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Youth soccer player may be charged with homicide by assault

Photo: www.voxxi.com

LOS ANGELES, May 10, 2013 — In Utah this week, 46-year-old Ricardo Portillo died after being in a coma for a week. Late last month, Portillo, a passionate soccer fan and long-time referee, was doing what he loved most, officiating a soccer game, when he was attacked by an upset player. 

During the game, one of the goalies pushed a forward who was attempting to make a corner kick. Portillo gave the goalie a yellow card. A yellow card in soccer is a warning and tells players that future unsportsmanlike behavior will cause increased consequences. Receiving two yellow cards in a game means that a player is then given a red card and has to leave the field.


According to reports, the goalie began arguing with Portillo about the yellow card and subsequently punched Portillo in the head. Like with many concussions, Portillo felt fine at first, but then became dizzy. By the time emergency services arrived, he was spitting blood and lying on the ground in a fetal position. He complained of head, neck, and back pain.

A short time after being taken to the hospital, Portillo slipped into a coma due to brain swelling. He never regained consciousness and died a week later.

Both the goalie and poor sportsmanship are clearly the culprits in this tragedy. The player’s unsportsmanlike actions during the game garnered him a yellow card. The player’s continued arguing with Portillo led him to physically attack the official.

Unfortunately, the goalie’s actions are not isolated...Continue Reading


Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/chill-manager-sportsmanship-real-world/2013/may/8/youth-soccer-player-may-be-charged-homicide-assaul/#ixzz2T090b0Tf
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New Sports Illustrated poll examines reader reaction to first NBA gay player

Photo: atrasdevos.com

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2013 — In historic professional sports news this week, a well-known NBA veteran came out as gay. In an article in this week’s Sports IllustratedJason Collins, a 12-year basketball veteran and former Stanford player, explained in very simple terms who he was. “ I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.”

For the past few months, the professional sports world has been buzzing with rumors that an NFL player was close to coming out. Whether or not those rumors are true, Jason Collins apparently decided now was the time to begin living a life that authenticates both his career in the NBA and his private life.
Another part of the story is that even his twin brother, Jarron Collins, was surprised, which shows just how hidden Jason Collins kept his sexuality.

Sports Illustrated, in order to capture reader reactions to Collins’ announcement, posted a poll on their website. To see the poll results, KEEP READING HERE...


Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/chill-manager-sportsmanship-real-world/2013/may/2/new-sports-illustrated-poll-examines-reader-reacti/#ixzz2SAyKRhhG
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Related: Jason Collins receiving death threats?
Sports Illustrated articles

Sports and the Tsarnaev brothers: Their backgrounds and their target

AP/FBI



WASHINGTON, April 23, 2013 - As details emerged about the Tsarnaev brothers, Tamerlan and Dzhokar, in the last week, two particular ones seemed atypical of other domestic terrorists—their involvement in sports and their focus on a sporting event.

According to numerous sources close to the family, Tamerlan Tsarnaev was an accomplished amateur boxer, “fighting in a Golden Gloves Tournament in Salt Lake City and sparring in local gyms around the Boston area.”
Read more at sportsillustrated.cnn.com.

The younger brother, Dzhokar, was equally accomplished in wrestling, becoming the team captain of Cambridge Rindge & Latin’s wrestling team his senior year. However, according to his coach, Peter Payack, he didn’t become team captain because he was the best wrestler, but because...READ MORE

How much does a trashed hotel room really cost?


Credit: J. Meric/IMG Academy

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2013 - In February, 2013, over 300 NFL draft hopefuls converged on Indianapolis to perform for the biggest job interviews of their young lives. They ran, jumped, threw, lifted weights, and showed their tenacity and skill.

A couple of them may have also excelled in the age-old skill of acting like spoiled brats. Reports are out that a hotel room used by two players was trashed while they were there...CONTINUE READING


Gay athletes: 3 possible outcomes of coming out


Despite the craziness of March Madness basketball, swirling around sports bars and basements, one decidedly different story is making itself known: A current NFL player is now considering coming out.

Prior to the Super Bowl, former NFL player Kwame Harris was publicly outed after having a physical altercation with a former boyfriend. Harris ignited some backlash from other players, most notably 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver, who reportedly said, “I don’t do the gay guys, man. I don’t do that.” (Culliver has since volunteered at the Trevor Project, a crisis intervention program for LBGTQ youth.) 

Although it’s not yet known if Harris’ situation prompted the current player, whose identity is still unknown to media outlets and the public, to begin discussions about coming out, the fact that he might be close is causing discourse in the sports world.

So what happens if gay athletes decide to stop hiding their sexuality? There are three possible scenarios that may occur...CONTINUE READING


Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/chill-manager-sportsmanship-real-world/2013/mar/30/gay-athletes-3-possible-outcomes-coming-out/#ixzz2P8QoSSmL
Follow us: @CHILL_Manager on Twitter



Three sportsmanship tip(offs) from a weekend of basketball

FGCU's Sherwood Brown and teammates
Credit: AP Florida/Michael Perez

Over the weekend, there was about as much basketball as one could hope to watch. Not only was March Madness on up to four channels at once, but our local high school played in the Minnesota state championship. As a transplanted Hoosier, I was in heaven.

It was a weekend of listening to squeaky shoes and watching for examples of sportsmanship. Following are three take-aways from the basketball-full weekend:

1. Drawing attention to sportsmanship issues really does work. On Saturday morning, many hours before the Apple Valley High School basketball team took on Park Center at the Target Center, a Facebook post mentioned that at Thursday’s qualifier, our students turned their backs when the opposing team was announced.

Almost immediately... Continue reading...

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Four reasons we might be to blame for the Steubenville rape


WASHINGTON, DC, March 19, 2013 - On St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday known best for its green beer and corned beef sandwiches, two teenage football players from Steubenville, Ohio were convicted of raping a teenage girl from West Virginia last summer while she was drunk.

The repercussions of these two guilty verdicts shed four unwelcomed lights on how our society is getting it wrong when it comes to preventing violence of this type. 

1. We promote aggression and objectification. Kids are exposed to...  READ MORE...