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Tweedie displayed class as Hermon coach

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Hermon coach Alan Tweedie for the past several years as a fellow coach and basketball observer. In my dealings with coach Tweedie, he has always displayed tremendous class and professionalism to any position he has lent his good name to.

This is true of how he dealt with everyone involved in the game, from officials, fellow coaches and players. Never flashy or one to rant and rave, this coach was a sure and steady hand guiding the fortunes of this program. Never once in my dealings with coach Tweedie have I seen him be abusive to a player or official.

Oh, and by the way, this guy got results on the court as well. Just one year ago the Hawks were in the Eastern Maine championship game, not a small feat for a team that in the preseason was hardly talked about as a title contender. While a young club did go 5-13 this past season, it was competitive in virtually every ballgame. The future was certainly looking bright for this program with coach Tweedie at the helm. Any school administrator would be thrilled having a gentleman of this caliber directing their basketball program.

Unfortunately, a few loud malcontents in the area had the right connections to the school board and this fine professional was let go in a manner that was anything but. This school board should be ashamed of itself for this travesty that occurred, dismissing a fine coach who did nothing to deserve this but be caught in the middle of petty town politics.

Coach Tweedie deserved much better, considering the 30-plus years of dignified and dedicated service to the Hermon school community.

For those of you who live in the communities that send students to Hermon High School and support coach Tweedie, and I believe there are many of you, it’s time to make your voice heard. Call or write a letter to your school board member letting them know of your support. If this doesn’t get results, I would suggest starting a petition drive to have him reinstated as coach.

Alan Tweedie needs to be back on the sidelines where he belongs and the Hermon school community will be much better for it.

Bob Beatham Jr.

Bangor

Red Sox in better position this season

The Boston Red Sox have been floating round 10 games above .500 for a good part of the season. Johnny Damon, David Ortiz, and Mike Timlin are showing the same heart they showed last year, and Manny is slowly improving his subpar start. The starting pitching has been, in most fans’ eyes, better than expected. I mean c’mon, how many of us actually expected Matt Clement to be this good so far this season?

Yes, we do have a weakness at second base with Bellhorn going for the major league record for strikeouts in a season. But we are taking care of the issue by acquiring Alex Cora and Tony Graffanino. We also got Chad Bradford, Adam Stern, and the ever-beloved Gabe Kapler. The ever-increasing ERA of Alan Embree is no more for us. The “Sawx” as we Northeasterners like to put it, play Tampa Bay, the doormat of the A.L. East, more than any other team down the stretch and play more home games than away games.

So why would anyone possibly complain? We are in a better position this year than we were at this point last year. And we all know what happened last year. For those of you who don’t, let me help you out. We won the World Series! Need I say more? As far as I am concerned, this season they could’ve lost every game and I still would be happy. We, as Red Sox fans, have nothing to complain about. Yet I constantly hear complaints from diehard fans.

Just yesterday I was talking to one of my friends, and he said that if the Sox didn’t get Eddie Guardado, then the season is over. Last time I checked Guardado was a barely above average relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. Now he is the savior of a World Series championship team. Pardon me for my skepticism, but I doubt that he is the answer to all the “problems.” The problem is we are so used to losing, it becomes habit to complain no matter what the situation. Eighty-six years of frustration can do that to you.

I guess what this article is is a call to Red Sox Nation to stop complaining and bask in the glory. We are defending the trophy, have a team atop the A.L. East going into the homestretch, and Curt Schilling is finally showing flashes of a comeback. Besides, Major League Baseball is coming out with a DVD set of the ALCS and World Series soon. I suggest anyone frustrated by this year’s team order a copy, grab your rally cap, and watch it again. It must not have sunk in the first time.

Aaron Jackson

Old Town

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