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January 16, 2001

What's going on?

by Bob Orazem
Click here to email - BOBMILE@aol.com

TRAC UPDATE

New Boro President Molinaro stated in his inaugural address that he still plans on building the first Indoor Track & Field facility in NYC history. (Other tracks have been built for other purposes or have multi use) TRAC has been quiet in post 9-11 time as we try to interpret the importance of all this. After 4 months and after watching thousands of kids running in the Armory Track & Field Center I now realize this facility is needed more than ever. We as Staten Islanders and New Yorkers deserve this more than ever after the misery of the last 4 months. We will have to wait and see.

Now that I am not the President of SIAC for the first time in 6 years I have my opinion back. People ask what am I going to do? Go to Disney, become a Rocket or maybe a Ombudsman. There are just so many other areas to conquer... Good Luck to new President Ernie Beach who becomes another in a long line of maniacs who loved the sport... Congrats to SI runners and sportsman who walked the picket line at Farrell and Moore H.S. in an on going contract dispute w/ one of the richest organizations in the world for a couple dollars. Good job Ed "Trail Dog" Manganel, George Kochman, Jim Hughes, Joe Tuttle, Jim Behr. Shame on the others... My sympathy goes out to Jeanine Radice and Derek Alvez who both lost dad's who molded two great people... The Advance recently has wrote several articles about crazy parents who ruin kids sporting events. It doesn't happen in our sport and we should be congratulated... Speaking of the Advance, their sports Dinner honoring our murdered friend from 9-11 will be great,but so many were left out including Paul Pansini, co-director of the GUNN RUN and runner John Fischer. It's never easy... Congrats to Denis Donovan, Tom Kelly and JoAnne Kopycinski who's teams qualified for the MILLROSE GAMES at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 1st. Kelly's team qualified for the CHSAA 4X8 for the first time. Why didn't they make it when I coached there w/Tom the last two years???... The three Fire Dept. races on Staten Island will meet this week to discuss where to go from here. Scott's Race has the pressure of being the first race up ( April ). What can possibly be done to show sensitivity after what happened?... I miss Tom Celic and he owes me a case of beer from the Hillary Clinton election results. I will claim it one day. I really missed him the day they arrested the football coach at Farrell for selling drugs. I started dialing his home to bust his chops, him being a Farrell Alumni. Of course his call I received first when Wagner Track Coach Mark O'Brady was arrested for possession of drugs( I am a Wagner Alumni ). I guess we are even... I miss Steve Lauria when the lights are out in Silver Lake Park and I realize he cared about things like that... Speaking about articles in local papers. I think Jay Price's articles and writings are by far the best at the Advance but I could take the "bad parents at sporting events" articles better if he LIVED on Staten Island and didn't bail out... The Gunn Run is considering a move to SI Yankee Stadium in the summer. They did not have there race last fall but want to get it going again... Does Staten Island have a best runner in the male division since the retirement of Shawn Williams?... A party to honor Gene Spillane will be held at Sacred Heart Church on Feb. 2nd. The former 4:20 miler is battling cancer. Gene has served on the CELIC race committee for the last 10 years and was the honorary starter at last Sept. 8th's race. Little did we know that day, yes, things could get worse... 2001 will never be forgotten when the biggest running related event of the year was a vigil in Clove Lake Park on Sept. 22...Anthony Pittaresi will join the gang of 3 to insure that the Fun Run, whether used as a jog, workout, race or a wake, will continue forever. Thanks to all the directors ( Fred, Dave and Mark)... Sorry if I keep mentioning 9-11, I promise I'll get over it in 10-15 years...