Press Box-Odds & Ends
It’s been a busy week at the Star News with several things coming to my attention. It’s a mixed bag so here is a round robin collection of thoughts about changes at Magnolia, some WVU coaching news, the NBA,WVU basketball and Friends of the Pool in Sistersville.
Let’s start with the good news regarding the improving health of Athletic Director Mark Blair of Magnolia High School. Mark suffered a heart attack back in November and spent 19 days in the hospital at WVU. After 46 years of teaching and 45 years of coaching Mark has decided to retire effective immediately. He is currently in cardiac rehab and doing great. This is wonderful news about a man that has dedicated his life to serving the athletes of Magnolia High School. From everyone at the Star News office, happy retirement, Coach.
Things will look very different in leadership at Magnolia as the Wetzel County Board of Education will be looking for a new AD, head baseball coach and head football coach to lead the Blue Eagles into the future.
As you probably know, I have had a real bad taste in my mouth ever since the firing of the late WVU head coach Bill Stewart when he was terminated by then AD Oliver Luck. Understandably, it is an opinion held by most people around this area. So, it was incredible news that came this week when his son, Blaine Stewart, who has spent five seasons in the Pittsburgh Steelers organization, was named the tight ends coach for the WVU Mountaineers under Coach Neal Brown. The hiring puts a little balm on a wound that has struggled to heal. I can easily remember when Billy was the head coach at WVU. A young Blaine was at every practice and game helping the managers with equipment, water or whatever else their duties included. Since his playing days at Morgantown High School, James Madison University and Charleston University, Blaine became an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike Tomlin. And according to Coach Brown, Blaine nurtured the relationships with the WVU staff during his time with the franchise. Brown went on to say that multiple staff members brought him Blaine’s name saying, “This guy can coach!” I am extremely happy for and proud of Blaine. This is new WVU history Blaine will be writing. It will be his story. And he’s already got a lot of Wetzel and Tyler County fans pulling for him.
The NBA makes me mad. My grandson, Leo, whose favorite player is Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors, received as a Christmas gift from his parents two tickets to see the Warriors battle the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland on Friday, January 20. This date was a game circled by many because of the superstars on both rosters. Leo’s excitement anticipating the game was off the charts. The day finally came, and Leo, outfitted in his Curry hoodie and Warriors’ hat, headed to school knowing his dad would pick him up at dismissal and leave for Cleveland for the ballgame. Imagine this nine year old’s disappointment when he found out the Warriors were resting Curry due to back to back games. Curry wasn’t hurt. He was just resting. This seems to be a common theme in the NBA. It is extremely defeating for young and old fans when teams only come to your city once a year. Fans purchase high priced tickets looking forward to seeing their favorite player perform only to find out when they get to the game that he is out. Not hurt. Resting. Tickets for NBA games are very expensive, and the letdown is horrible, especially for kids who look up to these superstars as heroes. Leo and his dad, Drew, went to the game and enjoyed the atmosphere, but it was just not the same.
I am not the only one voicing complaints. Warrior’s head coach Steve Kerr had to address the “resting” in his interview postgame. “I feel terrible for fans who buy tickets who are expecting to see someone play, and they don’t get to see that person play. It’s a brutal part of the business,” Kerr shared on Fox News. The only way to fix it is reduce the number of games pro teams play, but that isn’t going to happen because of profit margins. Again, disappointing for kids.
Let’s turn our attention to the WV Mountaineer basketball team and their current record in the Big 12. We picked up our first conference victory defeating then ranked TCU to end our 6-game losing streak and thought things were headed in the right direction for the remainder of the year. Next came 7th ranked Texas on Saturday and we went right back to old habits of missing fouls shots and turning the ball over 20 times. Then came our trip to Texas Tech with a 12-game road losing streak in the Big 12 on the line. The Mounties responded with a 76-61 victory and looked good in the process, but you can’t beat anybody, let alone ranked teams, with continued missed fouls shots and turnovers. Coach Huggins is not in the Hall of Fame because he losses games. After all, he is the 4th winningest coach of all time in college basketball. Hang in there, Mountaineer fans! This might not be our year, but it will turn around as long as Huggs is at the helm.
Finally, the recently started “Friends of the Park and Pool:” committee in Sistersville have donation jars set up in many local stores in hopes that area residents will support the park and pool by donating spare change. And it doesn’t have to be coins. Any amount is appreciated. Look for additional fundraisers as the season approaches.
And speaking of summer, in our family we know the end of the winter season is at least getting closer when the first Master’s commercials begin to appear on television. ESPN runs a quick spot that features the iconic song “Georgia On My Mind” by the great Ray Charles with views of Amen Corner. Man, if that doesn’t get your juices flowing, I’m not sure what will. My daughter, Megan, texted me on Sunday saying she saw the commercial so keep your chin up and warm. Spring and golf season will be upon us before we know it.