Collateral Damage - Gut Check

We all share a portion of responsibility for what has happened at the Woodland Hills Schools.

Do you have to see bleeding bodies lying on the side of the road before something clicks in your heart and in your head that something is terribly wrong, and that you should stop to help? When is enough, enough? Open your eyes people and connect the dots?

Like the story of the Good Samaritan, we all to some degree have been like the Levite and the Priest, just walking by, turning our heads, closing our eyes and our mouths and not lifting a finger to help.

Unlike the story of the Good Samaritan some stood and watched as the traveler was beaten and robbed and did nothing. Some have known for a long time that this stretch of road was not safe yet they have pointed travelers in this direction without a second thought.

Now the lone traveler laying on the side of the road is not alone. The road is now littered with young people with Asperger Syndrome and their families. They have been kicked in the head and beaten down by people in pursuit of the almighty WIN!!! It appears that some of their tuition money was used to fuel this train wreck, and now their school has been closed.

Another unseen casualty is Don, a senior, who's father played for the Samoan national team. An exceptionally gifted rugby player who played for West Valley last year an then was recruited to play for Highland in 2008. He was as talented as some of the boys from New Zealand, yet he never stepped on to the field at the National Championship game. Why?

HR didn't want him playing against them, yes he is that good, so they recruited him to play for them. With the six kiwi boys making up most of the back line and the coaches relative playing half back, Don's position, he gets the shaft and sits on the bench the entire game.

To add insult to injury, the coaches relative playing halfback was selected by HR to receive the MVP.

Don and the kiwi boys disappear into the mist of anonymity. Thrown under the bus in the name of integrity, honesty, honor, sportsmanship, saving face and their perverted and twisted interpretation of Kia Kaha.

Such are the tragic results of HR's blind and ego driven attempts at sports engineering.


Past being nice and polite:

• Does it make your stomach turn HR?
• Look in the mirror, it's Gut Check time
  
• Does your conscience ping, pang, clang just a little?
• Blood on your hands is a good metaphor for what has happened
• Open your eyes, look at your hands and take some responsibility
  
• There is only one way to wash it off, and that is to do the right thing
  
• Wall Streets unchecked attempt at financial engineering and vodoo economics has pushed our country into a long and deep recession, and hurt millions.
  
• HR's unchecked attempt at sports engineering using cloaked recruiting has failed miserably and continues to hurt many, such as our friends who were attending the Woodland Hills School and Don.

Next seasons 6 recruits from New Zealand have already been selected. They are waiting for HR or one of their benefactors, alumni or parents to send them the airline tickets. We will let you know as soon as we know.