Kansas Wrestling Forums General Discussion College Baker University - hired Jimmy May first coach

Mr. Westfahl,

Your "just stating an opinion" was public criticism. I think that is very disrespectful. You started this thread with public criticism of somebody who has done no moral wrong and then turn around and ask "why does that offend us so much." I think others were just discussing the issue with you, but yes, I was offended. It involved my father, you publicly criticized him and I know how hard he has worked to make this program a reality in a very tough situation at Baker University. He is a good person and not deserving of that. Your criticism was all because the hired coach was not from your favorite state. Friendships and loyalties don't have to be bound by a state border, do they? Makes me want to make sure I never become that discriminatory. Yes, I have chosen to disagree with you and that part is no problem. It is the public criticism approach that you took from the beginning that I can not support. You may be communicating "conversationally" now, but in the beginning you took on a stance of public and critical attack.

I don't care how many "minutes" you put into this, I feel your actions (whether they took six minutes or six days) to be disrespectful to somebody who didn't deserve it and to a university I care a lot about, and I chose to stand up and speak out.

I commend and respect your 40 years of committment to wrestling and most importantly as an educator.

Hopefully, Coach May can now be embraced as a "Kansas guy" because he has accepted a coaching position to help advance wrestling in our state. He certainly has expressed a strong interest in getting to know as many people as he can in the state in a positive way! I think all will like him, and when it comes to wrestling, he certainly knows what he is doing. Best of luck to our new KANSAS GUY and GO WILDCATS!

Kit Harris