Football coaches, players, and fans are still shaking their heads over the curious and bizarre ending to a Garfield-Lake Washington high school football game in Kirkland Friday night.

Lake Washington was leading 14-0 in the third quarter and had just recovered a fumble.

Garfield coach Kelvin Goliday called a time out to chat with the officials. Goliday tells The Seattle Times in his opinion, the officials' whistles were slow.

"I wanted them to blow quicker whistles so that no one gets hurt," he said. "At the time the fumble occurred, I felt the whistle should have blown long before that."

Goliday claims officials wouldn't discuss the situation, so he kept his players on the sideline. Garfield was assessed a delay-of-game penalty and two unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties. The coach was ejected, and the referees called a forfeit victory for Lake Washington.

Goliday felt he needed to be heard. Others who've coached high school football disagree, including former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Dave Wyman.

On 97.3 KIRO FM's Dori Monson Show, Wyman said pointedly, "He's entirely out there for himself. What a bad example to set for these kids. First of all, they were still in the game. It was 14-nothing, but to throw a temper tantrum like that, and set that kind of example for the kids was sad."

Wyman, who has helped coach at Lake Washington and Interlake high schools, said teenagers are especially impressionable, and football teaches many life lessons.

"Football is a little microcosm out there on the field of what life is like," Wyman explained. "It's tough, sometimes it's unfair. Maybe that wasn't a fumble, but hey, that happens. You have to adjust, and overcome it."

Garfield High and the Seattle School District are investigating the issue while coach Goliday is on administrative leave. He will have to sit out this week's game against Sammamish.

Several years back, I coached a middle school girls soccer team. Two of my players were carried off the field with injuries caused by the opponent's rough, physical play. The referee did not call fouls or even warn players.

I called a time out and spoke with the young official about his primary duty to protect the health of the girls. I said if the rough play continued and any more of my players were hurt, I was willing to forfeit the match.

Making a point with officials is all about timing.

In my opinion, Goliday needed to make his case about player safety after the game, and write up a review with the athletic departments and referees association.

Bill Swartz, 710 ESPN Sports