After a University of Maine field hockey game against Temple University at Kent State was cut short for football pre-game festivities on Saturday, debate over how officials should have handled the situation continued throughout the week — including in the BDN comment sections.
Readers took a range of stances in the stories and columns that followed. Here’s what you had to say:
billyG: “This is beyond [ridiculous]! The NCAA needs to address this quickly and decisively!! There is no room in College athletics for this type of behavior!!”
Proud_Mainer: “This isn’t a Title IX issue. They weren’t kicked off the field because they were women and the football team is men. They were kicked off the field because there was a previously scheduled event, which happened to be a football game.”
pizanos: “Curtailing a women’s game for the benefit of a silly fireworks display preceding a men’s game could only underscore the bias against the women’s game. The fireworks should have been cancelled and no one’s sense of fairness would have been offended.”
mainer207: “The reality is, men’s football is far more compelling for the vast majority of people than women’s field hockey. No amount of Title IX legislation will alter that reality.”
More conversation starters from the week’s top news:
Police blew up his house and shot him. Now he wants to make sure they don’t do it to anyone else.
WaxlyM: “I have yet to see anything that shows me that the police acted correctly here. The house was surrounded, the public was not at risk, they should have waited him out or tried different tactics. Instead, they lost patience, and ineptly blew his house up and nearly killed him. This is utterly unacceptable.”
Todd_Thompson: “This guy had shot at a person, shot at law enforcement and would not comply to lawful requests. This was all caused by him. What do you expect law enforcement to have done, invite him for ice cream? Which one of you would have gone into that house that day? I think they used restraint (sure beat the hell out of what the FBI did in Smithville AR after Sheriff Mathews was gunned down). In this twisted world this lawsuit attempts to make the good guys the bad guys. I think he’s lucky to be alive and should just fade away. I for one think this a complete waste of tax dollars but attorneys smell money. Sometimes a criminal shooting it out with law enforcement results in some kind of hero worship…….(Ruby Ridge, Waco, Gordon Kahl are just a few). I don’t think he nor his attorneys should get a penny. Not a penny.”
3 Maine schools listed among top 25 liberal arts colleges in America
Hussar: “Very interesting the University of Maine was listed at 202 (I can hear the chants in Orono now, We are number 202, number 202). I didn’t see where the poor University of Southern Maine showed up on the list: But then I guess when you are just an employment program from Democrat liberal hacks (as the University of Southern Maine or perhaps more appropriately the University of Northern Massachusetts is) being ranked for providing a quality education does not matter. Pretty interesting three private schools that are not living off the taxpayer’s dime are ranked so much higher and better than that public white elephant, the University of Maine.”
Grandson of famous blind hiker Bill Irwin completes the Appalachian Trail
TrainguyJim: “The AT is one great trail. I’ve managed to do only parts of it but to me it is magical. Congrats on your summit at Katahdin. I wonder if the PCT and the CDT is in their future. The parts of the PCT I’ve done are stunning.”
MDI1968: “Food and beverage establishments keep opening in Bangor on top of each other. I doubt any of them are doing market studies. The demographics of Bangor and the immediate area can’t suggest that the market is underserved. It’s more of a zero sum game and these places have to steal business from each other. In addition to those challenges, DT Bangor parking is horrendous.”
Opinion: Students lose when quality teachers can’t teach
akarobertkilpatrick: “I’ve taught everything from 2nd Grade to community college to Penobscot Job Corps and held all the necessary certifications and degrees. I’m gung-ho on teachers’ unions and think the charter schools are a really bad idea.
“That said, I’m all for changing the strait jacket credentialing puts schools in. Many credentialed teachers have no business being in a classroom, and the world is full of uncredentialed people with tons of knowledge and the ability to impart it.”
Stephen King criticizes Susan Collins on ‘The Late Show’
GreenGene: “I am a huge Stephen King fan. I can’t say that I have read everything he has written, but I’ve read a lot of his stuff, and I’ve enjoyed it all.
“That said, his opinion of Susan Collins is just that — his opinion. It will carry some weight with some people, simply because he is a famous writer. So be it. There are far worse influences out there.
“As for me, I’m amused but not really interested in Stephen King’s opinion of Susan Collins. I made up my mind about her a while back, and I am very much looking forward to not voting for her re-election.”
Comcast and cable TV giants sue Maine over new law aimed at a la carte access
Iwantout: “I’ve been arguing for a la carte tv services since I’ve been on satellite. I agree…Why should I have to pay for 500 channels, when I’ll watch, at most, 20? I watch little or no sports, little or no news, no religious programming, children’s shows, reality tv…Just as those that watch nothing but sports, religion, reality tv and the like are being charged for stuff they don’t watch. Yet, we’re still being charged for them. My family was promised twenty years ago we would be offered an a la carte choice for our satellite service…We’re still waiting.”
Air Force review comes after Maine Air National Guard unit stays at Trump resort
Guardian: “The fact is that over the months and years, $11m was spent at the nearby airport on fuel alone. This flight represents a detour to get to that airport. Fuel was purchased there at full commercial rates rather than refuelling at a US army base, where bulk purchasing reduces the cost. This airport has been struggling badly and suddenly, under Trump it started to make a profit. This is the closest airport to Trumps golf course. Tax payers were spending money on subsidizing a civilian airport which serves Trumps golf course.”
Once filled with debris, Maine’s forests are getting clean thanks to outdoor enthusiasts
boogiebangor: “Great article. Each person can play their part by simply gathering up small items of trash while walking along our great waterways and trails. IT ALL HELPS!!”
11 candidates are running for 4 open seats on the Bangor City Council
iTHINKsoTOO: “Bangor should make it fun and use RCV for City Council.”
Rubbery square pizza is out and vegan lunches are in at Portland elementary schools
ninny84: “I give them an A for effort. I run school kitchens and love my job AND embrace the regs and cultural pallets…BUT a roasted carrot in a [hot dog] bun isn’t going to have hundreds of kids lining up for lunch. Thats the reality. I can 100% guarantee almost no kids would purchase that lunch. Plate coverage and well executed food items will sell your meal. Try: a bed of shredded lettuce, refried beans, pico, (cheese or no cheese depending on vegan vs vegetarian) and some guac. DELISH and the colors are beautiful.”
Bangor police want to charge a fee to shelters and group homes that call 911 for non-emergencies
CD1forL1fe: “This is the correct decision. Wasting community resources should be a crime.”
Mer08181: “I mean, imagine if there was a group of people that where trained to handle deesclation that was paid for by tax payers. We could call them a police force of some sort.”
Mark_Smith: “This is too beautiful a building to be held by private hands. It should be given to what used to be called the Society for Preservation of New England Antiquities, and opened to the public. Magnificent!”
She left a job in finance to become a volunteer hockey coach at UMaine
woodysway: “Welcome to Maine, Olivia. It’s a lot like Minnesota. My wife is from Duluth and we have returned to Minnesota 55 of the last 60 years. The Maine coast is a worthy substitute for the North Shore. Orono is on about the same parallel as Hinckley but without the doughnuts. Maine nice about the same as Minnesota nice. Good D3 women’s hockey in New England. Enjoy.”
The comment sections on these stories remain open — please join the conversation and share your thoughts.