By Kim J. Harmon

 

I got wind of a discussion that took place recently in a public forum and I simply had to weigh in on it. I won’t get into the background of the topic, so if you were not part of that discussion then there is no context for my comments and I apologize.

But for those who were involved –

A coaches’ job is to provide a learning atmosphere, to somehow make the sport fun for the athletes, and to WIN. The entire experience of sports would be meaningless, I think, if the coach does not help the athletes find a way to be successful. While an athlete may learn a lesson in humility from a tough loss, the object is to be successful and to strive to be successful.

And no matter what you may think, no two athletes are of equal ability. Not now, not ever. And if you don’t think there are freshmen who have entered high school already better at what they do than some juniors and seniors already out on the field, then you haven’t been paying attention.

Sorry – I’m done ranting now.

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Was it just coincidence on Wednesday night that the Masuk scoreboard had two digits lit up on the home side (as in 00) and just one on the visitors’ side (as in 0)? Or were the Panthers suggesting something? As it was, the visitors’ side had to have two digits lit (as in 22), but well after it mattered.

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Running it up –

Be it basketball or football, a lot of coaches get accused of running up the scores. Sometimes for good reason. But I have always been of the mind that you have to give a coach three quarters to run the gameplan and do whatever it takes to score. Then put in the second- or third-string and (if it’s football) run belly left and belly right until the end of the game.

A few years ago, a Newtown High School player – at the tail end of a blowout over a weaker opponent – broke free and was well on his way to a touchdown, but intentionally stepped out of bounds down around the 10 yard line?

It was an admirable intention, but was it more embarrassing to the other team to do that instead of scoring the touchdown? And what about taking a knee in the third quarter of a game, as a former NHS coach once did?

Hey, I’m not saying that some coaches don’t deserve the bad reputations they have earned, but they should at least get three quarters to do what they do. After that, then decide who is being sportsmanlike and who is just running it up.

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It was pretty cold on Wednesday night, but I’m convinced that had NHS boys’ soccer coach Brian Neumeyer been there, he would have been wearing shorts. Those soccer guys are just plain nuts.

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Wow – Ansonia 49, Naugatuck 0. It has been some time since I have covered the Naugatuck Valley League, but that used to be the game of the week … the old Ansonia/Naugatuck rivalry. Good lord, what happened?

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Time is running out on your chance to buy a raffle ticket for that phenomenal Blue & Gold Booster Club drawing.

For the price of a $20 raffle ticket, sports fans have the opportunity to win a comprehensive travel package for two to any one of the biggest sporting events of the year.

Choose from the MLB, NBA or NHL All Star Games, the Kentucky Derby, the Ryder Cup, the US Open Golf or US Open Tennis Tournaments, the Masters, the Indy 500, Daytona 500, the NCAA Men’s or Women’s Basketball Final Four, the NFL Pro Bowl or the Super Bowl.

The drawing will take place on December 19 and the certificate will be good for one year from when the winner obtains the certificate. If you want to buy a ticket, contact a Newtown High School athlete or email nhsbluengold@charter.net for further info.

And remember this – the NFL Pro Bowl may be the dullest of all those contests, but it is in Hawaii.

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Look for it –

The 2003-04 Newtown High School winter sports previews will be in the December 12 issue of The Newtown Bee. And that means you can start logging on again to www.nighthawknation.com to immerse yourself in the fandom of Newtown High School and www.newtown.k12.ct.us/~straite/today.html to get up to date info on the daily sports schedule (and any possible postponements).

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Has someone you know made a strong contribution to Newtown sports in the past year?

Well, then, nominate him or her for the 2003 Newtown Bee Sportsman of the Year Award. Just send a letter by snail mail (5 Church Hill Road, Newtown, 06470), email (sports@thebee.com) or fax (426-5169) and explain to us why this person is deserving of the award.

Nominations will be taken until the end of December. Any questions, call Kim Harmon at 426-3141.

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Excuse me if I sound a little like Charles Dickens, but this is the best of times and this is the worst of times. Don’t get me wrong – I love this time of year. I love the festive feeling, the anticipation of Christmas, the cookies, and the last few weeks of the National Football League season. But I sure can do without the heavy traffic, the logjams in the parking lot, and the shoulder-to-shoulder masses in the malls.

It must just be me, but does it seem to you that some people only come out of their houses one month out of the year? I mean, where the heck were all these people from January through November? And wouldn’t you think that since the day after Thanksgiving has the reputation as the busiest shopping day of the year that most people would just wait until next week?

Sorry, I thought I was through ranting.