Here & There Column 2-11-14

 World Of Sports Is Changing 

  What is going on in the World of Sports these days?

  All of  us just witnessed one of the worst Super Bowls ever.....these  memories will be so thick we'll have to brush them away from our faces.

  Covering sports has always been a great passion with me because I participated for so many years as an athlete in high school, college, the U.S. Navy and in many independent sports leagues that when I sit, witness, and write about the high school sports I cover today I sometimes have to sit back and  just shake my head. 

  There is an old adage that you never blame the official or umpires if your team loses but what we have seen the past several years is horrendous and so many simple calls being missed and not called by officials. 

  Officiating at times in many of the high school and college athletic events we have been a part of is simply something that needs great improvement.  

  Whistles have been blown as part of poor officiating for decades and now with more statistical and video evidence than ever...it easier to find evidence of referees (umpires)  making bad calls.

  Hey....we agree that referees are human and the human element is imperfect and we offer no disrespect to the refs for the tough job they have to do in sometimes very tough situations when split-second decisions have to be made. 

  Moments of head-shaking frustration toward the human elements of the game can leave us to think many thoughts about officiating today......is Instant Replay an answer here?

  From officiating we turn this discussion to high school coaches and the fact that I'm on the sidelines close to the game and its coaches all the time and we don't like what we have seen and heard from some coaches.

  We have heard coaches swearing at their ballplayers and being very degrading in their comments instead of offering suggestions for improvement and encouragement.........college coaches have been fired for swearing at their players.

  We know that schools have difficult  times filling coaching positions but these kind of situations cannot be tolerated.

  Coaches at times have to learn how to face reality and such was the case at a recent Tri-Valley Lady Bears vs. Tuxedo basketball game when following        

the Lady Bears crushing defeat of Tuxedo their coach Dave Powers refused to talk to two members of the press issuing a statement several times of "no comment."

  Really Dave you came out on the court after taking your team into the locker room so you didn't have to take the defeat your team got out on the media who were just trying to do their job. 

  Coaches who deliberately do not want to talk to the press after the game remain in the locker room and we media can then just say the coach was not available for comment. 

  Being responsible and professional is a big part of any coaches job.