In 2015, after leading Montrose Football to its first 4-1 start since 1998, after leading Montrose Football to its first .500 final record since 2002, after leading Montrose Football to its first-ever Bluestone Trophy, after Montrose won as many games in 2015 as the previous six (6) seasons combined, and after being named NPF Sports Football Coach of the Year, this letter is to inform you that I am retiring as Head Football Coach at Montrose Area effective immediately.

I want to thank Carol Boyce, Bill King, Mike Boccella, and Eric Powers for their tremendous support over the last 23 months.  Carol Boyce is the best Superintendent for whom I have ever worked and I want the people of Montrose to know that she inspired me every day through her guidance.  Bill King is an amazing man.  I loved being around him because he understands the educational process so well.  Honestly, I am going to miss Carol and Bill very much. 

Also, the players, my coaching staff and others who have done so much to help. We have such great Christian people at Montrose.  Montrose is an amazing place.  I am hopeful that they are able to go forward from here.

Physically, I could still do it, but, mentally, this is a 12-month-a-year job and I've been doing it every year since 1996. Now was the time to stop. I have to let go and focus on other aspects of my life. I am in good health and feel lucky to have been able to coach college and high school football for an extended period of time.  My mission in life is to continue to make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and that mission will be done here on Earth as it is in Heaven.

I'd first like to say that my respect and appreciation for Montrose has only grown since my arrival.  The relationship, both on the professional and personal levels, is something that I am grateful, and something that will continue into the future.

This is a relationship that was structured around the fundamental element of applying all of our joint resources, energy, and efforts into being successful in every aspect of individuals’ lives.  The people of Montrose deserve nothing less.

I will never leave this sport with anything but good feelings about it.  Coaching has been a great experience for me, and it's also been a lot of fun. I've met a lot of good people: players, coaches, and fans that I like.  In all honesty, Montrose, by far, was the best experience of my 20-year coaching career.

God bless the people of Montrose and of Susquehanna County.
Sincerely,

Dr. Lou Cella

Harding, PA

The debate was combative, testy, informative, and surprising.

No, not the Fox News' stodgy six. After six similar shows, that was wearing thin. It was the off-stage dispute with Donald Trump, Megyn Kelly, and Roger Ailes, the CEO of Fox News, which rated the laudatory adjectives.

Go back to last August, the first Fox-sponsored debate. There were three moderators one of whom was Kelly. When Kelly's turn came to pose questions to Trump, she opened with a salvo of two queries that lit a firestorm of controversy. Seven months later the flames rage.

We'll examine those questions and along the way try to correct a few misconceptions.

Kelly's first question to Trump.

Kelly to Trump: “You've called women you don't like, 'fat pigs,' 'dogs,' 'slobs and disgusting animals.'”

That is a calculated misquote. Trump never addressed those words to women. Kelly altered the quote to make her case that Trump was engaged in a “war against women.”

Trump shot back: “Only Rosie O'Donnell.” He recalled O'Donnell's conduct at his 1993 wedding reception where,a said Trump “she ate like a pig.” And such quotes as this about pro-lifers: “I'd like to take my period blood I no longer have and write, 'you're all [expletive deleted].' I'd like to smear it all over some people's faces.”

Trump's quick retort was greeted with loud applause.

Kelly's second question to Trump.

Kelly, not deterred, continued: “You once told a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees. Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?”

If Kelly's first question was a misquote, her second one was a fabrication.

Trump could not recall the alleged comment and no wonder. Kelly's research staff had to go back to 2005 before they found something that could be construed to humiliate Trump.

In a ten-year-old video clip from the Apprentice, Brett Michaels was explaining to Trump that Brande Roderick had gotten down on her knees and begged not to be fired.

Trump: “Excuse me, you dropped to your knees?”

Roderick: “Yes.”

Trump: “Must be a pretty picture, you dropping to your knees.”

Looking back on that scene Roderick said, “Like him [Trump], I didn't even remember him saying that.” She continued, “I've always had a positive experience around Donald. He's always been encouraging. He's never been disrespectful to me.”

Two questions based on false quotes. One made up, and the other one dreamed up.

Nevertheless, Kelly defended her questions: “I felt he was asked a tough but fair question. I certainly will not apologize for doing good journalism.”

“Tough?” “Fair?” “Good journalism?” You be the judge: “good journalism,” or yellow journalism?

Skip ahead to about a week before the seventh debate.

Trump wanted Kelly removed as moderator because of past bias. Ailes refused. Then in a pique of displeasure, Ailes said this to Trump through a press release:

“We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president. A nefarious source tells that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meeting.”

It was this mocking press release that caused Trump to walk off the Fox stage; it was not to escape facing muckraking Meg.

One day before the debate, Ailes called Trump and offered a sincere apology. He promised an unbiased panel. Trump accepted Ailes' mea culpa. He told Ailes that he wanted to be on Fox's platform, but the apology came too late. Trump had made plans for a veterans' charity event that he could not cancel with a clear conscious.

So there we have it. Tabloid Meg remained as a moderator. Trump was watched by 2.7 million plus viewers from an untold number of smaller streaming outlets. He raised $6 million for the vets, which exceeded his goal by $1 million.

And Ailes' Trump-less debate was not a failure. A respectable 12.5 million tuned in, although that was about half of what was expected with Trump.

All in all, a fair and balanced ending. As someone wrote, All's Well Than Ends Well---at least for now.

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA