Headbutting Football Player

1. What are your thoughts about this case? How did the video make you feel or think? Should the athlete be charged criminally for this act? Why/Why not?

2. When competing in contact sports, should you have the same rights and protections as you would as an ordinary citizen regarding assault or should there be an expectation of violence? Why/Why not?

3. From each stakeholder perspective I want you to answer the following:
Here are the stakeholders: both players, each players parent, police (or state), teammates of both players, the coach, the athletic director and principal. FROM EACH OF THESE PERSPECTIVES I WANT YOU TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS SO YOU SHOULD HAVE 9 different stakeholder perspectives!!

How would this make you feel?
What would you want done about this situation?
What would you do about this situation?

1. This is ridiculous. I believe that the player should be charged criminally. It is the same as if he started a fight on the football field. He had no reason to do what he did, and what makes it worse is that he ripped the other kid's helmet off of his head before headbutting him! I'm sure the other kid had some medical costs for the injury as well which is just ridiculous. If this happened off of the football field he would definitely be charged.

2. People should have the same rights on the football field. They obviously will get hit and stuff like that, but when someone goes out of the way to physically assault someone when it's not necessary, action should be taken to punish the player. This would be a case by case basis sort of thing though. When someone physically assaults someone when the play is over or their actions will not affect the play, it is completely wrong and people should be punished for such actions.

3. Headbutting Player - I would feel I was at fault a little bit and shouldn't have done what I did, but I would be very upset if I got criminally charged. I would be fine with getting suspended from a few games or the season, but not getting criminally charged. I would apologize to the other team and player but then I would go about with the rest of my life.

Victim - I would be very furious with the other player's actions. I would want criminal charges to be pressed for sure. What he did was wrong. I'd forgive him if he apologized, but I would still be very upset with him. After a hit like like I'd probably sit out of practice for awhile and wait to get fully healed.

Headbutting Parents - I would be very disappointed with my child. I wouldn't want criminal charges to be pressed but I would severely punish my child. What he did was absolutely awful. I would just want my child to know that what he did was wrong.

Victim's Parents - I would feel that criminal charges were necessary. If the other kid didn't apologize I would be furious. I want everyone to know that this is wrong so I would maybe think about pressing charges.

Police - I'm astonished that a kid would go to such lengths to injure another player. I would have spoken with the kid, his parents, and his school about the incident and then press charges if more outrageous behavior ensued.

Teammates of headbutter - I would think my teammate was crazy. I would not want him to be criminally charged, but he should be punished. I would speak to him about this and make sure that he knows he was wrongful in his actions.

Teammates of Victim - I would be furious. I would want him to be criminally charged so that he knows what he did was wrong. Or, he should at least get suspended from a few games. I would talk with the victim and make sure he is okay.

Coaches - I would be very furious. I would want to suspend him for the rest of the season or at least several games so he knows that what he did was wrong. I would also tell the player that he needs to apologize right away for his actions.

AD or Principal of Headbutting Kid - I would be so upset that a kid from my school did such wrong. First I would speak with his parents, then him, then the other school. I believe that he should be suspended from the team for his actions and I think I would make sure that he apologizes to the victim.