Robin Laird, a California high school pole vaulter, just got jobbed at her league championship track meet when she was disqualified for wearing…a friendship bracelet. Some friend she turned out to be…
[Laird] planted the pole, lifted herself into the air and soared easily over the bar to give her team a 66-61 victory. While half the crowd cheered and the other half groaned, Monrovia coach Mike Knowles reacted by pointing to his wrist and gesturing toward Laird, who was wearing a thin, colorful string bracelet.
“This is my 30th year coaching track,” [opposing Monrovia High] coach Mike Knowles said a few days later. “I know a lot of rules and regulations.”
The rule in this case — Section 3, Article 3 of the National Federation of State High School Associations — is clear: “Jewelry shall not be worn by contestants.” So is the penalty, and in the time it takes to read “the competitor is disqualified from the event,” South Pasadena’s win was transformed into a 65-62 victory for Monrovia. –SI.com. Thanks, Ryan.
I don’t get it. When Kobe Bryant fouls out of the game, they don’t take the 20 points that he scored off the scoreboard. If Laird already had completed her vault, that vault should count. But whatever. I have a hard time feeling sorry for some white girl that’s still alive. Especially when she could have just taken the damn bracelet off.
Laird will be attending Southern Cal in the fall. I’m sure she’ll be seeing plenty of poles in her future. You know, like flagpoles and stuff. What did you think I meant?
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I thought you meant seeing a lot of people of Polish descent. My mistake
What about “Buddy Bands?” I’d hate to see Bayside High get disqualified because of them.
Stokke Round 2
That bracelet definitely gave her a competitive advantage.
For the record, I thought you were talking about fishing poles.
Pole vaulting? That’s disgusting!
TSM, outstanding reference. Mr. Dewey would be pleased.
3 out of 3 of my ex-wives agree, a piece of string isn’t jewelry.
I was a HS track coach (and coached against South Pas and Monrovia actually). Every coach knows that any and all jewelry is illegal and every athlete should…especially a senior. The ref should have spotted it before and told her to take it off, and it is a pretty rough way to lose a meet/title, but this isn’t a hidden rule. That said, the coach that called her on it is a prick. No advantage was gained and he clearly (from what the quote said) saw it ahead of time and was waiting to screw her. Enjoy that title, you petty scumbag.
When did Pole Vaulting become the hot chick sport of choice? Are all the tennis leagues full?
Damn it, I thought for a second that friendship bracelet was the same thing as promise bracelet and was going to make a joke about playing with poles.
:(
When Kobe Bryant fouls out, do they negate his rape of a teenager?
I guess the Monrovia coach wanted to screw her any way he could..even if figuratively. What a DICK!! And I agree that string is not jewelery. Give the girl her victory and rather than use the opportunity to teach the girl about “rules” use it to teach a 54-yr old about sportsmanship.
Wait… did you say u have a hard time feeling bad for a WHITE girl thats still alive. So if it had been a black girl being disqualified would you care then.
Damnnn she’s hot lol, I go to her school.She’s got a real nice ass.
What did the girl’s ethnicity have to do with the situation? I’m a 67 year old black man who has seen and experienced racism. Racism is defined as (1) having the power to negatively affect a person, and then using that power to negatively affect a person based on the person’s ethnicity. It is also (2) making negative remarks about a person, based solely on the person’s ethnicity. You who made the comment about her being a “white girl” are a racist, plain and simple.