Commentary: Fans, parents need to get over themselves

Yeah, I just wrote that. And I mean it.
I base my claim on what has been written over the past month or so on the forums for the stories that we write. One - on the Santa Fe High's girls basketball program - was created by a reader (or someone who frequents our site, at the very least).
The conversations, while stimulating for many, are vitriolic for the most part. They turn into whines and moans about the shortcomings of coaches or the programs themselves (And for some reason, Española becomes a topic in just about every one of them. I can't figure it out).
In short, this is what the topics boil down to:
- St. Michael's head girls basketball coach Martin Romero should be fired. He's a bad coach.
- Española Valley head boys basketball coach Richard Martinez should be fired for stalling in the AAAA semifinal. He'll never win a state title while he's there.
- Capital head boys basketball coach Ben Gomez deserved to be fired. He was mean to players, cold to parents and prevented the Jaguars from reaching their full potential.
- St. Michael's head softball coach Ron Noedel should be fired. He can't coach his way out of paper bag with all the talent he's had. He should have won state titles the last three years.
So, who the community wants gone are:
A coach whose led his program to three straight Class AAA semifinal appearances in girls basketball and a title game in 2008. He also saved the program when parents forced out the previous coach and got a team seeded 12th (That's a 1 followed by a 2, not a 1 or a 2) just seconds away from a AAA title game. (This would be Romero).
A coach who has led a program to its most sustained success ... EVER! Two straight AAAA appearances and a top seed the last two years. This for a program that had enjoyed The Pit venue once before he took over (Mr. Martinez, for those scoring at home).
A coach who guided a program to a Class AAAA state title, two runner-up finishes and a trip to Albuquerque in March for the last five years until this year. (Ben Gomez).
A coach who has gotten his team to the AAA softball title game twice in the last three years and is consistently a contender in one of the toughest districts in the state. (That's how bad of a coach Ron Noedel is)
For those who want to complain and stir the pot, I have a suggestion for you: Go coach.
For five years.
Open yourself to questioning from the fans at least once a week, if not more.
Open your practices for everyone to see - parents, students, media, stray dogs, etc.
Then write what you have written over the past month again.
I guarantee you never will, because then you'll know how hard of a job coaching is.
Because if you ever had to deal with parents and fans who write - and act - like you, you'd hate them as much as what I see almost every morning in those forums after a story that appears in The New Mexican.
Because the biggest problem with those programs aren't the coaches.
It's you.

St. Michael's softball to get some TV time

The Lady Horsemen will enjoy a weekend off by heading to Albuquerque to be the showcase team on KOB-TV's "New Mexico GameDay" show on Friday. St. Michael's head coach Ron Noedel said the show's host, J.P. Murrieta, has extended the offer before, but the team always had a Saturday morning game that conflicted with an appearance. This was the only hole in the schedule for the team to make an appearance.
The Lady Horsemen will be in the studio for the 10:30 p.m. show, which will be on Channel 4.