What's the worst thing you've seen a coach do to win a game?

[CBC News]

A minor-league football coach in Winnipeg has been suspended after he outfitted a 10-year-old quarterback's helmet with a wireless communication device.
An official noticed the coach of the St. Vital Mustangs was communicating from the sidelines with his quarterback on the field using a Bluetooth-equipped cell phone during a game on Aug. 24.
The coach has been suspended for two games, and the Mustangs had to forfeit that game, which they had won, said Rob Berkowits, executive director of Football Manitoba.
Read full story.
What's the most devious or creative thing you've seen a coach do to win a game?


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[TenPenny]

I've seen coaches play the 'star' player for 55 minutes of an Atom level (9/10 year olds) hockey game.

 

[EagleSmack]

Oooo...good thread!

I think fixing birth certificates to allow 15 year olds play youth football in a league that has pretty much 11-12 and 13 year olds. That happened here in Mass and they were exposed after they broke some kids collar bone. Then to see the coaches interviewed defending their actions saying it was all blown out of proportion but teams that they beat.

 

[Tonington]

When I was in Pee Wee, our coach showed us the hidden ball trick in a tourney. Most of us didn't know what it was up until that point. Worked like a charm!

 

[#juan]

I've seen coaches play the 'star' player for 55 minutes of an Atom level (9/10 year olds) hockey game.

That is just not fair to the rest of the team. I coached minor hockey for quite a few years and while I've been guilty of shortening the bench occasionally during a play off game, 55 minutes for one player is not even reasonable. You try to balance the lines but with penalties it isn't always possible. At Atom and PeeWee levels it usually isn't your star players that win the games, but you poor players that lose the games.

 

[EagleSmack]

When I was in Pee Wee, our coach showed us the hidden ball trick in a tourney. Most of us didn't know what it was up until that point. Worked like a charm!

Explain it. For real. What type of sport? What do you do with the real ball?

 

[TenPenny]

The interesting thing about this particular case is that the report doesn't actually say that it's against the rules.

 

[Tonington]

Explain it. For real. What type of sport? What do you do with the real ball?

Baseball. There's a number of ways to do this. Seeing as how none of us knew it though, the coach had a conference at the mound, all the infielders included. The coach leaves, we all go back to our positions, the short stop had the ball in his glove. The pitcher has to stand off the rubber, otherwise it's a balk. So the pitcher stands behind the rubber, the fellow took his lead from second base, and when he did the short stop tagged him out. So, that way is kinda like a daylight play too. Call it a hybrid, but it worked. I doubt the other player knew about this play either. You really need to catch people not aware of whats going on. It's rare in the majors.

We got out of the inning with the best player in the tournament at bat. We ended up winning the game in the bottom half of the final inning.

 

[EagleSmack]

Baseball. There's a number of ways to do this. Seeing as how none of us knew it though, the coach had a conference at the mound, all the infielders included. The coach leaves, we all go back to our positions, the short stop had the ball in his glove. The pitcher has to stand off the rubber, otherwise it's a balk. So the pitcher stands behind the rubber, the fellow took his lead from second base, and when he did the short stop tagged him out. So, that way is kinda like a daylight play too. Call it a hybrid, but it worked.

We got out of the inning with the best player in the tournament at bat. We ended up winning the game in the bottom half of the final inning.

Oh... when you said Pee Wee I thought you meant another sport. We have Pee Wee hockey and some towns have Pee Wee football.

But I know that trick in baseball. Do you think that is low? Meaning a cheap way to get an out? I just think that is part of the game.

 

[lone wolf]

Coach used to put "deadeye" on all the penalty shots ... and Dougie earned the monikker well. He had a lazy eye that freaked out goalies. They never knew where he was looking and he could put the puck exactly where he wanted to....

Not so terrible ... unless you were an opposing goalie....

 

[EagleSmack]

Oh boy. Speaking of Little League Baseball... a few years ago there was a national uproar. Perhaps you may even have heard this one

During a championship game it was the final and bottom half of an inning. The team at bat was behind a run with two men on. Their best player was up at bat and the kid on deck was a player who had just been released from the hospital with cancer. He was still very weak, sickly, without hair just to describe to you his physical state. It was the kid's first day back and it was the league championship. They intentionally walked the slugger to get to the sick kid. They struck him out...game over. Wow.

 

[EagleSmack]

Coach used to put "deadeye" on all the penalty shots ... and Dougie earned the monikker well. He had a lazy eye that freaked out goalies. They never knew where he was looking and he could put the puck exactly where he wanted to....

That is great! So he had a lazy eye. Too cool.

 

[Tonington]

No, I don't think it's low, it is part of the game. I was answering this question from the bot:

What's the most devious or creative thing you've seen a coach do to win a game?

 

[Tonington]

Oh boy. Speaking of Little League Baseball... a few years ago there was a national uproar. Perhaps you may even have heard this one

During a championship game it was the final and bottom half of an inning. The team at bat was behind a run with two men on. Their best player was up at bat and the kid on deck was a player who had just been released from the hospital with cancer. He was still very weak, sickly, without hair just to describe to you his physical state. It was the kid's first day back and it was the league championship. They intentionally walked the slugger to get to the sick kid. They struck him out...game over. Wow.

Cut throat.

Back when I was in the for-fun-only mosquito league, we had a player that had been beaned in the last game we played. He was terrified to go up to bat. The game was actually a forfeit because the other team didn't have enough members show up, but we had enough to spare. Played it out. I was one of them on the other team. So, my team mate is up to bat, I'm playing third. The coaches from the two teams talked it out, and the pitcher of my new surrogate team was halfway between the plate and mound. He tossed it underhand, and Warren bunts! Three errors later he slides into third, and I just laughed my ass off. He's grinning from ear to ear.

That was actually the last time he was afraid of the ball, or at least he didn't cry about going to the plate ever again.

Rep baseball was nothing like that...and some of the parents were insane!

 

[EagleSmack]

No, I don't think it's low, it is part of the game. I was answering this question from the bot:

What's the most devious or creative thing you've seen a coach do to win a game?

It was the "worst" thing but it would be good to expand it to creative.

Football has some creative ways to score. Like on kick off everyone runs to a sort of group huddle after the kick and one comes out with the ball as the rest pretend they have it. Those are fun types of plays to see.

 

[Kreskin]

When I played peewee lacrosse (1973 - used wooden sticks) there was one team that was much bigger per player. A couple of their biggest players often bullrushed through defenders, particularly smaller defenseman. Our smallest defenseman was given a tip, and he used it. In a provincial championship game their biggest player was coming at him on a one on one break situation. The big guy was going to do his usually bullrush and power over him. As the big guy dropped his shoulder our player faked that he was going to crosscheck him high then went down and crosschecked him in the knees. Their guy went ass over tea kettle, as did his stick and ball which went airborne in different directions. Everyone on our bench went nuts. Our player got a penalty but the other team's fast breaks never looked quite the same again.

 

[Tonington]

It was the "worst" thing but it would be good to expand it to creative.

Football has some creative ways to score. Like on kick off everyone runs to a sort of group huddle after the kick and one comes out with the ball as the rest pretend they have it. Those are fun types of plays to see.

Tomfoolery!

Scrambles are awesome

 

[EagleSmack]

When I played peewee lacrosse (1973 - used wooden sticks) there was one team that was much bigger per player. A couple of their biggest players often bullrushed through defenders, particularly smaller defenseman. Our smallest defenseman was given a tip, and he used it. In a provincial championship game their biggest player was coming at him on a one on one break situation. The big guy was going to do his usually bullrush and power over him. As the big guy dropped his shoulder our player faked that he was going to crosscheck him high then went down and crosschecked him in the knees. Their guy went ass over tea kettle, as did his stick and ball which went airborne in different directions. Everyone on our bench went nuts. Our player got a penalty but the other team's fast breaks never looked quite the same again.

That's a good one too. The great thing about sports is there is always an equalizer. Although he got the penalty the big guy probably was a little more wary of heading downfield at full speed.

I came from a sort of rough city in Massachusetts that had a great HS football team. It was a blue collar city with an even amount of white kids and black kids. The making for a great HS team. Well this Catholic School had the best running back in the state and decided to take on my alma matta. This running back took the kick and was immediatly smothered. All was legit until one of the tacklers said...

"F U <insert name>... WE'RE COMING AFTER YOU ALL DAY!" and he spit in his face

Penalty flags everywhere! Personal Foul.

The next play they hit him in the back field and repeated...

"F U... YOU'RE IN OUR TOWN NOW YOU <insert real bad name>" and he spit in his face again

Penalty flags all over.

Let's just say he didn't run as well as he had all year.