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JIM BIDEWELL,THE LONG TIME PORTAGEVILLE BASKETBALL COACH HAS CALLED IT QUITS.WHAT A COACH AND GENTLEMAN HE WAS.HE MUST HAVE BEEN A PROTEGE OF GENE BESS,THE LONG TIME THREE RIVERS BASKETBALL COACH.NO FANFARE WITH THIS GUY,NO BASKING IN THE LIMELIGHT.TELL HIM HE WAS DOING A GOOD JOB,AND HE WOULD TELL YOU TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE PLAYERS.I AM NOT EVEN FOR SURE HOW MANY TIMES HE WON THE STATE TOURNAMENT,BUT MOST YEARS WE WERE IN THE HUNT.MY LIFE WAS MADE BETTER BY HAVING JUST BEEN AROUND HIM AND HIS FAMILY,BECAUSE OF HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY,AND THE CHURCH.YOU WOULD SEE HIM HAULING PLAYERS HOME AFTER PRACTICE.HIS DEVOTION TO THE YOUNG MAN IN THE WHEEL CHAIR YOU WOULD SEE AT GAMES,IS UNMATCHED.I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT HE WAS OFFERED BETTER PAYING COACHES JOBS AT ANOTHER LEVEL,BUT HE CHOSE TO STAY IN PORTAGEVILLE,BECAUSE HE LOVED HIS CHURCH,AND THE COMMUNITY.WHAT A IMPACT HE MADE ON SO MANY PLAYERS LIFE,I KNOW OF THREE OR FOUR PLAYERS WHO WENT ON TO PLAY PRO BALL AT SOME LEVEL.HE HAD TO BE COACH,DAD,MENTOR TO SOME PLAYERS WHO DID NOT GET A LOT OF PARENTING AT HOME,AND HE DID IT.HE HAD TO DEAL WITH PARENTS,WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE SMARTER THAN THE COACH,BECAUSE THEIR SON WAS NOT PLAYIN MUCH.TOUGH BUT FAIR,A LOT OF OTHER COACHES WHO I WOULD SEE AT THE GOLF COURSE AND OTHER PLACES,WOULD TELL ME WHAT A GOOD COACH HE WAS,AND HOW HE HAD OUTCOACHED THEM.GOOD JOB COACH.SEE YOU AROUND.JIM