Treatise on bullying. Kevin Siple, head football coach at Grant County High School in Williamstown, shared a “something on my heart for many years” point-of-view the other day via the internet.

An edited excerpt.

“… (if) football players trained to be compassionate and empathetic, targeted students would be protected. I feel very strongly that students are the only ones who can change this epidemic problem in our schools. It must become cool to be kind to all kids and defend kids who can’t protect themselves. … with the right leadership, our football programs can promote this initiative in all school communities. We have all seen far too many suicides, acts of violence, etc. in our schools due to how kids are being treated.”

Siple has “… a vision of forming a committee of coaches, securing a corporate sponsor to help with resources, and setting up a program of leadership to teach our players how to protect and serve in our schools. We as coaches in Kentucky could really leave a legacy of advocating and promoting kindness in our schools. If this is something you have a passion for, I’d love to see where something like this could go. Please let me know your thoughts.”

Signed Kevin Siple, Grant County High School.

This is educational gold bullion. Siple received a ringing endorsement from coaches, parents and fans.

Postscript: To underscore Siple’s appeal, this quotation: “You take away all the other luxuries in life, if you can make someone smile and laugh, you have given the most special gift: happiness.” — Brad Garrett

To advance Siple’s appeal, see this internet article – 9 Ways Coaches Can Prevent and Stop Bullying in Sport, can be found at: http://truesport.org/articles/coaches/9-ways-coaches-can-prevent-stop-bullying-sport/

MID-SUMMER POVs

2. Major League Baseball’s hottest team at the all-star break is in Pittsburgh. The Pirates rolled up the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals three of four last weekend including back-to-back extra inning walk-off wins.

3. Most anticipated event in MLB in July? End of July trade deadline – who’s buying, who’s selling.

4. College football. Most anticipated opener: Louisville and Auburn at the Georgia Dome, seven Saturdays away. September 5.

5. V.J. King’s MVP performance at the Peach Jam summer ball last week had to excite Louisville fans. While summer basketball is mostly a look-at-me, free-for-all, and King needs to add 20-plus pounds of muscle, the 6-6, 189-pounder is a dandy prospect for the Cardinals.

6. With Jayson Tatum committed to Duke, and maybe 7-footer Harry Giles too, Kentucky’s recruiting emphasis turned to …

√ Miles Bridges, small forward at Huntington Prep. Top competition, Michigan State.

√ And, 6-5, 170 guard Kobi Simmons at North Gwinnett High School near Atlanta. Rated sixth in class of 2016. Simmons said of UK, “I’m their guy.” His current college list: Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio State, Xavier, Kentucky and Arizona.

7. Given the growing number of prospects choosing other schools more frequently, I wonder if Kentucky’s one-and-done tattoo and label Yankees of college hoops, and images everywhere of publicity hound and self promoting ball coach Calipari, has started to hurt The Product?

8. An internet basketball web site offered a list of incoming freshmen it says will stay more than one season in college. Kentucky’s Isaiah Briscoe made the cut, although the reasons were not convincing. Bleacher Report says Briscoe will stay because Tyler Ulis is established at point guard. Uk fans will remember Alex Poythress was established too.

9. North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams is assuring prospects the NCAA will not put Tar Heel hoops on probation.

Prospect Sacha Killeya-Jones told the Charlotte Observer that Williams does not think there will be penalties.

“Coach Williams said he is 100 percent positive (the NCAA) is not going to crack down on the men’s basketball team,” he said.

How can UNC’s coach be certain? Track record of process and time lines. He knows the NCAA is not anxious to punish one of its signature programs, particularly with the Tar Heels projected to be ranked number one.

An NCAA ruling, when it is issued, UNC will do the press release thing: “We’re shocked and disappointed. And we will appeal.” The process will drag on despite evidence found (by a former federal investigator) that UNC covered up, employees lied, resigned, retired and/or were fired. Instances of academic fraud went on for years at UNC. This should mean swift justice even from the turtle-paced NCAA. Reminds me of Kentucky in 1988.

10. The NCAA has 351 D-I schools playing men’s basketball in 32 conferences. Three programs averaged more than 20,000 fans a game at home 2014-15 – Syracuse, 23,854, Kentucky, 23,572 and Louisville, 21,386.

11. Intriguing statistic: Along with college fans, Kentuckians set and re-set records for high school State Tournaments. And still, attendance for the Indiana-Kentucky summer series continues to show barely a pulse. Virtually no interest.

12. Worth Repeating Dept. When South Carolina politicians voted to take down the Rebel battle flag someone penned this peculiar assessment: “College bowl season is a subtle metaphor for the Civil War. Every December and January the national narrative is: SEC vs. the Rest of the Country.”

REMEMBER DEPT.

‘A meaningful life is not being rich, popular, highly educated or being perfect. It’s about being real, being humble, being able to share ourselves and touch the lives of others.” – unknown

And so it goes.

You can reach me at bob.Watkins24@aol.com