Helena World sports writer Ron Kelley sent me this open letter to Helena-West Helena after what Mr. Kelley believes was blatant cheating by the officials in the Helena-West Helena vs Forrest City game Friday night.. The letter is as follows:
An open letter to the Helena-West Helena Superintendent Mr. John Hoy:
I saw some very disturbing things while covering the Helena and Forrest City game. I saw you there as well, rooting for the home team. When refs in the wide open cheat for a team and make it so obvious as though it was the right thing to do, I was shocked. Never have I seen cheating so out in the open. Anyone there saw it and anyone listening heard Andrew Bagleydescribe it; Andrew Bagley was not kidding. This is what we are teaching our kids today, that it is okay to cheat. So sad. You heard the disappointing sighs in the stands in response to the horrible, and dare I say the worst calls by refs I have ever seen. Several times I think the refs made up calls on the spot using signs I have never even seen and walking off yardage seemingly at random. I was even threatened by a ref in the first quarter to be thrown out of the game just for asking him if he was serious about one of the plays he called. I took photos of him moving the ball literally two yards at a time, inching the other team to free first downs giving them extra chances, etc. Fans were horrified by this. Players were devastated mentally. They were playing the refs and they were playing the other team. But when I heard a Helena coach speak up and tell our boys that "we don't cheat", that made the trip, and the loss, worth it. Ethically and morally the Cougars are 3-0. As bad as the Cougars were getting slammed down by horrific calls one after another, NOT EVEN ONE PLAYER cursed. Let that sink in for a minute. Not ONE SINGLE Helena player was heard cursing about this on the side line. I was steaming mad and the players were upset but they kept their cool, I think better than I did. How do they do that!? Not even one coach cursed! And not even one fan in the stands cursed, from what I could tell. I was so proud of my new hometown team because we knew immediately who the better team was, and its not always the one with the most points on the score board. You, sir, should be very proud of your coaches, players, students, band members, fans, staff, and parents for their extraordinary restraint in remaining calm throughout the ball game against Forrest City. That says a whole lot about the product of students and staff that we are churning out of our public school district. I am impressed and more proud of our Cougars now... more than ever. Keep up the awesome work Mr. Hoy!
Here is the link to the post:
An open letter to the Helena-West Helena Superintendent Mr. John Hoy:
I saw some very disturbing things while covering the Helena and Forrest City game. I saw you there as well, rooting for the home team. When refs in the wide open cheat for a team and make it so obvious as though it was the right thing to do, I was shocked. Never have I seen cheating so out in the open. Anyone there saw it and anyone listening heard Andrew Bagleydescribe it; Andrew Bagley was not kidding. This is what we are teaching our kids today, that it is okay to cheat. So sad. You heard the disappointing sighs in the stands in response to the horrible, and dare I say the worst calls by refs I have ever seen. Several times I think the refs made up calls on the spot using signs I have never even seen and walking off yardage seemingly at random. I was even threatened by a ref in the first quarter to be thrown out of the game just for asking him if he was serious about one of the plays he called. I took photos of him moving the ball literally two yards at a time, inching the other team to free first downs giving them extra chances, etc. Fans were horrified by this. Players were devastated mentally. They were playing the refs and they were playing the other team. But when I heard a Helena coach speak up and tell our boys that "we don't cheat", that made the trip, and the loss, worth it. Ethically and morally the Cougars are 3-0. As bad as the Cougars were getting slammed down by horrific calls one after another, NOT EVEN ONE PLAYER cursed. Let that sink in for a minute. Not ONE SINGLE Helena player was heard cursing about this on the side line. I was steaming mad and the players were upset but they kept their cool, I think better than I did. How do they do that!? Not even one coach cursed! And not even one fan in the stands cursed, from what I could tell. I was so proud of my new hometown team because we knew immediately who the better team was, and its not always the one with the most points on the score board. You, sir, should be very proud of your coaches, players, students, band members, fans, staff, and parents for their extraordinary restraint in remaining calm throughout the ball game against Forrest City. That says a whole lot about the product of students and staff that we are churning out of our public school district. I am impressed and more proud of our Cougars now... more than ever. Keep up the awesome work Mr. Hoy!
Here is the link to the post: