Fearless or Careless?

[Vincent LeVine]

In his recent blog post "Bonus thoughts from the shores of Lake Massapoag", Mark Farinella stated "...my experience tells me that programs that never have a chance to win don't grow and prosper, and one of the points of interscholastic athletics is to encourage participation." Huh? Great logic 'Fearless"-- On one hand you are saying that a team that continually finishes in the bottom of the standings will never grow and prosper. Huh again? I've seen many teams turn around in many different sports, including high school. In fact, in high school one player can make all the difference and turn a team completely around (see Connor Henry- Coyle and Cassidy).

I do believe however, the Athletic Director and the coach are the ones who are ultimately responsible for turning a program. They hire the coach. I know in your childhood hometown of Mansfield the program is now so well managed that just a few years ago families were moving to Mansfield just so their sons could play football there. I'm sure many Mansfield Pop Warner players who thought they would play for Mansfield High either now ride the bench or didn't make the team. It's obvious football is a priority in Mansfield. But don't go all high and might on the rest of us mortals...

Sharon has priorities also and tops on that list is education. Their combined SAT scores for 2009 was 1,759, nearly 100 points higher than Mansfield's 1,662, and 151 points higher than Foxboro's 1,608, and 169 points higher than Canton's 1,590. People move to Sharon for the quality of education their children will receive in the Sharon schools. I wouldn't suggest these lower scoring communities drop their academic programs simply because they're not as successful academically as Sharon, Westwood ( 1,760), or Hingham (1,714).

The second part of your statement was "... one of the points of interscholastic athletics is to encourage participation." I definitely agree with you there. But I'm not sure you agree with that whole hardily. You drew a comparison between Foxboro and Sharon when you stated "Foxboro is a far smaller school than Sharon is, and yet the program continues to be strong because kids want to be part of a winner." Your assumption then is that the "kids" in Sharon do not want to be part of a winner-- That is some assumption Mr. Farinella. I'm not sure you're qualified to make that statement, in fact I know you're not. It is unfair to the players on the Eagle's football team to make that assumption. Certainly participating in a high school football program is encouraged in Sharon.

Finally, this is not the first time you've made digs against the student-athletes in Sharon. Last year during the Andy Rapp ordeal you referred to Sharon as one of the "worst" teams... Very harsh to say the least. Perhaps you had a grudge with the town of Sharon dating back to your days as a Mansfield high school football player, a grudge you've managed to hold on to through the years. It's now 2009 and not 1970 something anymore. Let it go...

[Vincent LeVine]

Write what you want to write "Fearless?" and then spin the meaning-- You're not as good at it as you think.

[Mark Farinella]

Read what you want to read, Vincent. You're good at it.

[Vincent LeVine]

Mark-- Here's the opening sentence of your post "Bonus thoughts from the shores of Lake Massapoag" that is the problem " I was all set to write another "Sharon should drop football" diatribe today (talk about your preconceived notions), although I know it would be received badly in that august community."

That sentence Mark, is all you needed to say. It's easy to understand. It was your way of saying it, without actually saying it-- You believe Sharon "should drop football"!

In 2007 Coyle and Cassidy went 0-11. The following year they went 8-3, coming within one play of beating Taunton (Division One) on Thanksgiving. Last year Coyle and Cassidy went 8-3 and beat Taunton 24-21. It's high school football, anything can happen. Things change year to year.

Do you really want to see Adam Friedman play soccer next year? Adam and the rest of his teammates want to play football!

Leave Sharon alone, stop with the diatribes, and let the Eagles play football!

[Mark Farinella]

Is it just me, or does anyone else recognize the fact that I said right at the top of that post that I was not going to write another one of those?

Here is, tiresome as this debate is becoming, EXACTLY what I wrote:

** I was all set to write another "Sharon should drop football" diatribe today (talk about your preconceived notions), although I know it would be received badly in that august community. And to be honest, a 34-7 final score (and I was just 1:13 away from calling the shot on the final score) is not the sort of outcome that would make me change my already-made-up mind.

But I've got to admit -- they're trying to do something over there. They have two wins this year, they've given a couple of Hockomock League teams a battle, and they did post just 98 fewer yards of total offense than the Red Rocketeers (304 to 206), although 64 of those came on one scamper by QB Adam Freedman. And they're trying to create a fun atmosphere for the game. The Sharon football stadium isn't a bad place to watch a game, there was a healthy representation of fans from both towns on a beautiful, warm (if windy) Saturday afternoon, and the hot dogs were delicious. High school football doesn't always have to be about on-field success, although that helps a lot if you're trying to sustain something.

It's a shame, however, that Sharon's efforts to find a new league (or the Hockomock's efforts to bring in a couple of smaller schools) didn't work out. Sharon has had, to the best of my recollection, just two really successful (8-2) seasons since it started playing varsity football in 1970. A big reason for that is having to go up against the likes of North Attleboro, Mansfield, Foxboro and Franklin each year. It doesn't do much for fostering a winning environment when you know you can't match up with most of the teams in your league year after year -- and yet, given the success that North, Foxboro and Mansfield have experienced since the 1980s, Sharon isn't alone in feeling that pain.

Sharon is an important part of the Hockomock League (and the kind pre-game thoughts expressed to the North Attleboro fans about the loss of Capt. Kyle Van De Giesen underscored that), but when it comes to football, the Eagles really need to catch a break. How that happens will probably involve a lot of soul-searching about realistic goals and priorities in Sharon.

But they are trying. That was obvious.

Jack Cosgrove, who I probably saw play football and other sports back in the day, or anyone else from Sharon or any town can call me at any time and I will explain to them in the most simple possible English exactly what that means -- if they can't figure it out first.

[Vincent LeVine]

I had a long conversation yesterday with Jack Cosgrove Sr. He wasn't too happy with your "Sharon should drop football diatribe" either...

[Mark Farinella]

Not so, Vincent. A Sharon parent responded directly to my original post (I still want you to point out where the alleged insulting comments were in that one), and a civil dialogue ensued. His questions were legitimate. He wanted me to explain my comments, and I believe I did so to his satisfaction. So far, his responses have been the only commentary that I can respect (from the Sharon perspective) as being sincere, and not agenda-driven.



.

[Vincent LeVine]

Bill,

I couldn't disagree with you more. Mark is the one who is over the top with his unnecessary comments about the Sharon Eagles.

I do not believe anybody who is part of the local sports media should degrade a high school football team the way Mark has done repeatedly to the Sharon Eagles.

Mansfield coach Mike Redding's first game back on the sidelines after serving a four game suspension for using an ineligible player last year was against Sharon and here's what he had to say about the 2009 Eagles:

“That’s the best they’ve been in four, five or six years,” Redding said..“They’re maybe a couple of linemen away from being very competitive.”

The Eagles have won two games this year, two more than Oliver Ames and one more than Stoughton. Their QB Adam Friedman has been very impressive and I believe he is only a junior. (His father Richie was a heck of an athlete, and an outstanding point guard)

The Sharon Pop Warner teams have done very well this year, beating Mansfield's A team (26-8), B team (25-14), C team (25-6), & D team (13-0) teams. The Sharon Mighty Mites lost a close one to Mansfield 7-6.

Before Mark Farinella writes another, as he puts it "Sharon should drop football diatribe" (a bitter, abusive denunciation), he should consider the direction Sharon is taking to improve their football program.

Bill, I'll repeat it in case you missed it: Boston English Headmaster Jose Duarte put it best "High school football is about developing young men to work as a team and developing them to understand the hard work it takes to achieve success." When a program fails to do that it is time for it to reevaluate its goals. I do not believe Sharon has failed in that regard. It's not just about winning--

[Vincent LeVine]

Mark,

All the people who have responded are columnists at The Sun Chronicle (Dale Ransom & Billy Gouveia). You can "circle the wagons" but there are many people from Sharon who you've infuriated with your comments. They're out of the Sun Chronicle's reach, but they are upset with your callous re-MARKs...

[Mark Farinella]

Vincent, have you noticed that you keep having to write responses to individuals who don't seem to have read the same thing you did? Hasn't that told you anything?

Re-read my original post and tell me exactly where I was critical of Sharon High. If anything, I was critical of MYSELF for having been critical of Sharon, and I acknowledged a sincere effort on the school's part to improve its football program.

You can fabricate all the insinuations you want. They are simply not credible.

[Bill Gouveia]

Vin -

Sorry, but you are WAY over the top in your reaction here. Lord knows I don't always agree with Mark, but I don't see anything wrong with what he said or wrote. And if anyone locally is qualified to comment on local high school sports, it is Mark. When your record is dismal, saying you are one of the worst teams in the league is not only fair but accurate. And the context in which it was said reflects that.

You didn't like something that was written about a school you have a connection to - we get that. Now get over it. Sharon is a great community with great people, and Mark never said anything that would be contrary to that. For crying out loud - it's high school football! Let's chill out.