Controversy Strikes Again

Controversy Strikes Again

by Jay Unver

(Lehrton, Mississippi) "Are you kidding me?" Hodge yelled just before he threw his coffee cup, his metal tumbler bouncing off a squat rack at Plate City and sending hot coffee showering over his frightened hounds.

"Don't shoot the messenger," I said a little nervously. Even his dogs had pulled away with their tails tucked. It was clear to me and them not to mess with him now.

"That, that . . . ." He trailed off and began to pace instead of yell. His face was red and his right hand in a fist.

I had just informed Hodge that Randy Beets had requested and been granted an investigation into possible competition tampering. The accusation stemmed from Beets' smoke detectors going off at 2:14 a.m. before Virtual Swim Meet 4.

Hodge was recently charged, tried, and found guilty of competition tampering in a case that involved the power going off at Morganton Aquatics preventing Beets from completing an event in Virtual Meet 2. Not only was Hodge found guilty, he was heavily fined, losing his entire year's salary from the Association, as the athletes call it, paying a fine, and being hit with a five year, $250,000 Show Cause Judgment. The Show Cause was later reduced to a six month, $250 judgment.

All of this has lead to a growing tension between Hodge and Big ASS Endurance, an organization the star athlete has been a part of since its founding in 2011 when The Association of Sports Swimmers, the Association of Sports Shufflers, and the Association of Sports Syclists merged to form Big ASS. Recently rumors have swirled that Hodge will sign with Fasttrack Fatties after his contract with Big ASS expires in June of 2020. Hodge has denied this scuttle butt but one has to wonder in light of all that has happened recently.

"Sorry, Zane. I have no part in these decisions, you know. I'm just an employee doing what I am told."

"I know. Don't worry, I am not going to punch you. But if Beets were here," he said shaking his fist.

I didn't hear the rest of what he had to say. I was off home to pack. Bid ASS is sending me to Morganton, North Carolina. A retired Lehrton Police detective and I are going there to investigate Beets' accusations.