids playing at Northern and that DIRECTLY and INDIRECTLY affected everyone involved. It also had an impact on the state championship. I don't think I have read a single story that blamed every KID at Northern or called any kid out.
I would have to say though that I seriously doubt there was anyone involved with Northern basketball, KIDS INCLUDED, that didn't KNOW FOR A FACT that you had kids playing on your team that weren't:

1.from another school's attendance zone
2.transferred in and knew each other from AAU ball.
3.may have been, ahem, 'bending' the rules to be there in the first place.

I have to say that I am not even involved with Northern Guilford athletics but I heard 'rumors' for months that stuff like that may have been going on but it is/was no concern of mine. I find it rather comical though that 'all of a sudden' the parents, students, and fans of NGHS think you are being singled out or treated unfairly when it was OBVIOUSLY going on in the program. What is worse is it was going on in MULTIPLE programs.

So, the students and staff involved HAVE tarnished the name of EVERYONE involved in the NGHS program. You can fight all you want, petition all you want, and complain all you want it will not change the fact that the stuff occurred and it gave the entire athletic program there a black eye.

If someone provided a LEGAL address and transferred in a LEGAL manner then they wouldn't have been declared ineligible in the first place. If they transferred and played BEFORE legally moving then they were ineligible in the first place. I don't know the whole story and do not claim to. I can only go by what I read here but it is all a real mess. I REALLY DO feel sorry for the kids who legally lived there and weren't involved in the scandal. but it really is hard to feel sorry for the ones that knew.

Looks like it will be a while before it is complete because as they look at one thing it seems to lead to another. Those emails must have made interesting reading. In the meantime it is the children that suffer.

purplepride,

I'm not associated with NG, but I understand your point, but as long as y'all have Coach K lingering around this issue then it will never go away...If the parents really wanted to move forward and make the school better, then they should just all get with Coach K to drop this stupidity and tell him to move on and to leave your school alone...