Sideline Behavior Has Been Anything But Sporting

A dance was staged last Thursday night after the Mater Dei-Loyola football game. Don’t feel bad you weren’t invited.

This was a private little shindig. A hand-slappin’, high-fivin’, bump-and-grind do-si-do performed by Mater Dei running back Derek Sparks and his uncle, Eric, a spectator at the game, in front of the Loyola players and coaches.

See, Mater Dei had just beaten Loyola, 3-0, and Derek, perhaps wanting to show Loyola a few moves he was unable to execute during play, rushed over to the Loyola sidelines with his uncle for their flaunting, taunting tango.

What inspired such moves?

Well, before the game, Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson read his players an article published Sept. 14 in The Times, that quoted Loyola Athletic Director Jon Dawson. Dawson said Sparks, a transfer from Montclair Prep, had twice been turned down for admission into Loyola and that his acceptance at Mater Dei made Catholic schools look bad.

Why did Rollinson read this to his team?

“We had to.�

Oh. Apparently, Derek and Uncle Eric couldn’t help but do the in-your-face-Loyola boogie, either.

Mater Dei, of course, is not the only team to over-strut success. A week ago, Mission Viejo quarterback Tim Snowden was flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after blowing kisses at the San Clemente sidelines after throwing a touchdown pass during his team’s 32-17 victory.

In that same game, a fight broke out in the third quarter. Officials ejected four players--two from each team. According to the South Coast League’s new get-tough stance on unsportsmanship, those four players were supposed to be automatically suspended from the next game.

Guess what? All four played Friday night. A review of the game films during the week prompted the schools’ principals to rescind the players’ suspension--three other players were held out instead.

New rules? What new rules? Who needs referees when you have your own instant replay system?

“Obviously,� Dana Hills athletic director John Klink said bitterly, “the rules don’t mean a thing.�

Even San Clemente’s Matt Wimpress, one of the original players ejected, was surprised he was allowed to play Friday.

“Oh, yeah, I never really thought they’d let us back in,� said Wimpress, who added that he was by no means an angel in the fracas. “I was really surprised. I wasn’t going to argue, though.�

Sad to say, but some of the most vivid memories I have this season are of unsportsmanlike behavior.

--A Pacifica player, standing at one end of the sideline, screaming at Coach Bill Craven because he didn’t agree with Craven’s play selections. When he wasn’t screaming at his coach, the player was yelling at his own quarterback’s failure to get a pass off.

--A Capistrano Valley wide receiver, pounding his fists on the ground, slamming his helmet on to the field and shouting obscenities after last week’s loss to El Toro.

--Several El Toro players, viciously taunting an opposing quarterback who had been sacked many times during the game.

And then there’s the sideline profanity. Yikes!

Sure, football is an intense, violent game. But there should be a limit, starting with the head coach.

At Woodbridge, one of the strongest words used by the coaching staff is “Dadgummit!� For those of you who never strolled the sidelines of a high school football game, this is something of a minor miracle. Some of the sputter coming from coaches would make Andrew Dice Clay proud.

Sorry, Mater Dei. This brings us back to you.

Principal Lyle Porter said a few weeks ago he’d like to know what the school can do to improve the Monarchs’ image. Start by introducing the head football coach to a few alternate words to express his anger.

And, please, no more of that postgame boogie.

Barbie Ludovise’s column appears twice weekly. Readers can reach Ludovise by writing her at The Times Orange County Edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, Calif. , 92626 or calling (714) 966-5847.