(Originally published on 05.17.2012)
In another example of parents taking their kids’ athletic pursuits way too seriously, a father has been arrested for biting off the ear of the other team’s coach.
Timothy Lee Forbes was doing what most fathers do … watching his 12-year-old son play basketball in the Springfield, Mass. Catholic Youth Organization’s playoff game. But the proud papa soon turned irate when his son’s team lost. Instead of congratulating the winning team’s coach, Forbes punched him and bit off part of his ear, while a bunch of 10-12 year-olds were caught up in the mayhem.
After being pulled off the coach by other parents, Forbes fled the scene and later turned himself in to police where he pleaded not guilty to a list of charges including disorderly conduct, assault and battery, and felony mayhem. The coach underwent surgery to repair his ear, and Forbes is waiting to go before the judge in hopes of making bail later this week. Instead of pulling a Tyson, this dad should have followed the example of Muhammad Ali who said, "I never thought about losing, but now that it’s happened, the only thing is to do it right."
