Patriots get Super win

Finally! Now all you Patriot and Red Sox fans can stop whining! You have a championship at last! How many years did it take? Enjoy it while you can, because baseball season is coming right up. We all know what that means! “1918.” Have a nice day!

Ed “Moon” Grant

Brownville

Bad behavior at WHS

To Anyone Who Cares at WHS:

On Saturday, February 2, 2002, it was my honor to be one of the cheering fans at the Woodland Dragon girls basketball game. My husband, myself and all four of our children are proud graduates of WHS.

Arriving late at the game, I had to take a seat in what is known as the “Dragon’s Den”. Never have I been subjected to such vulgarity and disrespect anywhere, at any kind of sporting event! I could not believe the things these WHS students were saying to each other, saying about the Calais team members and saying about our own team players. I would list a few of them for you, but in good conscience, I can not bring myself to write them down on paper.

Perhaps you would be one who would say, “Well, that is their section and that is the way kids talk today, they’re not hurting anyone”. I would have to disagree! I was sitting on about the fourth row, and in the first three rows were many young kids – grammar school age – who wanted to be near the cheerleaders and the Dragon. Obviously the activities of the older kids are affecting the younger kids.

By the time I reached home, I had decided to never again attend or involve myself in any activity, fund-raiser or sporting event connected with WHS. But when I had cooled down, I began to think about the honorable students that I know at WHS, and believe me there are many. I decided I should not penalize the many honorable students because of the ignorance of a few.

But what could I do? People who know me, know that I am not a person to set back and do nothing. In my job as Selectman for the Town of Princeton, I have told many citizens, “Things never change because people will not get involved!” Disregarding the advice of many, I am getting involved.

My purpose in writing this letter is to make the administration at Woodland High School aware of the problem, and to hold them accountable to get this mess cleaned up!

Doreen Wallace

Princeton

Fan critical of Versyp

At this point in the season, it’s clear that the UMaine women’s basketball program is in a “building year”.

We’ve seen many different combinations of players in every game, but none that seems to work consistently. Apparently Coach Versyp made the decision not to use a nucleus of more experienced players such as Julie Veilleux, Tracy Guerrette and Heather Ernest around which the freshman players could develop.

There’s obviously a lot of basic talent there, and perhaps Versyp’s “Pat Summit” style of coaching will pay dividends in the next few seasons. Sitting a player down after a fundamental mistake is something we haven’t seen in this program, nor have we heard a coach criticize specific players during media interviews. Such comments used to be reserved for the locker room.

One wonders how much a player can develop on the bench. But, hey, it’s the coach’s call, and we’ll see how it plays out. Next year.

Hal Wheeler

Bangor

Thanks to Bledsoe, Pats

I’d like to thank Mo Lewis for giving Tom Brady the chance to show what a true talent he really is. Don’t get me wrong. Drew Bledsoe is a great quarterback. But if it wasn’t for Mr. Lewis, Brady would have never got his chance in the spotlight, to bring us to this amazing season that all New Englanders have been dreaming about for years!

Even though Drew led us to victory in the AFC Championship game vs. Pittsburgh, replacing an injured Tom Brady, I feel his days as a Patriot are numbered. Hopefully he’ll get the chance to prove his value somewhere else, because he is a great quarterback!

Thanks Drew, for what you have accomplished since you were drafted by the Patriots in 1993. I’ve been a fan my entire life and have been waiting for this moment to celebrate a world championship!

Thanks for all the memories. They will last a lifetime.

Can you say, back to back?

Arnold Price

Machiasport

No cheers for home team

There seem to be some problems with school sports lately, attitudes on the court, behavior problems with fans and yes headlines have become a problem.

As a parent, it is a great feeling when your child plays a good game and they get their name in the paper. The next day someone comments to you on what a good job your child did at the game, it is something which stays with you, a memory to keep. My problem lies with the home-team coaches who, for whatever reason, takes this away from parents. It is the responsibility of the home-team coach to call the game scores in to the paper for publication the next day and when they don’t it effects both parents and players.

There were basketball games in Guilford the other night and I’m sure everyone remembers the boys game. Piscataquis Community broke Valley’s winning streak. Right before that there were two other games. Foxcroft Academy JV and varsity girls played the PCHS teams at 4 and 5:30 p.m. There were more fans at those girls games than any other game held that year, due to the fact that the PCHS-Valley game was to be played at 7 p.m. and tickets were on a first-come, first-served basis.

So the next day there is a two-page story about the boys game, but not one mention of the girls games, not even that little writeup they always do the following day for all games. Why was this? I called BDN sports and they informed me that the home team coach hadn’t called it in. Why? I could ask PCHS, but I won’t. I will just say that coaches need to put in the spotlight for being the cause to some of the problems that sports are having.

And for the record, my daughter was high scorer for the winning FA team that night. I know this because she made the TV news instead of the BDN .

Jennifer Haskell

Sangerville