When 2 + 2 Does not Equal 4

There are mistakes that are inexcusable. This is one. But an honest mistake may be forgivable. This is one.

Cooter vs. Principia has become a Facebook cause célèbre, taking on a life of its own. Principia, MO High School won last weekend the Missouri Class 2 boys’ basketball quarterfinal game played between the two at the Farmington Civic Center, 46-43 in overtime. 

The problem was that in the second quarter Cooter scored two points that were credited in both the official scorebook and on the scoreboard to Principia. The mistake was verified by the TV feed of the game. The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA), who administrates the state tournament, admitted in a post-game news release the mistake had been made. But the scoring error was not changed in time, despite Cooter’s in game protests, so even through Cooter put the ball through the proper basket for two more points in regulation than Principia, they went home, and Principia went on to the promised land of next weekend’s final four. 

To say Cooter did not go quietly would be putting it mildly. They filed an appeal with MSHSAA. Their coach declared on Facebook that he would not stop fighting for his team. There were veiled accusations of “elitism.” I would have suggested to all that before such action they read the National High School Federation basketball rule book and the MSHSAA Handbook.

Sportswriter Tom Davis went so far on a website called SEMOball.com, to taunt the claims of superior Christian morality he attributed to Principia. “The above quote is a statement by The Principia School in St. Louis, which boasts of being ‘The Best Christian High School in Missouri’ on the home page of its website. However, both of those claims ring hollow throughout the Bootheel in light of what transpired on Friday.”

Davis continues, “It would be a travesty enough if the situation ended there, however, Principia, which remember, is ‘The Best Christian High School in Missouri,’ has chosen to disregard the foundational aspects which it publicly boasts. Character ‘is at the core’ of Principia’s beliefs? What level of character does it take to compete in the State Finals knowing full well that your team was awarded a quarterfinal game through an acknowledged mistake?”

Mr. Davis’s observations are long on hyperbole and the tossing of red meat to his southeast Missouri base, but woefully short on factual context. He believes that Principia is setting a poor example as a Christian school by not forfeiting the game or at the least, agree to replay the game. That is both unfair and irrelevant. Unfair in that Principia is bound by the policies and regulations of MSHSAA, democratically voted into by-laws by Cooter, Principia, and 533 other dues paying MSHSAA members. Even if Principia would agree to play a “do over,” MSHSAA policies would not allow for it. The policy written by the National Federation of High Schools and used by every state in the union except Texas is simple - when the officials leave the floor, the game is over. If member schools don’t like the policy, they have the power to vote in something new. 

Irrelevant in that MSHSAA policies do not allow Principia to initiate any action that would allow Cooter play in the final four. Even if Principia on principal refused to play in this weekend’s state semifinal game, by MSHSAA policy the semifinal game Principia was scheduled to play in would be declared a forfeit and the opponent advanced to the state championship game. And Cooter would still be sitting on the sidelines. 

Mr. Davis’s ready, fire, aim approach is missing its mark, badly.

The Cooter incessant presence on this week’s social media showed their fans justifiable frustration, but also their lack of knowledge of the due process involved for this type of situation. Julia Lynn posted in a caffeinated rant Tuesday on Facebook, “I’m not mad at Principia other than knowing the actual score and knowing that they are a Christian school they should have said we know rules are in place but we will cooperate and do whatever you believe is right regardless of the rules or not we 100 percent back your decision. They did not and I will maybe be wrong.” I would like to see the results of an administrator that tried to follow this advice. 

And then there are the really off the rail conspiracy theories that began as the week progressed and now fester. One southeast Missouri “journalist” insinuated that it was the rich elitest of St. Louis County, represented by Principia, conspiring to keep what he referred to as “Swamp” East Missouri from their due constitutional right to play in the final four. Seriously? What is next, an Alex Jones Game Day podcast at the state tournament to expose a pedophile ring run by MSHSAA out of a Columbia pizzeria? 

The adult volunteers running the scorers’ table at the Farmington Civic Center, and the three amateur officials who are the ultimate enforcer of the rules, I am sure, feel terrible about their mistake. But, there is no “woke” conspiracy driving Cooter’s misfortune. What we have is human error, unfortunate, but nothing more. 

At risk of sounding like CNN, I wanted to share this inside anonymous source who has firsthand information on the controversy: "Here is what is many don’t fully understand. The two points in question weren’t the two free throws. Those were in both books. When the officials were notified, they brought all three books together and the official book and Prin book matched. The Cooter book was right. When the lead official asked them when the extra basket was scored the Cooter coach couldn’t give him any information to go with. Officials used their best discretion at that point and went with the two books that matched. The officials didn’t doubt that there was a potential mistake, but they had nothing solid to go with. The protest procedure is rules based and the coach must call timeout and use his 10 minuets to settle. Some would argue the book check was the protest and it couldn’t be validated at that time, so they moved on. I am guessing that by declaring a 'protest' that Cooter felt someone would fix it after the fact."

MSHSAA will tell you they have never lost a legal court case brought against them. It is a voluntary organization that Cooter has agreed to join and its bylines are voted on by the member schools. As long as MSHSAA follows their guidelines and policies, and they do, they will never lose a legal challenge in court and if it comes to it, they will not lose this one, either.

On all the internet stories I have read about this controversy, and there are many, not one correctly stated the National Federation policy for procedure in such a situation. What the rule says is that any correctable error (and crediting the wrong team with a basket is one of five) must be corrected by the game officials before the clock starts after the first dead ball after the mistake was made. (RULE 2 - SECTION 10 ART. 2} When the points were mistakenly given to Principia, early in the second quarter, the next time the clock stopped, the correction had to be made before the clock started again. It was not. Cooter claims they tried but the official scorekeeper refused to budge, and the game officials, with the ultimate say, accept his/her decision. End of story. There is not appeal. There is not protest. And for good reason for the chaos on-going appeals would create. 

Here is one example. If you are from Licking you will love this story.  Wes Holmes ran our scoreboard clock. Wes is the most consciousness, honest, fair man you will ever meet. He is one of the finest high school science teachers I ever worked with, an all-around stand-up guy. He is also a classic science geek nerd. My first home game coaching at Licking we are milking a five-point lead against Willow Springs with under two minutes to play. We inbound the ball, but the scoreboard clock is not running. Wes is looking at his wristwatch. I yell at him to start the clock and he shows me an open hand with the palm up signaling for me to wait. He then starts the clock, looks at me and says (this is burned into my forever memory), “earlier this evening I failed in my duties by not turning on the clock in a timely manner and I am now simply compensating for my earlier negligence.” I wanted to strangle him. Later I calmly explained that we do not make up for mistakes in the middle of the game, especially when we are winning.

Mistakes by officials are not accepted as generously as errors by players or coaches. It is a tough job. Before the ball is thrown up, every official must accept they have little control over the fairness of the evaluation of their work. So, make sure the fly is zipped, hustle and radiate enthusiasm – and pray to never be involved in a mess like happened in Farmington. 

Most controversy over their performance will be arbitrary. Was it a block or a charge? White touched it last or was it black? Seldom is the problem as deductive as it was in Farmington. A judgement error such as a miscalled over and back violation is to a case of miscalculating of the score what stubbing your toe is to locking yourself out of the house at night during a blizzard. The first is merely painful, and the game goes on; the other suggests some defect of character or intellect, or even darker, a deep conspiracy against “us”. The rare scoring error committed at such a critical juncture as happened in Farmington, has an enduring grandeur to it. And that is what has happened with this controversy. 

The team that scores the most points should always win the game. On this night they didn’t, and you can’t help but feel for the poor kids at Cooter. To err is human, to forgive divine, and—as the Cooter/Principia game so tellingly reveals—to forget maybe impossible.