An Open Letter to Berryville Football Coach Bobby Bishop

Dear Coach Bishop,

Bobby, we've met a couple of times, through Rotary and stuff like that. I have not been following the public school/private school dichotomy closely, but this much I think we all know. Because of a dozen factors, the Shiloh Christian Saints stand head and shoulders above nearly every football team in the state. As the old expression goes, often the second best team on any field that features the Saints is on their bench. Add into this a "win big at all costs, no quarter asked, no quarter given" attitude of their coaching staff, and disaster is in the mix.

I don't have to remind you that the Berryville quarterback was injured last year in a game against Shiloh Christian. I add this sentence for the folks who don't know. I don't know, but this young man may have lost out on the best way to pay for his college education because some other kid is out to make a name by getting hits.

So Bobby, here's my suggestion: Forfeit next year's game.

Candy-assed you say? Well, it probably is, but there are advantages to this course of action.

1. No injuries. To me, this is the biggest positive for the program right here.
2. Next year's game is in Springdale, it will save a bundle of money on travel expenses for the school district and
3. It will take gate revenue (more of an insult than economic impact) from the Shiloh Christian Athletic Department.
4. No running up the score (This assumes that the score of a forfeited game is 2-0. This is a traditional rule, but I don't know about the Arkansas Activity Association rules)
5. There will be no running up a kid's all ready inflated statistics.

I'm not talking about some namby-pamby self-esteem issue here. I'm not saying the Bobcats will feel bad about themselves because of these bullies. I am saying there is nothing good about supporting a system that encourages such flagrantly poor sportsmanship and values hurting others.

The sportsmanship of the Saint's football program is in question after their last game in Berryville. So I say take the team out for an early season banquet and to the Saints, be gone. Play some competition that is competition. Candy-assed? Sure, it probably is. But how much worse is it to support a program that encourages the destruction of other people's kids.

Oh, again, the views expressed here are strictly my own. As if that wasn't obvious.

Paul Andresen, Sports Fan and Fan of Sportsmanship