Former Player Believes Gilroy High Should Replace Head Basketball Coach

Dear Editor, The time has come to replace Gilroy’s basketball
Coach Bud Ogden. I am a former basketball player who played under
Coach Ogden for both of my varsity years.
Former Player Believes Gilroy High Should Replace Head Basketball Coach

Dear Editor,

The time has come to replace Gilroy’s basketball Coach Bud Ogden. I am a former basketball player who played under Coach Ogden for both of my varsity years. I would like to bring to people’s attention to what has really been going on under the surface with this coach. Throughout the four years he has been coaching, three or four players quit including me who no longer liked the game under him. He took the fun out of basketball, a game that I have loved to play since third grade.

As far as his coaching strategy goes, he was always negative and condemned us for everything we did. Rarely would he shed any encouragement on a situation. During one of the years I played it got so bad during film sessions that we had to have a parent sit in just so he wouldn’t berate the players and talk down to us. I have known all the players that have played under him and not one has said they like him as a coach, not even the ones he favors.

He once was quoted in the paper saying that he was glad that a certain player was strong enough to carry the team on his back. I didn’t realize basketball was a one-player sport. Whenever he would talk to us it would be in a patronizing tone like we were children. He didn’t respect us because he believed that he was above us. So, therefore we had no respect for him as a coach. When we would go in at halftime he would say all the things that we had done wrong without anything that was positive. How can you be a coach if you do not know how to encourage your team to do their best?

He has degraded and yelled at another coach in front of everyone in the gym. And I was there the night he went to apologize to that coach at his house, but I can guarantee it was not heartfelt. He did it because he was obligated to. There is a reason that coach did not come back to coach with him.

The last few years Gilroy has had huge amounts of talent on the team, but none of the teams have lived up to their potential. There is a reason for that and it is not in the players. It is time for a change.

Jeremy Strametz, Gilroy

‘Chugs and Jugs’ Night at Downtown Restaurant Such ‘Wholesome’ Fun

Dear Editor,

I recall when Chips and Salsa opened up, and a group of Hells Angels pulled up front and had a meal there, and the public was questioning it, the new owner said something like oh, no, that is not the crowd we are intending on attracting to our new establishment, we want a “wholesome family atmosphere.”

Well, imagine my surprise when I saw taped to a light pole (which, by the way, is against city ordinances) a flyer for a “Chugs and Jugs” night at Chips and Salsa coming up.

Guess the “wholesome family atmosphere” ends at 9pm when the shows start.

Maybe we should all think about patronizing a place like that that advertises “wet t-shirt contest with a cover charge to those under 21 as we surely don’t want to take the grandchildren in after say 8pm, or have a family dinner run after 9pm.

S.M. Baker, Gilroy