BALL SO HARD U!!!
Lol, the principal is probably a Squeelers fan.

"Ball So Hard" is a mixed message. Balling in the "black community" also has an altogether different meaning than simply playing ball. Back in the fifties whites really had no clue as to what Little Richard's hit "Good Golly Miss Molly, Sure Like To Ball" actually meant.

I guess you better ban me for my profile pic logo!!! GEESH!! What are we paying these people to traumatize our children??

Really? Otto, move to Pittsburgh! Go RAVENS!!!!

Otto your comment is the perfect example of irrational, out of context, political correctness gone awry, type of thinking I am fighting here. This isn't about the "black community" as you so eloquently tried to put it. It's not about any one community or race. It's simply about being a Ravens fan. Once again you're allowing this obsession society has with political correctness to replace old fashioned common sense.

Now on to the real reason for this post. I would like to publicly thank the administration at Southampton and Harford Co. public schools for reversing this decision. It takes a lot in today's world to admit when you may have been wrong, or made a decision in haste. I would also like to say, while I am a Ravens fan, I am also a fan of our educational system here in this county. I believe we have some of the most talented and dedicated educators and administrators in the state, if not the country. Many of my schoolmates have become educators in this county and I have the utmost respect for them.

I would also like to thank patch.com and Kirsten Dize for getting this story out there so quickly. I know it helped encourage the administration to reconsider this policy. Thank you!

Finally, I'd like to say it was my intent to inspire my son, as well as, other students and parents to stand up and challenge decisions they do not agree with. I also hope they learn there is a right way and wrong way to go about it.

Bill, I think you handled this situation very admirably and agree with everything in your previous post. I have a son at SHMS and am happy to know that he attends school with families like yours - willing to fight for what they believe in, respecting the views of all parties involved. I am very happy that SHMS and HCPS saw their mistake and reversed it quickly.

It has become the "norm" for teachers to stand behind the "zero tolerance" pollicies. This would have been a common sense issue in any other profession. Common sense is not allowed in public schools. Although I am inpressed with the reversal of it in this case. To Mr. Lasley, Great job in standing up for what you believe. I am not a Ravens fan but "Ball So Hard U" is a cool motto.

Thank you Tracy. I appreciate the sentiment!

It's funny that none of you have mentioned the Jay Z song that T Sizzle himself is referencing. Do your homework, parents.

That is where the term came from I admit. But that is Not what the BSHU apparel is referencing. Get some common sense "local".

I just looked up the lyrics to that Jay Z song and it indeed is as I suspected an extraordinarily crude reference - let's not pretend otherwise. As a parent I would never have allowed my child to wear a shirt to school with that sort of crap written on it - you couldn't wear something like that to work why should we lower the standards for school.
"She said Ye can we get married at the mall
I said look you need to crawl before you ball
Come and meet me in the bathroom stall
And show me why you deserve to have it all
Ball ball so hard
That s*** cray ain't it Jay
Ball ball so hard
What she order fish filet
Ball ball so hard
Your whip so cold this old thing
Ball ball so hard
Act like you'll ever be around motherf***ers like this again
Bougie girl grab her hand"

How precious - they shouldn't have reversed their decision.

Are YOU in middle school?

Wow, someone had to bring up race when this was about simple sports and a 12 year old. Get a grip on realization and stop twisting everything. The school systems need to focus on education rather than that of personal bias against certain sports or sport's figures.

How are those lyrics about Basketball again?

It's a filthy song full of all sorts of innuendo beyond sports; not to mention chocked full of foul mouthed filthy language that I would hope wouldn't be encouraged for use by a 12 year old. This isn't about pc; it's about civility. When did our culture begin to race to the lowest common denominator as if setting the bar very, very low was a good thing. Respect matters - no wonder the schools are so crappy; there are apparently no standards.

People just need to relax a little bit! It's just a Ravens thing! We wear Ball So Hard U shirts in the office on Fridays! No one is offended.. The line is originally from that song, but that is where the connection stops. So everyone can get off that. Good for Mr Lasley standing up for his kid! Nonsense. Support your local team!!

It's not about being a prude; it's about contributing to the continuing slide in simple civility. Everything is not OK, nor should it be. Responsible adults might think some things are simply not appropriate because believe it or not they aren't or at least shouldn't be.

Seriously ... GO SUGGS AND GO RAVENS !! Its Purple Friday people .....

Maybe you should get a shirt that says "Can't think for myself so Hard". Or "Can't read and comprehend so Hard". Its obvious most of the song is talking about playing basketball as the references are about the Nets. I would assume the NJ Nets. There is one sexual reference in the song. However as I have previously posted the BSHU apparel is NOT referencing anything sexual. If you acutally believe that it does, you have fallen in to the trap of the puritanical political correctness, which hinders you from thinking for youself. If my son would have worn a shirt referencing the lyrics specifically the foul language the of course I would agree. Quite honestly he would have never been allowed to own or wear such clothing in the first place. I am a conservative and tend to lean to the right of the political scale. However, it is uptight, unbending, narrowminded, puritanical NON-thinkers such as yourself Mr. Schuub who give common sense conservatives and those of us who have the ability to think for themselves, an ulcer. You are taking things out of context and applying them to fit your one way, gutter-minded view. I guess we should start calling the FCC and having them fine every sports caster and the entire ESPN network for as many times as Ball So Hard Univ. is referenced. Geesh. Gimme a break.

How precious- another member of our voting society who should have the right revoked, since it's obvious you're unable to think for yourself.

I guess we know who the Pittsburgh Steeler fans are! Go RAVENS!

Mr. Lasley...if anyone here shows odd judgement it's you. You're sure filling in a lot of "who shot John" most of which I never said or implied, so get over yourself. Did I say we ought to fine anyone??? Do you have a right to wear clothes that might say offensive things? Sure you do. My concern is the idea that because you have a right you need to exercise it anywhere and everywhere you want. Civility means many things....I don't run downtown screaming the f word at the top of my lungs - I could but I don't because it might offend others and would be a poor reflection on me. I knew and have known what "balling" is since I was 13, and you can bet that "ball so hard" is just crude enough that kids think it's neat and that's exactly why not only JayZ put lyrics to it, but that the Ravens picked it up. Sadly, crude sells - and that's exactly why we have a "Ball so hard" as a marketing theme. You fell for it, bought the shirt and your kid wore it to school. I didn't.

Actually the phrase didn't exactly orignate with the jay z song. The term balling has been used in reference to sports (basketball/football) for years. Meaning they play hard. It can also mean anything that you are good at or work hard at. Sizzle is also refering to his alma mata, Arizona State University, that's the reason he says A State. He and the rest of the Ravens do "Ball So Hard"

Yes, GO Sizzle & GO Ravens!!

But Bill, you're a drama queen. This crusade against PC is a huge over-reaction. That vice principle is probably some poor mother of 4 who works her a$$ of for nearly nothing trying to protect kids like yours from bad influences. Cut her some slack for not being up to date on Ravens gear. She probably spends too much time doing work related stuff to keep up with the Ravens and pop culture! They corrected their mistake. You should have let it go at that but you had to make a big deal about it. Rant & Rave! I'm surprised you didn't sue.

You'll probably also blame the school system when your kid starts walking around the house singing "Ball so hard mothafxxxas wanna fine me" and "I got that hot bitxx in my home".

Voice...before yougo making accusations about me that are completely inaccurate re read my very first post. BTW, as the patch mentioned, I made it perfectly clear the issue was reversed prior to running this artice. Drama queen...baahaaa..with comments like that whos the pot now?

I don't know what side of this I agree with, but what has happened to a little respect for the school system...they are just trying to protect themselves or their students in case someone else, like another PARENT, finds the phrase offensive. Given the double meaning and song lyrics associated with the phrase I am sure that could easily be expected. so why not just respect the schools original decision and teach your kids to respect authority and the decisions they have to make in the best interests of everyone and not fight them on every single thing? It must be exhausting to be part of administration and have to negotiate through all of this crap.

Sarah...thank you. That's sort of my point. If it might offend others; why push it? If you're in a bar with a bunch of Ravens fans watching the game maybe that's an appropriate venue, but it's a crude reference; everyone knows it so pretending it isn't is silly. If the administration asked him to turn his shirt inside out that's hardly a reprimand; it's a request made because of the potential sensitivity of others; to comply is what we used to call civility.

How is the shirt bad? How does it offend anyone? It has no curse words, no racial comments, no inappropriate picture. It doesn't matter if its a verse from a song/genre that a majority of don't like. I have never seen some many sensitive people on my life. You will probably cry if someone said your shirt was wrinkled lol. Get a life people and worry about worse things that damage schools like bullying or drug use.

Lol "Balls are so Hard". That made me laugh but in all seriousness if a kid misreads that then obviously the Teachers aren't doing their jobs and we should address that other then the shirt.

Interview tonight on Fox 45 at 10pm! Be sure to check it out. Mr. Voice O. Reason or should I say Mr. Hide behind anonymity, not that I need to defend myself to you or anyone else, I'm proud to have affected positive change in a professional, civil and non-violent matter. As for the comment about civility and respect made by Sarah. My son was respectful and did take his shirt off for the rest of the day with out incident. As to why not respect the schools initial decision, we did! We then challenged the decision based on it's merit. If the school felt they were right or they had a legitimate leg to stand on they would have never reversed the decision, and certainly wouldn't have done it within a few hours, regardless of the media attention.

Once again thank you to all of those who have had supportive and kind words for me and my son. For those opposed or of a different opinion, I'll respect your right to your opinion just as I hope you would respect mine.

I never knew there were so many Pittsburgh fans that read the Bel Air Patch. I guess they have nothing better to do these days. I wonder what would have happened if he was wearing a "Big Johnson" T-Shirt. We got your back Bill!!!! Go RAVENS!!!!

Balling does not mean what you people think it means. Not one of you has gotten it right yet. URBAN DICTIONARY, people. It was made for white parents like yourself.

Ah F it, I'll just do it for you.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=balling

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=baller

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ball #5

This is what the Jay-Z and Kanye song is about. Suggs brought it back to football and made it about playing hard. Nobody is talking about sex or basketball. Wtf, seriously.

HAHA! TV Interview? OMG, enjoy your 15 Snooky.

Maybe you'll finally get that spot on survivor you've been hoping for.

Go Ravens!

"Voice" your feable and elementary attempts at embarrassing or debating me amusing. More importantly they show just how insecure and menial you think your life is. Never got out of that teenage bullying stage I see. With fans like you who needs Steelers fans? Btw, the adults are talking and I don't remember any of us inviting the children to join the conversation. I'm gonna need you to move your desk to the basement. Oh, and I'll just take this stapler... bahhhaaaa...gotta love it I can throw an Office Space reference in there....

Darby your own post has proved your wrong. Urban Dictionary definition #3 clearly says PLAYING BASKETBALL. Sorry dude!

The Nike "swoosh" and slogan "Just Do It" have been used in sports advertising for over 20 years. Should a Nike shirt with these items on it be banned by HCPS as vulgar?

LARRY SHOOTS AND HE SCORES!!! THANK YOU LARRY!!!

If you go to this website and click on each of the lyrics in the song a box pops up that explains all the references. Its all about basketball. Jay Z is a minority own of the Nets. Aside from some of the cussing there is nothing wrong with this song.
http://rapgenius.com/Kanye-west-niggas-in-paris-lyrics#note-311998

THANK YOU TO TERRELL SUGGS. I JUST GOT A CALL FROM HIS PR PEOPLE . HE SET 2 TIX ASIDE FOR MY SON AND I TO GO TO THE GAME ON SUNDAY. BALL SO HARD UNIVERSITY BABY! T-SIZZLE YOU ROCK!

Bill, I know that was not your intention, but I'm glad you are going to the game. "Ball So Hard University" and "T Sizzle" Rocks! Go Ravens!

He apparently calls a female a bitch at one point and then suggests she prove why she deserves it in a bathroom stall. Sorry I don't need a popup to explain to me what he actually means. It's a crude song, too crude for 12 year old to listen to in my mind, but let's celebrate it as a marketing tool. Suggs and the Ravens could have a used a lot of phrases to market the team; maybe next time it might be something perhaps a bit more wholesome and less degrading to women.

Well Mr.Lasley is my cousin and I'm very proud of him for standing up for his son.He did the right thing if you don't stand up for your kids and what you belive is right who will. People will walk all over you.My son plays football for Edgewood rec and we say befor every game zip'm up body bags so Ball So Hard is nothing people need to grow up and get there mind out of the gutters

AWESOME,just saw you on 45!

Is there anyone under 30 years old in this entire comments section? How about rap fans? Anyone? Anyone? I didn't think this "Ball So Hard" phrase was a particularly complicated one until I got here. Now I'm afraid to say that the assistant principal is only thismuch less hip and clued-in than the majority of people leaving comments here.

Bottom line: Suggs is referring to playing football hard, and that's it. If it's indeed a play on the song of the same name, well they weren't really referring to sports at all. Literal-mindedness is running amok.

Karl Schuub gets it! Amen, brother.

What a joke the majority of comments are on this subject. Those of you who say that it is correct that HCPS backed down and there is NOTHING wrong with the BSHU apparel just prove your ignorance. I have news for you hillbillies, it's not appropriate for a 12 year old or an 112 year old to wear. Would you wear it to church? Would you wear it to go visit your mother or grandmother and explain it to either? I guess if the answer is, "yes", then clearly, you are right and everyone else is wrong and EVERYBODY who disagrees with you is a Pittsburgh fan. How mature! It just proves that civilization continues to slide and that inappropriate behavior is rewarded~HCPS reversing their decision and this knuckle-dragger and his son are going to the game on Sunday.

HaHaHa. You are so quick to be offended by the word ball and yet you have no problem calling someone a knuckle dragger, which I find far more offensive. Maybe you should get off your high horse, you obviously can't see the whole picture way up there.

Not sure the offense is over the term "ball" but the entire phrase "ball so hard" which is really quite different and where that term being used by the Ravens derived. As per Mr. Suggs - it's a direct reference to the song (using the word song losely here) which he had been listening to right before a press conference. Considering the entire thing is full of derogatory references to women and mutha f'r this and that it offends my sensibilities certainly and I'm thinking many others as well. It's not about being hip and cool enough to keep up with the times. If the times means we need to accept crude, derogatory messages that only demean all of us - those referred to and those doing the referring then something is very wrong with popular culture - it's got nothing to do with keeping up with the times but recognizing mutual respect for all our neighbors. Do we need to race toward the bottom of the barrel and when we do should we actually call that progress? Otherwise, GO RAVENS, but I'd sure be happier if next time somebody on the team finds a positive message we could all get behind that doesn't hype crude.

It's funny how the news media, papers, etc, don't seem to have a problem with it. I don't see them getting crucified for bringing it up. It was on WJZ last night! It's in the Sun Papers today! Grow Up! Go RAVENS!!!!!!

Before we begin to harrold Mr. Suggs as some sort of sports hero please keep in mind he spent nearly half and hour in an interview last week slamming Tim Tebow for his faith and at one point had a restraining order filed against him for repeatedly punching his girlfriend and at one point holding her down and splashing bleach over both her and thier son. Not exactly a hero in my mind; but I fully expect to be called out to get with the times.

Good point, Karl.

Susan Smith and Karl Schuub live in the same house. Alias party, bring some chips and dip.

Darby: There is nothing I've said that isn't true...I could link some of the rest of the words to this "song" that only briefly refers to sports...the rest of it repeatedly refers to women as bitches and then of course the crack about the bathroom stall; I can't count the number of times we reference muthr f'rs - then there's the bling, bling; drunk in paris references. The song is nasty; too nasty to have been the base for Suggs latest self-promotion. By the way, he's trying to legally craft that as his own so he'll get a cut on any sales with that phrase. It's not about the team my friend...he's smarter than he looks - would hand that to him. He's got a bunch of young fools who revel in the double entendre to wallow in the dirt with him so he can sell some shirts. Defend him all you want; he's got a history of being offensive - that's where he lives and where he wants the rest of us to live because it will make him richer - he's got a pretty high child support payment - that's after he physically attacked his girlfriend and it hadn't been the first time.. Once asked why his play had been so good he replied "I quit cocaine". Keep buying those shirts; maybe all the rest of the kids can wear them like some sort of anticivility uniform. Mr. Suggs needs the money and apparently any way he can get it is good enough.

Great stuff! And thank you Mr. Suggs. Anybody whoever worked in a school would be thrilled, gratified, even elated if the only references to sex or sex acts occurred on shirts.

Come on, Karl, this is America and everything is for sale. Look into Buying Ball So Hard stock, your capitalist self.

Ball So Hard is a PUN. IT'S A PUN. That's it. The song's phrase is a pun on sports, and Suggs did a pun on that and brought it back to being LITERALLY about sports. That's it.

You don't see him singing the whole song or using the actual title of the song on any shirts. "Niggas in Paris U?" Yup, that's not at all what he's saying. Honestly, I was annoyed by the people who thought the song was about basketball or the phrase was about sex, but truth is, the song itself has almost zero relevance in relation to Suggs or the Ravens. It's about football, period. Forget the song. Most people probably haven't ever even heard it before and all of the lyrics beyond "Ball So Hard" don't apply and were never meant to apply.

Pun? You do realize the meaning of pun would imply it's meant to be funny; even taken by your definition that it's about sports...doesn't exactly fit the real definition. To 1ke who doesn't get it either - just because kids use bad words doesn't mean we sanction it. We ought to have standards kids have to reach to meet; not standards so low that the gutter is good enough. There are private conversation and then there are public proclamations - we treat them quite differently for good reason.

The term "ball so hard" by itself isn't sexual. Taken in context with the Jay-Z song it takes on a meaning of sexuality in one verse of the song. That alone should not make the phrase so offensive. Many words and phrases have plurality in their meaning. That doesn't mean that they are offensive in every context. The song also uses the term to reference sports. I have to disagree with you Karl. I think that you are reading too much into this. Though I respect your view and appreciate your ability to debate this topic in a civil manner, I have to say that I am not offended by the shirts in the least.

By what measure do we decide what is offensive? Do you get to be the one who decides? How do you even know what Suggs was thinking when he made the reference? Incidentally, from my understanding, he isn't even the one who made the shirts, though they were made in direct reference to his statement. I think that we as a society have become to sensitive. If the shirts portrayed some derogatory or sexually suggestive image or used profanity I would be inclined to agree with you, but taken by themselves I find no reason for the moral outrage.

Darby is cracking me up!

I think I'll buy all my nieces and nephews ball so hard gear.
And to those bashin T-sizz, come on, the guy was a kid when he was drafted, and made mistakes, but he has matured, and does a LOT for charities in Baltimore. Maybe you holier than thou types should go do some charity work instead of pretending you are Gene Autrey or something.

I wish that were true - that Suggs has matured; as previously mentioned he just went on a half hour unprovocked attack on Tim Tebow's christianity. It wasn't necessary and shows a total lack of maturity and judgement on his part. For those not hip and cool like you are, many of his actions past and present make him very hard to respect.

My apologies...meant to write "came from" and unfortunately mistyped.

My dear; I don't just make up stuff. I take the time look at the issue and derive my own opinion. I had no idea what any of this was about so I first looked up where the phrase "ball so hard" come from, then the lyrics, then Suggs own history of behaviors, etc. and came to my personal opinion. I shouldn't be expected to do your homework for you. Suggs has a big mouth; always has.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/we-dont-pray-on-sidelines-ravens-player-slams-tebows-need-for-god-on-the-football-field/

My son is a junior at Perry Hall HS. He wore the same shirt to school on Friday and was told by one of his teachers that she found it offensive and to put his sweatshirt on. Of course being 16, he chose to ignore her and see if she said anything else...which she didn't.

You must be so proud of him. I foresee a splendid military career via West Point or Annapolis.

Bill Lasley > Karl Schuub

Karl schuub I have 2 problems with you first your name is spelt wrong who spels carl with a k and second your a idiot. I think you comment on every article on here just to bring negative vibes. You act like such a freaking jerk off. half of the people that read ypur comments probably fall on the floor laughing because how stupid you sound. No way no how is a shirt that says ball so hard driectly promoting any type of rap music. You are just a downright miserable person

As put-upon motorist Rodney King said so eloquently...people, can't we all just get along.

Hehe-football fans are funny. Read a book, folks-one without pictures, hopefully.

This is coming from a 16 & 19yr. old perspective...when they saw the shirt, they saw a Raven's/Terell Suggs shirt. They know the song and the lyrics, but in their opinion that has absolutely nothing to do with the shirt. The shirt is just another item of Ravens clothing that they wanted. I think some of the adults need to get their minds out of the gutter!

The comments from "adults" on this subject are way more offensive then the shirt ever was.

Six days until Tom Brady sticks a pacifier in Suggs' mouth.

BALL SO HARD that shi cray......lol

BSHU Alumni would like to thank you all for wasting your life entertaining us with these comments. Though your 2 cents and hypocritical accusations are respected, those who find our Alma Mater offensive should think outside the box a little more....come on guys the shirt has direct ravens affiliation. Not metal balls or Jay z/ kanye west no sexual references at all. For all we know Bill & his kid are wholesome Christians who listen to country music. In other words Judge not that Ye be judged. Lighten up people the shirts were made for sports. I personally see my BSHU gear as motivation to be the best whether in the weightroom, classroom, wherever. See that? That's turning negative into positive.

OUTLAW (Yes that's my real last name)
BALL SO HARD UNIVERSITY