Fermi facilities greater than the Rent?

If I had to play on a field either it was Rentshler Field or Enrico Fermi High School, I choose Fermi.
They got a new field turf field at a cost of $2.36 million and the thing is beautiful. Now, the football team hasn't had a winning year in maybe 20 years, but they got a better playing surface than the NO. 20 ranked Division I team in America. In case you didn't notice Saturday, the field at the Rent was in awful shape. Brown spots all over, faded, and looked like a high school field.

Rentschler Field's primary facility is the field. They got to get that thing fixed for next year. That was embarrassing this year.

I got several emails telling me the reason people weren't into the game on Saturday was because the gates were shut down and they patted everyone down looking for alcohol. I know it's a new management group, but they got a lot of the same people. They have to be better. And please, just let people come in and out of the game.

Why is there no re-entry? this is college not pros. Kill the beer sales, and let people come and go. It's a family atmosphere.

Enough of that.

I spent the last two days going back to my roots with high school football and went to Windsor-Bloomfield Wednesday and Fermi-enfield on Thursday.

This is what I saw in two days:

• Temple bound Marcus Cooper putting on a show against Windsor with 196 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. Should have been 3, but he fell down at the 1 with no one around for a 79 yard gain. He didn't get in from 3 tries at the 2 (he was at halfback) and the Warhawks missed a field goal. Windsor wins 14-13. Cooper crushed after the game. If only everyone cared that much. Bloomfield was 4-6. That is competitiveness.
  

• Now the good stuff: A Windsor player runs over to the Bloomfield side and says something that wasn't appreciated. A near riot breaks out. Bloomfield and Windsor are ready to go at it at midfield, and I am in the middle of it. I try and show my press pass, but I am not sure if I get protection from this. The bouncers, err coaches, do a great job holding both teams back (maybe the Rent should hire them). I got coach's yelling at each other calling others classless and much worse. Other things said that I just won't relay. Thank God no punches were thrown so I can laugh about it now. A little worried for a couple of minutes that someone might break free. They never did shake hands.
  

• Saw Penn St.'s Chris Baker on the Windsor sideline. Didn't get a chance to chat, but I asked him if everything is going to be ok, and he said "he'll be fine" legally. Baker has two assault charges pending against him and was one of the Penn St guys who got in a violent fight at a party earlier this year. He was arrested a couple of weeks ago for another fight and was suspended a game. Anyhow, he was celebrating with Windsor when the near-brawl happened. He look terrified. That's the last thing he needs. "PSU's Baker involved with high school brawl." Boy, talking about trouble finding you. Of all places.

• At Enfield-Fermi. Enfield has been decent in recent years, while Fermi just doesn't belong in the CCC in football. It should be a one high school town but with two schools, which is the town's right, some of these big sports struggle. Fermi struggles in football and hoops (it would do ok in the NCCC, which is where Enfield plays). Still this game means something. take Enfield QB Peter Kelley after the 28-14 Enfield win. "It's the best feeling in the world (to beat Fermi)," he said. "I am just sad that I can't beat them again next year."

Now that's a rivalry.

Other notes from our area, looks like Tolland hosts Bullard Havens in the Class SS state playoffs. Wow. The Pequot Uncas has been criticized for sending weak teams to the playoffs in the past couple of years (Tolland, Coventry last year) , but Bullard Havens out of the new CSC? It's a tech school and them qualifying by playing a tech league schedule takes suspect to a whole new level. They can shut everyone up by playing well, but there is a flaw in a lot of the high school rankings. I am not sure the answer, but for many schools it is like playing Division III football then going to a BCS game. Sometimes, the talent and physical level is that wide a difference.