Star Beacon
May 01, 2008 02:31 am
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See ya, C.C.!
Don,
Being a lifelong Cleveland sports fan I can predict exactly how the C.C. Sabathia drama is going to play out.
It will go the same way Jim Thome and Albert Belle went: First, C.C. will say how much he loves the fans and the city and how he really wants to stay. Then, he will get an offer that the Indians find impossible to match and he will be gone and we get nothing.
To avoid this from happening, Mark Shapiro must make his best offer early in the year and attempt to sign him to a long-term contract. If that fails, he has to be traded, otherwise, we get nothing.
No doubt, the Yankees are sharpening their pencils preparing to put C.C. in pinstripes.
The playing field in baseball is far from level and this, unfortunately, is what will happen.
Mike Kehoe
Conneaut
n Mike, I agree. Color him gone. — DM
His own variety store...
Hey, Don,
I believe I wrote awhile back that the steroids nonsense would become a “he said, she said” situation.
Well, Brian McNamee says he injected Roger Clemens with steroids, and Clemens says that is not true. And to add to the drama, they are suing one another. How muddied are those waters? Let it go.
I do have a few other thoughts/questions on the situation, though.
McNamee is singing because he is already in trouble. Why is the media so willing to accept the word of someone obviously trying to save his own skin?
I asked this before. In America, are you not innocent until proven guilty?
Also, it was with great pleasure that I heard Clemens explode on the media when they mentioned the Hall of Fame. The media takes great pleasure in threatening baseball greats with a possible exclusion from the Hall. I’m sure there are a number of superstars who really don’t care; they are secure in their greatness (and arrogance). Anyway, if the media somehow keeps enough superstars out of the Hall, I’m thinking of opening my own.
I have a few other thoughts, if you have the time.
Many Ohio State fans (and again, the media) wondered about Todd Boeckman’s slump near the end of the year. In fact, I think the coach said something about footwork. Was it footwork, or was it that OSU was done with Youngstown State, Kent and Akron?
Do you suppose the announcers on TV know the difference between “exercising demons” and “exorcising demons”? I have old ears, but it sure didn’t sound like it.
I was for awhile a fan of instant replay in football. I like the idea of getting the call correct. However, I have changed my mind. Too many coaches have started to abuse they system. They are too often just throwing out the red flag and hoping.
There has emerged a “nothing-to-lose” kind of attitude. The spirit of the rule has been discarded.
Also, in the final two minutes, the replay booth is choosing to review too many plays. There needs to be a little more confidence in the officials on the field and more consideration for those of us watching on TV.(I can only stand so many commercials).
Finally, how about this as an argument for a playoff in college football? It seems like way more personal fouls were committed during the bowl games than were committed during the regular season.
It’s like the players know the bowl game is it (for some, the last of their career) so they have no fear of repercussion. (speculation, I know).
However, if there was a playoff setup, players would be more apt to play under control because of the possibility of another game(s).
On another, more important, topic, on, I could not have been more pleased than to read in your paper that Adam Holman was to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The HOF has not made any better selections. I was one of the students at West Junior High and Ashtabula High that got to know AD as a teacher, a coach, and a man. Even later, Adam umpired games in the old Twilight League when the Snakes were playing (and causing him all kinds of grief).
I applaud whomever is responsible for having the insight to pick a deserving man like Adam. A lot of educators “talk the talk”about their commitment to youth, but Adam Holman “walked (and apparently still walks) the walk.”
Congratulations, Adam Holman.
Thanks,
Dave Uitto
New Riegel, Ohio
n Dave, I smell a rat with Clemens, but what do I know? As for Ohio State, the next two recruiting classes Jim Tressel has lined up could very well correct a lot of the problems. And, every football power plays a creampuff or two. Not having a playoff for Division I football is a disgrace. Adam Holman has given of himself to the young people in this area for decades. Thanks for writing. — DM
Thanks, from Perry
Don, Karl, James, Bob, Steve and the rest of the gang,
My son, Derek, just finished his high school sports career at Perry. It has been a blast watching these boys win both the CVC football and basketball crowns for the first time in school history after they pretty much avoided everyone’s radar screen.
On behalf of all Pirate parents, please except my thanks for your super coverage this year. You helped make this year a great ride for the boys, their coaches, their families, friends and the rest of the community.
With Derek’s graduation, I probably won’t be getting up at 5:30 a.m. to look online at what was coming in the day’s Star Beacon sports section, but I will miss doing it.
Best wishes for your continued success.
Robert Dawson
Perry
n Robert, thanks much. Congrats to your son for all of his achievements. — DM
Gilchrist the great
Don,
Kyle Gilchrist is so good, he even made YOU look good by the column you wrote about him.
And that’s saying something.
J.S. Campbell
Ashtabula
n J.S., thanks for reading... and writing. — DM
Lack of class
Hi, Don,
I’ve learned over the many years that I have been around high school sports you have to let all the good things that happen shove the bad things on the backburner. The bad things that irritate me the most are things that adults do.
On Saturday, a mother at the PV Invitational lied to the ticket takers that she was going in just to get her son. Under respect, you help her out so she does not pay. Amazingly, it took three hours to accomplish it then has the nerve to snarl at something being said to her.
No respect.
I read the article in Sunday’s paper on the boy’s track meet at PV Saturday and the Painesville Riverside coach commented several times how great the people running the meet are and praised everyone for doing a wonderful job. I have only been around three track meets this year and each one has had at least one adult causing problems.
At the same time, other parents from other schools comment how they love coming to the PV track that it is the nicest facility around and the treatment everyone gets is great.
The athletes at these track meets are all a class act. I say track meets because track is different than other sports. These student are more less on their own at all times and responsible for being at the right events on time, as called. Many leave the facility to run wherever they can to be ready for their running events. As they come and go, they do it with respect to the workers at the gate and most of them say thank you as pass by.
So many times, we hear about an athlete causing a problem when in fact their are more adults who do.
It takes adults to make things work, but it’s the athletes that provide the competition and enjoyment for everyone.
As hard as it is sometimes, we have to ignore the problems and enjoy all the good.
Rusty Webker
Andover
n The nerve, or perhaps the lack of class, of some people these days amazes even me... and that’s difficult to do. – DM
Thanks, from PV
Don,
I would like to compliment you and the rest of the Beacon sports writers on your coverage of local sporting events.
The coverage is not just box scores, but articles that give an indepth view of teams, players and coaches.
The various articles such as Softball Insider, Baseball Insider, Football Insider etc. give an insightful view of the various sports, the athletes involved, and their back stories.
Over time, as life gets chaotic and memories start to fade, the “old” articles can be revisited and hopefully bring back a warm feeling of their youth. It’s often been said to high school athletes that four years of hard work will give you forty years of memories.
These articles will make it a little easier to remember.
Edward J. Pollander, D.D.S.
Pymatuning Valley
n Doc, remember that if I need a tooth pulled, OK? Seriously, thanks for the props. If nothing else, we try hard. — DM
Great story
Don,
This is for your columnist, Todd Porter:
Todd:
Congratulations on a great article on Jim Tressel in the March 27 edition.
It was very nicely written and gave a beautiful portrait in just a few words.
I am going to keep this one to pull out and show to friends.
Russ Boyer
Mililani, Hawaii
n Russ, I couldn’t agree more! That piece on Jim Tressel was simply put, a tremendous piece of writing. I forwarded your message to Todd. All the way from Hawaii? — DM
Excellent points
Don,
I just wanted to write and say to Patrick McManamon that his column in the Wednesday (April 21) paper as all class.
He really could have lit up on the Wizards for playing the kind of basketball they did. I think what he wrote was, let’s not get caught up in any of the way they played — let’s not get or rather taken anything for granted at this stage of the first round.
Now, it is up to the Cavaliers to go out and play good, clean, hard b-ball and win that way.
It’s really good for the game... and Cleveland.
Go Cavs! Rise up!
John Picard
Conneaut
n John, you said it! And, so did Pat. — DM
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