NOT THE ONLY THING:

Alton Coach Chooses Character over Win (Joyce Morrison, November 13, 2002, Illinois Leader)

This weekend, Marquette Catholic High School's Coach Mike Slaughter suspended the first stringers on his No. 1 division-ranked football team from playing in the all important Anna-Jonesboro playoff game.

Slaughter's own son was among those suspended for violating an oath they had took at the beginning of the season to abstain from alcohol consumption.

Thirty-three students (sixteen of whom were Marquette football players) were arrested by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department was over the weekend at a party held in honor of Slaughter's son's 18th birthday.

"It is not about winning at all," said one parent of a suspended player.

The suspensions certainly gave credence to that statement as No. 1 ranked Marquette Catholic High was crushed 63-0 by Anna-Jonesboro in this past Saturday's The Class AAA playoff game.

Marquette spectators and fans cheered the second-stringers throughout. Parents said it was "the greatest loss their kids could have ever experienced."

Gotta particularly hurt to lose to a team named "Anna". Posted by Orrin Judd at November 13, 2002 1:13 PM