Coach Carbone wins No. 500 The Ohio baseball team's win last Friday was more than just a conference victory; it was a historic achievement for head coach Joe Carbone. As the final out was recorded, Carbone secured his place among the elite coaches in Mid-American Conference history with his 500th career victory at Ohio University. Although Carbone downplayed the significance of the win, saying It's not a big deal really... Coaches don't win games
players win games he will nevertheless go down as one of the premier coaches in the MAC and, of course, at OU.
For 17 seasons Carbone has been a hallmark of consistency at a university not always known for its athletic prowess. With a career record of 501-389-1 -a .562 winning percentage -Carbone has earned many accolades throughout his time here. In addition to achieving the 500-win plateau, a feat achieved by only three other coaches in MAC history, Carbone was also named MAC Coach of the Year twice, in 1991 and 1997. Further, he also earned the honor of being named Mideast Region Coach of the Year in 1997. Ohio University, its students and its baseball players should feel honored to be associated with Carbone.
All the praise that has been bestowed on Carbone, a former Ohio player, has been earned with all his hard work. In order for any collegiate sports program to succeed, it must have good players and a head coach that exemplifies class, consistency and winning tradition. Always the consummate professional, Carbone has downplayed his success and focused his praise on his players, and although that is admirable -and an example of Carbone's character -this time coach, the glory is yours. Enjoy it; you have earned every word of praise and the accolades associated with it.
Bad form Dean, Dems should let Schiavo rest In his short tenure as Democratic National Committee Chairman, Howard Dean has predictably been all over the news, which is not necessarily a bad thing, except when he is engaging in the same shenanigans he claims to dislike. Dean, who was critical of grandstanding by Republican leaders during the Terri Schiavo case, said that Democrats would use the case as political weaponry in upcoming elections. However, by using the Schiavo case the Democrats will not be able to capture the political high ground it seeks, but rather could become embroiled in a public relations nightmare that could backfire and continue the downward spiral of the party.
It is hypocritical for Democrats to attempt to capitalize on public sentiment about grandstanding during the Schiavo case when they will hold the GOP's feet to the fire on the issue. Although the accusations by Dean -and his party -might be valid criticism of the GOP, it puts the Democrats in a tricky situation. Any political hardball that results from this tough talk has the possibility of swaying some voters unhappy with the GOP in the Schiavo case, but likely would alienate an equally large number of voters that are on the fence.
Although using public dismay about the Schiavo case is a clever political maneuver, it could result in a public relations disaster for a party that is attempting to rebuild itself from shambles after the last election. Democrats have inherited the political high ground as a result of the GOP's mishandling of the Schiavo case, but any further political jockeying will likely undermine the morally superior position of the Democrats in regard to public opinion.
The latest developments of the Schiavo case are a clear indication that neither party is above using Schiavo's life as a means of political gain. Further, the hard-line stance of Dean shows that he was not a wise choice to lead the Democratic Party. Dean -like his tactics -is too controversial for a party that has to retool and try to dethrone its opposition from power. Although the Democrats cannot remove Dean from his position, they can put a halt to his lightning rod tactics. And if the party has any hope of survival in the forum of public opinion it must reject these tactics, lay the Schiavo case to rest, and keep its high ground on the matter intact.
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