Westview Tourn

[dudeutm2002]

I've been on both sides of this story. I did play Westview at Westview in a playday and felt that there was some very questionable calls being made, none in our favor obviously. And prior to going to Westview for that play-day we played Marshall County at Belmont Camp where Coach Beth, who is the father of former Vanderbilt player Aaron Beth, made a complete nut of himself at that camp as well. He cried about the officiating the entire game and even at one point called Coach Cross out onto the court where he notified everyone at the camp that he would not be coming back to the camp ever again, not that anyone really cared. My problem is with the example he is setting for the young ladies that play for him. Someone must step in somewhere and tell him that he is not positive for the game and has a personality that could be more harmful to young, impressionable athletes than helpful.

 

Those ladies played hard to win two other games to get that plaque, and apparently, some of them are following his very babylike example in storming off the court with him. Personally, I think, regardless of the officials, Marshall County needs to investigate this coach's on-court behavior over the Christmas break.

[aj1133]

The problem is he has been doing this for years and apparently Marshall Co. has no problem with his behavior. I thought this was about what is best for the student-athlete and I just don't see how witnessing his circus act on a regular basis could be healthy. Beyond that, he is taking any recognition that the girls might get and having that focus placed on his shinanigans.

[Not-so HeavyD]

The problem is he has been doing this for years and apparently Marshall Co. has no problem with his behavior. I thought this was about what is best for the student-athlete and I just don't see how witnessing his circus act on a regular basis could be healthy. Beyond that, he is taking any recognition that the girls might get and having that focus placed on his shinanigans.

 

He is a legend in KY.......and if you don't believe me, just ask him.......haha

[kentuckian]

Ya notice there's no mention that the Marshall County coach allegedly threw his ink pen and play board against the locker room wall, splattering the pen into one of his player's eyes, and causing medical attention to be sought by the trainer on hand. Funny how this "writer" for the Paducah Sun missed that moment of their coach's temper that put ink into one of his player's eyes.

Probably because he was covering the game itself, not some post-game locker room meeting.

[Jason Yates]

Been a bit amused by a few of the comments on here and one particular e-mail I received at work. I'm going to post the e-mail and response for your message board pleasure.

 

ORIGINAL E-MAIL

Shall I call you Homer??

 

After seeing Westview play against Marshall County in KY, and the officials north of the border, just one week before, I don't really think anyone from Marshall County should be complaining about Tennessee referees.

 

I also notice you didn't cover the ink pen incident in the locker room in which the MC coach busted a pen, with some ink getting into one of his player's eyes. How about a story on the temper of your coach over a meaningless game?

 

The Paducah Sun may be the name of your paper, but it seems you have some dim lighting that only illuminates half the room when you are covering basketball games.

 

MY RESPONSE

You can call me what you like, but you didn't dispute one thing in my article. In fact, not one person who has had an issue with my article disputes what was in it. It was a fair and balanced article. And if you don't think so, I welcome you to prove otherwise.

 

As for the earlier game, it is hard for me to comment since I did not witness it with my own eyes.

 

As for the ink pen incident, I would think since you are a "real media man" that you could assume how that did not make the paper. Let's start by the fact that it happened in the locker room (If it did) behind closed doors. Since the game finished more than an hour later than it was scheduled, deadline was tight. Didn't particularly have time to check every Lady Marshal eyeball.

 

Did I talk to both coaches? Check

Did I give Westview the credit they were due for making the comeback? Check

Did I state Beth and the Lady Marshals left the court? Check

Did I paint an accurate picture of a very shady conclusion? Check

But try to dispute my article anyway you like.

 

If what Beth said in his comments are true (which they probably are), you should be more concerned about getting schools to come to this venerable tournament. The field was very weak, and it doesn't appear it is going to get stronger anytime soon. But at least that way, the referees won't be forced into making "tough calls"

 

Sincerely,

Jason Yates

[Joe Quincy]

My deepest thoughts are best kept inside of me as to not reveal my true identity. But I will say that the events of Saturday Night will be ever etched in my mind.

 

I did have the opportunity to talk to Coach Beth before their game with Westview. Its funny that his comments to me about the tournament in general were nothing but positive as well as the good experience it had been for his girls. The Dresden game was a great test for his girls as to their team response to some minor adversity with there center, probably their best player, out for part of the game due to foul trouble.

 

In closing, the Lions Club officials must be doing something right as it is the longest running tournament of its kind in the state..............

[Not-so HeavyD]

Been a bit amused by a few of the comments on here and one particular e-mail I received at work. I'm going to post the e-mail and response for your message board pleasure.

 

ORIGINAL E-MAIL

Shall I call you Homer??

 

After seeing Westview play against Marshall County in KY, and the officials north of the border, just one week before, I don't really think anyone from Marshall County should be complaining about Tennessee referees.

 

I also notice you didn't cover the ink pen incident in the locker room in which the MC coach busted a pen, with some ink getting into one of his player's eyes. How about a story on the temper of your coach over a meaningless game?

 

The Paducah Sun may be the name of your paper, but it seems you have some dim lighting that only illuminates half the room when you are covering basketball games.

 

MY RESPONSE

You can call me what you like, but you didn't dispute one thing in my article. In fact, not one person who has had an issue with my article disputes what was in it. It was a fair and balanced article. And if you don't think so, I welcome you to prove otherwise.

 

As for the earlier game, it is hard for me to comment since I did not witness it with my own eyes.

 

As for the ink pen incident, I would think since you are a "real media man" that you could assume how that did not make the paper. Let's start by the fact that it happened in the locker room (If it did) behind closed doors. Since the game finished more than an hour later than it was scheduled, deadline was tight. Didn't particularly have time to check every Lady Marshal eyeball.

 

Did I talk to both coaches? Check

Did I give Westview the credit they were due for making the comeback? Check

Did I state Beth and the Lady Marshals left the court? Check

Did I paint an accurate picture of a very shady conclusion? Check

But try to dispute my article anyway you like.

 

If what Beth said in his comments are true (which they probably are), you should be more concerned about getting schools to come to this venerable tournament. The field was very weak, and it doesn't appear it is going to get stronger anytime soon. But at least that way, the referees won't be forced into making "tough calls"

 

Sincerely,

Jason Yates

 

First let me say that you wrote a pretty good article, it was factual...so kudos to you. As far as the ink incident goes, you can't and probably wouldn't put that in an article anyway, so that is for the AD and administration of Marshall County to hash out.......but wait a minute, the AD was the one who "approved" the walking off the court without accepting their trophy so we could all see he has no backbone, period. There are very few, if any, AD's that I know of that would have concurred with the coach in that situation, period, so he shares the blame as well in my opinion.....

 

As far as the Lions Club tournament, these guys spend alot of time putting together a tournament for charitable purposes so far some idiot on a rampage to degrade those folks like Coach Beth did is a disgrace to those folks who put in alot of sweat and time to get the tournament together. If someone had made comments like this about their beloved "Hoopfest", they would feel the same way, I can assure you. Oh and by the way, the tournament is full for next year already, with a waiting list............

[GCPioneer]

He is a legend in KY.......and if you don't believe me, just ask him.......haha

 

HAHAHA

[dudeutm2002]

First let me say that you wrote a pretty good article, it was factual...so kudos to you. As far as the ink incident goes, you can't and probably wouldn't put that in an article anyway, so that is for the AD and administration of Marshall County to hash out.......but wait a minute, the AD was the one who "approved" the walking off the court without accepting their trophy so we could all see he has no backbone, period. There are very few, if any, AD's that I know of that would have concurred with the coach in that situation, period, so he shares the blame as well in my opinion.....

 

As far as the Lions Club tournament, these guys spend alot of time putting together a tournament for charitable purposes so far some idiot on a rampage to degrade those folks like Coach Beth did is a disgrace to those folks who put in alot of sweat and time to get the tournament together. If someone had made comments like this about their beloved "Hoopfest", they would feel the same way, I can assure you. Oh and by the way, the tournament is full for next year already, with a waiting list............

 

As someone who's been to the Lions Club Tournament on more than on occasion, I bet the people at the Lions Club, and as said the fact the tournament field is already full, are really worried about not having a scene at the end of their tournament anymore.

 

As for the writer, who appears to be distraught by coming on a Tennessee message board to talk about Kentucky basketball, I must say quite frankly, if a player on any team in West Tennessee (ask the fine folks of Obion County) was injured by a coach's actions, accidently or not, in a fit of rage, or a time tested and honored basketball drill, that is indeed news.

 

I'd personally like to read more about this, than a downer on the Lions Club Tournament. I wonder how the fine folks of Paducah would react if a Northwest Tennessee group was thumbed down at the Lions Club Telethon, and a writer went on a rampage attempting to put it down.

 

I see no quotes from the tournament officials in your story, so you obviously missed on base in my uneducated mind. Please educate us more. I beg of you.

 

Now, onto the officiating in question. We've all made mistakes. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. One thing is for sure, Mr. Yates, you made a huge mistake in taking a meaningless tournament final, and turning it into a media zoo.

 

Just a little comment for those wiser on here: "Don't feed these Kentucky animals." And don't pet them either.

Edited January 5, 2007 by dudeutm2002

[westviewman]

What did Coach Beth teach his players? When they are in the class room and they receive back a test and it is a low score - blame someone else - it is not my fault. When they enter the job market and they don't like something the employer does - just walk off the job. Things don't always go your way in life. Life sometimes can be unfair - squeeze the lemon and made lemonade.

Basically, he taught them that if things don't go "my way," walk away.

Coach Beth is the picture of what is wrong with high school sports and especially many coaches. WHAT A ROLE MODEL HE IS!

If he doesn't like how things are run in the great state of Tennessee, stay across the line. He doesn't have to bring his team to Tennessee to play - that is a choice he has to make.

People in Marshall County also have to make a choice - what kind of conduct are they willing to put up with in their coach? That is their decision and not mine!

[Jason Yates]

Let me retract a bit on my e-mail. The Lions Club tournament is one of the better run events I've ever attended. It's a very good tournament, and I hope this was just an isolated incident. And even the incident is not enough to detract from the tournament.

 

Once again, the pen thing is something I never heard of until I received the e-mail that was posted. I don't know if it is true, and if it is and was a big enough issue, I'm sure something would have been brought to light.

 

As far as Beth walking off the court, that's why I put it in my story. Let other people decide on that. But I do know that if you feel you've been cheated (and from Beth's comments, he obviously felt cheated), in sports, the work place or in personal relationships, very few people are big enough to roll with the punches.

 

And by the way, one newspaper article in a 25,000 circulation paper does not qualify as a media zoo. I apologize to anyone I offended for taking the comment about the tourney a bit too far.

 

Have a good day, and enjoy your season in Tennessee Hoops.

[butter-bean]

Let me retract a bit on my e-mail. The Lions Club tournament is one of the better run events I've ever attended. It's a very good tournament, and I hope this was just an isolated incident. And even the incident is not enough to detract from the tournament.

 

Once again, the pen thing is something I never heard of until I received the e-mail that was posted. I don't know if it is true, and if it is and was a big enough issue, I'm sure something would have been brought to light.

 

As far as Beth walking off the court, that's why I put it in my story. Let other people decide on that. But I do know that if you feel you've been cheated (and from Beth's comments, he obviously felt cheated), in sports, the work place or in personal relationships, very few people are big enough to roll with the punches.

 

And by the way, one newspaper article in a 25,000 circulation paper does not qualify as a media zoo. I apologize to anyone I offended for taking the comment about the tourney a bit too far.

 

Have a good day, and enjoy your season in Tennessee Hoops.

People are "cheated" often in life and different people react differently. Coach Beth choose to "take his ball and go home". Maybe he needed time to digest the fact that he just lost a 13pt half time lead and a 11pt 3rd qtr lead in a game that ended in the 30's. Maybe he was trying to swallow the fact that MC committed 19 turnovers in the 2nd half.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "very few people are big enough to roll with the punches". There are ways to respectfully approach being "cheated", and walking away (quitting) pouting is not one of them. IMHO.

 

And I'm not evan a westview fan.