Women coaches deserve equal pay

I compliment the Bangor Daily News and Jessica Bloch on the Saturday, Feb. 14 article “A Man’s World?”

It’s about time women coaches received the credit they richly deserve. Now, if their salaries were equal to men coaches, then everything would be fine. Is Sharon Versyp’s salary the same as John Giannini’s?

Is Pat Summitt, Tennessee women’s coach, (838-165 record, 83.6 percent) salary the same as Rick Pitino, Louisville men’s coach (413-149, 73.5 percent).

Think about it.

While on the subject of women coaches, how many women athletic directors are there in high schools?

What is the percentage of women compared to men in this field? Maine Central Institute has an excellent woman athletic director in Julie Treadwell.

What about the rest of Maine? Show me the numbers. Is it still “A Man’s World?”

Sessa Menendez

Pittsfield

A great Auditorium

The Bangor Auditorium is still a great place to have flower shows, the Shrine Circus, basketball games, and RV shows. The best thing is that it is paid for. Any building that is 50 years old needs repairs. If it had routine maintenance it would not be in such disrepair now.

The city doesn’t get it that Bangor is not a convention center. Let private enterprise build a convention center. They can afford the risk rather than the local tax payer.

Royce Day

Bangor

Panther Pride!

The Eastern Maine tournament is a special place to be in February. There is no place in Maine where schools and communities, large and small, can gather to show support for their favorites. My personal favorite was the Central Aroostook Panthers from Mars Hill. They made it to the Class D finals. They did it with style, class and a lot of heart. They lost the game in overtime.

These athletes are in MSAD 42 because of family circumstance, not athletic selection. Many have been together since kindergarten. They have seen each other every day for school, church, recreation and proms. They have the blessing of having parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins and countless community members attend every game and occasion as it arises.

As I sat at the reception for these players and saw how many people respect these young men, I saw the true meaning of Panther Pride! Congratulations on a job well done!

Sherri Cushman

Mars Hill

Whistle distracts players

Are the announcements about sportsmanship, prior to each basketball tourney game, just for the players? I assumed it was intended for those of us watching the tournament games as well.

I wonder why a spectator is allowed to whistle, a loud piercing whistle, during a basketball game. The intention of this person obviously is to distract the players on the opposing team during foul shots and when they have possession of the ball.

I know I was not the only person annoyed by this behavior. If thunder sticks and noise makers are not allowed in the Bangor Auditorium why is this? Tournament staff said it wasn’t brought to their attention. I think it was obvious to everyone in the building what this person was trying to do.

You have two teams playing hard and showing great sportsmanship, why can’t the fans?

Barbara Smith

Readfield

Official duties at DI-S

The is an account of an event at a basketball game that greatly disturbed me and many others at the game. The game was a boys tournament preliminary with Jonesport-Beals at Deer Isle-Stonington on Feb. 11.

The game was a hard-fought contest between two evenly matched opponents. There were several lead changes during the last quarter. The controversy comes about because of the officials’ management of the game clock near the end of the game. Jonesport-Beals scored a field goal at 11 seconds left, giving them a 59-58 lead.

Deer Isle-Stonington put the ball in play and took it over halfcourt on their end before play was stopped with six seconds left. The DI-S coach was trying to call timeout after the J-B basket. A conference among the officials (including the timekeeper) resulted in DI-S taking the ball out on their side of the court with 11 seconds on the clock. DI-S put the ball in play, and after several shots in a mad scramble near the basket, DI-S scored with one second left. Then time expired, the buzzer sounded, and the game was over with DI-S winning 60-59.

I am writing this as an alumnus of Jonesport-Beals High School, as a parent of children who have played for the Royals in the past, and as a fan of high school sports in general. I realize that what has happened has happened and that there can be no changes in a game that has already been played. I hope that input by people such as I might help to prevent such an occurrence in the future.

Also, this is not a dispute about a judgment call concerning a play between contestants. I know that in the heat of a contest, fans often see with their hearts rather than with their eyes alone. I also know that plays look different from different distances and different angles. While I disagree with calls, I understand that the officials should be in control of the game and their decision should be respected. However in this case, a technical mistake by game officials changed the outcome of the game.

It seems to me that each official in a game should have specific areas of responsibility. This would include the time clock, especially near the end of a close contest. How can three referees and the timekeeper not know how much time should be on the clock? Certainly at least one of them should have known.

Near the end of this game after J-B’s last field goal, DI-S should have been in one of two possible situations: The ball out of bounds at the J-B baseline with 11 seconds on the clock or the ball out of bounds on their side of halfcourt with six seconds left on the clock.

Instead, DI-S was given the best of both of these choices together. They scored the winning field goal with one second left on the clock. Someone did not do his job and as a result, the winning basket was scored four seconds after the game should have been over.

The result of this close playoff game was certain to be broken-hearted players and fans, no matter which side won. This is not written in any way to denigrate the players and fans of Deer Isle-Stonington. The players on both teams can be proud of the effort and teamwork that they displayed during this contest.

Part of the value of sports is to teach young people to learn give their best effort, to live with disappointments, and to move on with life, hopefully as a better, stronger, more mature person. To have a game and several high school basketball careers end on such a play is certainly a very bitter pill to swallow. Hopefully, in discussions and training among officials, specific duties during a contest can be assigned so that such an occurrence does not happen again.

Randy M. Beal

Harrington

Just go away

The following list of sports personalities are people we see and read about daily and we can find annoying at times. You don’t have to agree with someone else’s opinion. With that said, you can formulate your own list of annoying sports personalities.

10. Al Davis (who cares?)

9. Roger Clemens (it’s not the money)

8. Bill Walton (just too much information)

7. Dick Vitale (talks a lot)

6. Bobby Knight (bad mouth)

5. George Steinbrenner (he’s the boss)

4. Don King (needs a hair cut)

3. Pete Ross (odds 20 to 1)

2. Mike Tyson (bites)

1. Dennis Rodman (nice rings)

Oops, I forgot O.J. Simpson!

As Tony Kornheiser would say, “That’s the list!” However, it might not be his list or yours, but it’s mine.

Walter Whitney

Hampden