August 23, 2005
Tuesday

I would like to applaud Coach Cropp's recent letter to Sitnews. Although it sounds like he had a valid case in his actions toward the officials in the Juneau game, I applaud his apology, although it may not have been needed. The apparent actions by the other team sound to be totally out of line and uncalled for with total disregard for good sportsmanship. On top of that, the officials inability to see that situation for what it was is totally out of line.
I did not see the actions, and am going on only what I read. However, my experience last August with Coach Cropp and Coach Ashcraft when the team played Francis Parker High School here in San Diego, leads me to believe he explained exactly what he saw to the "T".
Other letters in support of Coach Cropp tell exactly what I saw of the staff and team here last year. As I was broadcasting the game back to Ketchikan, I saw a team of only 14 (?) players giving it their all and never giving up even though they were outmatched by Francis Parker. In case you haven't heard it yet, those kids gained the respect of the entire F.P. fans, coaches, players, and even the officials. They didn't quit.

Yeah, Coach Cropp, you probably deserved to be ejected. But you supported your kids in a situation that shouldn't have gone unnoticed. It might boil down to what kind of schooling or training the officials go through before the season starts so they can recognize situations like that, and what to watch for. Baseball does it... It's not only the coach's job to protect the players, referees officiating the game also have to take responsibility.

Neil Gray
Lakeside, CA - USA

Related Viewpoint:

An open letter of apology By Richard S. Cropp - Ketchikan, AK - USA

 

Write a Letter -------Read Letters

E-mail the Editor

Sitnews
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska