FanSpeak 3/13/05

Who's the best?

I KNOW he was caught up in the excitement, but for the coach of the doctors in the doctor-lawyer basketball game to say one of his players was the best basketball player over age 35 in the city of Cape threw down the gauntlet. I'd like to see him go one on one with Danny Dohogne, Keith Ressel or a whole host of others, including nearly 60-year-old Kermit Meystedt.

Good experience

IT SURE was fascinating to see Saxony Lutheran do so well against Bell City. How often do you get to see a brand-new school do so well against a defending state champion? And they even have a really good girl that plays a lot. The coach sure seemed to enjoy the game and so did his team, even though they lost. It all made for a very entertaining evening.

Bell City won 71-55 in the district semifinal game.

Cinderella story

COACH PAUL Hale's 500th career victory may have been his finest hour. In coaching the Notre Dame Regional High School boys basketball team to the final four, he accomplished what few, if any, would have predicted or deemed possible when the season began, particularly when the team entered district play with a 9-16 record. His and the team's accomplishments make the story of Cinderella seem like a tragedy.

The right direction

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team for a decent season after such a dismal start. With the promised budget increase, let's hope assistant coach Ronnie Dean can work some recruiting magic and keep the program headed the right direction. I have just one more comment: Since no one found it offensive, I think the symbol with the spear should be left on the floor in silent tribute to past traditions.

TV exposure

I WAS disappointed to see no mention of the fact Southeast's OVC tournament game with Eastern Kentucky was the first televised game on the ESPNU network. I was happy it was chosen as the first televised game on this new network. It should help recruiting.

Congrats to ND

CONGRATULATIONS TO the Notre Dame basketball team. I would also like to congratulate the students who are supporting these boys and the group of boys that lead the student body in cheers. You all are doing a great job. Keep up the school spirit.

Grid recognition

IN THE heartland last year, a Missouri high school football coach was inducted into the Missouri High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in Columbia. This is quite an honor. This year, another coach was honored and inducted into the high school football coaches Hall of Fame. I guess since these two coaches were not from Central or Jackson, it was not worth writing about.

Information about former Scott City coach William Wilthong's induction was published in Thursday's edition. Sikeston's Charlie Vickery was inducted last year.

Salute to baseball

THE SOUTHEAST Missouri State baseball program is lucky to have a coach like coach Mark Hogan. He has built one of the top baseball programs in the Ohio Valley Conference, and the program is respected nationally. It wasn't easy for coach Hogan, as he went through some adversity trying to get his program to the next level early in his tenure at Southeast. However, since the 1998 team who broke through as the first OVC champs, the program has been on solid ground and the teams are a pleasure to watch. I salute coach Hogan, his assistants and his former assistants for a job well done in recent years. I also salute all the former players and current players who have bought into the program to help make the baseball at Southeast exciting to watch.

Interesting days ahead

WE HAVE completed another basketball season at Southeast Missouri State University with the women's team making quite a run at the OVC championship and the men's team finishing over .500 and going to Nashville. The men's team was far from great, but some progress was made. B.J. Smith and the women continue to gain quite a following. And why not? His team finished 22-8 and should be even better next year with the majority of the squad returning. Combine that with a much more talented men's team, or at least it could be with a reported increased recruiting budget, and it should be an exciting 2005-06 season for the Redhawks.

Temporary fix

TO THE person complaining about the stands and the press box at Capaha Park: If you would bother to research things, you would know there is a new press box being built. To meet safety standards, it takes time to upgrade the stands and to add a new roof before beginning the press box. There are plenty of places to sit, and this is a temporary situation.

Grin and bear it

I GUESS we are going to have to put up with one more year of yawn basketball from Gary Garner. One game over .500 probably is good enough for him to keep his cush job, with all of its perks. Southeast should have fared much better than they did, but I guess we must grin and bear it. One more year of Garner stall ball. Hooray.