What in the world is going on with Coach Shawn Wetzel?

Okay, this would imply that Shawn is being held captive somewhere which is not the case.  Or is he?  Shawn Wetzel, if you have ever seen him, it most likely was somewhere where a basketball hoop is nearby and the powers that be are keeping him away from it.  Basketball is where I got to know Wetz.  We're close to the same age and I remember seeing him as the goliath center for MSU-Northern back in the day but even back then, he was extremely good-natured and one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet, on or off the court.  He exudes positivity and in the time since his playing days he has always around the sport, be it as a player, coach, official, fan or even ticket taker.  For the past several seasons he was a volunteer assistant with the Butte High Bulldogs boys basketball program and if you think the Bulldogs 5-0 start and dominating post play have nothing to do with Wetz, you are sorely mistaken.  Why isn't he on the bench this year?  I've seen him in the stands at the games.  What happened?  According to my good friend, the extremely level-headed and even better-looking Bill Foley, he is the victim of an overzealous soccer mom.

According to Bill's article and ensuing comments, Coach Wetzel was officiating a basketball traveling league tournament in Anaconda last December when all hell broke loose.  If you haven't witnessed the crowd at a traveling league tournament, let me set the scene.  Imagine a roulette table in Las Vegas where the bettors honestly think every number that is rolled is the number where they placed their bet simply because they purchased the chips.  LOTS of entitlement.  One mom in particular took it a bit too far, confronting Wetzel after the game and apparently hocking a loogie that would make Sea Bass from "Dumb and Dumber" proud, all while flailing at Wetzel, and simultaneously claiming to be the victim of a verbal assault herself.  She took her case to the Montana Officials Association to no avail.  It was not an MOA event.  So she did what any other logical person would do.  She ran crying to Wetzel's boss, the Butte School District who immediately and apparently without much review got rid of Wetzel as an assistant coach.  He's not on the payroll so no explanation is needed.  But here's where it gets good.  This "victim" is apparently a coach herself, according to comments.  One as a Head Coach in the Kalispell school district.

Now in this day and age where everybody is offended by anything and everything, it may have been a wise precautionary move on the part of the BSD to bench Wetzel.  But in this day and age, there is also always somebody filming when a scene erupts and this certainly sounds like it was a scene.  Is there a video out there?  If Wetzel launched a verbal assault, this will prove it, although many witnesses on the scene deny any verbal assault happened.  Is it possible?  Sure.  But it is also possible that Ringo Starr was the most talented Beatle.  This is just not in Wetzel's nature from what I have seen over years of working with him.  And I believe extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.  Plus, a verbal assault?  Please.

I'm no lawyer, administrator or coach, but before we lose a great coach and friend to crazy allegations, let's see the evidence.  Let's see an iPhone recording and maybe we can get Coach Wetzel back on the bench where he belongs.  Maybe we can even put Coach Karen back on the market herself.