OT - Michigan High School Practices Football at Night for Ramadan
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/highschool/news/story?id=5467167
This shows dedication on everyone's part to be able to organize practices in the middle of the night.
August 16th, 2010 at 11:54 AM ^
And think its a great idea. I'm not crazy about high school students practicing in the August heat w/o being able to drink water. I think thats incredibly dangerous.
I know in a lot of places they do construction at night. I don't think its as common any more, because you have to pay employees more at night, but in the summer heat its a pretty good idea. Couple that with not being able to eat/drink when the sun is up in the case of the article posted, should be a no brainer.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^
Still, hydration is an ongoing practice, so if the athletes aren't drinking water during the day, I'd be careful to let them go 100%.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^
Damn I wish I could practice at night. This 2 a day shit is killing me
August 16th, 2010 at 12:04 PM ^
Until some closed minded non-muslim parent complains about their children having to be out past curfew, claims that the muslim coach is trying to drive non-muslims off the team, and it becomes a big freaking legal mess.
And you know it will happen.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^
At least they don't play around lower Manhattan, then it would be a national legal mess.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:18 PM ^
No politics. Yes, this post is OT, but one of the nice rules of this board is the no politics rule.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:51 PM ^
The only issue I have with this is it kind of goes against "train hard/fight easy." I remember doing summer workouts in 97 degree heat, sweating to death but when Sept rolled around and it was "only" 80, suddenly everything felt better. Although to be fair, practicing in the dead of night does prep you for night games and playing when you're tired.
We never had any dehydration problems because every hour the coaches lined us all up, handled out cantinas they'd personally filled and made us chug them. Then you had it turn it upside down and prove it was empty. Our defensive coordinator learned that one from the Marines during Desert Storm.
August 16th, 2010 at 2:29 PM ^
I think it works the other way. They can practice at night to work around a muslim holiday, but if a couple of Christian players tried to pray for 5 minutes before a game the school would put a stop to it. I am perfectly OK with them changing the schedule for a predominately muslim team, by the way, I just get frustrated by the double standard that comes up. Example: I define the term 'liberal' to mean open to the idea that intelligent people can have opposing opinions. However, announce yourself as anti-abortion or against gay marriage on a supposedly 'liberal' campus like Ann Arbor and see what kind of dialogue you get.
August 16th, 2010 at 4:01 PM ^
where they don't exist. My high school had a morning prayer group that met around the flagpole, and one of the wrestling team fathers was a pastor at a local church. He was allowed down on the floor before matches to lead any wrestlers that wanted to in prayer, as I recall. I graduated HS in 2002, so it's not ancient history or anything. They are careful to make sure the school doesn't back any particular practice, but they generally do all they can to make it easy for students to undertake their own religious practices, as long as they're not harmful / illegal.
Actually, I'm much more concerned about lunch oppression. Schools in the area have recently banned all non-plastic cutlery, regular pops, and peanut products. When I have a kid in school, if the local school tells me I can't pack them a PB&J because little Suzie's mom can't be arsed to remind her daughter not to touch it, I'll be pulling them out.
August 16th, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^
complaining about a double-standard make the person close-minded?
Interesting take.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:13 PM ^
A most excellent idea. Fasting is super hard without water
August 16th, 2010 at 12:24 PM ^
You'd think more schools would go this route if they had proper lighting, at least for one of their 2-a-days. Keeps the kids from dying, still warm but not hot, and maybe keeps the kids from going out partying as much if they're tired and sore, though that's a stretch.
August 16th, 2010 at 2:37 PM ^
I guess it would depend on how late you were talking. I am not sure it would do these kids a whole lot of good to get used to practicing at midnight and then smack them in the face with seven oclock AM classes in a couple of weeks. It makes sense if your other alternative is seeing kids not be able to drink water during practice, but otherwise I would say the negatives outway teh positives.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:00 PM ^
Anyone read some of the comments on the ESPN board? The HATE that's being spewed about Muslims is appaling, I don't know how they don't have a moderator taking that stuff down.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:04 PM ^
It's not illegal to hate.
Though the number of "Christian" people who hate is appallingly/hilariously high.
Way to live for Christ, dudes!
August 16th, 2010 at 1:14 PM ^
I understand it's not illegal to hate, but I think shit like that on your website reflects poorly on you. It's one thing to be a stupid sports fan who says, "Rich Fraud sucks! LOLZ!!!" If people were posting some of that stuff here, I don't think it'd stay up. There's no place for it.
August 16th, 2010 at 3:07 PM ^
So, Blazefire, to comment on the ignorant negative comments towards a religious group, you are posting an ignorant negative comment towards a religious group. Ironic.
August 16th, 2010 at 4:02 PM ^
My point is, hating on anyone, ESPECIALLY over religion, is the least Christian thing you can do.
August 16th, 2010 at 2:37 PM ^
...but ESPN is a private entity that can decide to take racist/bigoted comments down. I tend to think they should, though I don't know what their policy and past practice has been regarding such comments. I can't imagine them leaving up comments about black, hispanics, or jews, but I honestly don't know.
(And if anyone mentions the first amendment here, I'mma go nuts. It doesn't apply here. Let it go).
August 16th, 2010 at 3:12 PM ^
I don't like to hear about that, but honestly, it seems a tad hypocritical for a guy calling himself "Colt McBaby Jesus" to be complaining about religious insensitivity.
August 16th, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^
I know quite a few guys who have played for Fordson... When they traveled to other schools for games the amount of shit they had to put up with from opposing players, coaches, and parents was ridiculous and pretty scary in some instances, especially if they were in some hillbilly paradise like Taylor or Belleville. Pretty disgraceful that people would treat high school kids like that.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:05 PM ^
This is in Dearborn, why is this a surprise to anyone?
August 16th, 2010 at 1:33 PM ^
Nobody said it was a surprise
August 16th, 2010 at 3:22 PM ^
I agree. Before I clicked on the thread, I had already narrowed it down between Dearborn and Dearborn Fordson. Since Fordson has been pretty good lately (until they get to the playoffs and have to step up in competition [Lake Orion anyone?]), I would have been surprised if they didn't practice at night during Ramadan.
August 16th, 2010 at 3:15 PM ^
There seems to be some ambiguity about whether or not Muslim athletes need to observe the full Ramadan fast (including no water). Two years I remember a cleric saying during the Olympics that it would be unreasonable to expect athletes to keep up a fast during competition. Maybe it depends on the particular Islamic school one belongs to.
August 16th, 2010 at 10:36 PM ^
...when he decided to play one game (Friday night) and skip one game (Saturday afternoon) for Yom Kippur. There were Jewish clerics who defended his decision because they said that he should use the talents God gave him. Man has a way of placing their own interpretation on laws and commandments that God gives. So when that happens you will always get two sides to each law or commandment.