← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · jeffersonian
Thread ID: 19214 | Posts: 12 | Started: 2005-07-19
2005-07-19 16:16 | User Profile
[URL=http://www.tylerpaper.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14880906&BRD=1994&PAG=461&dept_id=226369&rfi=6]http://www.tylerpaper.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14880906&BRD=1994&PAG=461&dept_id=226369&rfi=6[/URL]
CITY REACTS TO VIOLENCE AT PARK
By: JACQUE HILBURN, Staff Writer July 18, 2005
Sports violence that broke out Sunday during a Tyler soccer tournament prompted a warning Monday from both city and Hispanic game officials: Play nice or don't play.
Administrative penalties and other team remedies could be on the horizon for combatants involved in a late afternoon brawl at Lindsey Park, which sent at least four people to the hospital and damaged several vehicles.
"We don't condone this type of behavior," said Laura Krantz, city of Tyler spokes-person. "Ultimate-ly, it is the responsibility of the association holding the event to police its participants - we are looking at potential remedies. Obviously they (Hispanic Soccer Association) sign-ed a contract to use the field and they are in violation of that contract - this was a pretty violent incident that happened out there."
At least 100 spectators and team members, some of them wielding baseball bats, were caught up in the melee, police and witnesses said.
Authorities also found liquor law violations - namely consumption and possession, both of which are prohibited at city parks and facilities.
As of Monday, no one from the Real Madrid soccer team of Tyler and the Alcones from Mineola had been banned from using city-owned facilities.
A criminal investigation into who did what, to whom - is under way, Tyler police said.
And the city may require the Hispanic Soccer Association to hire security officers for any future games played on municipal fields, officials said.
Talks between city hall and the group are continuing, amid growing interest from state and national news media.
Association president Alfonso Ochoa said Monday he is devastated.
"I'm ready to quit," he said. "This that happened yesterday broke my heart - I'm trying to do something honest and do what's best for the people - I never expected anything like this would happen."
Sunday's incident has cast a negative shadow on both the sport and community, he said.
Ochoa, who has served as president for almost two years, said he was considering the feasibility of possible team or member suspensions, or restricted player lists.
The association should also be willing to support the city's position on providing security at its games, he said.
"We have to take care of this, we really do," Ochoa said. "I'm going to have a meeting with them (league representatives) this coming Wednesday and I will talk real serious about it with them. I don't know exactly what I'm going to do with these teams, but I've got to do something about it."
City officials said they did not plan on penalizing an entire group, based on the actions of a few individuals, but emphasized that anyone who uses city facilities must follow the rules.
Almost 30 teams play for the association, which has been in existence for more than 20 years.
"We are giving the association an opportunity to take care of this internally," Ms. Krantz said. "There are other soccer associations in the city and we haven't had problems with them - we're hoping they are able to handle this and continue using our fields."
Former John Tyler head soccer coach Demetrio Hernandez, a local sports figure, said bad sportsmanship sets a poor example for budding players and the community.
"This needs to be addressed," said Hernandez, a lifelong player who has been coaching for 22 years. "This type of behavior should not be tolerated. These people are giving us a bad image and they are harming the sport of soccer. They are not there to have fun and compete and spend time with their families - they are there for other purposes."
Soccer is designed to provide wholesome entertainment for families and provide a positive outlet for players young and old, he said.
Hernandez publicly urged stricter enforcement of ordinances by both the city and Tyler police to discourage unsportsmanlike behavior, which seems to be growing in frequency and severity at local fields.
Tyler police were not immediately able to provide any numbers on player-related citations or arrest figures.
"If soccer leagues are not going to obey the rules, they shouldn't be allowed to play," Hernandez said.
Ordinance Outlaws Use Of Alcohol
City of Tyler, Code of Ordinances, Sec. 8-34, states:
"It is unlawful for any person to possess or consume alcoholic beverages within a public park or recreational area including: (1) athletic facilities including, but not limited to, baseball and softball diamonds, athletic fields, tennis and other game courts: (2) swimming pools; (3) playgrounds; (4) vehicle parking areas on a public park or recreational area; (5) interior roadways contained within a public park or recreational area; (6) inside recreational centers, concession buildings, and restroom facilities."
Staff Writer Sara Foley contributed to this report.
éTyler Morning Telegraph 2005
2005-07-20 00:52 | User Profile
You know Tyler is a pretty town. I've often thought it quaint in this day and age. Even today the city is still pretty segregated between whites and blacks. But like everywhere else the cockroaches have to come in and mess up the equilibrium and just ruin everything. I remember when soccer was a girls sport here, no true Texan family would agree to let their boys play such a silly sport. But like everything else with our culture the Mexicans are much more enlightened than we.
2005-07-20 08:46 | User Profile
BlueBonnet
All too true. It a shame what the "wetbacks" are doing to America. [QUOTE]You know Tyler is a pretty town. I've often thought it quaint in this day and age. Even today the city is still pretty segregated between whites and blacks. But like everywhere else the cockroaches have to come in and mess up the equilibrium and just ruin everything. I remember when soccer was a girls sport here, no true Texan family would agree to let their boys play such a silly sport. But like everything else with our culture the Mexicans are much more enlightened than we.[/QUOTE]
2005-07-24 15:05 | User Profile
[QUOTE=BlueBonnet]You know Tyler is a pretty town. I've often thought it quaint in this day and age. Even today the city is still pretty segregated between whites and blacks. But like everywhere else the cockroaches have to come in and mess up the equilibrium and just ruin everything. I remember when soccer was a girls sport here, no true Texan family would agree to let their boys play such a silly sport. But like everything else with our culture the Mexicans are much more enlightened than we.[/QUOTE]
I'm waiting for bullfighting to be legalized to appease the Mexican-Indians. :disgust:
2005-07-24 16:11 | User Profile
They do a lot of dog fighting........79 arrested not to long ago in CA.
2005-07-28 16:36 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Ponce]They do a lot of dog fighting........79 arrested not to long ago in CA.[/QUOTE] You are so right. I live California, and they also do a lot of cock fighting. It appears, the Mexicans are very much into the blood sports. I've always contended if bullfighting is legalized then this would be a clear indication we have lost the region to Mexico.
2005-07-28 22:12 | User Profile
[QUOTE=BlueBonnet]You know Tyler is a pretty town. I've often thought it quaint in this day and age. Even today the city is still pretty segregated between whites and blacks. But like everywhere else the cockroaches have to come in and mess up the equilibrium and just ruin everything. I remember when soccer was a girls sport here, no true Texan family would agree to let their boys play such a silly sport. But like everything else with our culture the Mexicans are much more enlightened than we.[/QUOTE]I grew up playing soccer in Florida in the 70's and it was most definitely a boy's sport then, as it was throughout most of suburbia of that era, Texas included. Moreover a few generations earlier than that, our immigrant forebears were playing soccer all over urban America. And soccer (aka football) was a big sport in 19th century America before the gridiron game caught on. Cricket also used to be the big summer ball game in the USA, before baseball. Americans are horrible amnesiacs on these topics; absolutely no knowledge of their own history at all. It is this profound lack of a sense of history which makes things like the current Hispanic invasion so difficult to oppose. So we get people whinging about soccer and yet they'll fall for the "nation of immigrants" line every time. As though everything would be fine if the Hispanic invaders would start playing gridiron instead of soccer!
2005-07-28 22:16 | User Profile
[QUOTE=grep14w]I grew up playing soccer in Florida in the 70's and it was most definitely a boy's sport then, as it was throughout most of suburbia of that era, Texas included. Moreover a few generations earlier than that, our immigrant forebears were playing soccer all over urban America. And soccer (aka football) was a big sport in 19th century America before the gridiron game caught on. Cricket also used to be the big summer ball game in the USA, before baseball. Americans are horrible amnesiacs on these topics; absolutely no knowledge of their own history at all. It is this profound lack of a sense of history which makes things like the current Hispanic invasion so difficult to oppose. So we get people whinging about soccer and yet they'll fall for the "nation of immigrants" line every time. As though everything would be fine if the Hispanic invaders would start playing gridiron instead of soccer![/QUOTE] The invaders want you to adjust to them, not vice-versa.
2005-07-28 22:37 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Ron]The invaders want you to adjust to them, not vice-versa.[/QUOTE]You don't get it. I and all the white boys I knew grew up playing soccer, years before any of us ever saw a Hispanic, legal or illegal. People who think soccer is "un-American" don't know their American history.
2005-07-28 23:05 | User Profile
[QUOTE=grep14w]You don't get it. I and all the white boys I knew grew up playing soccer, years before any of us ever saw a Hispanic, legal or illegal. People who think soccer is "un-American" don't know their American history.[/QUOTE]
Perhaps they're not ignorant, they're simply generalizing from their own life experiences as so many of us unwashed peasants do. :smartass:
2005-07-28 23:17 | User Profile
[QUOTE=johnthepaleocon]Perhaps they're not ignorant, they're simply generalizing from their own life experiences as so many of us unwashed peasants do. :smartass:[/QUOTE]Well, yes, but that's part of the problem too. For instance, white liberals living in rich suburbs in the north obviously don't have a clue about the problems that ranchers living on our southern border with Mexico have. Most people are comfortable so don't see any "problem" until it is far too late.
Anyway, I'm just pointing out the fallacies of seizing on symbolic, but irrelevent, issues, such as soccer. Go back 100 years, and you can read stories in the newspapers of that era about soccer riots between rival white ethnic groups in places like New York, New Jersey, New England, etc.
I humbly suggest that the occasional soccer riot is not the real issue. Observe that the muslim immigrants invading Europe have nothing to "teach" the natives about when it comes to soccer riots. So the problem is somewhere else.
2005-07-28 23:28 | User Profile
[QUOTE=grep14w]Well, yes, but that's part of the problem too. For instance, white liberals living in rich suburbs in the north obviously don't have a clue about the problems that ranchers living on our southern border with Mexico have. Most people are comfortable so don't see any "problem" until it is far too late.
Anyway, I'm just pointing out the fallacies of seizing on symbolic, but irrelevent, issues, such as soccer. Go back 100 years, and you can read stories in the newspapers of that era about soccer riots between rival white ethnic groups in places like New York, New Jersey, New England, etc.
I humbly suggest that the occasional soccer riot is not the real issue. Observe that the muslim immigrants invading Europe have nothing to "teach" the natives about when it comes to soccer riots. So the problem is somewhere else.[/QUOTE]
I quite agree with you there, grep14w. As a Texan transplant in Maryland, I can readily attest to that fact that most Northerners don't know and don't care about what's happening on the border daily: theft, vandalism, rape, and murder. I also agree with you that soccer and it's symbolism are not germaine to the real issue at hand. Words of wisdom, as always.