According to the Daily Southtown, Richards beat
Sandburg by forfeit. According to the story,
"Sandburg (0-2) didn't have enough individuals to field a team after a group of players were found to be in violation of team rules."

Anyone with any info?

Don't know what the violation was but they will forfeit their first 4 games. That's to bad, they where going to play LT today.

Chicago Tribune

Too bad for Sandburg.

Great feeder programs.

Nice program.

Fast...That is why I was thinking that they should have brought up the sophs and played the rest of the season with them.

Those "contracts" give you 3 chances (usually).

Hey guys I'm a freshman on the Sandburg team here. I don't have any business telling what happened but they are suspended for the first 4 games. Let's just say they didn't make a smart decision. So much for #1 in state but there's no doubt in my mind those guys will work hard to make up for a stupid mistake.

I'm sure not more than two weeks ago these kids signed some kind of contract agreeing to abstain from these activites. I suppose you can't single these kids out because we have created a culture where it's OK if you don't get caught.

I agree with Beenthere...bring up the Sophs. at least for a while. These kids were not able to keep the commitment they were bound to. Lots of talk about commitment, but it's a lot more than working hard in the offseason...it's being responsible to your teamates, your coaches and anyone else who gives a rat's rear end about your team.

If the same thing happened with my kid the failure to be a good member of the program and teamate would be a major issue at home, much more so than at school.

was it just their varsity that got suspended? Cuz when we face you guys, I wanna play face you at full strength. (Freshmen)

Just varsity. We'll be ready to play ya guys. Should be a good game. We're pretty solid over here. How bout you guys?

Fastball, Do not know who named you judge, jury and executioner. We need to remember these are 16,17 and 18 year old boys. No excuses, sounds like they are being punished for their mistakes. Would anyone condone their mistakes? probably not. I was that age once and played ball, made my share of mistakes and then some. Also, through the process of maturity learned from them and grew, life's lessons? I do not know what is worse, teenagers making mistakes or adults sitting back and judging them. I was once told if you are not a part of the solution, you are then a part of the problem. Fastball, I am sure your son has probably never done anything wrong, good for you, do not be so quick to judge others. Your son has probably stuck to every commitment he has ever made? Has he never left a team he committed to? Sainthood is only a small step away. I am sure these boys and their parents are quite embarrassed by the situatuion, as they should be. Thankfully, no one was injured or worse and hopefully many very important lessons learned. Best wishes to all the Ball players, even those foolish enough to make mistakes!!

Nicely done High Heat I totally agree with you

I deleted my comments on the poor kids who were busted for breaking team rules. I also apologize to the guys who put me in my place.

Please tell me what to say next time if I'm allowed to speak.

And no my kids...not one of the four even approaches perfection, but what does that have to do with it? If you know anything about my kids not fullfilling a commitment, please PM me with the info...I'd like to know about it....just make sure what you say publicly is accurate.

Making a mistake is one thing...breaking the law is another.

While I am not in anyway condoning the behavior of the Sandburg players, people make mistakes. It is in our nature. You can argue that is breaking the law, which is true they are breaking the law, but does that mean it is not a mistake.
A quick look at dictionary.com shows that mistake means, an error or fault resulting from defective judgment, deficient knowledge, or carelessness. They were careless and made a mistake. Let them serve their time and then let time them play.
Also, reagrding the judgement of these players by people on this board. None of us were at the scene and none of us know what truely happened. The closest to the situation, TP, hasn't even shared what has happened. Rumors are all any of us have heard. Obviously something wrong was done, but we do not know the actions that these players took or what was going through their minds as it happened. Also, many of the "prized athletes" from the area have committed this crime as well. This stuff goes on all the time it is just rare that people get caught.
It is in the best interest for everyone to just let this topic go. What happened, happened, and while it was wrong for them to do, they have paid their price, so let things go.

Thanks to all who have supported me in PM's.

Young people make mistakes and our job as adults is to hold them accountable and help them learn."

Sandburg Coach, quoted in the Tribune

I thought a long time about posting is this thread, posting my take on this issue. In the end I decided it was too personal of an issue for my comments. Let Sandburgs own community of parents, coaches, teachers, students and peers take care of this issue. I read the the Trib article and even the liberal press didn't hop up on their pulpit and give us an editorial on this , they stuck to the facts.

Tuzigoot,

Nice post. I understand everyone's postion.
I am sure coach (also the Principal) Sutor will know how to handle the situation.
It is time to move on. jmo

Not sure why anyone would be embarrassed to take a position or post on this issue, Fastball.

We are all entitled to our opinions and everyone's opinion has some merit. Some more than others, to be sure.

I've had my sons violate the Code of Conduct and it cost them dearly. Did they learn a lesson? No, because they continued to go and hang out with the same crowd. Busted a 2nd time because of a picture taken by a cheerleader showing a beer bottle on a table in the background. Can't fight that kind of stuff.

If I was the coach of the team and I lost so many players to the same "incident" so that I didn't have enough players to play and had to forfeit games, I would resign.

Whatever character traits that the coach has tried to instill in the team members...hasn't worked.

Considering that they have one or two stud pitchers and a couple of other outstanding position players, it is very disappointing to see it happen to them.

-----

Isn't Sandburg the same school that had that young man (baseball player) take his own life a few years ago? Anyone remember?

I'm not embarrassed Beenthere. I'm just not keen on someone who may have a dog in that fight bringing my son into it. I agree with you, your kids, my kids and many others make these kinds of decisions. If they do, they need to know they did something wrong. IMO they will not correct their behavior if serious consequences are not the result. And like it or not this is a problem.

And that's all I have to say about that.-Forest Gump

I gotta agree that people make mistakes. I can tell you right now those guys on that varsity team (being someone who knows some of them) are great guys and know what they did was wrong. They are being held accountable and not only was the team as a whole talked to but each was individually talked to. They made 1 mistake that by the way I can tell you at least 50% most likely tons more of the whole high school does everyday. They know it was wrong and are being punished for it and when they get back into play I have no doubt in my mind they'll be working harder than ever.

Honestly I don't see how anybody can sit there and say that they're a bad group for making this single mistake. It happens..big whoop. Sutor is a top notch coach and he knows what to do with them so leave it to him.