MIAA: No appeal

a pity that a judge ruled "cheating" is acceptable..you will never convince me parents, coaches, and player were not aware they were playing an ineligible player. Cheating is cheating whether the team gleans an advantage from the player participation or not.

Chris,

Any idea on game times for high school super bowls?

Never doubt the Hornets!

Good for the Judge Connors. It is about time someone put the fools at the MIAA in their place!!! Too bad it had to be the court system.
I fear for the safety of these kids now having to play on Saturday with only 2 days rest. Football is not soccer or basketball. It is a contact sport that takes a toll on the body that requires a weeks rest before another game. Good luck to all the kids--that is what it is about!! Be safe!!

The MIAA is a joke and should be abolished. They never get anything right. It's amazing they are still in a position of power.

It's sad that this topic has dominated the High School sports page for the last two days while the focus on the teams and boys who played last night has been diminished.

I didn't realize cheating had acceptance levels or time frames.

That's the end of that, next year you'll have grown men playing for Brockton,
why not? If you get caught just go to court, no problem right?

Good job Judge Connors. MIAA needed to be put in place. It should always be about the best interest of the kids.

And who is covering the cost of having another team of Security? (Police, traffic officers, cones, signs, you name it. Mansfield better get crushed as they cheated and let a five year candidate play. The coach knew it was against the rules.

How much is this costing taxpayers? Disgusting

Sorry but I do not agree with this ruling by the judge. It sends the message to the kids that you can break the rules in life and then weasle out of the consequences. It does not matter if playing the ineligible player was an oversight or intentional...it was a violation of the rules.
BTW...how does a fifth year player even end up on the team at all...?

I think that the judges ruling is 100% correct. The ruling has no effect on weather the kid was ineligible or not, and only forces the MIAA to follow it's rules and allow an appeal.

First decision MIAA has right
They are out of touch. They blame the medical committe now

Folks, listen up. All this means is that the entire matter is shelved until a later date. If Mansfield wins today, and goes on to win the Super Bowl, then it will all be taken away if the MIAA hearing determines that Mansfield did in fact, violate the rules by having a fifth year player participate in the two games in question. At this point, all the evidence points to such a violation. The games will be forfeited and the state championship will be wiped away. We'll see how smug the Mansfield administrators, principal, coach, AD, and fans are at that point and how much they "care" about the kids.

The kid just transfered to the school and played at the end of two blowout wins. An administrative error caused the confusion. And Mansfield was the school that told the MIAA that they had used an ineligible. So, the MIAA is punishing the team because the coaching staff wanted to give all of the seniors a chance to play. This is hardly in the spirit of the rule. Some of these comments are hardly relevant when all the facts are known.

jumbo21 and Andy, why the criticism of the MIAA? For enforcing a rule that is clearly on the books? Criticize Mansfield for allowing it to happen.

For those who say Mansfield cheated please note.

Cheating requires an "intent to gain an advantage". Not the case at all here. Clearly a mistake and no knowledge or intent at the time the boy was put in the game. No advantage in that he was put in for the last few plays of 2 blowout games.

Far from cheating. Only a coach trying to get a kid in at the end of a game--so lets punish him for it

Cheating is cheating. I agree. But think of all the players that have worked hard all season to get where they are right now. It was not their fault that the fifth year student was put it. That is the coach's fault and he should be punished accordingly. It is a sticky situation, and I think that the ruling is fair. If nothing happens with the coach following the game then I will be very upset. After all he is fully to blame for the past two days of drama.

This is today's America, something does not go your way you sue. If you cheat and get caught, no poblem, there is a judge somewhere that will overlook the rules. Nice lesson to teach the kids. The town should have accepted the punishment, maybe they should change the name from Mansfield to Wussfield.

It is clear that the two sides are not going to agree on this matter. Personally, I believe, that the rules were broken and the original suspension should stand. However, I understand the fact that Judge Connors took intent into mind and probably did what is best for these young men.

Everyone should go read Comment #77 under the blog entry entitled "Injunction Granted; MIAA to Appeal".

It is a very reasonable breakdown of the situation and a rational suggestion as to how fans and players alike should move forward. I couldn't have said it better.

Best of luck to both teams!

Ok, he was a fifth year player, but from what I read he hardly played and when he did it was at the end of blow outs! He did not affect the outcome of any games, why is this a big deal. The MIAA should focus on real issues in HS sports.

The best thing is the kids get to play in front of scouts that might not of seen them otherwise and possibly attain a scholarship for one of these boys and change their lives. So as far as I'm concerned the judge did the right thing in this case. As far as life lessons the world I live in has lots of shades of gray between the black and white world of rules it seems most of the naysayers on this sight live in.

Rules don't matter at all to Mansfield apparently. And don't get your way? Well, sue then!!!! Real nice example to set for your kids there Mansfield. I feel bad for N. Attleboro who was the correct league champ and didn't get a chance to play due to Mansfield "discovering" this "error" only on Sunday. Now, isn't THAT convienent!!! What a crock!!!! Now, if Mansfield wins, they know they are fraud champs. And if they lose, they screwed Feehan by only letting them have two days to prepare for the final. Real nice job, Mansfield!!!!

I feel bad for the many kids involved in this particularly the kids in Mansfield who have worked hard all season and because their adminstration and coaches made a HUGE error in not filing for the waiver or realizing he was a fifth year student, their year has been tarnished and gathering hits from all around. I feel for the Feehan kids who have had to wait in this mess, and could miss out on a super bowl because of it, and for the kids from N. Attleboro who had this been noticed earlier would have been playing last nite instead trying out for winter sports. Apparently everyone has forgotten why they work at schools or the MIAA....its about the kids!!!! Wake up and do whats right by them!!

Kevin Begley is the King! Ham Ham!!!

An honest mistake is not cheating. Let the kids enjoy the rewards for all their hard work! You only go to the Super Bowl once...unless you play for Mansfield, then you might go four times.

We must remember, it's all about the kids... that's why it is so important that we lead by example, demonstrate that rules are not meant to be broken. Cheating is cheating. It's a disgrace. When I was in high school, I came home late, after 10PM, the night before a game. We had a 10 o'clock curfew (team rule). I walked in at 10:30. The coach didn't know. The coach didn't catch me. My father did. He told me I broke the rule,and I wasn't playing the next day. I reminded him that I was the starting quarterback! He reminded me that he was the father. He told me to start figuring out how I was going to tell my coach and my teammates when I arrived at the school that I couldn't play, that I let them down. I learned alot that day.

The 1994-95 Dracut High Boys Soccer Team inadvertently played an academically ineligible player. Once the principal discovered the error, he immediately notified the MIAA. The MIAA made them fofeit five victories in which that student played (although he earned no points in any contest). The team missed the state tourney by one point and filed an injunction before the tournament. No injunction was granted.

This Mansfield case is a farce. The cheated and they should suffer the consequence. Aren't schools supposed to teach the kids they serve?

Jumbo21 said -
"Cheating requires an "intent to gain an advantage". Not the case at all here. Clearly a mistake and no knowledge or intent at the time the boy was put in the game. "

Ignorance is no defense in the legal system.

To all of you hard liners who say a rule is a rule and Mansfield needs to be punished: I'll expect to see you all at traffic court tomorrow with your voluntary payments for speeding this year. Make sure to put plenty of postage on the letters to your insurance company for the increased premiums, too. Oh, and I'm sure all your charitable deductions are in order this year and nothing is inflated, and that side work you contractors do is fully accountable to the IRS. Wouldn't want to have you "cheating" and getting away with it like those awful Mansfield coaches and players now, right?? What a bunch of hypocrites.

As for the Coach, no punishment should be forthcoming. You knuckleheads just don't seem to get it. He was trying to do a GOOD thing, not GAIN AN ADVANTAGE, and yet you drones can't see any way clear outside of exactly what the rule stated. They didn't KNOW he was a 5th year student, he had ZERO impact on the game, yet let's make Mansfield forfeit because by gosh "that's what the rule says". It's a good thing the rule doesn't say to shoot them because you lemmings would be offering to load the gun since "that's what the rule says". What a bunch of clowns...

I grew up in Walpole, way back in the day, just before baldy came in. Didn't win many games but enjoyed the sport a great deal. I live New Mexico now and they are rabid about their HS football, even more so than Texas.
One thing that would NEVER be allowed would be to have games scheduled on such short notice. Has to be a doctor back there that would file an injunction on something that could be really important, like the safety of your children.
Oh, forget it; must be because of the venue.

u are all idiots....it wasn't cheating....they were doing the right thing by playing a kid who is obviously not a good player...They were beating thre teams by 40 in both circumstances......I didn't matter, Mansfield could have played their Freshman teams against the tow opponents of the games in question and still won by 30.

Kevin Begley....you have no right posting a reply like that. Your days at Mansfield High are not the stuff that football dreams are written about! ;-)

Rules are rules. The coaches and athletic director are the guilty ones here.

when I was a junior I transferred mid season and I was not allowed to play for my new school. That kid should not even have been practicing with the team.

I play semi-Pro as an adult to make up for those lost games : )

They broke the rules, it's not fair to North Attleboro either

He already had 4 other years of time to play.

fairest thing: have North Attaboys play Mansfield, and winner take on Bishop Feehan and the winner of THAT game go onto the Superbowl.

Extend this buy a week or two.....

Cant you let Sharon keep a damn victory. (Typical)

Also what does this have to do with Brockton having grown men on their team.....That would be gaining an advantage.....This was clearly not...get a clue....Mansfield is the class of the league every year and playing one "rudy" type player for SEVEN plays will never take away from what they have accomplished both this year and in the past.....They didn't use him in the North Attleboro game which basically decided the league....GET A CLUE....THEY MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE...THE MIAA just wants to be in the news so it looks like they are doing something productive

The MIAA has never got it. It is about the kids; not about being politically correct, not about covering adult behinds. Focus on the best interest of the kids.

All of the " experts " posting their opinions should have ALL the facts prior to sounding off. The media has not mentioned that MHS had their long time Athletic Director, who would have picked up on this transfering student's history, leave at the beginning of the year to take a similar position in another town causing quite a bit of chaos at Mansfield. The situation was a " perfect storm " of oversight - but just that - OVERSIGHT !! The 90+ student athletes in the Mansfield HS football program should not be punished for this.

Here is the only suspect issue in my mind. Why did Mansfield sit on this information about an illegible player for 5 days before reproting it to Miaa. I am sure if they reported as soon as they know about it, N Attleboro would have for sure been able to get ready for Feehan. I think Mansfield knew the longer that sat on this fact, the more likley N Attleboro would be squeezed out....and Mansfield knew ahead of time what teh penelty was going to be . The sitting on this info was their only way to get a chance to even get into this game tonight . It should be a NA vs Feehan game this evening

Well done Mansfield School Committe you should be real proud of the example your setting for the students. Maybe there should be some disipline on the coach and AD for making this "mistake". Don't be surprised when the kids cheat on test and papers. After all it's you who are teaching them it's acceptable. I just became a Bishop Feehan fan!

Please, as one of the Towns that gets rolled in the Hock every year. They were emptying the Bench against Sharon and OA. If the kid was starting it would be different. Good luck Hornets win one for the Best Div in Mass. (Hock)

The MIAA has far too much power. They have never put the kids first. It is time to reorganize, and disperse some of their authority.

I go to Mansfield and know the guys and the coaches and they did not know of this until late wednesday when the MIAA wast already closed so they reported it first thing Monday because of the holiday. Mansfield did not cheat. The Kids are being punished for an adult mistake.

Amazing how very few have bothered to look at the "other message" here. Namely, that if you think you may have done something wrong, don't admit it - honesty is not the best policy. You'll only be labeled a "cheater" and a "liar" and everything else. Instead, sweep it under the rug, hope no one finds out. Don't ever tell the truth - you'll end up in court or fired or both. Oh, and by the way, the best way to "beef" up desparate football team? Recruit an ineligible player who's SO awesome, he can help you nail down wins by playing the last few downs of those nail-biting blowouts on your schedule! Now that's what i call smart coaching!

MIAA ia joke all they are concerned about is making money. I'm surprised they even canceled the game. They care nothing about the kids. It is pretty obvious that Mansfield did not intend to cheat. The player that played gave Mansfield no advantage what so ever. He was just a kid that wanted to play and the coaches did the right thing for playing...its about the kids lets remember. It just so happened there was a miscommunication. Which having played high school football with a 5th year senior on the team it can happen. I guarantee many of the players and parents were oblivious to the rule.

My understanding is that this young man transfered to Mansfield High from another school, and that the confusion existed at the administrative end, not on the field. The coach gave him a chance to play at the end of two lopsided wins (actually, a good thing for the coach too do), indicating that this young man is not a good player. I don't see how the coach would knowingly risk a season for an inelligible end-of-the-bench player, makes no sense. So enough with the allegations of cheating, that is nonsense. Plus, act like adults and have some consideration for these young men and especially for this player, who must feel awful. They don't need to hear people calling them cheaters. What happned here was an unfortunate administrative mistake, but one that the administration tried to solve by going to the MIAA and asking for some guidance on what to do with this young man. That was the right thing to do. To then punish all of these young men for an administrative mistake, and then for others to call everyone in the program a bunch of cheaters, is not the right thing to do, and sounds like petty jealously to me. The real message to these young men, if a mistake is made, come forward and try to work it out. Do not lie about it, or try to cover it up. And yeah, we live in a court happy society, and it is too bad that this ended up there, but Mansfield had no other recourse. After all, the MIAA did not follow their own rules and did not offer Mansfield the opportunity to defend themselves. Meanwhile Mansfield, which has one of the finest football programs in the state, will have to shore up their administrative process to make sure that something like this can never happen again.

This is not an example of cheating. It is just example of violating a rule of MIAA.

The real dissapointment that I see in all of this is that North Attleboro should be playing. They are the rightful winners of the Huckomock Divison, and had Mansfield been forthcoming about this a little sooner, or the MIAA had taken the time to review each roster. (No way this should not be possible with technology today), this would have been settled.

Rather beneficial for Mansfield. They get to fall on the sword saying we reported this ourselves, but not in enough to time to allow the rightful winner a chance to play in the game. Additionally their bad acts out Bishop Feehan at a disadvantage as well.

You people do know Ryan Izzo is going to be rested and ready to roll!!!! He would play both of them at the same time.

Following rules and regulations set up for organized student activities - whether it be sports or music, etc. - ultimately IS in the best interest of the students. Intent has no bearing. The impact this player may have had on the outcome of the games has no bearing. The lesson - fair or not - for the students should be that failure to comply with established guidelines has consequences, some of which you will not like.

That's why it's so important for the adults involved - teachers, coaches, administrators, parents - to get it right so the hard work put in by the students isn't wasted. Whether it be because of incompetence, a sense of entitlement, laziness or whatever those whose duty it was this time failed.

What message does that give to all the other school systems out there that complied with the rules? To some it will say don't bother because now precedent has been set. Be prepared to see this again and again.

The MIAA needs to be completely overhauled - it's as bad as the NCAA...

HOWEVER, Mansfield (mainly the hostile coach Redding) broke the rules AGAIN and got away with it AGAIN....That is total crap since these type of rulings have occurred many times to other schools and they have accepted their fate....I guess Mansfield and Redding are above the MIAA....

What a joke - Redding should be canned along with everyone that resides within the MIAA....

Student athletes with money get a fifth year of prep. Why not a public prep year option with reasonable guidelines. If a fifth year is warranted to improve academic standing for a potentially scholarship bound student I am all for it. Maybe there should be guidelines as opposed to piecemeal or pay as you go for coaches who and supportive athletic directors only and let all schools to take advantage of such opportunities for appropriate scholar athletes.

Ryan Izzo is a joke compared to Matty Campbell( to comment 48)

Let's give some credit to the Bishop Feehan community who have not engaged in any negative reactions to this situation. A class act.

Why do you think Mansfield went to the MIAA - possibly because they knew someone else may? Whether this was a star player or someone at the end of the bench, the rules are clear and they were broken. I would not say Mansfield cheated because I do not believe that is a fair characterization of what apparently happened. Mansfield broke a rule and they should have to deal with the consequences.

It's nice to see the globe is placing so much emphasis on covering this story. It would have been nice to read abouit the Abington Norton game. EVERY DIVISION HAD A WRITE UP EXCEPT THIS GAME!!! Nice going Globe, your coverage other than the "Bus" has been second rate for the past few years.

Forsberg's response:

Might want to look around a little harder:

http://www.boston.com/sports/schools/football/articles/2008/12/03/desmond_lifts_norton

My compliments to ALL you join me in their negative view of the MIAA. A Classless organization, in many ways. Numerous comments about :"it's all about the money" are right on point. I could cite numerous examples, and i'll try to list a few here: Borckton High Playing HOME Games in the Playoffs. (what's up w/ that). Not securing nice local Colleges to sponsor these (or some of these) Playoff Games, like Stonehill, Bentley & Curry Colleges' all whom have Turf and are centrally located. What an Experience for a HS athelte to have plaed on a College Field. (as MOST will never play in college, event hese top team's athletes. STEVE-O
Student $10.00

An objective outsider's opinion (I have friends on both sides of the issue), as best I understand it:

- The coach had no idea there was an infraction until just before Thanksgiving - as soon as he suspected something, he did the right thing by bringing it to the school's AD.
- The ineligible player never played football before, and was a last-minute sub for a few plays at the end of two blowout wins - hardly a competitive advantage.
- the league allows 5th year players to play, subject to a waiver process - this process was not followed by someone in the administration at Mansfield - since the coach didn't know the player was technically ineligible, he wouldn't know to get the waiver.
- No advantage was gained, and the spirit of the rule was not broken, so how can you disqualify Mansfield?
- Worst, what lesson do you teach the coach and players at Mansfield if you get punished for reporting a minor technical violation? Better keep quiet!
- I suspect the Feehan people would want to win the honorable way

The issue of playing 3 games in 10 days in solely due to this ridiculous notion of playing Thanksgiving day games. The Super Bowls aren't super because there are way to many they're a sham. MA should join with the rest of the country and eliminate what are generally boring and lopsided games to have real playoff system that crowns real state champions, one for each division.

Walpole,
Izzo is a great back and the Rebels are a very solid team. Just remember, rested or no, Mansfield lost in the last minute to Dartmouth, 9-7. Otherwise, you might be playing the #1 team in the state Saturday. Look what happened to Feehan, another very good team. I would love to be able to see this game but am out of state. Good luck to all.

all this doesn't really matter anyway.............Although a Feehan win would have put an End to it........
the BEST Team in the state is decided by the Div-1 Super Bowl Game, which right now is looking like BCHi. [already beat Brockton once].

Walpole,
Izzo is a great back and the Rebels are a very solid team. Just remember, rested or no, Mansfield lost in the last minute to Dartmouth, 9-7. Otherwise, you might be playing the #1 team in the state Saturday. Look what happened to Feehan, another very good team. I would love to be able to see this game but am out of state. Good luck to all.