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**Thanks Statman, TommyZ and others for defending the site/quote. **

I'm the keeper of the Romeo football web site. It is a privately-run site that receives no funding from the school or the football program. The coaches do not touch the site, nor do they have any control over what gets posted.

If anyone has gripes, they can communicate them to me. You can email me at plz909@aol.com if you want.

Regarding the quote: it is a verbatim statement that was included in an email sent to me by a Bulldog fan. I asked him if I could use his quote anonymously, he said sure. He works with Clarkston parents. They talk football all the time, good naturedly. All the quote says is that Clarkston fans were expecting to win the game. It says nothing derogatory about Clarkston coaches, the Clarkston program, or Clarkston players.

Did I hope Romeo players would read it as bulletin board material? Sure I did.

But comparing it to what the Melvindale coach did? That's such an absurd reach it doesn't warrant a response.

Regarding a couple other things:
- A similar quote did not appear the week leading up to Grand Blanc game. If anything, I heaped praise on Grand Blanc's players, much as I did this past week for CHS's Dakota Bender, and as I have in the past for HOF coaches Bye and Lantzy, and Giannone for Dakota's incredible success. (see below for examples)
- Implying that a "shady coach" was involved: coaches have absolutely nothing to do with the site. As for the "shady" indictment -- come on. The Romeo coaches are the same folks who organized a cancer charity game this past season that the entire community got behind and raised $90K for cancer research and who involve Romeo players in a slew of community service events. As with most high school coaches, they devote untold hours to the task of trying to building winning teams while also helping turn teenage boys into young men. To call them "shady" denigrates all the good work they, and other coaches in good-standing, do.

I realize this is a "forum" in which anything goes, but really, speculation, unfounded accusations, personal smears and the like should have no place.

From last week pre-Clarkston:

Forget what we said about GB's Tony Jones -- Bender has to be the baddest playmaker the Dawgs have seen all season. Consider: he's elusive & explosive with 4.6 speed; he hits openings quick & cuts on a dime, much like Ben Brown; Clarkston likes -- make that L-O-V-E-S -- to pitch to him wide, then let him read blocks on the corner, which he does very well; he likes to cut back and run against the flow, even in tight confines; has a nose for the end zone; he's not a pure power runner, but he will run through defenders once he's got them off balance; if the first tackler doesn't wrap him up, he can turn it into a long run; he draws the attention of the defense to allow QB Scarlett, certainly no slouch in his own right, to run for the yardage he does; he's often used on pass plays; he caught the game-winning fourth-down TD pass against LO in first-round playoff game; he and Scarlett seem to read each other's minds and anticipate each other's moves, much like SH Stevenson's Mershman & Fracassa (in the highlight reel, watch the pass play that begins at :55 seconds in which Bender starts on a crossing rout to his left, then peels off as Scarlett rolls to his right); he throws a halfback option pass; he has a Hollywood name; his highlight reel opens with the power chords of AC/DC.

Pre-Grand Blanc:

QB Ryan Morley, jr, #7: assessment: well-composed; been a starter since freshman season; doesn't make many mistakes; gets the ball to playmakers; not a runner, but can scramble to buy time

WR Tony Jones, sr, #1: assessment: likely the best playmaker the Bulldogs have seen all season; elusive, fast and can shake tackles; need to wrap him up; only needs one step to separate from defenders; turns short passes into long gains and can go deep; returns kicks & punts; committed to Northwestern University (also had offer from Stanford, so you know he's a smart kid)

TE Gabe Martin, sr, #81: assessment: big, strong, third-down and short yardage receiver; not very elusive, but also not often solo tackled; just as happy to run through as run around; also plays linebacker; committed to Bowling Green as LB; video

RB Justice Hayes, jr, #24: assessment: an as-quick, stronger version of the other "Justice" the Bulldogs faced this season (SHS's J. Wright); goes inside and out; will run through arm tackles, then run away from the crowd; watch him hurdle defenders on this touchdown run

Pre-Stevenson:

Stevenson QB Jason Fracassa - a four-year starter who this season broke the Michigan HS career passing yardage record - is the grandson of the legendary Al Fracassa of Brother Rice, who is the winningest coach in Michigan HS football history.

Last year, after Romeo beat Dakota:

Romeo's win ended the Cougars' 24-game consecutive win streak that dated back to 2006, for which they should be commended. To put Dakota's accomplishments in perspective: - Over that period, they are two-time state champs [2006 | 2007] and, including the first two games of this season, had won 29 of 30 games.

- On its official website, the MHSAA identifies 13 schools who have had 30+ consecutive-game win streaks in state history.

- Only three of the streaks occurred post-1990. Most took place prior to the "superconference" era and occurred under less strenuous circumstances than what the Cougars face on a weekly basis in the MAC Red.

I have many other examples, too.

My last comment on all this: an email I sent today to Clarkston that I would have sent irrespective of this topic's unfounded, talk-radio/tabloid like beginnings and the subsequent spin of equally-unfounded speculation, innuendo and lies that it generated by a few members.

Coach:

Congrats on the Friday win over Romeo. You have a talented, well-coached team.

As a Romeo parent whose son was on the field during your last drive, I also want to thank and compliment you for the sportsmanship you displayed keeping the ball on the ground and taking a knee on the final snaps. Our kids were demoralized realizing their season was ending and you did not take advantage.

A very classy move.

Thanks.

btw: Kudos, too, to your stadium announcer. He's the best I've heard -- great voice, great personality, and he announces both sides players with near-equal enthusiasm.

Good luck the rest of the way.

Don't worry. I'm coming up clean.


Has anybody heard from Mr. and OAA?

(Wonderfully ironic, isn't it, that those who accuse others of lying turn out to be passing along distortions themselves.)