The importance of clericality cannot be stressed any more.

"When one person makes a small error, that ripple can turn into a tsunami if it isn't stopped."
-J.R. Salazar


I work as an administrative assistant at the Long Beach Bar Foundation, and after seeing this news, I cannot stress further the importance of paying attention to detail. One of the staff members at Lakewood High (my alma mater) made the poor decision to let one of the players on the varsity side play, though he was ineligible.

Here, an ethical choice had to be made: do you ignore the situation, or do you take action and forfeit the four victories, while taking corrective measures regarding the player and (most importantly) the person who screwed thousands of alums who watched the team blaze through their non-leeague games?

They chose the latter, and the end results are at least two scapegoats who now are going to be reviled among the Lancer faithful: the player and the person who made the error. I'm already sharpening my meat cleaver as we speak.

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Clerical error costs Lancers
FOOTBALL: Lakewood forfeits wins for unknowingly using ineligible player.
By Dave Werstine, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 09/30/2008 10:23:13 PM PDT


LAKEWOOD - Upon finding it had unknowingly played the first month of the 2008 season with an ineligible player, the Lakewood High football team Tuesday forfeited all four of its victories as a corrective measure.

According to Lakewood officials, the mistake was of a clerical nature. They also refrained from naming the player in question, citing "respect" for him.

"We want to do the right thing," Lakewood co-principal Charles Acosta said after calling those schools affected by the forfeits and apologizing for the error. "We have to own up to it. We don't want to sacrifice our integrity, as painful as it might be."

The Lancers gave back wins over Crenshaw, Peninsula, Mayfair and Verbum Dei, and will now go into Friday night's Moore League showdown against Poly with an 0-4 record. Giving the 24-7 decision over crosstown rival Mayfair also means giving up the Milk Bucket.

"It's not rightfully ours," Acosta said. "It needs to be returned."

Coach Thadd MacNeal said he was "shocked" when he heard the news about lunchtime Tuesday.

"I'm sick," he said. "I feel bad. I'm embarrassed."

MacNeal added even though the incident is a distraction going into the Lancers' biggest game of the season, he believes it won't change his team's lofty goals.

Despite surrendering the victories, Lakewood can still reach the CIF Southern Section playoffs if it can clinch one of the top four spots in the Moore League.

"Our goal is to win the Moore League and be CIF champion - that's not going to change," MacNeal said. "We've got to focus on the Moore League, on our first game against Poly. You always have adversity. ... It's like a guy who gets hurt - you got to move on. The trains keeps going."

MacNeal said the player in question has the chance to right his grades by the next grading period, which will take place in about three weeks, and rejoin the team.

The eligibility mistake is one that Lakewood officials say won't happen again.

BoBA Predictions - ISL 2008 Tiara

BoBA Predictions:
International Saimoe League 2008 Tiara
Winner's Bracket 1st Round
The Revelation of the Sun and the Moon







#1 Fate Testarossa Harlaown vs. #8 Kotomi Ichinose



For both Fate and Kotomi, it was business as usual, with both candidates making turkey stuffing out of Tsukasa Hiiragi and Hinagiku Katsura. However, as both are now in the winner's bracket, the business end of the matter comes into play. Here, Fate holds an advantage, with a prior victory over her. There can't be any issues here for Fate, as she will roll on to the Winner's Bracket semis.


BoBA predicts: Fate by at least 100 votes




#2 Tomoyo Sakagami vs. #7 Kagami Hiiragi




Kagami's prior meeting with the student council president of Hikarizaka Senior High with the legs and feet of a star was a 444-367 thumping. However, the highest ranked seed from Clannad is keen to turn the tables this time around against the best from Lucky Star. The margin will be close, but this will be an upset in the raking circles for Kagami.


BoBA predicts: Kagami by less than 100 votes




#3 Haruhi Suzumiya vs. #6 Yuki Nagato




Yuki Nagato has had a history of having the advantage over her SOS Brigade superior, and even in the prior meeting she came out on top. For the patron of fun and slaughterer of boredom, Haruhi gets another shot at turning the tables against the indestructible computer wizard of legend. But can she stop a losing streak that goes all the way back to their clash in 2chan Saimoe 2006? The rankings here will indicate an upset, but for voters who understand the one-sided history between these two comrades in arms...it's business as usual for Ms. Nagato.


BoBA predicts: Yuki by less than 100 votes




#4 Shana vs. #5 Kyou Fujibayashi




Kyou was spared Clannadian blushes with a narrow win over Konata Izumi in the ISL 2008 Tiara Preliminary Round of Judgement. Meanwhile, Shana schooled Suigintou on what makes a Tiara contender a Tiara contender. The flame-eyed hunter edged Kyou by 40 votes in their first match in the Aquamarine phase. For the book-throwing slam dunker, Kyou Fujibayashi must uphold the belief that anything is possible...even a narrow payback win over Shana. The Bedlam, however, believes that won't be the case, with her luck running out against one of the most celebrated, battle-tested veterans in the ISL.


BoBA predicts: Shana by less than 100 votes