Former Lion shows how not to coach high school football

Scott Mitchell has found another way to make himself look like heel.
As the quarterback for the Detroit Lions, Mitchell had one great season before hopping into the mediocrity elevator and taking it to the ground floor. Ding!
He had stops in Baltimore and Cincinnati before his lackluster NFL career ended.
These days he's coaching high school football in Utah, and recently found himself back in the news for a pretty questionable, and in my opinion, gutless decision.

Profootballtalk.com reports:
"Mitchell's Springville squad is 7-1 and had already clinched a spot in the state playoffs, and the team he was scheduled to play next week, Mountain Crest, is 6-2 and wouldn't have its playoff hopes affected by a the game with Springville. So Mitchell called the Mountain Crest coach and proposed that they just cancel the game to rest both teams up for bigger games down the road. Mountain Crest agreed, and so the game was called off -- but not everyone in Utah likes the decision.

"We have a lot of guys who are banged up, and I'm not sure how productive we would have been in the game," Mitchell said. "I don't really care what people think. I'm focused on the playoffs, because we're already seeded where we're going to be seeded. It's not going to change at all. I just wanted to be as fresh and healthy as possible going into the playoffs."

Really, Scott?
This could be one of the most egregious examples of what is wrong with high school sports.
High school sports are not just about making the playoffs and winning championships. They are about competing and working hard, no matter what the circumstances are. In other words, if you schedule a game, you play it.
So, Scott, you've got some guys that are banged up?
Great. Sit them. Let them get well.
Start the scout team then!
Bring some guys up from the JV or freshman teams.
If you are willing to call an opposing coach and collude to cancel a game, why not call him and tell him you want to play a game where just the guys who haven't gotten to play much this season get to take the field?
What an amazing way to reward the kids that have been working their butts off since August, helping your starters all the way to a 7-1 record and a playoff berth.
Scott Mitchell was mediocre to crummy quarterback when he played in the NFL, but at least I had a bit of respect for him. Now, though?
Sorry.
I don't respect quitters.