Bleacher Bits: Team not only ones ‘teed' at jersey call

Every sport has rules designed to keep the game fair and to keep the athletes safe.

I'd hate to watch a competition where anarchy ruled (except for maybe Australian rules football). And just as every sport has its rules, so too do they have officials who are in charge of making sure they're followed and interpreted correctly.

If you've been to as many high school basketball games as I have, you have noticed that during the course of some games — often those involving teams that are, shall we say, in rebuilding years — that the men in stripes seem to be a little "forgiving" in what they do and do not call a foul or a travel.

But then others follow the "letter of the law."

On Thursday, FoxSports .com ran a story from a girls high school basketball game in Nebraska. It seems that the home team — the Burke High Bulldogs — decided to wear pink uniforms to show their support for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Pink headbands, cleats, shoestrings, wristbands, etc., seem to always make a few appearances at tri-county sporting events in October, as schools show their support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. No harm, no foul, right?

Apparently not.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, Columbus coach Dave Licari pointed out the jerseys to the officials at halftime. I doubt they were oblivious to them for the first half, but the visiting coach for whatever reason decided to wait until halftime.

Yes, the home team is supposed to wear uniforms that are mainly white, and since Burke had not told anyone about their decision to wear pink, they were breaking the rules. The report also explained that the uniforms were to be auctioned off after the game with proceeds benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

But no good deed goes unpunished. You guessed it, a technical foul was called on Burke for the uniform infraction.

No powerhouse by any means, the Burke Bulldogs girls basketball team stood at 7-12 following the 62-47 loss to Columbus. And certainly a couple of free throws and the loss of possession did not equal up to the 15-point margin of defeat.

The real loss on Monday went to the kids who attend both schools, who must now wonder if doing something nice for charity is even worth their time.

CONTACT Craig Purcell at 824-1036 or cpurcell@tcnpress.com