Kelley adjusting to retirement Ex-Bangor coach ‘can sit back and relax and enjoy the games’

For the first time in 33 years, Bob Kelley has found himself on the outside of the fence at a Bangor High School baseball game.

Kelley retired last spring after 32 seasons as the head coach of the Ram baseball team. His teams compiled a 479-89 record with 15 Eastern Maine Class A championships and eight state titles.

So how was his first Bangor game as a spectator?

“It was kind of odd not being out there. It’s quite different after doing it for so many years,” said Kelley. “The only positive is I don’t get keyed up on the day of the game. I used to get uptight. I’d get very nervous.

“It’s hard to enjoy a game when you’re coaching because you’re so much into the game,” added the 64-year-old Kelley. “Now I can sit back and relax and enjoy the games.”

That’s not to say he doesn’t miss the games.

“The games were the fun part. I really enjoyed the strategy in the game: when to change a pitcher, when to bunt. I enjoyed the challenge. I miss the kids and I miss working with [assistants] John [Stubbs], Neil [Waterman] and Jeff [Fahey]. I worked with John and Neil so long that we all thought the same,” said Kelley, who admitted that he doesn’t miss the practices.

Does he find himself second-guessing first-year coach Fahey?

“No. I think I probably watch the game through the eyes of a coach. But I don’t second-guess. I’m there to enjoy the game,” said Kelley.

He said former assistant Dave Wing probably best categorized his regime when Wing was coaching Skowhegan High School and they were scrimmaging his Rams.

“He was trying to get the same atmosphere surrounding his team as we had surrounding ours and he called ours ‘organized chaos,’ ” chuckled Kelley. “Everybody had a good time during practice. We had fun. But when we crossed the lines [for a game], we were thinking strictly baseball.”

He continues to enjoy retirement from teaching (health and physical education) and coaching.

“I get up around the crack of noon,” joked Kelley who finds himself on a golf course several times a week.

He enjoys seeing several of his ex-players at Ram games and likes what he has seen from his former team.

“Pitching was the question mark but things are starting to fall into place,” said Kelley.

He doesn’t like the fact all the teams will make the playoffs in the new open tourney format.

“I’m very much against it. I feel kids should have to earn things. It teaches them a lot about life. Things aren’t handed to you. You have to earn them,” said Kelley.

MCI coach lists top CDs

Maine Central Institute football coach and former John Bapst coach Billy Cowan has had an extensive career in the music industry. He worked at record stores between Dallas and Orono from 1974-86 and managed the Augmented Fifth in Orono and the Sound Source in Bangor.

His personal collection of CDs are in the thousands and here are his five favorites:

Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks.” “It has a very bitter edge to it. It’s about lost love, those kinds of things.”

Richard and Linda Thompson’s “Shoot out the Lights.” “The song ‘Shoot Out the Lights’ has one of the greatest rock n’ roll guitar solos in the world [by Richard Thompson]. It’s a great song as is ‘Did she jump or was she pushed.’ ”

Neil Young’s “Tonight’s the Night.” “It’s a live studio thing. He was with Crazy Horse. It’s a great record. He [Young] was drinking while he was doing it and loses a track of lyrics at times. Nils Lofgren is on guitar. ‘Tonight’s the Night’ is one of his greatest songs ever.”

Elvis Costello’s “My Aim is True.” “It’s right on the edge of real hard punk pop. It has real catchy hooks and great lyrics. It’s very sarcastic and very bitter.”

Nirvana’s “Never Mind.” It’s so fast and there’s so much energy. It has great hooks. It’s real hard. It makes you want to dance. ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ was certainly the early ’90s teen anthem.”