COLLEGE

COLLEGE
Tressel's recruiting comes as no surprise
Fanfare:
Here in Youngstown, I'm not surprised Coach Tressel has recruited well for next year, but he went beyond my expectations. WOW! He always recruited well here at little I-AA YSU. He's so charismatic that if he gets in the house, that young man is probably coming to OSU. I met Coach Tressel when his son Zack's team was playing against the baseball team I was coaching. Came time to start the game and we had no one to ump behind the plate. I looked across the field and yelled over to get Coach. He laughed and I got to talk to him one on one while helping him put on the umpire gear. He couldn't have been a nicer guy, and trust me he has a gift. After meeting him I would have played for him! Who knows someday I may be voting for him for a political office. He'd win. Sad to see Coach Conatser leave, another truly good man who I know Coach Tressel will miss. Good luck Coach Conatser.
Keith Hipple
Youngstown
NFL
Local TV stationsshould show Browns
Fanfare:
I have been tempted many times to write Fanfare, but never did.
After reading the comments of Mr. DeRose (Fanfare 3/3), I am compelled to respond.
What is it about the Youngstown area that produces so many sports fans who support teams from another state rather than their own? I can understand some support for the 49ers because of the local ties. But the Steelers are in another state and we have no local ties to them. They are no closer than Cleveland.
The Steelers are better? With that logic, if my neighbor's son was a better player than my son, I should root for the neighbor's kid? I don't think so.
While I agree that anyone has a right to support any team they choose, they should not expect that team to be supported by the local media and/or TV stations.
The facts are that the Browns have won as many championships as the Steelers. It does not matter if it's called NFL Championship or Super Bowl. Titles are titles. If not, then changing the name of the Super Bowl voids all Steelers titles.
John DeSantis
Canfield
Youngstown isBrowns market
Fanfare:
Two points: First, both the Browns and the Steelers have had their "Decade of Dominance," the Browns during the 50s, the Steelers during the 70s. Each team has won four NFL titles even though the Steelers have been in the league twice as long.
The Browns won their first NFL title their very first year in the league, while it took the "Lovable Losers," as the Steelers were known back then, 43 years. The Browns also own an impressive 54-44 win/loss record against the Steelers.
Second point: The NFL determines which team is shown regionally, and since the marriage of the NFL and modern TV, the Youngstown area has been considered a Cleveland sports viewing audience. Only when the manager of the local affiliate deprives his advertisers of their largest viewing audience possible is a team other than the Browns shown. If you don't like it, move out of Ohio.
Mike Iacobucci
Boardman