Riff Over Film Developing After Tsoutsouvas Cries Foul

Santa Paula High Coach Mike Tsoutsouvas gave an emphatic thumbs down to the films sent him Sunday by St. Monica, Santa Paula’s first-round football playoff opponent.

According to Southern Section rules, teams must exchange 2 game films. Coaches have their choice of any 2 of their opponents’ films, which are supposed to be unedited and include all plays as originally shot.

Tsoutsouvas received 3 films and was pleased with none his choices.

“This is another L. A. scam,” Tsoutsouvas said. “They’re supposed to bring 10 game films and give us a choice. Instead, they gave us three games films taken by parents from the sidelines. The quality was so poor that you can’t see anything. It took four hours to break down the films and the players’ numbers don’t match the ones on the roster.

“They must think we’re some country hick team and we don’t know the rules.”

Any violation of the mandatory film-exchange rule might subject a team to disqualification from the playoffs. Tsoutsouvas, however, did not file a complaint with the Southern Section office, according to Commissioner Stan Thomas.

St. Monica first-year coach Angelo Jackson said he told Tsoutsouvas he didn’t have anyone to professionally videotape the games because of a lack of finances. Instead, he called on parents to volunteer time and equipment.

“It wasn’t anything malicious on our part,” Jackson said. “He wanted films from the Mary Star and Daniel Murphy games and I told him the quality wasn’t very good. We tried to get the El Segundo films from a cable company, which televised the game, but we couldn’t get them in time.

“I don’t think there is anything secret about our offense. We run the ball.”