FanSpeak 3/20/05

Serves 'em right

IN ANTICIPATION that Vashon -- ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today -- would roll to victory against Poplar Bluff in the Class 5 state championship game, Fox Sports Midwest showed a "march to perfection" video featuring Vashon shortly after Poplar Bluff pummeled them 71-56. What an embarrassment. Serves those city folk right.

Bored

THERE ARE three good reasons the Southeast women's basketball team does not get the support of the men's team, even though they win more games. I will list them in order of importance: Women's basketball is boring, women's basketball is boring, and women's basketball is boring. Any questions?

Where's Tyler?

HOW IN the world can you ask who is the best basketball player in Southeast Missouri and yet you don't even list the player who is in the top 10 in the country -- Tyler Hansbrough? How about changing your poll to the "second-best player in Southeast Missouri," and then don't forget to include Ben Hansbrough in your list.

(The poll was meant to indicate the best player in the coverage area of the Southeast Missourian newspaper, which does not include Poplar Bluff.)

Define Southeast

WHAT KIND of a sports department do you have? You are the "Southeast" Missourian. Your poll question asks who is the best boys basketball player in "Southeast" Missouri. Why are you not including the best basketball player in the state -- Tyler Hansbrough, who happens to live in Southeast Missouri? Or is Poplar Bluff now part of Southwest Missouri? Anyone who knows anything about high school basketball will see the flaw in your poll. If you want to give props to "local" players you need to re-word the question. Tyler Hansbrough is an All-American, and to not be included in your poll, as asked, is ridiculous.

(See above.)

Notre Dame bias

I'M CALLING about the coverage of the Poplar Bluff state title game and the Cinderella story of Notre Dame basketball. Poplar Bluff got like one-fourth of the coverage. This is their second title in a row. The team they played, Vashon, had not been beat in two years; and you made Notre Dame look like I don't know what. You know, that's very poor sportsmanship. I cannot believe that any team in Southeast Missouri that goes that far that you would give them such a small article, and Notre Dame rules, no matter what. You know, I'm not that biased about Notre Dame, but, by George, you all are.

Where was Charleston?

I SAW in the St. Louis paper that the Charleston Bluejays are going to the state final four, but when I bought a Southeast Missourian to find out more, there was no mention of the Charleston boys at all. There was almost an entire page on the high school quarterfinals -- Bell City and St. Vincent had large articles -- but I couldn't even find a date and time for the Charleston game. Who dropped the ball?

(Charleston is covered primarily by our media partner newspaper in Sikeston, the Standard-Democrat; while Poplar Bluff is covered by another media partner, the Daily American Republic in Poplar Bluff. Both newspapers' Web sites can be reached by links from our Web site, www.semissourian.com.)

Vote for Nikko

CALLING ALL Cardinals fans: Nikko is back. You have another chance to vote for Nikko Smith on "American Idol." If you never heard him sing the national anthem in St. Louis at a Cardinals game, you missed out. For those of you who don't know, Nikko Smith is Ozzie Smith's son. Watch American Idol and vote for Nikko.

Creating shots

I HAD to laugh about coach Randy White's comment about the Delta girls needing to make better shot selections. I have seen several of their games and if they select any more, they won't shoot at all. It's hard to find a perfect time to shoot. Winning teams make their opportunities happen.

Equal representation

THIS IS regarding the BA Sports All Star team selections. Notre Dame Regional High School has supported BA Sports through out the years, as have many other local schools. They have ordered everything from jerseys to team sweatshirts. In the selection of the teams, there were no girls selected from Notre Dame or Central, and there were many selected from southern schools. Players like Amber Karnes of Notre Dame and Erica Schabbing of Central had good seasons, and I feel they deserved just as much a spot on the all-star teams as the other girls. Only one player from each team should be selected so that every team has a chance to be represented.