**UPDATED (8/21, 3:04 p.m.): Here’s an excerpt of another e-mail from today:

I am wondering why to date there has been absolutely no mention of the PHS Bulldog Team. Is there some sort of problem that I am unaware of? It has been abundantly clear to me now, that we may never see any ink in this paper … Please let me know if there is something that has been done by anyone that would create such a situation. Pasadena is a large city with a rich football history and Pasadena High School happens to be a part of that history. I am going to give you and this paper the benefit of the doubt, and see that maybe if we win, you will give us the space in the paper that the young men practicing and playing their behinds off, that just so happen to represent Pasadena High School, a school that is named after the city in which we live, a school that has the name of the paper for which you work for, their just due!!!!!

Here was my response in its entirety to the Pasadena parent:

Hello XXXXX,

Hope this helped =)

Aaaaaaaannnd the Pasadena parent responded with this:

Thank you Miguel for your prompt response, this does make me feel as
though there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks Again

Like I said, it’s still early and it was just ONE story. Robledo thinks I’ve been one-sided, too, but I don’t buy it.

Continue reading “*UPDATED – Pasadena: Where’s the love, Miguel?” »

MONROVIA — I found my way over to Monrovia High late Tuesday afternoon but not before I got lost and misread the directions from the CIF Directory of Schools.

What I read was exit Colorado but somehow overlooked Santa Anita, which was the actual exit.

Ended up getting off on Myrtle since I didn’t want to cross past the 605 freeway. Drove around and around until I finally ran into Colorado making my way West.

There’s a nice little strip on Myrtle. I have to go check out one of these days.

I had been to Monrovia twice before. Once to cover a football game about six years ago and around the same time when I went to visit an old friend who was Monrovia’s marching band director.

I found my way onto campus and saw the freshman practicing on the baseball field. I got to meet Coach Mendoza whom I told about my little adventure from the Star-News office to Monrovia.

“When in doubt look for the big ‘M'”, said Mendoza as he pointed towards the large “M” that was imprinted on one of the mountains.

Continue reading “Training Camp: When in doubt look for the “M”” »

I might get arthritis after typing all this but I know this is something you all want to see and chat about.

Now here’s the $1,000 question:

Who’s gonna pay for my medical bills? ha ha, j/k ….

Continue reading “Cal Preps: Preseason Football Divisional Polls” »

LA CANADA — I’d wish I had a nickel every time a coach would say, “If we can overcome injuries, then I think we’ll be OK”. I’d be a thousandare by now.

But it didn’t feel like a cliche when Coach Jim Bonds said those 11 words.

It’s always tough when a team loses a key player to a season-ending injury especially early in the season. It’s even tougher when you lose your starting quarterback.

That was the case last season for St. Francis when Austin Heyworth went down with a torn right ACL. You guys know the rest: St. Francis finished 4-6 overall and 1-3 in Mission League.

How good was Heyworth? Well, lets just say he’s now playing Division I ball at UC Davis.

I got to practice Monday afternoon and things were running smoothly as I’d expect from a team like St. Francis.

The parking wasn’t as bad as I expected. It was a nice ride down the hill on Foothill.

I walked across the field and headed to a bench where there was shade (you know, the side where the home team sits). There were a handful of parents watching from up high on the stands.

I sat there and watched Dietrich Riley play mostly defensive back. He was vocal and definitely the anchor on defense, if not the team.

Continue reading “Training Camp: An hour at St. Francis” »

In today’s sports section (front page, bottom right corner) … I’ve gotten some positive feedback on the story and some, well, you knew negative feedback was also coming …

It looks like Muir has provided bulletin board material for Diamond Ranch and with that in mind here is the first of many polls to come so have your say on this one.

========================================================

By Miguel A. Melendez
Staff Writer

PASADENA — Being a high school football coach can sometimes mean not being a coach at all.

The logistics of running a program can become too tedious at times and even overwhelming for others.

Is the right equipment in stock? Is the field ready to go? Have the kids filled out and turned in all the necessary paperwork?

All of which are things every coach wants taken care of, preferably before the start of fall camp.

And as September approaches and the smell of the freshly cut grass roams campus, that can only mean one thing: getting back to the business of, well, coaching.

While some high school teams opened fall camp last week and others open next week, most opened Monday in preparation for their first game under the lights, which is just a few weeks away.

Continue reading “Muir: (Diamond Ranch) don’t impress me at all” »