Having been involved as a player, fan, coach, fan (again) and reporter at Boothbay vs. Wiscasset boys basketball games since about 1971, it has been interesting to see how the "rivalry" has evolved from near donnybrooks in the past to this past Monday night's near "golf etiquette" setting.

Oh, the players still mixed it up some on Monday — at least one player from each side went off the floor bleeding — but the crowds were far from what I experienced in the 1970s, '80s and '90s.

I guess the days of hanging a makeshift "Seahawk" on a rope or plucking the feathers out of the (former) Redskins' headdress are over.

How about a few stories? As a player, one of my teammates drove Wiscasset's Steve Benner into the wall at Porter Memorial Gymnasium when Benner had a breakaway layup. My teammate got tossed out of the game and Benner survived but that game remained rough because we hadn't beaten Wiscasset in our high school years. And we ended up defeating them, finally, in my senior year.

As a fan, my wife and a very verbal Wiscasset fan nearly came to blows (why he was sitting with the Boothbay fans, I'll never know) during a game in the '80s.

As a coach, we left Wiscasset one night as quickly as possible as snowballs began pelting the bus windows.

As a reporter/photographer, I have seen some "action" underneath the basket and near the benches — on both ends of the court — that even some officials didn't see.

Sportsmanship is the name of the game nowadays. Before the games, announcers have to remind fans and players about being civil to all — players, coaches, fans and officials.

Keeping the peace is fine but somehow, I think all cheering and no booing makes for a dull experience. Especially between rivals.

After Monday's game, which was yet another close one, one of the James "boys" from Wiscasset, a former rival as a player, came out of the stands and introduced himself to me.

"Back in the day," he said.

Yes, back in the day when you could compete, try anything to win, and walk away with some bruises and a few stories.