Apologies for not updating the past 24 hours - I blame having another birthday and waking up to excessively old age as the glitch. While the rest of you are blasting away at gunner, (who is this guy?) has anyone watched the Dems convention? I can't figure out which is worse, the well-timed commercial that all conventions have become or the coverage that is so biased one way or the other. On one hand you have Fox News with Karl Rove commentating and on the other hand you have Democrat delegate and strategist Donna Brazile commentating for another network. No wonder the convention coverage lacks viewers - it's difficult to get coverage that is down the middle. BPW

Bruce Wallace
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008 (07:08:29 am CDT)

Anyone being critical of the midnight practice is an idiot. Don't you watch the excitement of the "Midnight Madness" college basketball practices? We have a great coach who cares enough to go the extra mile and plan something special and memorable. We have excited boys looking forward to school and representing our community. Then idiots critcize them. Keep your narrow minded thoughts to yourself so you don't infect everyone.

a different eagle
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008 (02:08:29 pm CDT)

Oh boy, what a bunch of small town hicks...the turnip wagon must have drop most you old timers off out by the highway! I think it's great we have soccer and I don't care what time they practice.

Gunner
Monday, Aug 25, 2008 (09:08:38 pm CDT)

gunner, you are honestly not very smart. liquor and soccer are different, one comes in a bottle and the other is a physical activity. you have my official permission to be quiet forever.

fan
Monday, Aug 25, 2008 (11:08:10 am CDT)

Are you seriously comparing alcohol to a soccer practice? Did you think at all when you posted that? I think a midnight practice is a great idea. It wouldn't be as hot and there would've been less distractions. It would've been a great way to start off the season

Student
Monday, Aug 25, 2008 (11:08:03 am CDT)

You have no clue what your talking about. the midnight practice was a good idea cause it was not hot and there were no discrations from other people and they wanted to get a head start on this tough season ahead so suck it gunner

........
Monday, Aug 25, 2008 (11:08:38 am CDT)

i love baseball. it is fun

student
Monday, Aug 25, 2008 (11:08:21 am CDT)

uhhhh gunner? I know you are joking, but ya might want to ask the ashland police about the wholesome atmosphere that occurs after the rodeo and before the beer garden closes prior to sending our soccer teams over for a bit of community service.

bobby
Monday, Aug 25, 2008 (07:08:11 am CDT)

as a soccer player in high school, practice at midnight was an idea, perfect for our young team. people who put us down are putting down 24 soccer kids who are in love with this sport, and coach of the year coaches. why would our team choices bother someone not even involved with us. we are just doin what we love.

district champion
Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 (10:08:09 pm CDT)

And pick up all your empty beer cans! Forget it, Gunner. We've got drills to run! Goals to score! Games to win! Get a life!

sobocoparent
Saturday, Aug 23, 2008 (08:08:45 pm CDT)

As there is no soccer practice at midnight this weekend, the kids can head on over and help pick up the rodeo grounds, this would be a wholesome exercise to keep the kickers out of trouble from Midnight-2 a.m.

Gunner
Friday, Aug 22, 2008 (01:08:45 pm CDT)

The new MSHSAA regulations wouldn't even be a concern if kids wouldn't put themselves in the situation in the first place. The incident last spring was handled completely inadequately, and frankly, I'm one parent who is thrilled to see these changes. Clearly, if you're concerned about something your kid got in trouble for over the summer, and you're wondering about his/her eligibility, it's easy to see you're worrying about the WRONG thing. This is exactly what we should be teaching kids in America...ACCOUNTABILITY.

also a concerned parent
Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 (02:08:43 pm CDT)

Hoo, boy, Involved Parent, I SWORE I was going to leave this issue alone, but....I love the "is this what we want to teach our children?" That's a line I hear a lot--hmmm, my answer is, "YES." We DO want to teach our children to be accountable. What too often happens these days is that our children are encouraged to try to beat the system, find the loophole, wiggle through. Then we wonder about moral decay in our society. In the party you reference--as I predicted way back--loopholes are being MADE to allow these particular kids to beat the system. And the adults involved, both parents AND schoolboard (sometimes one and the same) are PROUD that they are doing so. They're justifying this and explaining that. My ONLY concern with the MSHAA edict is how to determine the absence of something. If there IS no investigation--will there need to be a slip submitted that so states? And, once again, I simply point out that our kids are learning a LOT by watching this play out--and I think that's very sad.

equal treatment
Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 (12:08:35 pm CDT)

Re the board having to change policy in response to the new MSHSAA rules: I have never thought the school has any business trying to initiate investigations on its own for incidents that occur outside of school. If law enforcement investigates, so be it. (No charges were ever filed over the drinking party incident last spring, were they?) Please note also that under the MSHSAA rules, the penalty is to be imposed on the student before the court determines guilt or innocence. Is that what we want to teach our children in America?

Involved Parent
Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 (02:08:37 pm CDT)

Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of Mr. Hocker. He was a good man and I'm sure will be missed dearly.

Erin Nelson
Monday, Aug 18, 2008 (03:08:11 pm CDT)

I was at the midnight soccer practice. What I watched was a bunch of enthusiastic and stoked up kids having a blast! A little inconvenient yes, considering that most of the team doesn't drive yet. However, I for one, had no problem taking my son for an hour to work off some anxious energy in the name of kicking off the new season on a FUN note. The purpose of the practice wasn't to invoke an attitude of killer competition but to encourage team spirit and to have fun...lest we forget that fun is suppose to be part of high school athletics. A few less hours of sleep is something that I've been doing for my kids for about 18 years now... not a big deal. I can't think of a better activity for a bunch of high school boys than hangin out on a beautiful summer night playing a game that they love with coaches that are exceptional leaders on and off the field. So from our family...way to go Coach Miller and Coach Moore, keep thinking out of the box and keep up the great work!!

Lori
Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 (05:08:12 am CDT)

Gunner, usually I find your posts humorous and having a bit of insight, but your analogy to a liquor store and turning 21 is just way off. Sorry, but if you can't tell the difference between getting drunk, and a good, wholesome activity, then your cognitive abilities are having a bit of a breakdown. The soccer practice was a good, healthy, team building event. Something for the high schoolers to have fun with, spend some time productively. There are so many high schoolers out at Midnight doing "not so good stuff", that having a one-time event like this is great, and the coaches should be commended. I mean, C'mon, let's support the good stuff instead of finding something to complain about.

Observer
Friday, Aug 15, 2008 (09:08:55 am CDT)

So using the same logic as that a midnight practice is the earliest "legal" practice date, the kids need to run to the liquor store at 8 a.m. the day they turn 21 to tie on a good one.

Gunner
Thursday, Aug 14, 2008 (09:08:44 pm CDT)

Seriously, come on folks...we are talking about high school kids.....they love the idea of a midnight practice. How much fun is that? I think it was a great idea and something these kids can say no one else did. Coach Miller is a great coach and these sort of things excite your players. Chill out, it is not that big of a deal....what is the difference between getting up and practicing at 5:30 in the morning?

Sue
Thursday, Aug 14, 2008 (11:08:52 am CDT)

Congratulations to the students, staff and faculty of Southern Boone for "Rising to Excellence!" It is great to see the kudo's and accolades regarding the MAP and ACT Scores!!

Kim
Thursday, Aug 14, 2008 (10:08:40 am CDT)

Gunner - yes.

art vandelay
Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008 (05:08:46 pm CDT)

Gunner, No, I agree with you. I would not go to soccer practice at midnight, but I would have one hell of a talk with the person that made the schedule.

Christina
Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008 (03:08:05 pm CDT)

I think the midnight soccer practice was a great idea! The point is that it was the earliest "legal" time that they could practice and since the team is largely new freshmen they did some team building drills and got the season off to the earliest possible start. GO EAGLES!!

Julie Chapman
Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008 (02:08:08 pm CDT)

Am I the only person who thinks it was ridiculous to have the soccer team start practice at Midnight?

gunner
Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008 (10:08:24 am CDT)

Found: We found a ferrat in our garage this evening. Please contact me at juliamwhite@hotmail.com if you are missing your pet.

Julia
Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 (09:08:14 pm CDT)