CHANEY

CHANEY

Matey claims Dykes’ comments are incorrect

Fanfare:

I would first of all like to state that Keilen (Dykes) is one of the many great student-athletes the Youngstown City Schools has produced over the years.

Keilen evidently has been given some erroneous information about Chaney from someone. He also uses as a source of information YouTube and The Vindicator Web discussion boards, hardly reliable sources of information.

The following is a list of comments I feel that need to be corrected. “Common chaos at Chaney” — last year we went from four high schools to two high schools. Transitions of that magnitude are never really completed without some problems. The 2008-09 school year has been a completely different story with the school returning to the task of educating its students. Chaney has just received an award designating it as one of the top 100 schools in the United States by USA Today.

Keilen states it was a mistake not to hire a former assistant coach to replace head coach Ron Berdis when Ron retired. Had Keilen been given the correct information he would have know that the YEA contract and the Ohio Revised Code R.C. 3313.53 (D) mandates a teacher in the system has the right to the job before any candidate outside the system. Three qualified teachers in the system applied for the head coaching position.

Ed Matey

Youngstown

XThe writer is a former Chaney High football coach and currently serves the Youngstown Schools Board of Education in the Athletics and Physical Development department.

STEELHOUNDS

Booster Club disbands after doing much good

Fanfare:

Here’s what has happened to the Youngstown Steelhounds Booster Club: The group met recently and formally voted to disband. The Web site has been taken down and the orange wigs and cowbells and yard signs are no more.

Most people were not aware that the Booster Club helped maintain the apartments that the players lived in.

And thousands of dollars were raised for Jason Baird, the player who was burned. But always, always the Boosters tried to promote the love of the sport to people in the Valley.

The money in the treasury will be split several ways. A local youth boys and also an intermediate girls hockey team as well as a women’s team will receive a portion of the funds. Joe Kaluza and a little girl from Canfield who is battling cancer will get a donation.

So many thanks to President Cindy Piedra and her fellow officers, Jody, Heather and Ashley, plus Roger who did the newsletter and Brenda and Jen who handled the apartments and many others who did whatever was needed when it was needed.

Kay and Harold Wilson

Youngstown

SUPER BOWL

Teams with best records should make the big game

Fanfare:

Arizona in the Super Bowl was a weird occasion. It’s not the Cardinals’ fault they played in the weakest division this football season. The Cardinals went 9-7 and won the awful NFC West.

In the AFC, you have the New England Patriots being left out of the playoffs at 11-5 but have an 8-8 San Diego Chargers team sneak in to win the AFC West title and host a playoff game. How fair was that? The Chargers lost in the division round to the Steelers so justice was served in their case.

I feel you should not get into the playoffs solely because you won your division. I propose the best teams with best the best record should be in the playoffs. The current system does not penalize mediocre play outside of your division but if you beat up on your weak divisional rivals you can get your team to the playoffs and maybe even the Super Bowl.

Maybe I am just bitter because my Browns let the sorry franchise of the Arizona Cardinals get to the Super Bowl before them!

Keith Langford Jr.

Campbell