Re-Examining The Shotgun Formation

Castro Valley, Calif.'s reign as Deranged Youth Sports Capital of the U.S. lasted exactly 24 hours. Today Philadelphia wrestles away the title with determination and panache, as one of its wonderfully colorful youth football parents sets the bar impossibly high. Let's look in, shall we?

A father pulled a gun on a youth football coach because his son wasn't getting enough playing time, police said. Wayne Derkotch, 40, was arguing with the coach Sunday during a game of 6- and 7-year-olds when he drew the weapon. No shots were fired.

So, where does this leave us? To recap, the title of Crazy Parent Central has changed hands three times since August. First we had Phoenix, Ariz., then it was on to Stockton, Calif. We all thought that standard would never be topped, until this, which of course involved attorneys and a heavily armed patrol boat.

But it's one thing to threaten your child's coach with rapid-fire weapons from miles off shore. It's quite another to walk right up, point a gun in his face and say "Timmy needs more time at free safety," like they do in Philadelphia. Even Tony Soprano drew the line there.

UPDATE: It wasn't just any old gun, it was a .357 Magnum, apparently. More details, and Derkotch's photo, here.

Dad Pulls Gun Over Son's Playing Time, Cops Say [MSNBC] Swiftboat Veterans For Truth In Girls High School Basketball [Deadspin]