The boys accused of deliberately plunking the ump play for Stephens County High School.  Predictably, many Stephens County folk are of the opinion that the  kids  are all right:

AP: Ive been reading this all night. First, I am a product of the public school system in Stephens County and played sports in high school. Your Head football coach was my offensive coordinator on the football team. Coach Barden is someone I admire and respect. Ask him about the class that Stephens County represents? ...I can't believe how people with no idea of who they are talking about will post their first thoughts and disreguard the people they are talking about. Most commits were from people who were not even at the game. I happen to know personally the pitcher and catcher's families and these are good kids. These are the kind of kids that I can only hope that my son will grow up like.

Fan: I've know these boys all their lives. I know their Moms and Dads and their grandparants. If they say it was an accident,it was. 

I went back over the video and used an enhancement program on it. It's clear the ball struck the batters helmet. Before it's over, a credible news source will show an enhancement of the video and it will tell the tale.

Sting'em: There is no way from looking at that video that you can conclude it was intentional. You might think it, but you can't prove it. Without proof, the kid is innocent, with an emphasis on kid. These are high shcool players and they do lots of wacky things for lots of wacky reasons.

Most of you folks would obviously have burned the witches back in Salem and stoned Jesus, as well.

Legal Eagle: Laydown or not, a person is innocent until proven guilty. I don't believe that the nazi GHAA wants the legal ramifications they can expect if they do anything other than investigate!

willie: Man let my tell you people something right quick he did not mean to hit the ump you people need to really get a hold of your self stephens county got a good baseball program and the ump should have called the game the right way in the first place and you people from caterville need to stop complaning you got the state title so be done with it and something else ethan is about to go pro he is not worried about the GHSA the is taking yall as a joke you need to let kids be kids and stop babying them up there in catersville and let them be boys and to ethan daddy good job for taking up for your kids good job ethan and cody good pitch cody.

And of course the umpire was totally asking for it, as umpires usually do, just like airport security guards:

fred: I was at the game and stood behind the home plate. The ump cussed the coach on a questionable call and then cussed a player after he questioned a strike. Being directly behind the plate, the ump seemed to call more strikes that were balls on the Stephens County team. If I were from Stephens County, I would think the ump was paid from Cartersville. I would have threw a ball in the private area instead of the protected face mask. I watched all three games and the umps were all great except the last one in game three. For you Stephens County people, did you know the ump lives close by Cartersville? I know because I live close by.

sayhey: The ump did not take it like a man. He used foul language on several occasions. He cussed at Stephens County's coach when he called strike 3 on a ball that was a foot outside. He cussed at Ethan Martin when Ethan pointed where the ball crossed and it was no where near the plate. The ump said, "get your f'in *** back to the dugout." After he was hit, the video doesn't show how he had a hissy fit and the third base ump had to calm him down. After getting back behind the plate, he cussed the catcher by calling a 'son of a ******. The ump made the game about him and not the players from the 1st pitch.

max: the ump deserved it, and they usually do when this kind of thing happens. Almost all umpires are morons anyway that think people want to watch them or something. Thay are irrelevant babies who were garbage so they umped instead of played. Im glad that guy got drilled in his face.

blairsvillebob: I cant tell whether it was intentional or not, but I am sick of these umps being unaccountable for a surly attitude. Some of these bums who go into policing, umping, airport security, anywhere they can flex a little attitude, get away with harassing people. An ump who cusses a teen ought to be permanantly banned. I can't tell you how many of these smart asses I've seen in sports throughout the years, guys who are obviously biased against one team or the other. I dont live in either community, but I would be curious to see if he works the Jiffy Lube in Franklin Co. or got cut from his middle school team nearby or something, and his getting his edge off by sticking it back.

But those in neighboring counties think that it's about damn time someone did something about those Stephens County hooligans:

Fancyfree: I was at the Stephens Co vs Franklin Co game where the Franklin Co players were hit at least 3 times sending one of the players to ICU, CAT Scan, an overnight stay in the hospital and 14 stitches from Ethans 95mph throw hitting him in the head knocking off his batting helmet. Then later Ethan Martin got on base from the ball being an inside pitch and just touching his shirt and he spit on the first baseman. When the first baseman told the 1st base umpire he told him that he didn't want to hear another word out of him. Stephens County never apologized to the hurt player - they (the coach and a few players) did claim to stop by the hospital but said that he had already been discharged that night (remember he stayed overnight)

formerplayer: SCHS plays rough ball!! Ethan Martin does not throw accurate, but he does throw 95mph! WOW! But what good is 95mph if you can't control your throws. Those Martin boys will throw to hit people to hurt them! We have all seen this before!

fan in bleachers: And please god, bestow the knowledge upon principal Friend to take the baseball coach behind the wood shed and thank him personally for making his school the whipping post of the entire nation by not controlling the little snots that are supposed to honor adults (isn't that part of a baseball creed or something) in a civilized, fan-friendly, family fun GAME.

AlittlePerspective thinks we shouldn't judge by a single clip on YouTube...I also believe posters should(and can) see the entire game and judge for youselves. Google workhorsevideoproductions, and call them. I believe you may be able to order the game on DVD (only $25!). 

But the wankiest exchanges concern how the incident reflects on Stephens County, its educational system and parenting and, apparently, its scenery and World War II record:

rlinaug: Of course you can judge a team by one pitch. And those kids are ********.

I'm a middle-age white man, I've reached the conclusion that with the exception of Islamofascists, rich white kids are the sorriest people on the planet.

The daddy's of those boys ought to spank them in front of the student body. But I bet they'll defend them. This pisses me off.

FrmWM: You folks couldn't dare to admit that possibly these "boys" are self absorbed, spoiled off spring of parents who were obviously raised the same way. No wonder the State of Georgia is the laughing stock when it comes to education in this nation! Thank God my parents "raised" me in Ohio and I was educated there! Wake up folks, time to tell "Little Billy" he is not the end all be all, and there are somethings called maturity, integrity, sportsmanship and plenty more to be listed! No wonder this state is so backwards! Unfortunately, most of you won't get this. Later!

jim cpa: P---y parents equal p---y kids. Stephens County used to be a decent place. The coach needs to be beaned; maybe he will learn to coach and not be a robot to overzealous, poorly behaved parental units. The principal should suspend the coach and issue a written apology to Cartersville HS, its baseball team, The GHSA and the umpire.

Billy: I am a long-time Stephens County fan and I am sick over this ridiculous unsportsmanlike behavior. Having seen most of the games this season, the poor sportsmanship has been an issue all season.

friend of billy: I know Billy and he talks bad about his community and the Baseball team because he has a poor attitude. He was cut from the team. He is not a very good athlete and that is okay. But, you shouldn't talk down about your old team. Try and do something positive.

georgia: Stephens County is a great place to live, work, and play. We are a hidden secret up in North Georgia. There is a lot of class and wonderful people that live here. I don't think that most of these posts are posted by people of Stephens County. We have some of the most beautiful views in all of Georgia. Toccoa means 'the beautiful' in Cherokee language. Most here would agree we would prefer to stay that way. Our kids are some of the brightest in the state. Check our scores. Most kids are involved in the community, through educational programs or sporting activities revolved around Christian principles.

fan: You need to study us to know us. Did you know the most highly decorated unit in WWII trained it Toccoa? Did you know that more Professional Athletes come from Stephens County than from any other county in GA.? Of course you don't. You're too stupid to know that. That's ok. We understand. Sorry we had an opinion. I bet you voted for Obama!

To the defenders, A Man of Sophistication and Taste offers an opinion with, it should be noted, all due respect:

The people who are defending Stephens County and criticizing the umpires are some of the most incredibly ignorant people I've ever encountered on any blog.

I say that with all due respect, by the way.

The rest of us can only hope that these people will have themselves spayed and/or neutered so that they do not further contaminate the world with the fruits of their loins.

In the meantime, perhaps we can convince Gov. Perdue to put up some kind of fence around Stephens County in order to keep the coaches, players, and fans of their classless baseball program away from innocent men, women, and children.

Thank you, and may God bless America!

 Fan responds with a tasteful invitation:

You think just because Stephens County is a small community in the mountains, we must all be dumb and stupid. Tell that to Dale Davis, Paul Anderson, Pat Swilling and NFL HOF Billy Shaw. We're all just a bunch of dumb hicks. As far as the video is concerned, explain why Cartersville refuses to release a copy for Professional Review. But you can't just stick to facts; you have to indict a whole community. Even in a trial, criminals are allowed to have character witnesses. But let us bring up the character of these boys and their family and you want to cry foul. As far as I'm concerned you can Taste my Sophisticated rear end.