Favila: Pirates didn't get away with anything

At first, I was confused when I heard on Tuesday that the District 32-4A Executive Committee had essentially decided to let the Hidalgo Pirates off the hook for their latest rules infraction.

After self-reporting that they had inadvertently used an ineligible player in a non-district game against La Feria, the Pirates were forced to only forfeit the Aug. 26 season-opening contest even though it was one they lost 36-17.

How can you forfeit a loss? What kind of justice is that? I mean here’s an athletic program that landed on probation in 2009 after the UIL ruled they had illegally recruited players for the girls basketball team.

And just a month ago it got in hot water after the football team practiced in pads a day before they were supposed to. School officials pled ignorance and the DEC stripped the team of one scrimmage and suspended football coach Robin Kirk for one district game, which he served in a Week Two loss to Mission Veterans.

I guess the 32-4A DEC doesn’t believe in the three strikes and you’re out rule. Or maybe the committee truly believes that the Pirates are ignorant victims who keep making honest mistakes. Or maybe the DEC simply saw no need in kicking someone while they’re down.

I can see where the 32-4A DEC is coming from.

Let’s look at the facts. Fact one: The football team did get caught practicing in pads before it should have. However, the program admitted its mistake and cooperated with the DEC’s ruling.

Fact two: The Pirates did use an ineligible player in their game against La Feria. However, the school self-reported itself and, upon further investigation, it was determined that the whole incident was merely a matter of botched paperwork.

Fact three: Hidalgo’s football team is winless on the season and would be even without its forfeited loss to La Feria. It’s obvious that if the team had knowingly committed these past two rules violations in an attempt to gain an upper hand, it didn’t work. Maybe the football team should take advice from the 2009 state-qualifying girls hoops squad. Now there was a program that knew how to break the rules.

There are those who contend that by not taking more of a hard-line stance against Hidalgo, the committee set a dangerous precedent and future rule breakers might expect the same leniency the Pirates were given.

However, the DEC’s ruling against Hidalgo proves that it deals out punishment based on the individual crime and not on a set precedent, which is the way justice should work.

Had the football team committed infractions equal to those of the 2009 girls basketball team, I would hope the DEC would have handed out a punishment equal to crime. But the fact remains that the rules the football team broke were minor and therefore not worthy of a harsher penalty.

The truth is that I have to give the 32-4A DEC credit for not overreacting and giving into public sentiment. The committee acted like a group of understanding and compassionate human beings rather than a heartless, robotic mob.

Still, Hidalgo’s athletic program remains under a microscope and didn’t really get away with anything. And unless it cleans up its act and stops breaking rules — minor or otherwise, intentionally or unintentionally — it’s destined to be dealt a death blow at some point.

Dave Favila can be reached at davidf@valleystar.com or at 956-430-6214