Dear Editor,

This is in response to the letter from the Chelsea High School fan in last week’s paper.

While nothing condones rough play, and nothing good comes from bad behavior, there was a very good reason for the way the Chelsea-SCHS game was conducted.

It all started when the SCHS quarterback was hurt. With 20 seconds left before halftime, he was running for a first down and made for the sideline to stop the clock. Three Chelsea players tackled him out of bounds. There was a ref right there but no flag was thrown. I was standing right above the place where that happened.

During the 81-yard touchdown play in the second quarter, there was a definite block in the back by a Chelsea player. Instead of a touchdown, there should have been a penalty. No flag was thrown. This block was seen by everyone on the chain gang and they mentioned that it should have been called.

There were many more out-of-bounds tackles and various holds and other calls that were not made by the refs.

If you check the stats, you will notice that Chelsea did not have one 15-yard penalty.

After the game, an Alabama High School Athletic official told some of our people that he would turn in the officiating crew. We do not expect he did.

To say that the fans, players or coaches of SCHS are in any way substandard to those of Chelsea is either naive or elitist or both.

Everyone will get outraged at unfairness. That game was very unfairly called by that officiating crew.

And the game was not an upset. We would have won with a greater score had our quarterback not been in the hospital during the second half.

Kenneth William Ray

Wilsonville

Dear Editor,

I’d like to &8220;piggy-back&8221; on a letter written last week by Greg Smith of Chelsea regarding the recent football game between SCHS and Chelsea. The behavior of the SCHS team was appalling. I have never witnessed anything like that on the high school level. SCHS received numerous personal foul and unsportsmanlike penalties, but the real penalties for the players should have taken place in the locker room, and in the principal’s office or at the board of education for the coach.

To their credit, the Chelsea players never retaliated to the late hits, shoves and punches they were subjected to during that game.

To the Chelsea players and coaches: Thank you for being bigger and better than your opponent that night. You made us proud. Regardless of the score, you were the real winners.

Barbara Lee

Columbiana

Dear Editor,

I just wanted to comment about the businesses in Columbiana during the Halloween trick or treat celebration with the children Oct. 31. It was a pretty eye-opening experience in my opinion on the part of business owners.

As Shelby County workers and residents we spend quite a few bucks with these businesses in the form of shopping, eating and using doctors and dentists.

But what happens when it comes to their part in interacting with our kids? They just give one piece of inexpensive candy per kid with a frowned face. They are supposed to be all about bringing business to downtown. But when it comes to treating our children respectfully, they become stingy and self-centered.

I’ll certainly be taking a new look at Columbiana business owners and taking my business somewhere else.

Shahid Syed

Birmingham

Dear Editor,

Marvin Copes saved my sanity by writing of Gray-Caregivers.

That’s me. Thank this guest writer for encouragement.

God bless you all in Shelby County.

Billie Zook

Moscow, Idah