Fan Speak 2/4/08

Nice swimming

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Notre Dame girls 200 freestyle relay team for making a state cut during the City of Roses meet at the Cape bubble.

No apologies

I THINK it's appalling that Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Scott Edgar had to apologize for honest concerns about the officiating against Morehead State. It's bad enough that the officials execute their biases against a home team, but it's even more absurd that the coach has to apologize for commenting on the horrid officiating. Was anything Edgar said incorrect? Did he curse the Ohio Valley Conference or call the referees bad names? No. So tell me this, who's accountable for unprofessional conduct by OVC officials?

Overrated Redhawks

I HAPPENED to see where the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team finally has come back down to earth after its hot start. It's just a mediocre program and it always will be a mediocre program. It's just not that good. I don't know how long it takes for the people around here to realize that, but it will never, ever be an elite program because it just does not get the talent.

Bad call

THIS IS in response to the article about coach Scott Edgar being suspended from the Murray State game because of his comments regarding the officiating. I was at that game at the Show Me Center and the officiating was terrible. Then to turn around and watch the Murray State game on national TV where Roderick Pearson is fouled and they don't do anything about it. They let the game end on a note when, 5 seconds earlier, they called the foul on Mike Rembert and let Murray State go to the free-throw line. It's just too bad that the officials have to take control of a game. Then in the end, coach Edgar is the one who is penalized for the whole thing. I think that the OVC commissioner better look into his officials and try to get better officials at the salary he's paying them.

What rights

I'D LIKE to comment about officiating in college basketball, how terrible it is and that coach Scott Edgar got suspended for one game. You can criticize the President of the United States, but you can't criticize these officials. You'll never get any better officiating if they're never criticized.

Outdoors coverage

THE PADUCAH Sun newspaper offers readers a great Outdoors column twice weekly. With our fabulous Missouri Department of Conservation Nature Center so convenient, perhaps the Southeast Missourian could, and should, offer a weekly column on hunting/fishing/outdoor recreation events. It would be appreciated by many.

(We'll look into it. Thank you for the suggestion.)