There was an side aspect to the Vikings' Eastern League opener at Mesa College Fri., Sept. 25. St. Augustine, who holds its home games there because it doesn't have space on its tiny campus in North Park, draws a lot of alumni to these games in the way of gathering, tailgating, and enthusiasm for the present edition of the Saints.
I didn't grow up in the area, so the tradition of the Catholic boys' school is something I had to learn about. I remember pulling up in a parking space last year for the La Jolla-St. Augustine game, and wondering at all the purple-clad folks, men and women primarily, but also some teens, congregating well before the game, sitting in chaise chairs in the college parking lot, eating and drinking, young people throwing a football. A lot of warm friendship built up over a period of years, it seemed like.
Well, the point of this story is not the Saints alumnis' tailgating. It's about the style of play on the field.
After a St. Augustine touchdown to lead 7-0, on the first La Jolla possession after that, Paisios Polamalu hit Viking running back Joseph Crudo helmet-to-helmet on the edge of the field right in front of the La Jolla team area.
Crudo gained 15 yards, this time on a completion from quarterback Ty Tortorice, but helmet-to-helmet is illegal. New LJHS Athletic Trainer McKenna Peckinpaugh shook her head. I said something to her about the play as I wrote my play-by-play log in my notepad.
By then, La Jolla coaches were shouting about "dirty play". It wasn't the first instance.
Later, Viking tight end Nico Bardaro was decked on a pass reception, his legs knocked right out from under him, slamming his helmeted head to the grass. I walked up the sideline to ask someone the term for a dirty hit like that. "Targeting," someone said.
Polamalu, I know, as the son of a famous football player, draws more attention than your average player. His brother, Ephraim, is out there now, too. One assistant on the visitors' sideline shouted, "They're both taking cheap shots on every play." That's exaggeration, but cheap shots seemed to be in vogue this night.
Is that the way better players achieve their effectiveness, by pushing the limits of clean play? I remember as a basketball player decades ago getting the street treatment from players who would do anything to win and who did things we hadn't even learned in the whitebread suburbs.
Just a thought.
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