Organized Chaos

There’s little question Bay’s annual Barnstorm boys basketball tournament is one of the area’s best. This year is no exception, despite several blowouts on the first couple of days.

Here’s some items about this year’s Barnstorm that you may not be aware of. Count this as a little behind the scenes look at the ninth Barnstorm.

— Franklin High of Tennessee was the only school to truly bring a stable with them. The team was accompanied by cheerleaders, tons of them (well more like 16 or so), as well as a healthy fanbase. The team’s not half bad, either, as it was one of the favorites coming in and has done nothing to dispel that notion.

— Port St. Joe’s Willie Quinn fouled out on Monday, but his departure from the game was controversial. The Marianna scorebook had him with five fouls, while the Port St. Joe scorekeeper had three fouls and two others, one on each player, that the Marianna scorer did not have.

The decision was made to go with Marianna’s book since the Bulldogs were the home team and deemed official. PSJ coach Derek Kurnitsky, who at the time had lost 11 straight games in the John L. Cobb Gymnasium, shrugged his shoulders and told his team “I don’t think Willie’s had five fouls called on him all season.”

— When you hear someone say “I’ve seen it all” they probably are fibbing a bit. But when Willie Warren says it, he means it.

Warren has manned the Bay scoreboard for every game in every Barnstorm. We’ll do a story on Willie either this year or next year when the Barnstorm turns 10, but he doesn’t know it yet. When we told him he’s the story he said “No, I’m never the story.”

When Pat McCann, the News Herald’s Executive Sports Editor, found out Willie was a Dallas Cowboys fan he joked, “Maybe we shouldn’t do a story on him now.”

— Madison Ridgeland Academy was the only team to bring a radio crew with them. Well, they didn’t bring them,exactly. A local station made the trip to cover each of the Patriots’ games in the event. Too bad our local radio station isn’t doing the same.

— Coaches aren’t afraid to play anyone, but Cottondale coach Chris Obert made it known before the tournament that he wanted no part of Blountstown. That’s not because he feared the Tigers. No, the teams are in a district together and will play twice this season, soa third matchup was fruitless.

— Port St. Joe and Marianna will meet for the second time in three days and the third time this month on Wednesday. Friendly rivals Derek Kurnitsky and Travis Blanton are competitive, but they can do without playing each other so much. It’s never good when one of your friends has to lose, Kurnitsky told me.

Update, Dec. 31: Well, turns out Marianna and PSJ didn’t want to play again, so the brackets were altered. This was the second time this happened. This occurance could have been avoided had there been a bye in each half of the bracket, rather than in the same bracket.

— Veteran referee Fred Mosley and his crew were late to the court in one of the games on Monday. Warren buzzed them several times before they came out to applause from the fans. Mosley told me he “Had to get his eat on” to make sure he got enough food.

— Speaking of food, coaches, refs, us media types and other school officials are treated to a hospitality room each year. There was a plethora of wings, sandwiches, drinks, desserts and more. Too bad I can’t partake in much of it due to my medical condition.

— The music selection at this year’s tournament between games has been catchy. It’s nice to see the volume was turned down, as the John L. Cobb sound system can get quite loud. It’s a wonder why other schools in the county don’t have systems like this. Arnold and Rutherford have to play music through a boombox and microphone.

— I feel lucky, but only one ball has come my way as I sit next to the scorer’s table. Darrien Mack of Rutherford toppled over the other table on Tuesday. No other players have made contact with the plastic tables, which help me and other people do their jobs accordingly. Thanks to Bay High AD Glenn Manley for making sure we’re taken care of.

— There have been no major injuries, but the play has been physical more so this year than past tourneys. Teams are being allowed to do pretty much whatever they want short of slamming someone.

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