Parent attacks referee at HS game

[LostinVA]

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) -- A Hartford, Conn., police officer said his jaw was dislocated when he was sucker-punched by a parent after he refereed a high school soccer game.

Jeffrey Rousseau, who lives in Springfield, said Martin Smith attacked him as he and another referee were walking to their cars after officiating at Central High School.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/soccer/10/28/ref.punched.ap/index.html?cnn=yes


WTF is wrong with these people? Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. At least the SOB didn't kill him....

[DanCa]

1. A sucker punch- sneak attack.

Know we know what kinda people voted for Dubya in the last election.

[MADem]

2. Holy shit, why does this always seem to happen in MA???

A few years back, a guy KILLED a hockey referee at a kid's game. He got two years or so....

[jobycom]

4. Cause that's where all the wackos not crazy enough for Texas go?

I can say that, I'm in Texas!

[LostinVA]

5. That was a horrible case, and I was shocked the guy only got two years

I played field hockey and ran track in HS, and expressly told my parents NOT to come to my games or meets, because it added another layer of stress on me. However, I saw plenty of parents who went nutso over ref calls, and who screamed at their poor kids. It's just fucking crazy... too much hormones? Trying to relive their lives through kids? What?

One of my coworkers has 10-year-old daughter who plays soccer, and she is so supportive of her! She also told me that if it ever stopped being fun for her daughter, she wouldn't let her play anymore. WE need more sports parents like that.

[Chipper Chat]

7. About the guy who only got 2 years, It just occurred to me

that if the killer had accidentally touched a kid's butt during the melee he would have gotten 50 years for child molesting!

[jobycom]

3. Good thing that parent wasn't an Angels fan. nt.

[CatBoreal]

6. I used to swim competitively....

...and I remember coming out of the change room after a meet to see one of my friends being berated by his father because he came in second in a race.

I remember Steven being so proud of himself because he shaved something like two seconds off his time to win that silver and to see his father cut him down like that was devastating.

My heart still bleeds for this kid more than 20 years later.