-- A SOUND DECISION?: The United States Supreme Court has decided that a school policy in Florida that allows high school students to select a fellow student to deliver a short graduation message that may or may not be religious in nature is legal.

The debate over any religious happenings in schools is troubling to those who believe strongly that we are "one nation under God."

And when you look at it that way, the Supreme Court's decision makes sense. If the students select a classmate to speak and there's a mention of God, why should it be illegal?

-- CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: How many of you have taken the time to view any of the numerous Christmas light displays throughout the region?

As I've mentioned in past columns, there are lots to choose from. Do you have a favorite?

Give us a call at 626-1448 or e-mail us at news@exponent-telegram.com to tell us about those dazzling displays. That will give our photographers some to choose from when we go looking for Christmas-time photos.

-- SCAPEGOAT?: If you're a West Virginia University football fan, you know by now that defensive coordinator Phil Elmassian has resigned.

After a 3-8 season, you have to figure that somebody's going to be made the scapegoat, and the much-traveled Elmassian, who's had 13 different coaching jobs in the past 27 years, is it.

Different sports reporters have written that Elmassian's aggressive style didn't play well with some of the players. That's the party line that's being whispered about in Morgantown, anyway.

That comment is strange since head coach Rich Rodriguez has never been described as "meek" when dealing with players. In fact, his aggressive, in-your-face style was a trademark touted as much-needed in Morgantown when he was first hired.

Maybe the combination of Rodriguez and Elmassian was too much. A lot of coaches will tell you in dealing with today's player psyche that you need a "good cop-bad cop" routine -- a coach that tears players down to correct flaws and another that soothes their feelings.

Elmassian has a great reputation for building winning defenses. He did that at Virginia Tech and LSU, two of his stops before WVU. Apparently he just wasn't the right fit in Morgantown.

But I still believe Rodriguez is the right fit for his home-state university. It will take time to get his system in place, but he's got a solid tradition of building great teams.

It must be that "meek" approach.

-- UNDER THE WEATHER: Bob Stealey, whose Bob-n-Along column usually appears on this day, is fighting one of those seasonal "bugs" but hopes to return soon.

Managing Editor John G. Miller's columns appear regularly in the Saturday and Sunday editions of The Exponent Telegram. He can be reached at 626-1473 or by e-mail at jmiller@exponent-telegram.com