All in the name of "fairness" I'm sure.

From Murfreesboro's "Daily News Journal" comes this amazing bit of unsportsmanslike conduct.

A Riverdale player participated in a Rutherford County Recreation League game for five minutes Saturday, which is a violation of the TSSAA's independent game rule.

1 player, 5 minutes, and the penalty is the that the entire team is out of the tournament. Seems to me it's the TSSAA that ought to be charged with unsportsmanlike conduct.

Here's the rule. Section 10 of the TSSAA Handbook, page 14.

Independent-Game Participation

Section 10. After a student’s name is listed on the school eligibility report, the student shall not participate in an independent game until the season has closed or his/her name has been removed from the eligibility report at the request of the school principal.

Any game in which players not registered with TSSAA participate – regardless of whether admission is charged – is considered as an independent game. Violation of this rule will render the student ineligible for 25% of the number of contests allowed in that sport by the sports calendar or for the remainder of the season in that sport, whichever number is the least. Violation of this rule a second time in the same sport in the same season will render the student ineligible in that sport for the remainder of the season. Page 14

A student’s name may be removed from the school’s eligibility list upon written request of the principal. After such a request has been filed with the state office, a student may then participate as an independent without penalty. If a principal requests the state office to remove a student’s name from the school’s eligibility list, such student may not again be certified during the season of that sport.