EDITOR'S NOTE: More than four years ago, this blog turned out to be one of my most popular ever on the sports front and decided t update it every two years or so if warranted. I've briefly added to it, but most of it remains the same. And as always, please remember two things - this is my opinion and is for entertainment purposes - and feel free to comment on your choices at the end.

 

A few years ago as I was traveling back to the office, I was listening to our good friends on Sportsline, the MetroNews radio talk show. The topic of discussion was whose heads would be on the Mount Rushmore for West Virginia University football and also for West Virginia University basketball.

 

As I listened to the conversation unfold, I wondered about a Mount Rushmore for Bridgeport High School athletics. However, I wanted it to be a bit different from the topic being discussed by the folks at MetroNews. Instead of having it just for those sports and instead of including athletes and coaches, yours truly is opting to see who you think should be on the Mount Rushmore of Bridgeport High School coaches.

 

There is, however, a caveat. The coach in question has to have been in charge of their particular sport, or sports combined in some cases, for at least 10 years. One-hit wonders are being excluded.

 

Why? Because I’m making the rules (and see the disclaimer on the 10-year rule below). And to be honest, most of the coaches that I thought of have had or are currently still involved with very long and healthy tenures at BHS.

 

There is another caveat. There are only three positions available. For those questioning my knowledge of history, I am fully aware that there are four faces depicted on Mount Rushmore. I’m also fully aware that anyone with any modicum of sport intelligence knows that Wayne Jamison is already up on the BHS version of Mount Rushmore.

 

After that, well, it’s a bit of a crapshoot. The good news is that even in my time of following Bridgeport High School athletics, there are more than just a few quality names that could go up on the BHS Mount Rushmore. My only real concerns are coaches that pre-date my arrival into paying attention somewhat in the early to mid-1980s and paying very closely to things after 1990. Basically, I have a 30-year window. I’m venturing there were plenty of good coaches roaming the sidelines prior to me ever plunking down some money to watch a game or throwing down the WVSSAC pass to get into athletic events.

 

So who should it be?

 

You have Bridgeport High School baseball coach Robert Shields. He has five state titles to his credit and has had multiple 30-win campaigns, is a regular in the state tournament and has been successful in Class AAA and Class AA in a quarter of a century of work. Shields won his third straight championship last year.

 

Certainly, BHS Swim Coach Jan Grisso has to be considered. If you don’t think so, walk through the BHS cafeteria and tell me how many state championship photos from swimming are on the wall. And she’s done it with both the boys and the girls.

 

You also have former BHS basketball coach Bill Kerns whose clubs were always in the thick of things. And he did what few coaches do, and that’s leave the profession after winning a state championship. It should be noted that Kerns’ boys’ basketball title was the first in school history.

 

After Kerns, there was Gene Randolph. Randolph’s teams were also regulars in Charleston. In fact, in his very first year he took a team to the state championship game in Class AA boys’ basketball. Although he didn’t win, he did capture a crown later with the Indians and just stepped down this past year.

 

Certainly, Bruce Carey's 13 years were impressive on the football field. He not only won a Class AA state title, but won more than 80 percent of his games. 

 

Although not at the 10-year mark yet, current BHS Coach Josh Nicewarner's trick of three straight state titles after five years of coaching could cause some to waive the 10-year rule. Think about this stat: In Nicewarner's five years of coaching, which includes extended runs into the postseason every year, he has not yet lost 10 games. His record of 68-9-1 is amazing.

 

Long-time BHS cheerleading coach Shelley Mazzie also did incredible work with her squads at BHS. Again, all you have to do is go through the halls of Bridgeport High School and you can see the photos on the wall. And before I paid a whole lot of attention, I was told Janie Riley won several Class AAA titles with the girls - a pretty impressive feat indeed. 

 

How impressive? From 1990 to 2000, Riley's er squads won every sectional competition, every regional competition and more and added three state titles - two in Class AA and one in Class AAA.

 

One would think Jon Griffith’s name should be in the mix as well. Another coach with a quarter century of BHS coaching to his credit, Griffith recently one his first state boys track title and has three state cross country titles in the last four years. I may be wrong, but he may be the only coach to win state titles in two sports. 

 

Another coach that had roughly two decades of service under his belt before recently retiring is Bridgeport girls basketball coach Dave Marshall. Marshall had his girls in the Class AAA state title game four years ago and then came back and won the Class AA state championship the following year. Before Marshall took over, the team had never been to the state tournament. 

 

Although I'm grainy on the subject, Hugh Gainer was another person that left an incredile mark. Gainer (and I believe this is accurate) was state titles in 1990,1992,1993 and 1994 in golf and was a pretty solid tennis coach as well.

 

Here's something I want to be clear on. I'm throwing out names for a fictional situation so there is no right or wrong. In fact, you don't have to be a state championship coach. Maybe, just maybe, you know of a coach that managed to produce the best in everyone they coached. If you think that's BHS Mount Rushmore worthy, by all means, include them. Even though they're my rules, if you think the 10-year rule shouldn't apply, by all means change that rule.

 

Unless someone is going to buy a mountain and pony up the funds to do this, please remember this is an exercise in fun. And please remember, I already know regardless of how much I've explained that it's a fun, fictitious that someone will want to know the criteria, why I've left someone out, why do we have to do this as it belittles others. 

 

It's none of those things. But repeating it over and over won't change the fact that comments of that nature are as certain as someone saying on any new business going to White Oaks that they should get a grocery store instead.

 

I digress.

 

Something tells me I’m probably leaving someone out in my own mind. It’s not a slight as much as it is bad memory. Perhaps it’s an obvious one. Perhaps it’s not. Perhaps, as mentioned, someone should be considered for something other than state tournament appearances and state title wins; for instance the late Joe Leonette  agreeing to start soccer at BHS despite not being a soccer man.

 

To be quite honest, I still haven't made up my mind nearly five years after putting the first blog together. In fact, I'm hoping for your help

 

This is where you come in. Let me know who you would have on Bridgeport’s Mount Rushmore of Coaching Legends, particularly those from years gone by.

 

As always, the ball is now in your court. Comment away in the comment section below. And remember, this is for fun.