FanSpeak 2/8/04

Ready for baseball

SINCE 1998, the Southeast Missouri State baseball team has been very competitive at the Division I level. Since 1998, the SEMO baseball program has seriously contended for the OVC championship with titles in 1998 and 2002. The SEMO baseball program is the only men's program that can consistently play large schools and beat them. The strength of this year's schedule consists of good baseball programs such as Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Alabama, Oklahoma State, Southwest Missouri State, Missouri and Southern Illinois, to name a few. What would it take to get a great program like Oklahoma State to play SEMO at home? The baseball fans of Southeast Missouri would love for this to happen, and it would be great for the program and recruiting.

Weather not a factor

WHOEVER WROTE the article about Jackson's wrestling team getting help from the weather to beat Cape needs to listen up. First of all, Jackson killed Cape 53-18. Secondly, Jackson wasn't even at full strength. They were missing two wrestlers who probably would have won by fall. Third, how does the weather have anything to do with the match? Sure, Cape and Jackson were the only schools who could make it, but how does that give Cape an edge whatsoever? Not to end on a sour note, good luck to both teams and coaches at districts, sectionals and state.

Subpar officiating

THIS HEADLINE overwhelms me. The "too much for Saxony" was the overwhelming lack of professional referees. I myself would not trade shoes with any of these refs, but when a blatant foul is overlooked it leaves lasting impressions on these young players. This was still a great game to attend. It was a learning experience for this young Saxony team. Sportsmanship is not something that can be learned from a speech or a textbook; it must be experienced. Both teams are winners in my book. Congrats to all.

Central sets example

AFTER READING all of the various articles in the newspaper about the Central ballplayers that were suspended, I was surprised. Don't get me wrong. I think the school was very correct and thorough in their punishment, but I wonder why more schools don't follow suit. What do we as citizens have to do to get our schools to hold up the rules for every student and not let them just select the ones they want to punish? It's pretty obvious which students are in trouble when they are on probation. Surely the schools aren't oblivious to this. Personally I wouldn't want my son or daughter playing on a sports team with someone who is known to be in trouble with the law. The Delta school board and administration need to amend their policies, and if they don't call for the same action taken by Central they need to set their standards a little higher.

Mishow's bad judgment

SO THE great judge of character, Marty Mishow, thinks SEMO made a good football choice in offering a football scholarship to Mitch Craft. Marty has always been biased and doesn't give credit where credit is due but can always brag on someone questionable.

Smith did the right thing

I'VE BEEN reading all the supportive comments to Darrick Smith at Central, and the ones who say "all kids make mistakes." Sure they do, but they are supposed to learn that you pay for your mistakes. How many times do you overlook it? If it had been my child caught drinking or breaking other sports rules, there would be no discussion. I'm very sure that everyone would agree that Smith did the right thing. Why should it matter who you are? I applaud Smith's courage in following the guidelines, even though he had to know that there would be such backlash.

Saxony deserves credit

THIS IS for the person who is obviously a Jackson basketball fan. This is the first year Saxony has a varsity basketball team. For a school that has a total of 57 students, they deserve recognition. The Southeast Missourian is not a fool, because they recognize a great team when they see one. Stop putting down the players of Saxony when you know nothing about the boys. They deserve all the recognition they get.

Check the numbers

LAST WEEK I sent in a reply to the people who get all emotional when you dare to criticize the local favorite SEMO basketball player. Using facts and statistics, rather than emotional outburst, I backed up my comments on players and the poor recruiting. I understand why you did not publish it -- it was probably too long -- so I invite everyone to look up the stats on SEMO's Web site and the OVC stats for themselves. Too keep it short and simple let us look at the only stat that in the long run really counts: the win-loss record of the team. It speaks for itself.

SEMO programs in trouble

THURSDAY NIGHT'S performances by the SEMO basketball teams provide more evidence that SEMO's athletic program is in a free-fall. As a long-time fan, I made an effort to attend a variety of events this year. I have observed inconsistent motivation and lackluster performance in every sport from soccer to volleyball to football and now to men's and women's basketball. Also, the football facilities are poor with no active discussion about improvement. Even the marching and show bands and spirit groups are small and poorly organized compared to most other OVC schools. I believe that everyone from the SEMO president to the athletic director to the band/spirit directors to the coaches need to meet and determine how to right the ship or risk a serious decline in attendance and a reputation as a mediocre athletic program.

Coaches out of control

I WAS in attendance at fifth- and sixth-grade girls basketball league by the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department. I was amazed by how the coaches acted during the games. They would yell, scream, and one coach even threw his marker at the wall in disgust because of a misplay by one of his players. That league is meant to be a fun time and for the kids to learn the game of basketball. A few coaches seem to take it too seriously and let their own egos get in the way. They are more concerned with running multiple offenses and defenses with girls, some of whom can barely dribble or pass the correct way.

Rivalry should continue

I'D LIKE to call in about the fact of Notre Dame dropping Scott City from their basketball schedule, which is just really unbelievable. You know they had a heated game down here in Scott City. For 30 years that rivalry's been going on and there's always small instances happening. But when the game's over, most of these people down here are best of friends. When you get in the gym, it's a battle. For them to drop us is just really something. They're upset over the fans. Scott City has some great student fans right now. They all dress up in their t-shirts, they chant through the whole game. They say nothing bad or derogatory, and administrators sit there to make sure they don't. They cheer their players on. If someone fouls, they'll do a cheer against the other team, nothing bad. The players get a lot of inspiration from that. It's just a great rivalry that needs to continue.

Good kids deserve apology

I DON'T know if you'll print this or not but this is for Marty Mishow. You owe an apology to every citizen, every high school student in this area who follows the rules and plays by the rules and does what they're supposed to do. And if you're so big in the sports world, you should know what's going on. You should be ashamed of yourself. You should be ashamed to put your name on that column, and you owe an apology to every Jackson, Central, Scott City and Notre Dame athlete who does follow the citizenship rules and who is a solid citizen. And I hope that your boss takes you to task for these comments.

High standards? Where?

I WOULD like to know where the writer of the "study in sportsmanship" has been hiding. How can you even say that Delta administration and board of educators have high standards? At every ball game I have ever been to of theirs, there is constant booing and shouting. The coach may bench his players when needed but that has nothing to do with the school board or administration.

Punishment was just

THIS IS in response to the person who felt the punishment for the three Central basketball players was too harsh, and for anyone else who agrees with them: I have two points. First, my daughter is a sophomore at Central. She was asked before playing sports this year to sign a form about sportsmanship and so were we as her parents. And in it was an outline of what would happen if she broke the rules. We went over that with her and she knows the consequences. We stressed to her the dangers of breaking any rules, that she could have to sit out a season. She understood that, signed the form of her own free will, and chose to play the sport of her own free will. Therefore, if she drank she would need to face the consequences of her actions. Just like these boys. Secondly, these boys were out drinking and driving. Do you really think a two-week suspension is enough? What if they had hurt or killed someone? What if it had been your child, or your mother, or your wife, or your husband? Would you think that two weeks would have been enough? No, you would be one of the first people squawking because the high school hadn't done anything and you'd be blaming the school system. Let the school system follow the rules it has set and do its job and you stay out of it.

Irresponsible journalism

IN WEDNESDAY'S sports coverage, two area ranked high school boys teams were playing in Bell City and Scott City, and they get a couple of paragraphs; and Jackson and Charleston square off in a rematch of your sponsored holiday tournament, and they only get a couple of paragraphs, but Cape and Notre Dame play two meaningless games and get the entire front page practically. I agree Cape and Notre Dame should warrant solid coverage, but not to send reporters to these other places for solid coverage is irresponsible journalism. Real basketball fans want to read about the higher profile games going on. And please, no excuses about Scott City, Jackson, Charleston or Bell City not being in your coverage area.

Enforce standards equally

IN TUESDAY'S Southeast Missourian, Central athletic director Darrick Smith made a comment about expectations from the school's athletes. I agree with this totally but let's enforce the guidelines for all athletes.

Check out the other schools

SPORTS WRITERS: Could you please give a little more coverage and a few more lines of type to the in-your-opinion unimportant schools in your basketball articles? I've worn out my magnifying glass trying to find them. We would like to see all players in double figures for both schools actually named in the article. Is that too much to ask?

Players deserve some respect

IN REFERENCE to "Patterson leaving SEMO for Tuskegee": What the heck was that story about? Why does it surprise me that half of Patterson's interview was left out? Like names of certain coaches? Give the players more credit than most of the coaches did. Like the coaches, it seems that this paper gives the players no respect, that we are just a bunch of whiny losers. That the grass is greener at another school just because. Just wait and see, fans. Just ask players yourselves and you will hear the true story. It seems that crap will continue to rise to the top.

Coach has integrity

LAST WEEK there was something in FanSpeak about a "study in sportsmanship," talking about the Delta girls basketball coach. I think I know what game they're talking about. Whoever wrote this said a player kicked at their player's head while she was on the floor. The player received a technical and was benched for maybe two minutes and was right back on the floor. I think they're talking about our girls basketball coach. I'm very upset with some of the things that this person said. That player was punished. That player and the rest of the squad was punished. As far as you talking about the integrity of one of the best young coaches in the area, not only is he a very good friend of mine but what he has done with the basketball program is amazing. His players are very respectful. His players do play hard. His players know that it is wrong, they will be punished for that when they do that, and they were punished as a group. As far as him representing his school district, he has done nothing but exceptional things for our school district. What happened to the Delta coach when his team was running up the score against East Prairie? Let's talk about sportsmanship there.

Coach plays favorites

TO THE Delta girls basketball fan who was upset because a player from another school was not benched for kicking one of your players in the head. I'm a fan from that other school. What you don't know is that the player who got the technical foul is one of the coach's favorite players. He won't take her out of the game. Her punishment was running a certain number of laps. And then the coach told all the other players that they had to help her run those laps so she could finish them. A week earlier another player got a technical. She was told to run laps or sit out a game. She ran the laps all by herself. The coach told the players to leave her alone until she finished the punishment. So it comes down to whether the coach likes the player. Delta fan, I hope your coach doesn't play favorites. It kills the team. People have tried talking to the coach or the school board, but it doesn't do any good. After all, it's not boys basketball, is it?