Rocco Capo and Patrick Movvagh each sponsor a basketball team in the Verona Park Community Basketball League. Mr. Capo sponsors the Bears, while Mr. Movvagh sponsors the Steeds. The back of each uniform displays the name of the sponsor's business. Three of Mr. Capo's nephews, along with several of their friends, play for the Bears. The star center for the Bears is Vito Capo. The star center for the Steeds is Brian Movvagh. The two teams are currently tied for first place in the ten-team league. In the last game between the Bears and the Steeds, Vito and Brian, after repeated battles under the boards, got into a vicious fight. Other members of both teams joined in the fight. The Verona Park Police were called to the Community Center gymnasium to break up the fight. The principal offenders were suspended from league play for three games, and the League Commissioner, Coleman Prinz of the YMCA, cautioned Vito and Brian that if there is any repetition of the fighting, both teams would be removed from the league.
The next game on the schedule is the Steeds versus the Bears. Inevitably, with Brian and Vito playing center, there will be repeated contact. How are they going to maintain composure and not become embroiled in a fight that could result in the teams being kicked out of the league? As you work in your group to decide what to do in this situation, complete the following steps:
1. List the possible courses of action that each person could take.
2. What are the possible advantages and disadvantages that could result from each course of action?
3. What course of action could solve the problem in the most constructive way? Why?
4. What course of action would be the most destructive? Why would you characterize the choice as destructive?
5. Compose a letter to Vito and Brian. Explain what you understand the current problem to be. Let them know that you've thought about the problem by identifying several actions they could take. Identify the best course of action, and explain why it is the best in the sense that it will offer the most benefits and the fewest disadvantages.