Did you ever have a moment in school where your teacher asked a question and you raised your hand, but you’d already answered too many questions that day, so she didn’t call on you and asked the class if anybody else knew the answer? Remember how that contributed nothing to your education? Welcome to the Madre Hill Rule, the athletic equivalent of “let’s hear from somebody else”, a rule that prohibits young players from scoring too many touchdowns.

The violator of note is 11-year old Demias Jimerson, an Arkansas’ Wilson Intermediate League running back who was benched for doing just that — succeeding at football. The video is reassuring and disheartening at the same time … reassuring in that Demias himself seems like a cool kid and is okay with it, disheartening in that the only reason the principal (who is a scary old white lady … just throwing that out there in case this becomes an inspirational movie) has is “the other kids are forced to deal with him being good”. Constant attempts to nerf creativity and talent are the worst part about the public school system, and pretty much the only part I can remember.

Another reassuring part of the video is Demias’ soundbite about how football is important, but how God comes first. He’s going to give great post-game interviews one day.

[h/t Guyism]

The Announcing Crew For Sunday Night Football In 2011

Burnsy dropped off this video before he left the With Leather offices for the day; all we know about this video, we gathered from the title, “Arkansas High School Football Announcer Loses His Mind.” And that the kid who recovered the fumble and took it to the house was named Matthew Showalter. Oh, and I have it on good authority that there were no flags on the play. I’m not sure this guy was even in an announcing booth; from the sound of it, he could have been on the roof of his Ford pickup. It’s funny because only rednecks buy Fords now. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m the last person on earth that would advocate violence perpetrated against children (publicly, at least), but there’s something about this story that strikes me as hilarious. Parents in a Fayetteville, Arkansas community are suing a church for allegedly forcing children to punch each other while in their care. Of course it isn’t quite as funny when you put it that way.

The parents of six children are seeking resolution alleging that the day care inside had turned into a fight club.

According to the lawsuit filed Friday, children as young as 3 were forced to play a game called “Ring of Fire,” where they were taught to punch each other in the face, chest or stomach until one child cried.
In the lawsuit, their parents claim that their children had come home with bruises — something other parents can’t even imagine.

“We are disappointed that the parents had chosen to take this step. It is now in the hands of attorneys, and we will let this play out,” said Brian Swain, church administrator.–40/29 TV, via ShareBros Spencer + Jack.

The parents were tipped off when some of the kids came home with bruises, which totally could have been explained by harmless roughhousing or church-sanctioned sodomy. As it stands now, no criminal charges have been filed, which is too bad, because I see Pedo Bear having potential as an awesome character witness. More kid fighting and awesome parenting in a video after the jump, just for you. And everyone else reading this. Read the rest of this entry »

Blytheville, Arkansas police were searching for a 'Travis Henderson' who had failed to appear in court on a reckless driving charge, when they discovered a man who answered to that name. Naturally, they Tasered him. Unfortunately, as Memphis News Channel 3 reports, it was the wrong man:

[Police] stopped the wrong 'Travis Henderson' simply because one of the officers recognized him either from school or from his Special Olympics fame. "(3 On Your Side) DID (YOUR OFFICERS) CHECK THEIR BIRTHDATES?" "(Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson) They actually did, and they found they were very similar." "(3 On Your Side) BUT NOT THE SAME." "(Thompson) But not the same."

Still, the wrong Henderson did resist arrest:

3 On Your Side obtained the Taser cam footage of the incident . . . There is an exchange of words between Henderson and Officer Ward: "(Officer Ward) O.K., don't resist…" "(Henderson) O.K." "(Officer Ward)…'cause you're gonna get Tased." "(Henderson) I'm not…" A few seconds later, Henderson screams as he receives a single "drive-stun," a low-level burst of electricity.

To be fair, this guy did have same name of the suspect. Most metropolitan police forces would have arrested him just because he fit the description. He was between 5'0" and 7'0", over 12 years of age, and African-American. -KD

{Thanks to 100% Injury Rate.}