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Torrey Smith sounds off after coach faces possible suspension, fine for 36-0 win

October 15, 2019 / Football

A Philadelphia youth football coach is facing a possible fine and suspension after his team’s 36-0 victory last weekend, and former NFL wideout Torrey Smith is not happy about it.

Smith, who is the brother-in-law of the coach, Kyle Williams, weighed in on Twitter, saying “we are building weak children” by implementing mercy rules. The Keystone Sports League, which fields kids ages 7 and under, has a rule stating no team may go up by more than 30 points, according to NBC10 in Philadelphia. Coaches who break the rule could face a two-game suspension and a $500 fine.

Here is what Smith had to say:

Today’s story of “We are building weak children”

The youth football team in my wife’s hometown had a game today, they won 36-0. They don’t allow you to win by 31 without some type of punishment. The head coach is now suspended for 2 games and fined $500. ARE YOU KIDING ME?

— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) October 12, 2019

@YouthKeystone is trippin!
1. Kids need to learn how to deal with failure. Don’t want to get smashed? Play better.
2. Life doesn’t let up. When it rains it pours.
3. The other kids can’t give their all because there is a rule. “Work hard but not too hard” that’s stupid.

— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) October 12, 2019

4. It’s hard to find youth coaches as is but you consider fining a coach $500 an appropriate punishment?
5. If you truly want to have a slaughter rule simply stop the game. How do you coach or play knowing that you can’t score? That’s just stupid.

— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) October 12, 2019

Smith makes strong points, and it’s also worth noting that 36-0 is hardly a “blowout.” Williams’ team was up 30-0 when he put his second string in the game. A 5-year-old player got the ball and ran toward the endzone as Williams screamed for him to slide to the ground, according to NBC10. Instead, the player scored a touchdown, putting the team up 36-0.

Earlier this month, an Arizona high school football coach stepped down amid criticism from his own administration after winning a game 60-0. The opposing coach said he didn’t think his opponent was running up the score.

The Keystone Sports League has not yet announced any punishment for Williams. Given the circumstances, it would be surprising if it enforced any type of fine or suspension.

One thought on “Torrey Smith sounds off after coach faces possible suspension, fine for 36-0 win”

Dee max says:

October 27, 2019 at 6:20 pm

I do agree with Torrey that a slaughter rule should mean stopping the game. Putting a second team of young kids on the field who don’t usually get much playing time and telling same not to go hard is unfair to those kids. Another thing telling a player(s) to let up on a football can get someone injured real fast. We as a society r going way over board in trying police every aspect of a situation.

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