FanSpeak 8/22/04

Tougher than it looks

IN REFERENCE to the individual who stated last week the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team has a weak schedule, I suggest looking at it more thoroughly. Nonconference road games at Bradley, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Western Kentucky, North Texas and St. Louis will all be tough. Granted, some of the nonconference home games should be easy wins for Southeast, but they also face a very tough Montana team and an SIU team that could be in the Top 25. Then you have the OVC schedule, which is always tough. If you look at the team Southeast is going to have, I think this year's schedule is very difficult. If the team can come together during their upcoming trip to Canada, and if it can catch a few breaks and win the close games, I can see Southeast finishing with anywhere between 16 to 20 wins.

Misguided youth

THIS IS in response to David Wilson's column, "The week ahead," and his thank-yous to the staff of the Southeast Missourian. I do think it's wonderful that this young man was given this opportunity, and he's done a good job. I haven't always agreed with him, but it's been interesting to see his perspective, and he's done a great job for the paper. However I have to take issue with one thing he said: "No matter what anyone says, no one can do this job better than this group," in reference to the sports staff. I hate to tell you, but there are a lot of people that could do that job better. There are a couple of people on the sports staff who are so busy being the coach's buddy that they don't give accurate information. They don't give unbiased coverage. Those of us who are in the sports world see it all the time. Be real careful, young man, about just accepting that everybody on your staff is so wonderful. They're not. You're going to work with some idiots.

A lack of discipline

IT SEEMS like every week or so, we hear about a problem with college or professional athletes getting into trouble with the law. My co-workers think it could stem from all the former coaches of these athletes who didn't care if they were responsible or contributed to society and only cared about their playing ability. These athletes probably got away with breaking team rules for years, didn't get the punishments other players received and now have no self-discipline.

Thanks for the help

I REALIZE that you can only print scores and information the coaches send in, and that's understandable, and this is not a complaint. I just wanted to bring to your attention that this summer in senior Babe Ruth there were some local boys who went all the way to regional tournament and would have gone to the World Series had they won this last tournament. In this area, the Oran team won districts and went on to state. Although it was mostly made up of Oran kids, they did pick up two kids from local high schools -- Steve Miinch from Cape Central and Blake Essner from Notre Dame. Both of those boys were key players. As someone from Oran, I just wanted you to know that these boys were really an asset to our team and our team did a great job, and we're real proud of them.

We want results

I WAS wondering if anybody could tell me how the 11-year-old division Jackson Cal Ripken baseball team did up in Boonville, Mo. I was kind of shocked to see that it hasn't been in the paper. This is something of which we should be very proud and show these boys our support.

(The team finished second in the Midwest Plains regional, as was reported on Page 5B in Wednesday's edition.)

Hundreds ready to race

I'D LIKE to know if the Benton, Mo., racetrack is ever gong to open back up. There are hundreds of drivers out here waiting to have a place to race. Please let us know something in the future. This place is an excellent facility and it's just going to waste. I know somebody could take it over and make this thing work, and it needs to work as soon as possible. People are getting tired of waiting on it opening. If they wait any longer, people may not show up. So we need to do something about it immediately. Please let the fans and the people know what's going on with the race track. Let's open it up soon.