The Daily Pooch Punt: 3/25/08
So it’s Spring Break and with no local sports happening until later today after the long weekend, what’s an all-local, daily sports blogger to do?
Well, the same thing all bloggers do when they have nothing to write about — time to dip into the e-mails and comments with the hopes that they can hold the blog together for just one day. Pinch your nose, we’re diving in.
Say What?
Just wanted to say “Thank You” for the excellent article you did on Jacob Hutchinson and Jeremy Heizer. I know I have been critical of you about some coverage but this was great and the two young men really enjoyed it. — Randal Almarode
Seriously, people say “thank you” for doing something you enjoy doing. As I said in last week’s column and blog, sitting down for an interview with Riverheads’ two Bridgewater-bound athletes (Heizer for hoops, Hutchinson for football) was less an interview and more a comedy hour. These to guys are down to earth, sincere and very funny. They made for an enjoyable story and were a blast to cover for four years. Just think, we get one more season of Heizer who doubles as the goalkeeper for the always strong Riverheads boys soccer team. As for the critical part. Trust me, people have said a lot worse than what Mr. Almarode ever said for wrote.
The battle last year between the “boro” and TA at Waynesboro was the best high school baseball game I have ever seen, and it will be a while before you see two talented teams of the caliber play like the again. — Bob Buckley
Agreed, but up at Turner Ashby they just seem to reload. In Waynesboro, it takes time to get back to the top. But Waynesboro has a nice one-two punch with its pitching in Joseph “I’m-Not-Just-James’-Little-Brother” Lucas and Jeremy Hahn. The Little Giants made it very clear last week that they can win games in the Southern Valley and, more importantly, will be one of the top three teams in the district. Oh, and yes they can field. Not surprising that under veteran coach Jim Critzer the defense cleaned up its act in the field.
I have noticed that there has been quite a stir about Waynesboro’s coach not being named “Coach of the Year”! Having coached, I attended district and regional votings. If a coach did not show up for any of those votings, then I would have a hard time voting that person as “Coach of the Year” unless that individual had a very valid reason for not being in attendance. — Tim Byars (Former Wilson Memorial girls basketball coach)
I still don’t understand what attendance at a meeting has to do with how good of a season you had as a coach. I just don’t get it. If someone coaches his or her team to an undefeated district season after years of mediocrity, that coach doesn’t need to show up to get my vote.
[Waynesboro freshman LaToya] Diggs is not the best guard in the state. Spotswood and TA both have better guards than her. As well does Hidden Valley. All teams that beat them at one point this year, all because they forced turnovers off of the freshman. By her senior year, she could be the best in the state—but only time will tell. — Brad
Don’t tell me. Tell coach Secrett Stubblefield. Though I will say for a 15-year-old, her defense on the Siegel Center floor was nothing less than tenacious. I’m sure when Hidden Valley’s Abby Oliver saw that a freshman was going to be guarding her in the Group AA championship game, she started to salivate. But Diggs held the Richmond-bound guard to her season average of 16 points. Not too shabby. I’m sure, over time, the turnovers will take care of themselves since Diggs is a student of the game and has a Liberty-bound cousin (Devon Brown) to look up to and ask for advice.
I still haven’t heard why the VHSL puts such an emphasis on sportsmanship but yet Secrett Stubblefield can demonstrate a poor example of it and be lauded by the media. — Old Fart
The VHSL also won’t let students use body paint during the state championship games, they couldn’t hold up signs or use artificial noisemakers. Fans also can’t do any “mooing (really? Mooing? Seriously?), barking” and you can’t use the time-honored cheers of “you, you, you” after a foul, “over rated” when your knocking off the state’s best team or “warm up the bus” during a game’s waning moments. I don’t know how much emphasis the VHSL puts on sportsmanship, it seems more like they want to turn high school sports into a funeral. (Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up. You can read it for yourself here.)
I’m just saying.