Texas Football players attack on official leave many outraged

Referee Robert Watts was blindsided by two
John Jay High School football players, after
Watts was accused of using racial slurs

By Jaime Alicea III on Sept. 28, 2015

Two John Jay high school football players in Marble Falls, Texas are being charged for assault after blindsiding a referee on the final moments of a controversial game. Referee Robert Watts was assaulted viciously from behind by a defensive back and then struck again by another incoming defensive back as he fell head first into the football field.

The vicious attack was recorded on video, making national news as it clearly showed the two players maliciously targeting the referee as the play ended in a 15-9 loss at Marble Falls. Watts, who truly loves the game of football, hopes to return to the field this season if doctors determine that he is eligible to do so as the hits he suffered may have caused a concussion.

The Attorney for Watts, Alan Goldberger blasted the two players for what he calls a “Heinous Crime”.

“This wasn’t a passion turning into violence this was a premeditated crime,” Goldberger said. “Two crimes were committed in a period of just a few seconds. Being on the field doesn’t excuse you from assault, just because you are playing a game.”

The players were not the only ones angry with the referee, as a John Jay Assistant Coach Matt Green allegedly told the players, “This guy needs to pay for cheating us”, after two other players were ejected from the game by the referee.

In an even more bizarre twist of events, a few John Jay players defended the two defensive players’ actions stating that the referee had used racial slurs twice before the incident occurred.

The two players who assaulted Watts have since been suspended from the school and team, while the assistant coach was put on administrative leave. Goldberger also denied the allegations that Watts used racial slurs prior to being hit by the players.

“He didn’t last 15 years as an official by being a jackass,” Goldberger said. “You would have to be living under a rock to make a comment like that. How ignorant would you have to be to utter anything remotely racist? It would be laughable if it wasn’t so awful and hurtful. But it doesn’t surprise me at all, it only continues to sicken me.”

The brutal attack even reached the ears of the NFL referees association executive director Jim Quirk who released a statement disgusted at the brutal blindside hits.

“These types of actions against any game official at any level are inexcusable,” Quirk said. “We fully support the suspensions of the players involved, along with a full investigation by the Texas University Interscholastic league”.

Kean University Football Head coach Dan Garrett was outraged and disgusted at the news of the assault that occurred at the Texas high school stating:

“I think it’s absolutely insane,” Garrett said. “They could have caused a serious injury and made the game about themselves not the team. All parties involved should be held accountable for their actions since in life, actions have consequences. The coaches there have a responsibility to lead as role models, and it is embarrassing to hear that an assistant coach would tell a player to do such a thing.”

The two players are awaiting possible assault charges and have been assigned to the Juvenile Justice School run by Bear County, while John Jay High School waits for possible punishments for the team and coach, which could include the termination of their head coach and suspension of the team for the rest of the season

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