Dear Editor of the SCV Signal,

This week parents were told that the Saugus High School Band would not be playing at home basketball games because the represent a “disruptive influence that provides and unfair advantage.” As I understand the story, a coach of a rival team across town complained to the district and league officials that Saugus, who had won the game in the night in question, had an advantage because the visiting team was distracted.

Well boo hoo. Forget for a moment that this so-called “disruptive influence,” failed to secure victories at any other home contest last year, there is a reason why it's called a home field advantage. There's more fans rooting for the home team, there's cheerleaders, alumni, and the fact that the home team is on their home court. Having a band to play during breaks in the action is just a part of the pagentry of high school sports.

And even then, there's another side of the gym that has the same amount of bleacher seats and if a visiting team wants to be represented and equal the proverbial playing field, they are more than welcome to bus their own ticket paying fans to the game, and if memory serves, their fans just didn't turn out to the support their team. And this wasn't a case where a high school was traveling a hundred miles or so to play a contest and so few fans make the trip, this was merely across town, and only a few dozen showed up.

How will this silly rule prepare high school players for the loud and hectic pageantry of college sports? How will limiting a band's performance time make them better or give them exposure to playing before large crowds? The answer is, it won't.

What's next? No cheerleaders? Maybe limiting them to only three or four pom poms? Limited home seating? Why not just play without any fans at all? Just two teams always on a neutral court behind closed doors. How boring.

To tell the band they are limited to no more than 25 players, and eight minutes of total playing time for all games on any given date is the latest “gem” from the thinking that giving participation trophies make kids feel better after they've lost, and good intentions rarely prepare them for the real world where there are winners and loosers. Thats' why it paves the so called “road to hell.”

I'm reminded of the words of legendary football coach Steve Spurrier who responded to a complaint by a losing coach … “Well, if you don't like it, get some better players and coach better.”

The Saugus High School, or any other band for that matter, should not have to suffer or be to blame because of the sour grapes of a bad sport who isn't teach his team how to overcome adversity. But the team leader in question instead cries to league officials with an entitled spirit.

It is my hope that district and league officials will reconsider this silly decision, and remember what high school sports is all about … the competition, and teaching students how to overcome difficult conditions, because life doesn’t always play by the rules.

Respectfully,

James DeRuvo
Saugus, CA

re: The wrong challenge

Dear Mario ... first off, let me say, loved you on Iron Chef, but I hate the Crocs.  Now that's out of the way, we can get to your Food Stamp Challenge and why I submit that it's the wrong challenge for America to take.

I will say this.  Raising awareness is always a good exercise and has value.  But when you're advocating only half the solution, it's really not going to help anyone.  I do agree that as Americans, we need to understand the challenges that come with making a nutritious meal on a Food Stamp budget.  It's hard.  Damn hard.  Especially when kids want Happy Meals and mom is dreaming of the  Food Network lifestyle that is your reality.

And I also agree that we as a nation should decide that “there has to be a standard of living that we [nationally] decide to support.”  But what we don't agree on is how to get there.  You want the government to provide more services, which means a greater drain on limited treasury.  Sure, we could tax people like you at a far higher rate.  But then you wouldn't have that extra money to hire that young, up and coming chef or you'll have to raise the prices at those posh 4-5 star restaurants you own to cover the shortfall.  Either way, jobs aren't being created and people are being taken off those Food Stamps.

Since the current Administration came into power, over 15 million Americans have been added to the Food Stamp rolls, nearly 1 in 4 Americans getting food stamps from the government. And you know, that sucks.  You're right.  It's not enough.  But we don't need to be aware how getting help to feed our family sucks.  That's a given.  We need to be reminded HOW TO GET OUT OF IT.

You want richer Americans to live for a week on a Food Stamp budget.  That's a good idea.  But it's only half the solution.  And that's where I have another challenge for you ...

My challenge for you is to call your buddies Michael Symon, Bobby Flay, Paula Deen, and any other Food Network celebrity that owns a bunch of successful restaurants.  Then, have them call their buddies who have restaurants.  And so on.  And get them to have a week where your restaurants will serve ONLY FOOD STAMP recipients.  Give them the royal 5 star treatment in exchange for their food stamps.  Remind them what they should be striving for.  And then remind them that after this week is over, they'll never be able to get that life living on those same Food Stamps.  While they're thinking about it, hand them a lighter and ask them to BURN THEIR FOOD STAMPS or pay the restaurant bill.

Now sure, you and your A List Celebrity Chefs will take a bath on restaurant costs for a week.  But so what?  You can afford it.  And I bet you can even get some of your Food Network and ABC sponsors to underwrite it all.  It makes for great PR.

And a year later, how many people do you think will still be on Food Stamps because of your challenge, or mine? Because at the end of the day, it's a taste of what's better that motivates us, not being given more of what doesn't.

re: Resignation from the GOP accepted. Feel free to add a (D) to your name at any time.

Hearing your comments regarding Governor Palin and Rush Limbaugh I had to laugh at the typical nature of how you do business. Always embracing those outside our party, and thumbing your nose at the base. You feel that way? You want to grind an axe over how silly you looked after no WMD was found in Iraq (yet). Feel free.

But at least Sarah Palin had the balls to run for national office. What did you do? Oh yeah, cower and listen to the wife say you couldn't lead because she feared your safety. Hell, even President Elect Obama had the courage to run for change.

What did you do? Deny your place in history and make him the "transformational figure." You could've been that first African American president. Instead, you turned your back on a party which had tried to get you into the race for three election cycles now.

You don't like Rush? Fair enough. But I don't see you showing up every day and offering cogent analysis of how the government is run. I don't see you running a daily national talk show and showing up every day to offer pearls of wisdom on how to make this country better.

The bottom line,is you've become too used to playing from the sidelines. Being the Monday morning commander in chief. And since you've left the State department, you've consistently tossed in w/ the left. So go. Good riddance.

To paraphrase A Few Good Men: "We use words like tradition, values, low taxes and liberty. You use them as a criticism. I have no inclination to listen to a man who rises and sleeps under that freedom and then questions those who seek to serve it.I would rather you just said "thank you" and be on your way. Otherwise, I suggest that you get on the campaign trail or pick up a microphone.

Either way, I don't give a damn how you think the Republican party should act."

You left it a long time ago.

re: Mentors

Gentlemen, in case you haven't noticed, Green Bay's #4 wants a to come back to the game and wants a new home. You've got his #1 fan starting at QB. So how's this for an idea ... trade for Brett and pay him bank to be Romo's backup.



Sure, Brad Johnson is a fine backup, but I'd bet #9 would rework his deal so you can afford #4 for the chance to learn directly from the man he's play like since he was a kid.

Just a thought.

re: One word - RESTRICTION

Dude, you need to take that cellphone away from your daughter and get her one that doesn't come with a camera.

re: La langue écart

M. Obama, avez-vous parlé avec Condoleeza Rice en français récemment? Peut-être Russe? Espagnol alors! Allemand? Pas du tout?

Г-н Обама, вы побеседовали с Condoleeza Райс на французском языке в последнее время? Значение русского языка? Испанский то! Немецкий? Не на всех?

Sr Obama, ¿ha hablado con Condoleeza Rice en francés recientemente? Quizás ruso? Español luego! Alemán? No, en absoluto?

Herr Obama, haben Sie sprach mit Condoleeza Rice in französischer Sprache vor kurzem? Vielleicht Russisch? Spanisch dann! Deutsch? Überhaupt nicht?

THOUGHT SO.