Joe. There are so many of us who smile every time you post knowing you are here finally, living the dream.

I fail to see where any "certain views" aren't particularly welcome here on TOTV, but I do see where expressing certain "opposing" views are not!

Having stated that, I also believe that this particular rule was properly applied. The rules were made for a valid reason and the players were aware of the rules, the players violated the rules and there should be no exception because of an impending championship game or otherwise. And the reason why there should be no exception in this case is because it sends the wrong messages to other players, current or future, that they can ignore the rules and there will be a good chance that they can get away with it without consequences; not a good lesson in "common sense" to instill on our youth!

Now, I'm not going to say that I never broke any school sports rules, but when I played high school football, I had enough smarts to make sure that I took every step to avoid being detected when smoking a cigarette. A few of us even hid a butt and matches in our football uniforms to sneak a few puffs along the long trek from our school, using a secluded alternate unused route to the practice field that was normally about 15 minutes away. Even though we knew it was wrong, I guess we thought that it was only wrong if we got caught! :angel: :evil6:

Skyguy as usual says this far better than I

if someone disagrees with a posters views on things or two or three of their views on things doesn't mean they disagree with all of their views on things. Sometimes people make their point well and change minds and sometimes they don't. We are a stubborn bunch of old-er people. Sometimes we use sarcasm in debate and sometimes we use logic and sometimes we show frustration and disbelief and anger. Very little said here is going to change anyone's mind.

But dagnabbit...I have almost 20,000 posts to show you what an idiot I am to keep trying.

Count me in the camp with dbussone.

In my humble opinion and life experience, an infinitesimally small percentage of teenagers truly enjoy smoking cigars. It is a much stronger and harsher flavor than cigarettes, and the smoke itself is more difficult to inhale without choking and coughing for the uninitiated. Therefore, my "common sense" tells me that those boys were merely engaging in a time-honored celebratory "ritual" among men of sharing a cigar to note a special event.

My common sense tells me there is a distinction between "smoking" (as in acquiring an unhealthy addiction - which the school rule is attempting to prevent) and sharing a rare couple of puffs on a cigar with your mates to celebrate a special event. (I highly doubt any even inhaled less they be ridiculed for coughing!)

Common sense would give these boys a pass in my book.

In order to have common sense you have to have common decency and in order to have common decency you have to be devoid of being egocentric and of relative moralism. Perhaps matters are not black and white but I believe far too many people say that to escape their responsibility.

It was bad enough when good was bad and bad was good. Now it is required that to gain fame you need to be very very bad.

But the worse human condition in today's America is that a person cannot be allowed to voice his/her opinion i n private without the thought police there to destroy hat person such as the CEO from Mozilla. His thought and actions were private concerning his belief in DOMA. contrast that with the CEO of BP who came out gay and not one bad word was uttered.

This is a very damgerous game some people are playing

Nice post Joe. :smiley:

That was back when there were no cell phones, for someone to take your picture and forward it to the world!!!!

As my uncle Joe used to say, "I just want to do the right thing".

A good way to lead a decent life.

Common sense, in my opinion, is like a sense of direction or a sense of rhythm. Not everyone comes by it naturally and some may never develop it well, no matter how hard they may try.

However, knowing the rules, clearly understanding them and choosing to break them just because one feels like it, is ego…. which often trumps ANY common sense.

Gracie - right on as usual. I think the amount of uncivil discourse on TOTV is really bothering me.

:pray: R.I.P., Common Sense. :pray: I knew him well and life will never be the same without him. :ohdear: