Sports Mailbag: May 24

Hood's past should have not been revealed

I was dismayed to see, not one but two articles in the May 6th Sentinel raking a young man through the muck for something that happened when he was 13 years old. If I were Daniel Hood, I would seek legal counsel, if not for now then for any future debasing of his character as an adult. The whole purpose of juvenile law is to give youngsters whose brains as well as judgment have not fully developed, a chance to start fresh in adulthood.

Even if this young man feels he is now strong enough to face any trials and tribulations at the University of Tennessee, this kind of "scandal" publishing can only be making his efforts so much more difficult. As a nurse therapist who worked with troubled teens for years, I can tell you this young man has already paid his dues in personal pain and introspection to have turned his life around as attested by his high school, those who know him and even the young person he once harmed. If he should run afoul of the law as an adult, there will be plenty of time to give him a drubbing afterwards. As I see it, this story has nothing to do with journalism and is beneath what most of us have come to expect from this "news" paper. Contrary to your sports columnist, I congratulate the University of Tennessee's new coach for accepting this young man on the football team and giving him a "second chance" at a successful life.

Panella Frick

Tellico Village

Watts is right person to run UT track

My name is Andy Baksa, a former distance runner on the University of Tennessee cross country and track team and 2007 University of Tennessee graduate. I am writing in regards to the vacant Track and Field coaching position in the University of Tennessee Men's Athletic Department, both to congratulate Coach Bill Webb on an outstanding 23 years of service he has provided to our University and Knoxville communities and also to endorse the man I feel is more than deserving of the job: George Watts.

I am writing this letter not only on behalf of myself, but on behalf of the entire 2007 SEC championship squad that was coached by George. George Watts has given his life to the University of Tennessee since his freshman year of cross country in 1975 and he passes that passion for the Orange and White off to every single one of his runners. That passion is what is driving the countless e-mails to Mike Hamilton's office from alumni endorsing George for the job.

I understand the need to conduct a search outside of the University but, in my humble opinion, not promoting George Watts to the men's track and field head coaching position would be a huge mistake on the Athletic Department's part. Just look at our recent history with our past two highly successful coaches:

n Doug Brown led the Vols to seven SEC titles and nine top-five national finishes, including the 1991 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field title.

n Bill Webb led the Vols to four SEC titles, eight top-five national finishes, and national titles in 2001 and 2002.

What do these highly successful coaches have in common? The answer is history with the University.

Both of these coaches put in the work as assistants, bided their time, and were rewarded with the head coaching position; a situation extremely similar to that of George Watts. Those promotions led to three national titles since Brown took the reigns in 1985; more than any other men's program at the University in that time frame.

Andy Baksa, Andrew Dawson, Ben Lukowski, Chris Platt, Jeff Day, Matt Piccarello, Stephen Tobin, Tyler Devault, Yarrick Kincaid, Zach Sabatino)

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