Mailbag - Oct. 13, 2001

October 12, 2001 (To) Barry Faulkner

For Dave Perkins to question our integrity publicly without any facts

is the lowest blow to me and my staff. I would encourage anyone to speak

to the coaches and athletic directors in Orange County and ask them about

my reputation and the integrity that I have developed in my 25 years of

coaching.

(Thursday night’s) game was clearly over and we were running the ball

to run out the clock. The play called was a power running play,

however when our receiver broke from the huddle he was left uncovered by

the Costa Mesa defense and they were blitzing their safety # 22. Our

quarterback read the uncovered receiver, as he did several times in the

game, and threw the ball to the open receiver. He had worked on it all

week in preparation for the game, and it was a natural reaction to throw

the ball, not a called play from the sideline. If the game is over, why

are they blitzing their secondary and leaving receivers uncovered? If

you check around with any coach that I have played you will find out that

I have never run up the score on anyone, no matter what has happened in

the past. We would never step a player off the sideline to cheat another

opponent, it is totally against all that I believe in! While our film

did not show us breaking the huddle, # 1 Dave Anderson is clearly inside

the flank official who makes sure that all players break the huddle prior

to the play! Dave Anderson took the play into the huddle!

To also question our lack of compassion is totally absurd and a

tremendous blow to me, my staff, players, parents, and community.

1) I was one of the first persons to call their athletic office to

offer my condolences to athletic director, Kirk Bauermeister, and his

staff.

2) We worked diligently to make a timely large donation to the

memorial service fund and the scholarship fund in Matt Colby’s name.

3) I spoke with Dave Perkins on Sunday prior to the game and asked

what he would prefer us to do in reference to the Costa Mesa roster, as

well as, signs to prepare for in Matt’s name.

4) I, along with players, parents, and our athletic trainer attended

the memorial service for Matt Colby on Monday, October 8 at Orange Coast

College. We all prayed together and cried together for the Costa Mesa

and Estancia’s families, players, and friends.

5) I made sure that we had a moment of silence prior to the game in

Matt Colby’s memory.

6) We are wearing # 9 on our helmets in memory our fallen player in

the Pacific Coast League.

7) As a Christian, I have prayed for Dave Perkins as a coach, his team

members, Matt Colby’s family members and all of his friends. I will

continue to do so, and as a Christian I will forgive all persons for

their actions.

While I have not received the fax yet, I am told by my administration

that the Costa Mesa administration is sending over an apology for last

night’s ugly events.

Sincerely,

Rick Curtis

Head Football Coach

Athletic Director