SPEAKOUT

Call 471-6636

I am so aggravated. If the referees, I was reading the other day, that was between Scott County Central and East Prairie. It was not a basketball game; it was more like football. The referees allowed things to get out of hand before they would even control things. What happened to the black and white uniform being a standard and of morals? What happened to the black and white uniform representing respect? If they could not give themselves respect out there playing ball, they should be pulled off the team. If the referees are going to choose to call everything on one team and act like the other team hasn't done anything, and let it get into a fighting brawl before they do anything, then I say down with the referees. Maybe this was not the first fight between referees; maybe it's been going on for a long time. And they'll continue to fight because they don't know any better.

I'd like to SpeakOut about Southeast Missouri's motto: Poor boys and crooked lawyers. And if it's really true, honorable judges. If you really want a job, our governor is wanting to open up the other prison. If you need a job, you need to come to Southeast Missouri and there'll be one as an inmate. And you know what? They won't even have to give you a trial. You can get this one with a plea bargain. How great is Southeast Missouri.

I find it interesting when I go to a video rental establishment to rent videos or DVDs, such as "American Pie 2" and I'm told matter-of-factly, "No, sir. We don't have those." No matter how many American Pie 2 rentals there may have been locally and abroad, it won't be stocked at that establishment apparently. I can only assume, with some of the Christian videos offered at the same store, the management is possibly taking a stand against filthy movies. With that in mind, why do I see numerous videos lining the shelves with questionable content, such as movies containing vulgarity, like taking the Lord's name in vain? I know this because I own many of these same movies. If my aforementioned example is correct, why would it be OK with the Almighty to rent movies that take the Lord's name in vain, but not sexually explicit movies? I think the 10 Commandments probably sums up that both types of movies would be questionable in the Lord's eyes, based on either the taking the Lord's name in vain comment or the sexually explicit content. In the end, all you have done in my opinion is lost business and appeared slightly hypocritical.

This is in regards to comments that Sikeston athletics are in shambles and have been for years. When Sikeston was a 4A school, they were consistently well below average as far as competing athletically. Now, since dropping to 3A and being one of the largest 3A schools in the state, things are not much better. If it weren't for beating up on extremely small 1A and 2A schools, circumstances would be even worse. In fact, New Madrid County Central placed second in state this year in football and back to back state championships in basketball with a real possibility of its repeat. Sure your boys went to the World Series twice in baseball, but were all of them from Sikeston? As far as Charleston, eight state championships in basketball speaks for themselves. If Sikeston athletics aren't in shambles, they're in their normal state. Well below average.

I just want to respond to the comment about the Sikeston Bulldogs athletic department not being in shambles. I'm not the person who called in earlier on Jan. 14, but the reason the Sikeston baseball team was so successful this year, and probably will be in the future, was because coaches and parents and the Little League, Junior Babe and American Legion program got them ready. The Sikeston baseball team last year won, not because of the Sikeston High School program, but in spite of the Sikeston High School program. As for basketball and football, I think we just need to look at the record at how they've done for themselves the past few years. I think it speaks for itself. I'm sure you won't print this because it's derogatory toward what everybody believes, but it's true nonetheless.