FanSpeak 3/7/04

We made a mistake

I AM confused. How did the Delta Bobcats girls basketball team finish both third and fourth in the state last year? Your miniscule district article listed them as third one place and fourth in another sentence. I checked their trophy case and they placed third last year, and we are still proud of them.

We're pathetic

YOU SOUTHEAST Misssourian sports writers are pathetic. Marty commends Mitch Craft after he violates the school ethics code and probably helped Central lose their district championship and then you give little as well as wrong information about the district tournaments for classes of 1, 2 and 3.

Tips for the editor

WHY WAS the Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 district information buried in the article about Lauren Lueders? Lauren deserves her own article but so did the districts. I will remind you that the classes 4 and 5 districts had a front-page article that was continued to the second page in the Feb. 23 edition. Maybe you should have condensed your front-page articles in the Saturday paper and given the classes 1, 2 and 3 schools the recognition they deserve. Try to do a better job the next time.

Tips for officials

OFFICIALS ARE to be professionals and try to lead both teams and fans to a fair game. Two teams cannot win, so do not provoke the fans or players by smirking at one another and one coach. Even though you may not have favoritism to one team, it does seem that way when you talk to one coach more than 10 times in one half. Have you counted? Do your professional job. Don't be the one to cause a riot. Behind your door, you can giggle and make fun of.

He won't be back

AFTER BEING a Southeast season-ticket holder for more than 30 years, I will not renew my tickets next year. Enough said.

Defensive gem unnoticed

EAST PRAIRIE scored only six points in a Saturday night game against Kelly. There was no mention of the Kelly boys game in paper. Put a fence around Cape and see how long the retail stores stay open.

A sure sign of spring

THE ST. Louis Cardinals just went to spring training, and one of their pitchers came in with a sore shoulder. I just wonder what people think about guys that have been off all winter and then he comes into spring training and he can't pitch.

A short note

KUDOS TO Darla Craft.

Break rules, earn respect

I THINK I finally have Marty Mishow figured out. I know what it takes to earn his respect. First of all, he praises a kid who breaks citizenship rules and said the kid is a solid citizen. In his column on Feb. 29 he says he has the utmost respect for Ron Shumate, who he goes on to say was dismissed after the NCAA determined Shumate violated its rules. So he has the utmost respect for people who breaks the rules. And this is who we have writing about our kids and our area sports. That's real comforting.

Cover small schools, too

YOU SPORTS writers have certainly short-changed most of the teams from the smaller school this past week with your lack coverage on their district games. These games mean as much to these schools, players, students and parents as your precious Jackson, Central and Notre Dame teams. And I know for a fact that people in the smaller towns subscribe to your paper, too. Give them their money's worth.

Worst officiating ... ever

I JUST witnessed Charleston defeating Scott City. it was a great game. The only thing wrong with it was that Scott City was hurt by the people in black and white. That was the worst-called game I have ever witnessed in my life.

East Coast bias

IT'S ABOUT time SIU was beaten. I was very tired of hearing about SIU basketball every night on the televised sports. There are many good basketball teams -- high school and collegiate -- here in Missouri that do not get the press that many schools in Illinois receive.

Coverage was sad

I THINK it is pretty sad when three area girls team win their district tournament only get a few sentences each. Saxony Lutheran lost the first-round game and got a picture on the first page along with full-page article. Congratulations to the Charleston, Scott County Central and Delta girls for winning districts. Good luck.

Point taken. District championships deserve coverage worthy of the accomplishment. In Friday's paper, coverage of the six district tournament finals played Thursday night occupied 51 percent of the sports section's space (excluding the Scoreboard and TV listings). Each of the two Class 1 girls tournaments consisted of two teams.

Disappointed with coverage

I AM disappointed about the lack of coverage all week for the classes 1, 2 and 3 district tournaments. You really owe the Chaffee girls a big apology for the one sentence you put in about their semifinal game. Also, I'm not from Delta but have seen the boys play and I know that picture of the Delta-Bell City game was not Zack Kelley. Check it out but wasn't it Kevin Bartels?

You're correct. The photo was of Kevin Bartels. Attempts to reach someone with information on the Chaffee game by deadline Wednesday night were not successful.

My secret fishing hole

THIS IS to all of you who do not really know where the cleanest trout fishing is. It's Meramec Springs. I fished there for years. It's a crystal clear, beautiful and, yes, it's much slower than Montauk. Meramec Springs is beautiful, clear water. It is well organized and well maintained.

Congrats to Delta boys

I WANT to congratulate the Delta boys basketball team for a tremendous season. They finished with the best season we have had in a long time. I have enjoyed watching them this year. None of you should be hanging your head. You did a great job and I know the school and community is very proud of all of you. Keep up the hard work and we will see you next year. For the three seniors: Thanks for giving all your time and dedication. Good luck to you in your future.

Golfers need some heckling

DAVIS LOVE III has just given us the clearest demonstration ever of the difference between the mental toughness of the mindset of a golfer versus the mindset of a basketball player. Notice how a few good-hearted cheers for Tiger Woods completely melted the concentration of Love's golf game. Compare this to the pressure at the free-throw line of any high-stakes basketball game with the screaming mobs and the waving and distractions going on behind the backboard. The aristocracy of the golf course versus the working-class mindset of the basketball player, it's no contest.

Garner's recruiting suspect

I READ the vote of confidence article on Coach Garner with great interest. However, the statement that the team that went to the NCAA tournament was an all-Garner team is incorrect. One of the best all-around and definitely the best inside player on that team, Roderick Johnson, transfered to SEMO from Wisconsin-Milwaukee under Ron Shumate. He was still here because he had to sit out a year under NCAA transfer rules. My problems with Coach Garner are not his floor-coaching ability, he seems to know the X's and O's well enough, it is the recruiting. The article did not mention the fact that if not for the recruiting efforts of Tom Schuberth, most of those good players would never have come to SEMO. The decline of talent on the team began as soon as Coach Schuberth left. If Coach Garner does not turn things around in the remaining two years on his contract, SEMO would be foolish to stick with him.

Congrats to Jackson girls

I JUST wanted to congratulate the Jackson girls basketball team on an outstanding season. It was great to see the teamwork that made their season successful. I also would like to acknowledge the wonderful coaching. It is about time that the women's program had a woman on the sidelines; I believe she did a wonderful job. I also believe coach Sam Sides did a great job with the Indians this year. He was there to coach an entire team, and everyone recieved a chance. Congratulations to the players and the coaches for an amazing season. Good luck in the years to come.