Lance 228 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 I guess there was more going on across the field than I knew...I don't know about this one...the Bluefield fans seemed pretty straight up to me and every game has it's ups and downs and the fans talk a little trash here and there...sometimes I guess people's emotions get the best of their better judgement. anyway...here it is: http://www.bdtonline.com/articles/2005/09/20/editorials/01tueslett.txt Fan behavior at game inexcusable Posted: Monday, Sep 19, 2005 - 05:23:48 pm EDT I traveled to Grundy tonight to watch my Beavers play against the Grundy Golden Waves. The Beavers played a hard fought game and I enjoyed every minute of it. Not because we won, but because it was high school football at it's finest. Both teams wanted a win, but the Beavers ultimately achieved that goal in the end. That said, I also want to say I have never been more ashamed to call myself a Beaver as I was tonight. Not because of the performance and class shown on the field, but because of the performances shown by some of the Beaver fans off the field in the stands. I can honestly say that our student athletes showed more maturity than these so-called fans did. I have been a Beaver for more than 30 years. As a student, as the parent of a former player, the parent of a former cheerleader, a volunteer cheerleader coach and now as the wife of one of the assistant coaches and the aunt of one of the current players. Maybe it is because the stands were small and you could hear most all of the comments being said or maybe I just chose to never pay attention to the comments, even when, in the past, they were aimed at someone I had on the field or on the sidelines. But last night was inexcusable. Without going into what was being said, suffice it to say, the comments were hurtful and rude to say the least. Perhaps these fans just don't realize the time and effort that goes into fielding a football team. Maybe they really think our guys go out there to lose, or that the coaches enjoy a loss. Whatever the reason, I just hope the next time one of these fans starts to yell something derogatory about our team, the coaches or anyone else involved with this team, they will stop and think how hurtful their comments are. I have never been ashamed of our players. I have followed this them through 14-0 seasons and through 0-9 seasons. I am a fan, win lose or draw. If you cannot be a fan when the going gets tough, if you only want to be a fan when we are undefeated then stay home. I only hope our student athletes did not hear any of your comments. They play hard. They don't try to make mistakes. (I envy these fans because they apparently have never made a mistake in their lives.) Please remember you are yelling at someone's son, brother, nephew or grandchild. Think of how you would feel if it were your child. On second thought, just think! Toni Albert Bluefield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefield_Rules 46 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 The article wasn't about trash talking the other team or had anything to do with Grundy, but about Bluefield fans criticizing their own Bluefield players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigD4VT 11 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Bluefield fans criticizing their own Bluefield players. [/ QUOTE ] I see that a lot from several schools, including on this board. No student athlete should ever be criticized in public. Coaches get paid so they're fair game, but the players give up quite a bit just to walk on that field every Friday night. They deserve our respect whether they're scoring touchdowns, or dropping passes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRV 24 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 Not all coaches are paid. Some of them are there on a voluntary basis. I love it when fans think they know more than they do. Like the ones that have never touched a football field will stand up and yell about what that "dumb" coach should do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefield_Rules 46 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Bluefield fans criticizing their own Bluefield players. [/ QUOTE ] I see that a lot from several schools, including on this board. No student athlete should ever be criticized in public. Coaches get paid so they're fair game, but the players give up quite a bit just to walk on that field every Friday night. They deserve our respect whether they're scoring touchdowns, or dropping passes. [/ QUOTE ] I agree whole-heartedly. I wasn't there, but I can almost guarantee I know exactly what player was being criticized by some "fans." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly 14 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 There is nobody immune from this type of behavior...last night at the Mount View - Ravenswood game. I saw a rather vocal fan, escorted out of the stadium by a Beckley Assistant Coach. No shortage of idiots anywhere I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigD4VT 11 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 Let me clarify my comment about the coaches being fair game. First, I make it a point not to criticize the coaches publicly even if I think they do a lousy job sometimes. Second, by fair game I mean PAID COACHES. Third, the point of my original post was not that coaches SHOULD be criticized. The point was that student athletes should not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghs84 10 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 you know i have watched graham win and lose and its hard to watch your team get beat but it happens and there is nothing anyone can do about it its just the way things are, fans cant control other fans,sure you can speak your mind but if you think about it when the game is over and its saturday morning do you really sit around and ponder on what you heard someone say about how the team played,I know i dont because when my team does play good i make sure everyone on both sides hears me bragg on my team and how good they played.But my point is when you hear someone putting the players and coaches down defend them by cheering them on and drowning out the knot heads who dont even understand how much the coaches and players love this sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigD4VT 11 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 Nice post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityofRaven 2,453 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 i have played and watched football in richlands for years and i have never heard somebody talk bad about a players play, most of the bad mouthing in richlands is directed towards the coaches lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djr4hurleyfb 12 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 Coaches should be criticized. By accepting that responsibility, it means that they are going to mold the lives of these young players. It means that they should be the most qualified person available to coach the team. If you cannot accept the criticizm, do not accept the position. We all get criticized at our job/school/whatever when we mess up or do something wrong. Its part of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaverbaseball 10 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 [ QUOTE ] The article wasn't about trash talking the other team or had anything to do with Grundy, but about Bluefield fans criticizing their own Bluefield players. [/ QUOTE ] what?? no way rules..Bluefield had a decent size crowd for the game but few of the people in the crowd were students..And I talked to 2 of my friends that sat 2 rows behind Toni Albert and they said they didn't hear one wrong thing said from the bluefield fans I could see someone writting this story if it was after the graham game because we do say some wrong things but it happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRV 24 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 I'll agree that coaches accept the responsibility of molding and shaping these young kids lives, but it also has to come from home. I also agree that we all get criticized, but when parents, maybe not even parents of a football player stand up, shout out and criticize a coach or a kid, what is that teaching their child? When grown adults criticize someone else or criticize a child about something they may "think" they know something about, what is that teaching our youth? It's got to come from home too people. Big D, I understand your points as well, I was just informing the people that some coaches aren't paid. That they do it for the love of the game, for the love of coaching and helping shape young men and women. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cola 10 Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 Thats why I use a Bullhorn, I drown out those non beleivers, and if they persist on yelling at my players, I turn the volume uP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cola 10 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 As far as screaming at coaches; try this, Give up your summers, your evenings and weekends, no such thing as going to walmart for lightbulbs without getting tons of advice: good or bad. Get Paid?, they dont make gas money for what they do. ( Ask any Coach their salary, unless they have been around longer then baseball, they dont make anything) I have known our coaching staff for awhile now, I have heard the secret talk behind their backs over the years. but the last few I have had the pleasure of traveling with them to camps and working closer through the boosters. We have good coaches. they care and they have high expectations. Screaming at players: get a life, most people that scream never played, couldnt play and will be the first to brag after the players win or make a big play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhschamps04 15 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 I have to agree before this year i just thought of them as coaches that did nothing but walked out and told there players what to do. Now that i have been around them for a few months now i have a great deal of respect for them they have to give more than they get back in the form of money but you can ask any coach they wouldnt trade it for anything there greatest payment is going out helping these guys and then watching them win I hear people saying well they dont do nothing i see no reason why they are hear I say why dont you try it use to i will admit i was one of these people but once i learned of all of the stuff they do after school and during school for that matter what I say has changed now it is nothing but positives as i said i cant think of anyone i have more Repect for besides my parents than a coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigD4VT 11 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 Guys I really didn't mean to start this argument. I didn't mean to imply that it's ok to yell at coaches. All I meant was if a paid employee isn't doing their job they are "fair game" for criticism from the public. I only included it to make the point that players are kids on their own time and should never be criticized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaverborn 10 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] The article wasn't about trash talking the other team or had anything to do with Grundy, but about Bluefield fans criticizing their own Bluefield players. [/ QUOTE ] what?? no way rules..Bluefield had a decent size crowd for the game but few of the people in the crowd were students..And I talked to 2 of my friends that sat 2 rows behind Toni Albert and they said they didn't hear one wrong thing said from the bluefield fans I could see someone writting this story if it was after the graham game because we do say some wrong things but it happens [/ QUOTE ] Those friends were probably the one's she was talking about in her letter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRV 24 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 Just as a little thing I wanted to see what a coach averages per hour. Assuming, and I know it's more in some counties, less in other counties, that an assistant coach makes $2500 for coaching. Using just the little I know about what goes into it, each assistant coach makes approximately $6.05 an hour for the time they put in. This in addition to the regular job. Here is what I came up with and I know there's more to add, so please feel free. 12 two-a-days 8:00 – 3:00 = 84 hours 2 scrimmages = 8 hours 6 home games of painting the field @ 2 hours = 12 hours 11 guaranteed weeks M-W practice @ 3 hours = 99 hours 11 Thursday practices @ 2 hours = 22 hours 2 more days of non 2-a-days @ 3 hours = 6 hours 10 Games @ 8 hours (actual game, prep before, clean after) = 80 hours Bus Rides with the kids to 5 away games = approx. 10 hours Weekend Meetings = approx. 30 hours (could be more in some cases) Preparation before season starts = approx. 12 hours Waiting for kids to get a ride after practice and clean up = 1-2 hours each day = approx. 50 hours 413 approximate hours spent during pre-season and regular season. Approximate asst. coach pay $2500 = approximately $6.05 an hour. This does not include post season, summer, winter and spring weight lifting, watching grades and checking on players in school, taping, end of season clean up and equipment storage, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRV 24 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 That's $6.05 an hour before taxes are taken out. Now tell me, how many of you are willing to work two jobs with the second paying under $6.00 an hour and then listen to people who think they know what they're talking about tell you how to do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityofRaven 2,453 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 good post the coaches around here do make alot of sacrifices and not 4 much but everyone is open to a little critism sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BB_TWEEDER Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 Dont forget to add gas mileage to that... and the fact that alot of coachs take some of their players home every evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GACoach 10 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 could not have said it better cola. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born_a_Beaver 10 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 I have been to several Bluefield games where there are people in the stands that say nasty comments about not only the coaches but the players as well. Let's get real people..what coach goes out there and says, "tonight boys let's just go out there and lose!!", I mean really. The people who are involved in our local sports are there for the love of the game and the love of the players. There is no reason to degrade these talented people who choose to devote much of their lives to a school and their hometown. Just look through the posts on this board, there seems to be just as much, if not more, negativity than that of positive remarks. Remember that the person that you are yelling at may have a parent, relative, or friend in the same stand as you. Be careful what you say and be there to SUPPORT your team and not humiliate them with unfounded remarks. These are just kids after all and the coaches are doing their very best. Coach Simon has had many wonderful seasons as the coach of our Beavers but he has just as many not so great seasons but he remains a coach to these kids no matter what. He puts in long days and hard hours. If you want to be a fair weathered fan, stay at home and listen to the games on the radio but if you are going to attend the games then be there in full support, win or lose!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaverbaseball 10 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 Honestly Im not really sure what all the other fans say but in the student section for bluefield we never say any NEGATIVE comments directed to bluefield players or coaches..Im sure theres times when we will say stuff about the opposing team but thats all Im sure theres some idiots up there at the top of the stands always yelling junk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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