PHS-Glendale fight under investigation
NEWS FLASH
TUESDAY'S OUTCOME
Five Glendale High school football players, and three from Pasadena High have been suspended for one game following the brawl that halted last Friday’s game with 1:30 left and the Bulldogs comfortably ahead, 38-6.
Representatives from Glendale and Pasadena High Schools met on Tuesday to review video of Friday’s football game to determine which players would have to serve suspensions.
Jeron Abram, Alex Brown and David Leavell were the players suspended for PHS. They will sit out Friday’s huge game against Burroughs at Pasadena City College.
Bulldogs coach Kevin Mills accepted the outcome and was pleased that no member of his team was suspended for leaving the sidelines.
“The players suspended were the ones on the field and they have to pay for it,� said Mills. “People thought we had a bunch of guys leave our sidelines and rush in, but it was totally not true. That’s why we had to look at the video, to show what really happened.�
To read the original thread, click below
ORIGINAL THREAD
CIF-Southern Section officials and administrators from Pasadena High School and Glendale High are reviewing video of Friday’s football game, which ended when a fight broke out among players.
With Pasadena leading 38-6 with approximately 1:20 left in the game, a fight broke out 20 yards from the PHS end zone after a routine tackle.
Several players from both teams rushed in, but it was quickly defused by athletics personnel and school security officers.
The officials were forced to terminate the contest, which will go into the books as a 38-6 Bulldogs victory.
School officials from PHS and Glendale are meeting on Tuesday to determine which players need to be suspended for their part in the melee.
“What’s going to happen is representatives from both sides will sit down with a league representative and go over the video to determine who fought and left the bench,� said CIF-SS director of sports information Thom SimmonsPHS coach Kevin Mills blamed the start of the fight on Glendale
"I thought it was a dangerous game from the start,� said Mills. “They’re winless and have nothing to play for. They were being aggressive, and once they knew the game was out of reach, they got even more frustrated and you saw what happened. Some of our guys reacted. But for the most part, our guys didn’t leave the sidelines, and I’m proud of that. We’ve got a lot to play for, and they showed discipline.
“Again, we didn’t initiate anything. Why would we? We were winning and feeling good about ourselves.�
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Pasadena co-athletic director Tony Brooks was on the sideline next to basketball coach Tim Tucker when it happened. He said he could sense the Glendale players’ frustration starting to build.
Brooks also said that a Glendale player threw the first punch at Bulldogs player Jaron Abron, which started the melee.
“I was telling Tim something’s going to happen because there was a lot of posturing and staring going on after tackles,� said Brooks. “It’s unfortunate that it got to that point. We had a couple guys involved, but they were defending themselves for the most part. I’m proud that our sidelines didn’t empty. They (Glendale) had a lot of guys leave the sidelines, but for the most part, I thought we were under control.
“You have to give the security at Glendale a lot of credit. They have a lot of yellow jackets (security) and a strong police presence. They were able to quickly defuse it before anything got worse.�
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Glendale coach Edgar Torosyan was asked to explain the final events, but chose not to.
“I don’t want to get into it,� Torosyan said. “I just want to put it behind us.�
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Mills, in his second year, hopes this incident doesn’t tarnish the Bulldogs image.
Mills admittedly has his critics in the Pasadena community because of his loud and boisterous coaching style. And he knows that when there’s a fight involving his team, people are going to point the finger at him, and ask what’s going on with the program?
“No matter what you do somebody is not going to like it and that’s too bad,� said Mills. “I grew up in this community and know their will be people that want to manipulate you and bring you down.
“Nobody said turning around years worth of losing attitudes would be easy. If that takes me becoming tougher and teaching these kids to play with a ‘nobody is going to walk all over us attitude,’ then so be it.
“I have the support of this team and our administration, and that’s all that matters.�
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Brooks was asked if he was concerned with PHS’ image, and that of Mills.
“When you take over a program that has been unsuccessful for years, there’s a reason for that,� said Brooks. “Some was a lack of toughness by the kids. Some was a lack of creativity by previous coaches.
“What Kevin brings is a confidence, and he’s trying to get rid of the stigma of a program that has been everyone’s doormat.
“Is he tough on them? Yeah. But there will always be a few people that want to complain and make more of something that it actually is. I can tell you we’re proud of the job he’s doing, and the path this program is heading.�
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Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
muir 27
burbank 26
bring those fags at phs and burbank i believe in u guys beatin borrough..see we got worked against them..how the hell u make 3 shitty $ss personal fouls..o well u guys better get them and we gonna handle it in the tussle.
Burbank 56
Glendale 0
No problems. Bring on Burroughs and our share of the Pacific League title.
After further review, nobody from PHS left the sideliens to join the fight. I'd say that's showing pretty good restraint. Originally, only three Glendale players were suspended, but two more were added for leaving the sidelines to join the melee.
Jim M, Bravo!
Look it's no secret that football is an emotional game. It's fought with courage, heart, determination and pride. What isn't so clear is how coaches talk of their opponents during the preperation for the week ahead.
If a coach is quoted after the game as saying "they have nothing to play for" I can't even imagine what was said during the week to build up the opponent in practices.
We should all learn to play with our arms and legs and not our mouths.
It's no secret that some of the high school coaches are not the most articulate and try to find different ways to motivate their players. Sometimes life just happens, but fighting on the field should not be tolerated. Because as coaches "what you tolerate you encourage, period".
The real story should be who did what to stop the situation and defuse any of the emotion that would incite or raise the leve of silly-ness of the fight.
Both coaches should take full responsibility for this and both should get together during the week and publicly apoligize to each other, the schools, players and the people who attended the game. Shake hands and move on so next year this situation is truly a thing of the past.
If the coaches would get together, just maybe someone would get the hint that nobody is right when it comes to this type of behavior and it's unacceptable and we have a zero tolerance when it comes to acting like a bunch of thugs instead of respecting the game of football which I just happen to love.
The CIF went on a witch hunt against Monrovia for CLAIMS far less than a team fight back in 1998. I still have a bitter taste in my mouth about that. At least the PHS administration is standing firm.
In the little I have seen of PHS, all I can I say from my observations is that in an effort to show toughness, Coach Mills allows his players to take CHEAP shots and praises them for it.
Who threw the first punch is not always indicative of who started the fight. We have all seen it, the player that retaliates is the one that gets tossed or penalized. The argument of who threw the first punch is idiotic.
Football is a tough sport, with no room for pansies. However, sportmanship and respect should be an intrinsic part of any program. Some one needs to relay that to Coach Mills. His purpose is honorable, but his method is not.
Concern4bfans, so far, you're the only complaint I've heard. Not one email or phone call from anyone else. Lighten up, coaches aren't going to make everyone happy. I've been here long enough to know there are always going to be unhappy parents and supporters.
FRED J , why are you always trying to take up for coach mills ? he has done alot of things to kids at blair & P.H.S
he has lowerd kids self esteem , made about 11 kids transfer , locked kids in the locker room to fight & one got his jaw broke !!! and fred since you are trying to take up for mills. why did they fight burbank ? they have everything to play for. you need to talk to people and find out things because i am going to spill all the beans and i not going to say any thing that is not true.
kevin mills need's to be fired ! everybody , coach mills also charged all the kids $350.00 this year for their spear pack ! and if they could not pay they could not play !
Don't I remember the Glendale coach saying that they were going to go undefeated? I think I remember an article back in August about how he had to have a winning attitude or something like that. He definately will have a perfect record.
Fred, don't you think it would sound more logical for a team up by three touchdowns to start talking smack?
I'm blaming both coaches AND the Refs for not taking control. The coaches should have taken out players who were jawing and glaring at each other. The Refs should have kicked kids out or warned them severely. It's a sad situation but everyone is to blame.
I think both of you are making a big deal out of Mills' "they have nothing to play for" remark.
What he meant was that Glendale is winless, and not playing for a playoff berth, league title or anything else. Isn't that what high school coaches say all the time in similar situations, that a dangerous team is one that has nothing to play for.
Is it so hard to believe that a team with an 0-7 record losing big in the fourth quarter might have a couple players lose their cool? Could it be that frustrations finally got the best of them?
That would sound more logical than a team starting a fight when they're up by three touchdowns.
Loyal Tiger, I can't force a coach to speak, all I can do is ask the questions. It was his choice not to comment.
Is that bias? No, it would be bias if I didn't give Torosyan a chance to respond.
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After speaking to a few people, it does sound like tempers got the best of players from both teams, and it will be sorted out in the way of suspensions.
Coach Mills statement "They have nothing to play for" is a sad example of what a coach should never say.
Fred,
Even though I'm really happy you did this story, I do sense a hint of bias towards PHS. You interviewed only the coach from Glendale, who didnt say anything, but you interviewed PHS coach and AD and they both spoke about how glendale started it.
I would bet my money that the Glendale sideline would differ on that...
The last time i remember a game being called was in 1995 when RHP and Chadwick played. There were many personal foul calls and the coach for Chadwick was subsequently ejected, but refused to leave the field. There were several scuffles but no brawl. The game was called and RHP won 1-0 by way of forfeit from Chadwick.
This stuff has no place in high school athletics, how can this be stopped when college teams are doing this and they only receive 1 game suspension ala Miami-FIU game. Hopefully each team can get past this and move on
i totally agree with BigA.
one always plays for honor and respect. who is he to decide what they play for.
What a statement by Mills..."They have nothing to play for"
That definately represents the character he carries around as the PHS coach. Disappointing.